# Troubleshooting a problem with surround speakers causing receiver to shut down



## jron (Mar 1, 2014)

My first time posting and looking for help for any sort of home theater problem like this, so I'm not sure where the best places for me to go are at all and what the best info for me to provide is, so please let me know if I need to go in another direction, and thanks ahead of time!

I have a Yamaha RX-V2065 receiver and a 5.1 set of Paradigm Cinema DSP speakers. Since the problem I'm having is with the rear channel, the model for those speakers is paradigm Cinema ADP v3. I would post links to info on these but the forum is not letting me since I'm a new user.

*The issue*: I've had this entire set for about 3 years now. Up until a few months ago, I've never had a problem with any of it. Now the receiver will power down when I play anything that uses surround sound at a relatively loud level.

I've done hours of troubleshooting and process of elimination to try and figure out the problem. All of my conclusions conflict with each other, so that's why I'm completely at a loss next. I just want to find out what to buy and replace it. *Here is a list of my troubleshooting*:

When I googled this issue, most people said it was typically caused from people leaving too much copper out and some ends touching. I haven't change my speaker wire since 3 years ago when I first set this all up, but I cleaned up all of my wire cutting for all of them, so they're immaculate
Problem seems to be getting worse as time goes on, will shut down at quieter and quieter volumes. Can no longer even watch a movie with DTS or play a game with them hooked up
Problem ONLY ever occurs when rear channels are being used. Doesn't matter how loud it gets up front, receiver never powers down
Tried different speaker wires that I knew were good, still powered down
Tried hooking up the surround speakers to the front channels, still powered down (you would think that would eliminate possibility of receiver or wiring being the problem then...)
So my next step was to try a friend's speakers for the rear, couldn't get very far as one of them blew and caught fire. Neat (they were a cheaper pair of Onkyo SKF-380's)
I was pretty convinced that the speakers were some how the problem until I tried another pair and one blew up really easily. Now I'm not so sure. It COULD have just been coincidence, or it could be the receiver I guess, unfortunately I don't know enough about HT equipment to know at this point. Can anyone help?


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Sounds like you have bad speakers, and if the other set you connected burned up, you may have a problem with the receiver. I would check for d.c. voltage across the speaker terminals for the rear channels. It is unlikely, as these receivers have pretty good protection and if there is any d.c. offset at the speaker terminals it should shut down before damaging the speakers.

Sometimes when you damage a speaker a voice coil will delaminate and short, sometimes only at certain volumes. This would make a receiver shut down. You could also bring the receiver to an authorized Yamaha servicer and they could test it and check the diagnostics in the unit, which will usually record the failure mode or protection mode. You can also get the service manual and try to diagnose it yourself, though I will warn that the diagnostics on these are not intuitive and more than one user that I can recall created more problems by getting into the service mode.

Yamaha service manuals used to be the cheapest on the market, but I have not bought one in a few years. You can also find many manuals free online, but be very careful of the source and scan any downloads for malware.


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## jron (Mar 1, 2014)

Thanks. I guess taking the receiver to a service center and having them check it out then would probably be a good next step for me.


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Yes, just make sure that they are familiar with the Yamaha receivers, preferably an ASC. Where are you located.


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## Coffeemant67 (Mar 8, 2014)

I just got an RCA RT2911 and my receiver shuts off too. However, when I was taking the speakers out of the plastic, i gut the wires accidentally and had to use electrical tape to put them back together. Could tht be the cause for mind shutting down


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Only if you have a short between the two lines.


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## Coffeemant67 (Mar 8, 2014)

Just hooked up the speakers from my old home theater system and it's not shutting off now! Would I just have to replace the speaker that I cut the wires ?


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

If the wires are shorted, fix them. If the speakers are the problem, you have to determine whther they are cost effective or possible to repair.


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## Coffeemant67 (Mar 8, 2014)

Ok thank you on the phone with RCA now


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