[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorlac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Guys...I need help. My Phoenix quit working last night!!! =(... I dont even use it that often. When I do, it is maybe an hour at a time and I keep it turned OFF when not in use. I hadnt used it in about 3 days and decided to listen to some music last night. Turned it ON and everything seemed fine (lights and display came ON), but there was no sound. My DAC shows that it is locking on to the SPDIF optical signal, but the Phoenix is not outputting sound to my headphones. After a few hours of pulling my hair out, I gave up. This morning, I decided to try again. This time the LEFT headphone speaker had sound. I fiddled around with the Preamp button and turned the Phoenix ON/OFF a few times and then both LEFT/RIGHT headphone speakers worked. Everything worked great for about 10 mins. and then all sound cut out again. Argh!!! I decided to step away for lunch and came back about 30 mins later and it worked again for about 10 mins. and then sound died. Any ideas what to do??? I really dont want to have to send this back to Kingwa... =/

When it has the problem, does the preamp light go on and off when you hit the preamp button, or does it stat lit?

Also, it won't work more than 10 minutes straight?

Take a known "perfect" source like a CD player and see how it does with it. That is, try to simplify your troubleshooting and change the source for a known good one.

 

[Zorlac]

The preamp light is always on no matter what. Is that normal? (I never noticed before)

Since my DAC is showing a locked signal...doesnt that mean my source is working? Even when the sound stops working, the DAC still shows a locked signal.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorlac /img/forum/go_quote.gif The preamp light is always on no matter what. Is that normal? (I never noticed before) Since my DAC is showing a locked signal...doesnt that mean my source is working? Even when the sound stops working, the DAC still shows a locked signal.

If the preamp light is staying on all the time, that's a problem. How long have you had the Phoenix? There were some bad caps that caused this to happen in the protection circuit.

When troubleshooting, it doesn't hurt to switch things as far as sources and try to get your system as simple as possible. I use an iPod for this.

SPDIF lock wouldn't necessarily prove or disprove anything. But a simple source helps greatly. But if the preamp light stays lit, that's a problem.

 

[Zorlac]

Okay...its working now and the Preamp light is OFF. I did notice when the audio quits that the Preamp light is ON.

I bet in another 10 or 15mins the same problem will happen. I will post back when it quits.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorlac /img/forum/go_quote.gif Okay...its working now and the Preamp light is OFF. I did notice when the audio quits that the Preamp light is ON. I bet in another 10 or 15mins the same problem will happen. I will post back when it quits.

If it is what I have seen, the preamp light will stay on solid, no matter the switch position, when you have the problem. Your caps are failing it seems.

You didn't say, how old is the Phoenix?

 

[Currawong]

It's the caps in the relay for the pre-amp. It's a half-hour to an hour for someone to replace them (mainly because of the amount of things that have to be removed to access the underside of the board). Kingwa reckons 10 people have a Phoenix with these caps in them IIRC. I recently replaced the ones in mine and in one belonging to another Japanese Head-fier.

 

[Zorlac]

I bought mine in June 2009. I was on the original waiting list.

I emailed Kingwa and he seems to know the exact problem:

Quote:

Dear Mike, After you said the preamp LED, I know the problems. This is the protect active. The reason is either blow : the DC offset let protect active, maybe input DC level of signal is higher, or the protect zero. Or the data cable had bad connect. This is small problems. If you reconnect the data cable can fix is ok. If can fix, my friend can fix it within one days. Kingwa

I put the data cable in the other output port on the back of the amp and it has been working ever since (almost 4 hours) even though I have seen the preamp light go ON/OFF once during that time (audio kept playing).

What do you guys recommend I should do?

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorlac /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought mine in June 2009. I was on the original waiting list. I emailed Kingwa and he seems to know the exact problem: I put the data cable in the other output port on the back of the amp and it has been working ever since (almost 4 hours) even though I have seen the preamp light go ON/OFF once during that time (audio kept playing). What do you guys recommend I should do?

If you are in the orig. 10, then the caps will need to be replaced at some point, they'll most likely fail. The data cable thing has me a little confused. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out. KW had told me that the orig 10 had the pre-maturely failing caps. For some reason mine have not failed? Yet...

 

[haloxt]

I got one of the early phoenixes and I think I've seen the preamp light act up a few times before, which was fixed by restarting. I leave it on 24/7 so maybe I'll see the problem more if I keep turning it on and off.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haloxt /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got one of the early phoenixes and I think I've seen the preamp light act up a few times before, which was fixed by restarting. I leave it on 24/7 so maybe I'll see the problem more if I keep turning it on and off.

Hard to say. Some failed pretty fast, and some like mine are still going. But I feel a rework is in my future at some point. Not sure if the on/off surges and thermal cycling have any thing to do with it. I've seen one fail that was on all the time and one that was an on/off patterned box.

 

[Yikes]

Kingwa admits that there were a bunch of bad caps used. Whether that means that they were defective or inappropriately spec'd he should pay to replace them regardless of warranty status.

When a Auto maker has a recall it doesn't only apply to those still within their warranty, it applies to everyone effected. The same should apply here.

In-fact since he knows that these caps are an issue he should take a proactive policy and contact those effected and offer to have the caps replaced. What purpose is served by waiting for them to fail? Unless he's hoping that they'll last until after the warranty expires.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kingwa admits that there were a bunch of bad caps used. Whether that means that they were defective or inappropriately spec'd he should pay to replace them regardless of warranty status. When a Auto maker has a recall it doesn't only apply to those still within their warranty, it applies to everyone effected. The same should apply here. In-fact since he knows that these caps are an issue he should take a proactive policy and contact those effected and offer to have the caps replaced. What purpose is served by waiting for them to fail? Unless he's hoping that they'll last until after the warranty expires.

I don't think they were under spec'd. I just think the caps were bad.

 

[haloxt]

Or he's hoping some of the 10 affected phoenixes don't ever fail

.

After some more thought, I think it's unlikely my phoenix is one of the first 10 or having cap problems, I just have occasional power surges/brown outs that mute sound on amp or dac.

 

[Currawong]

If Zorlac is still having problems, he should contact Kingwa about it. If his Phoenix is faulty, I'm sure Kingwa will take care of it as it hasn't even been a year since he bought it. From discussions I've had with other owners, all but 2 or 3 of the first 10 seem to have been repaired.

 

[Zorlac]

Kingwa told me to just keep trying to switch the data output cable ports if it happens again. If that doesnt fix the issue, then he said there is someone in the USA that will fix it and he will pay for shipping.

I was actually starting to consider selling this thing since it is so big and massive. I have been using my Mac laptop a lot lately and I want a smaller portable amp now instead so I am not locked up in my basement all the time LOL. You think anyone would still buy it knowing that some of the caps may or may not need to be replaced in the future? I realize I will lose more money on the thing with this disclosure, but I honestly am not using it much and its kind of a waste (cant believe I am saying this LOL..., but my wife would be proud hehehe).

Anyways..thanks everyone for the input. Not sure what I would do without my fellow Headfiers!