# Blue volume ring on Harmon Kardon is dead.



## Rambo4 (Jan 25, 2008)

Hi, has anyone had any experience with replacing the bulb, or whatever is inside the volume ring, on a Harmon Kardon receiver? Just noticed tonight that the little glowing blue light around the volume is gone. I can live without it, but I prefer my gear to be in 100% working order. Thanks in advance.


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## OvalNut (Jul 18, 2006)

I'd frankly be glad it's off.

I'm one of those **** retentive types that blacks out all the indicator lights and most of the displays on my gear with a 2 layer combo of black duct tape on top of blue painter's tape (for removability) so that it doesn't visually distract. Just trim to fit with an Exacto blade and you're all set.


Tim
:drive:


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Rambo4 said:


> Hi, has anyone had any experience with replacing the bulb, or whatever is inside the volume ring, on a Harmon Kardon receiver? Just noticed tonight that the little glowing blue light around the volume is gone. I can live without it, but I prefer my gear to be in 100% working order.


It’s probably more difficult than you may think. Most receivers – and other components – have a circuit board behind the faceplate that houses all the buttons, LEDs, display, etc. Most of that stuff is attached (soldered) directly to the circuit board. I don’t think there are many components actually using replaceable light bulbs anymore.



OvalNut said:


> I'd frankly be glad it's off.
> 
> I'm one of those **** retentive types that blacks out all the indicator lights and most of the displays on my gear with a 2 layer combo of black duct tape on top of blue painter's tape (for removability) so that it doesn't visually distract. Just trim to fit with an Exacto blade and you're all set.


Two layers of tape? Wow, that’s a lot of effort! What’s wrong with some decent-grade electrical tape? Comes off easy, and its so thin it’s practically invisible (unlike duct tape!). 

Your thing is lights; mine is “billboards” - all those stupid emblems noting this or that feature plastered all over the faceplate (THX! AL24 Processing! Cinema DSP!). VCRs were the absolute worse! (TimeScan! VCR Plus! 70μ Heads!) And I have always hated that DVD emblem they plaster on the drawer of DVD players. What, we can’t read where it says, “Yamaha Natural Sound DVD Player DVD-S700??” 

Anyway, I precisely cut a piece of black 3M electrical tape to size and cover the billboards. Even in broad daylight it’s practically invisible, and under regular viewing lighting, it is!

Regards,
Wayne


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## OvalNut (Jul 18, 2006)

> Two layers of tape? Wow, that’s a lot of effort! What’s wrong with some decent-grade electrical tape?


Residue. When I have used black electrical tape in the past it never removed cleanly. The painter's tape solves that. Any black tape works fine for the top layer, I just happen to have a roll of black duct tape handy.


Tim
:drive:


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> It’s probably more difficult than you may think. Most receivers – and other components – have a circuit board behind the faceplate that houses all the buttons, LEDs, display, etc. Most of that stuff is attached (soldered) directly to the circuit board. I don’t think there are many components actually using replaceable light bulbs anymore.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



C'mon Wayne, what's wrong with advertising for Tom Holman, et al in your HT? They paid you for that right, didn't they?


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

OvalNut said:


> Residue. When I have used black electrical tape in the past it never removed cleanly.


You might try using some good quality 3M tape instead of that 69¢ stuff!  I just peeled off a piece from an old VCR I’m not using anymore, that’s probably been on nearly 10 years, and it left just a smidge of residue at rubbed right off. I expect most people won’t keep a component that long, so they won’t even get the “smidge.” 

Regards,
Wayne


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

lcaillo said:


> C'mon Wayne, what's wrong with advertising for Tom Holman, et al in your HT? They paid you for that right, didn't they?


They keep telling me the check’s in the mail... :laugh:


Regards,
Wayne


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Getting back on topic...George, what model is this? I'll see if I can dig up some info on the part.


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## Rambo4 (Jan 25, 2008)

Hi, thanks Leonard, the model number is AVR 635. I happened to be looking at it tonight while waiting for a DVD to boot up and noticed it flicker, but further watching and tapping, I didn't see it repeat.

But please let me know if you find out anything! 

As for the other advice on the black tape, I used mine up sticking IR reapers to my equipment.


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## Rambo4 (Jan 25, 2008)

Just to update the Harman blue ring issue from my first post... you were right Wayne, it is impossible to get at that knob to change the bulb without causing worse problems than I started with. I may take it in to a shop to get a static annoyance taken care of in my right surround channel, and get them to look for that bulb wayyy in there. 

It's not two years old yet, but the warranty isn't valid in Canada because I purchased it in the good old U.S. of A. I don't see the big difference with the same machine, but companies are funny like that. So I will pay out of pocket for the fix. :spend:


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## mike c (Apr 25, 2006)

let us know how much it costs to fix the blue ring. (and what causes it) i thought it was some sort of led with a million years life


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## JRace (Aug 24, 2006)

You sure you haven't urned it off in the settings menu?


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## Rambo4 (Jan 25, 2008)

Not that I am aware of. I have reset the receiver several times since then, and still no light. 

I will give it another shot for what it's worth. I think it may have just loosened up due to shipping or install.

Thanks though, I have been wrong before when it came to this receiver.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

These bulbs are usually LED surface mount and are not user replaceable. LEDs last almost forever and vibration dose not affect them. I wonder if you used the dimmer function on the receiver and turned it off accidentally as it is usually only on on the brightest setting..


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