# Yamaha RX V673, audio frequently cutting out



## Ginja

Hi,

I am hoping someone could help me with this issue. I have had my receiver for just over two years now. The problem started small, but has gradually gotten worse and worse.

Basically, the audio cuts out for a few seconds and then returns. Sometimes it does so every 10 minutes, sometimes every 30 seconds. When it does cut out, the speaker icons disappear from the display of the receiver, and then return again just before the audio plays.

I have tried using headphones, instead of speakers (speakers unplugged) - same problem.
I have tried playing music through Ethernet (HDMI unplugged) - same problem.
I have placed the unit in a different location - same problem.
I have power it from a different wall socket - same problem.
It worked perfectly for two years...

Rarely, there is a subtle noise, like someone crumpling a plastic shopping bag, or like firecrackers, coming from the speakers.

I have sent it in for repairs twice, but the Yamaha engineers say that the unit is working perfectly. The second time, the engineer said he tried it at his home for over a week, and he didn't have any issues.

After they returned it, each time it is fine for a day or two, and then the audio issues start again. Which leaves me to believe it must be something in my home.

Has anyone else had an issue like this, or know what else I could try to resolve it? Any forum searches I have done, refer to HDMI issue, which I bypassed, or TV Boxes, which I don't have connected at the moment.

The engineer said, he could replace the DSP board (I think that's what he means. I am in Taiwan, and the engineer only speaks Chinese) But he said that could be expensive.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## NBPk402

I had a similar problem that turned out to be our freezer...our freezer was on the same circuit as our Yamaha. Everytime the freezer would turn on the HDMI would cut out causing a loss of picture, and sound. I replaced our freezer with a new one (old one was about 10 years old), and the problem was still there...So i plugged the freezer into another outlet and the problem went away. Do you by chance have an appliance on the same circuit?

Hope this helps. :T


----------



## Insearchof

ellisr63 said:


> I had a similar problem that turned out to be our freezer...our freezer was on the same circuit as our Yamaha. Everytime the freezer would turn on the HDMI would cut out causing a loss of picture, and sound. I replaced our freezer with a new one (old one was about 10 years old), and the problem was still there...So i plugged the freezer into another outlet and the problem went away. Do you by chance have an appliance on the same circuit?
> 
> Hope this helps. :T


I would check this as well. The 1st thing that popped into my head was to try the receiver on a different circuit.
I see you said you tried it in a different location but you may need to verify that it's not somehow on the same circuit.
I had an intermittent failing breaker cause all kinds of weird and occasionally inconsistent issues.


----------



## Ginja

Thanks for your replies and advice.

I don't know exactly how the circuitry is mapped in this house. I am renting, and it would require switching things on and off in the circuit breaker panel to figure it out. Can't do that now, as there are servers running.

What I did do, is move the receiver (headphones and flash drive) into the kitchen, which is on the complete other side of the house. I would assume that is most likely to be on a different circuit. Anyways, the issue was even worse there. The sound cut out almost as soon as it started, the audio was out for much longer, and only came back briefly before cutting out again. Also, that crackling sound was much, much worse.

The Yamaha engineer called me last night, and he is coming over tomorrow morning to have a look. He is also bringing along two kinds of replacement boards, in case he identifies those to be the problem. Then, he can fix it here.

I worry that he won't be able to figure it out, so keep coming with advice.

Thank you!


----------



## Chromejob

Get a good UPS and plug the AVR into that. Should clean up the power and isolate it from any wonky power issues in the apt.


----------



## Ginja

The technician came out on Sunday.

After listening to the problem, he figured the HDMI board needed replacing. He said that even though the problem persisted without the use of HDMI, most of the circuits and chips are on the same board. He brought a new one, however, the new one didn't seem to work either. It didn't play sound at all, and wouldn't take an update.

He put the old board back in, and the sound worked again, but still had the same problem cutting out. He said he'd have to order another board. If there's stock in Taiwan, it'd take a week or two, if not, he'd have to order it from Japan, which would mean about a month.

A brand new board not working either doesn't quite inspire confidence. However, the technician came all the way to my home on a Sunday, so I gotta commend Yamaha on that.

I am concerned about the price of the new board. The technician said it costs NT$9000, which is about US$280, that seems ridiculously expensive. That is almost half of what I paid for the receiver.


----------



## offshorsailor

Did you ever resolve your issue? I'm now having exact symptoms and have had it on the bench twice with NTF. Just curious is yours was resolved


----------



## NBPk402

offshorsailor said:


> Did you ever resolve your issue? I'm now having exact symptoms and have had it on the bench twice with NTF. Just curious is yours was resolved


Mine is currently at a Yamaha Service Center under warranty... A repair shop I went to said my problem is the HDMI board now as the problem has evolved to moving the channels randomly around the room or turning them off randomly. We will see if Yamaha is able to duplicate the problem. I wish that a Service Center would just replace what they think is wrong instead of not finding a problem, and making you have to take it back multiple times to finally discover the problem.


----------



## badass

I also have a Yamaha RX V-773 and the sound is doing the same thing. It is cutting out intermittently and pops. I thought maybe it was a firmware problem as I seen an update 1.91. So I updated from 1.84 and then the update was successful but the 1.91 did not display, only got XXX. So i tried again and now get errors. I tried both over wifi and USB and keep getting various error codes. I would assume that the sound problems are hardware problems vs. firmware...any ideas as I see others are having the same problem.


----------



## jubrizzi

I had EXACTLY the same problem then Ginja. Looks like is a design issue as is very estrange the same behavior.

The issue started very sporadically and now the receiver is almost useless. I vacuum clean inside (all the boards) and also updated firmware to latest now (1.96). Problem still persist but having the unit unplugged from power sleeps the issue for few hours. Perhaps it is just a capacitor losing its value, but how may now which one if it is the case.

I'm in Argentina, very far for any reliable Yamaha technician, so please I'll appreciate your input in any solution shows up.

Good luck to all of us!


----------



## zombie568

Here i am, same problem . worked great until just out of warranty, now i have the sound cutting out with the speaker symbol on the front disappearing for a few seconds. Makes the receiver useless. any luck on a remedy?

*EDIT I have a RX A820 but exactly same symptoms as OP


----------



## Jaswan

I have the same amp and I also get this issue.

I don't get it so often so i may not be as annoyed with it as the OP but I just always put it down to a HDMI issue or something but it seems there could be more to it than that?

Good luck

Jase.


----------



## MacTexan

Me too. My RX V673 performed flawlessly for about 18 months, then the audio began cutting out intermittently. Using HDMI input from my DirecTV receiver or my AppleTV, the problem is the same. The front panel "CinemaDSP" & speaker channel lights go out and the audio disappears. The problem has gotten progressively worse. Now I sometimes have to switch the receiver on and off three or four times before the audio will play. The video has never failed. I have tried the receiver on three different A/C circuits and my entertainment system is all powered through a 5KVA UPS. With everything switched on and playing at 75% volume, the UPS is operating at 20 - 25% current capacity. I've tried with & without the UPS with no success. I have also tried every HDMI input and swapped to a brand new HDMI 2.1 cable with the same results. Looks like Yamaha has built a lemon here. Time to get an HK or Onkyo.


----------



## Hyper1

I have an RX V773 and had/have a very similar issue to what's being described in this thread. I first noticed a moderate "POP" or "SNAP" sound about 1 month ago. About a week after that it escalated from "POP/SNAP" to not working for a few minutes after I turned it on. Then a week or so after that it escalated to a "SNAP/POP" with virtually no sound at all for 10+ minutes,,,then I would have to turn it off and then back on...and if I were lucky it would work after second reboot....Finally, another couple weeks after that it is 100% dead.

So, I happen to have an RX V673 that never worked at all. I purchased it knowing that it had no sound even though it would power on. I took that unit apart and noticed while testing the speaker connection for "Ohms" with a multi-meter that the Center and Surround do not register ANY Ohms whatsoever whereas all remaining speakers register about 9.8k Ohms....I don't know if this is the way it's supposed to be or not but if it's NOT then there are relays associated with each of those speaker connectors and it "MIGHT" be a relay issue (that's just a guess,,,I have not replaced them).

Bottom line is upon researching this issue I am discovering that this is a real issue with Yamaha receivers. There are MANY people complaining of the same issue. So many that I'm surprised Yamaha is acknowledging it and having a recall...Or at the very least making a video on the most common repair. In the absence of any guidance from Yamaha the only reasonable solution is to buy a receiver from a different manufacturer. It would cost $70 - $100 to send it in and diagnose,,,probably another $100+ for parts and by the time I'm done it's a $200+ repair. That's ridiculous. So,,,in my opinion, another unit from a different manufacturer is the better solution.


----------



## surfer812

Well I'm having the same issues. If I figure anything out I will post it here.


----------



## rinjulian

Hi, I just introduced myself with my first two posts in the presentation thread. Excuse me for my English as a translator.
I need to ask you: my Yamaha rx-A730 starts up well, but it takes 15 minutes for the icons of the speakers to appear on the display and for the speakers to be heard, it has to warm up a few minutes for the sound to come out.
What will be the problem:
a defective weld ?.
the contacts of dirty relays?
or some component that until it is not heated does not work well?
I am open to your advice and thank you, I come from the electric world.
As you can see this is the post I posted yesterday asking for help, the symptoms of my Yamaha RX-A730 are the same as you say.
Have you got any solution ?, In my case I will remove the lid and make a visual inspection and if I do not solve it I will take it to the Yamaha official technical service.
regards


----------



## Ryan Ewen

I have the same exact issue with a V673. It started out as a simple moment of sound cutting out, maybe once every few days. Then once every hour or two. Then there were weird noises/pops with the cutting out. Then there would be no sound at all for periods of time immediately after turning it on.

I thought it was an issue with HDMI ARC and my TV since my TV got all update a few weeks before this got really bad. But the same issue happens with optical as well.

Hopefully I can find a board or something to fix it ?


----------



## 3dbinCanada

I'm sorry you guys are experiencing this much difficulty. I bought an RX-V1800 when new, a used RX-V1500 3 years ago, and a used RX-V1900 a year ago and all are working top notch without issue. All my AVRs have lots of room for airflow which is key o longevity for any AVR/amp.


----------



## Ryan Ewen

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/90-r...7-2-channel-network-avr-133.html#post58519480

I learned a lot more about the issue and might have a solution for myself. See that link


----------



## rinjulian

Yamaha RX-A2020 delayed audio at power on


I've had this Yamaha RX-A2020 for a few years now - purchased new from BB. I have not used it myself much for the past 2 years since my teenage son has taken over the basement as his appt. He has used it every day and night for quite a while now. Lately when powering it on it takes a long...




forums.audioholics.com





solution is the heat in the chip DSP.


----------



## Ryan Ewen

rinjulian said:


> Yamaha RX-A2020 delayed audio at power on
> 
> 
> I've had this Yamaha RX-A2020 for a few years now - purchased new from BB. I have not used it myself much for the past 2 years since my teenage son has taken over the basement as his appt. He has used it every day and night for quite a while now. Lately when powering it on it takes a long...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> forums.audioholics.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> solution is the heat in the chip DSP.


Solution is to replace the DSP chip with newer revision chip.
Temporary workaround is to heat the chip. It will fail again. Quicker and quicker.


----------



## rinjulian

Ryan Ewen said:


> Solution is to replace the DSP chip with newer revision chip.
> Temporary workaround is to heat the chip. It will fail again. Quicker and quicker.
> [/CITAR]
> 
> Hi, thanks for the reply, where can I get a replacement DSP chip?
> Cheers


----------



## Ryan Ewen

I found it on AliExpress. Part number is in the link in one of my previous posts. It's difficult to replace.


----------



## 3dbinCanada

If I were you, I would look for a used model.


----------



## rinjulian

hello, I have had a yamaha rx-A1030 for 1 week and I am delighted, I have removed the rx-A730 and I notice quite a difference, the defective DSP chip is very difficult to change.
Would anyone have tried it with flux for tin welding?
Thank you. I love yamaha


----------



## fretthefret

Same problem with Yamaha RX-v679 decoder switching off and on. Unplugged all from HDMI input. Rerouted video inputs to just HDMI 4 and 5 (non HDCP 2.2) ports and everything is back to working with no decoder resets.


----------



## Brian Steele

All, this issue is likely caused by a flawed DSP chip, the same flaw that caused the "Pioneer U22" issue. Onkyo/Pioneer offered to repair the affected receivers at no cost. What's Yamaha's response?









UE22 Error Master Thread-Pioneer, are you listening?


I think you meant 1121, Nick. You can email them to request a repair for free. Sent from my F3113 using Tapatalk




www.avsforum.com


----------



## jaesun

hi guys, i was having same issue, just got a second hand rx-v463, on acoustimass 10 series iv... I observed that this was only occuring through dvd channel (or hdmi ports) but not when the radio was on... i suspected poor hdmi cables.. also, i remembered that the hdmi1 port that i was using on my tv was 'shared' with rca inputs.. (no rca was plugged in though).. and as stupid as it might sound, i just went by trial and error and used hdmi port number 2 on tv instead, and voila, the issue was resolved.. now it could have been poor connection or what not, or the hdmi port sharing itself.. but this is working for me right now, until..  cheers. try changing ports and/ or cables and see, and share your results.. try other sources of input to confirm if issue is amp related, speakers or cable.. i hope this helps.


----------



## Dave in California

My Yamaha RX-V683BL purchased in 2018 just started this. I was watching a movie on Netflix and the audio just stopped. The speaker indicators blinked off. I "jumped back" the movie 10 seconds and the audio restarted. This happened intermittently throughout the movie. It had not happened before. Is this something that will get worse?


----------



## henripos96

Ginja said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am hoping someone could help me with this issue. I have had my receiver for just over two years now. The problem started small, but has gradually gotten worse and worse.
> 
> Basically, the audio cuts out for a few seconds and then returns. Sometimes it does so every 10 minutes, sometimes every 30 seconds. When it does cut out, the speaker icons disappear from the display of the receiver, and then return again just before the audio plays.
> 
> I have tried using headphones, instead of speakers (speakers unplugged) - same problem.
> I have tried playing music through Ethernet (HDMI unplugged) - same problem.
> I have placed the unit in a different location - same problem.
> I have power it from a different wall socket - same problem.
> It worked perfectly for two years...
> 
> Rarely, there is a subtle noise, like someone crumpling a plastic shopping bag, or like firecrackers, coming from the speakers.
> 
> I have sent it in for repairs twice, but the Yamaha engineers say that the unit is working perfectly. The second time, the engineer said he tried it at his home for over a week, and he didn't have any issues.
> 
> After they returned it, each time it is fine for a day or two, and then the audio issues start again. Which leaves me to believe it must be something in my home.
> 
> Has anyone else had an issue like this, or know what else I could try to resolve it? Any forum searches I have done, refer to HDMI issue, which I bypassed, or TV Boxes, which I don't have connected at the moment.
> 
> The engineer said, he could replace the DSP board (I think that's what he means. I am in Taiwan, and the engineer only speaks Chinese) But he said that could be expensive.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


Same problem with the Yamaha SR- C20 FROM DAY ONE.


----------



## Bigfield

Mine is an RX-A840 with similar behavior. The only way for me to keep the audio flowing, is to have my source connected through analog ports and put it in Pure Direct mode. Any other combination ( SPDIF, HDMI with or without Pure Direct mode and analog without PD mode), brings the problem back (Audio & L R lights simultaneously switching off/on).

The only other difference I noticed is that it takes longer and shows less frequent with analog connections. Through digital, it shows almost immediately.

I have been able to reproduce it a couple of times with some slamming, which could mean that there is a bad connection somewhere. 

I'm curious if others are able to reproduce and confirm this. And if so, is replacing the DSP chip the way to go. 

Hope this helps to find the cause and solution.


----------



## Markjd15

Ryan Ewen said:


> Solution is to replace the DSP chip with newer revision chip.
> Temporary workaround is to heat the chip. It will fail again. Quicker and quicker.





Bigfield said:


> Mine is an RX-A840 with similar behavior. The only way for me to keep the audio flowing, is to have my source connected through analog ports and put it in Pure Direct mode. Any other combination ( SPDIF, HDMI with or without Pure Direct mode and analog without PD mode), brings the problem back (Audio & L R lights simultaneously switching off/on).
> 
> The only other difference I noticed is that it takes longer and shows less frequent with analog connections. Through digital, it shows almost immediately.
> 
> I have been able to reproduce it a couple of times with some slamming, which could mean that there is a bad connection somewhere.
> 
> I'm curious if others are able to reproduce and confirm this. And if so, is replacing the DSP chip the way to go.
> 
> Hope this helps to find the cause and solution.


Same problem with the tsr-7810 but the fix was easy after just poking around in the settings for a few. Go to settings then sound then scroll down to virtual surround back speaker and be sure its turned on. For me it was problem solved and the problem i was having is the same as what I've read here. Try it let us know how it worked out.


----------



## Bigfield

Markjd15 said:


> Same problem with the tsr-7810 but the fix was easy after just poking around in the settings for a few. Go to settings then sound then scroll down to virtual surround back speaker and be sure it's turned on. For me, it was problem solved and the problem I was having is the same as what I've read here. Try it let us know how it worked out.


I'm not sure I understand what you mean by scrolling down through settings like that. No such option on my system afaik. Think yours is running different software. Wouldn't add up either or would not be the whole story since the problem in my case was sensitive to slamming the case. I have been able to reproduce it a couple of times this way till it stopped showing up and haven't been showing up ever since. This, and the sensitivity to heating up / cooling down, points to a bad contact somewhere. Maybe indeed one of the legs of the DSP chip itself.

I've seen some examples of people doing some refluxing on these kinds of chips and even the whole DSP board. I don't have the right equipment for that anymore, but it looks doable and should be easier than replacement. At the moment I can only enjoy a beautiful working and sounding AV system. As soon as the problem comes back I'll try to poke this DSP chip/board directly to find out if my guess is right.


----------



## dantheman2021

I don't know if this helps or not but I have also been experiencing this issue where the sound periodically cuts out for a second or two and the speaker icons on the receiver will also go out. I have a Yamaha RX-V385 and I primarily watch shows and movies using Plex. One thing I noticed is that the sound would only cut out with certain TV shows. Whenever I encounter this issue with a show on Plex I will change the video stream from the highest to the second highest. I don't see any major changes in the video quality but the sound cutting out issue goes away. I have no idea why this happens but at least I have found a quick workaround.


----------



## jubrizzi

Hi All, Not sure where I had read aboout this issue but I have my 2013 RX-V673 receiver back on duties since almost a year now after installing a piece of heater of those for mosquito tablets devices. It goes straight to 220V and heats enough and steady to keep the receiver working without issues. It is powered on all the time (standby or switched on). No any more problems. At least I had extended receiver life for a bit longer.


































And for finishing, I just pressed it against receiver cover with a ceramic little tea cup friendly borrowed from my 9y daughter... 

Hope the above helps others. Good luck!
J.


----------

