Wierd 1068 problem.....anyone else?

[bulitnv]

While listening to some music, the phone rings. I get up to turn down the volume, I turn the volume down (counter clockwise) from 68, the volume jumps to 74.

This is a random example of what happens once in every 12-15 times I turn the volume down. Once I had the volume around 63, cut it down, it jumped to 78! 78 is where I have the max set at so my 2 year old won't break the B&Ws.

There is a setting on the OSD so that when you adjust the volume it responds slowly, medium or fast. These adjustments don't fix the problem at all.

Also, it only seems to happen when I try to turn the volume down quickly.

Seems like a childish beef, but when you spend good money on good products this is unacceptable. I just took the DVD player in (1060) because every day it decides not to read 3 or 4 more DVDs.

Does this sound like a larger problem waiting to happen? Anyone else with this issue? Really don't want to loose my processor for 4-5 weeks only to discover the Techat Rotel can't duplicate the problem and send me back my defective unit.

Any advice?

Chris

[soundhound]

Does it do the same via remote, or only from the knob on the front?

[greenhorn]

A Different Remote

*** My bad I thought you were using the remote ***

Sorry not much of a technical person in the HT world, but do you have have access to any other remotes that will control the 1068? I would see if it does the same with a different one. Maybe borrow a remote from the dealer, or if it's not to much trouble take it in to the dealer to see if it can be reproduced there. Maybe see if they could set you up with some kind of loaner?

Sad to say but it would take me a week just to disconnect my Pre-Amp to take it in. It's a major pain.

Good luck

[bulitnv]

[QUOTE=greenhorn

Sad to say but it would take me a week just to disconnect my Pre-Amp to take it in. It's a major pain.

Good luck[/QUOTE]

Exactly.

It does not do it with the remote, only when I manually turn the knob.

Chris

[bleeding ears]

Is it just the number on the display that jumps, or the actual sound level as well ? If it is the actual sound level as well, you may one day do damage to your speakers by it being too loud. Been there done that. LOL

I think the volume control on the 1068 works in a different way to Rotels 2 channel preamps but, I know Rotel recommend twisting the volume knob completely around and back and forth a few times every now and then on the 990bx 2 channel preamp when the unit was off, I think?

I am not sure what exactly this does, maybe it cleans some kind of contacts or something inside the unit or clears dust or something.

From memory the info was in the user manual for the 990bx preamp, downloaded from the Rotel website.

Perhaps trying a complete reset of the unit will also clear the problem ?

Might be worth a try.

Pete

[Stevebez]

Does it do it all the time or only occasionally ? You got a plasma panel nearby ? Is unit in line of sight of the panel picture ?

[soundhound]

It does not do it with the remote, only when I manually turn the knob.

Chris

That eliminates any circuitry upstream.
They use a "digital" gain circuit on those, probably an led and photo transistor, and an opaque disc (encoder).
Is it dry in the enviroment?
Static can cause unusual symptoms. It would unlikely be any hard problems
with the disc or switching, as the remote would show the same signs.
Try touching something else in the system to discharge prior to adjusting the volume.

[bulitnv]

This only happens manually, not with the remote.
No plasma nearby.

Sometimes just the number on the display goes up, sometimes the sounds as well. For instance, if I turn the volume all the way down to "MIN", then crank it down some more, the display jumps can jump all the way up to 78, but the volume doesn't go up. On the flip side, if the volume is at a setting of 63 and I crank it down, it may jump to 74 on the display and the volume goes up as well. I do not believe it is static, as I can turn it up and down several times with out taking my hand off the unit, it may work fine several times in a row, then on the 6th or 7th try it will act up again.


Chris

[soundhound]

Is it in a place were it could pick dust up?
Safest bet would be to take it in to your dealer, but if you are inclined, you could pull the top cover off, and see if you can "see" anything in the area. I am not sure if they enclose the assembly, or if the items are out in the open where you could hit them with some canned air.
Good luck.

[CWD]

You said something about a 2 year old in your house....

I have a similar problem with my B&K Reference 20 that I purchased years ago when my kids were younger and our house was a gathering point for kids across the neighborhood. When I try and use the knob on the pre/pro to adjust the volume, it doesn't respond or responds in strange ways...like jumping up instead of down. I think all the kids had lots of fun with my B&K while I was away at work each day. I think the knob must have been spun in a million directions, a million times, pulled on, pushed on, etc. Volume control works just fine with my remote, so....I just use the remote. My Rotel RSP-1068 does not have this problem, but then again, my kids are older and the system is downstairs in my own home theater space. No one younger than 16 has ever touched it!

[bulitnv]

........my 1068 is in a place where my son cannot touch it. He can hit the on/off butons on the 1095 and the 1060 (I think thats the number on the smaller amp), but cannot touch the processor. Also he is at daycare while the wife and I work, so no kids messin with it. On a side note, I took the processor into my dealer, Rotel decided to replace it. It seems they have run across this problem before.........? I received my replacement today.

Tonight, music and movies will play loud and clear..................I hope

[WI Rotel]

I have the same issue but it happens so infrequently that I just ignore it. As of late it hasn't happened. I think its actually a problem with the knob itself. The other day I "leaned" into it an now the issue is gone. My guess is some loose part. It doesnt affect sound quality at all so I ignore it.

[bulitnv]

Unfortunately I'am to anal to ignore things like this. I paid for good sound equipment, it needs to work 100% correctly. :wink:

[bleeding ears]

Best get it fixed under warranty, no charge !, well maybe some postage costs ?

[bulitnv]

It has been replaced for free at no cost, no shipping. :T

[TYR]

Yes, me too ... my RSP-966 started doing that when it was about one year old and it just got worse over time ... just jumps around + and - 5 values from current volume level when turning the knob either way.

My RSP-1068 was fine for two years and then also went the same route ... I figured it's just a "feature" on Rortel's

[nmain]

I have the same issue with my RSP-1068. But I bought it secondhand so cant return it. Oh well - would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to fix this issue. It works fine from the remote - so I use that when I can.

[gp4Jesus]

I have the same issue with my RSP-1068. But I bought it secondhand so cant return it. Oh well - would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to fix this issue. It works fine from the remote - so I use that when I can.

me too!

[DanielFFF]

I have the same issue with my RSP-1068. But I bought it secondhand so cant return it. Oh well - would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to fix this issue. It works fine from the remote - so I use that when I can.

I know this thread is ancient, but I've just joined HTguide to explain the problem to anyone who has a similar issue and stumbles on this thread...

Unfortunately, Rotel have used lousy mechanical encoders (for 'Volume' and other rotary controls) on this model (and probably many others), rather than the sealed optical encoders quality manufacturers use. All mechanical switches (metal contacts closing together to complete a circuit) suffer from what we engineers call contact 'bounce'. When the pair of contacts come together, they literally bounce, causing the electrical circuit to close-open-close-open... through (often) several bounce cycles.

Because rotary encoders rely on the status of two contacts closing at different degrees of rotation, any bounce can potentially cause false rotation information. This is typically avoided by hardware (an IC that takes an input signal and 'watches' it for some time, only passing its status – high or low – through to the output after it has been closed – or open as the case may be – for some duration judged to be long enough for all bouncing to have subsided), or in firmware (if the equipment incorporates a microcontroller, as this model does).

So, what can go wrong? Over time, the rotary encoder contacts can become worn and/or dirty, causing the bounce duration to lengthen (typically it's under 10ms, but can go over 20ms in bad cases). In that case, the 'debounce' firmware, perhaps designed based on 'typical' bounce behaviour of the encoder type, might not cope with the longer bounce period, and thus start producing 'false' outputs from the encoder, indicating rotation angle changes that haven't actually occurred. Hence your 'jumping' volume indication when using the rotary encoder, but not from the remote.

The cure? (1) Replace the faulty/worn rotary encoder with a new one (from Rotel spare parts, P/No 056 C-4678A01), or perhaps from a 3rd-party supplier using the part number (this is for the RSP-1068 – it might not be the same model in other units) Alps EC16B243040F. Under AUD30 (in Apr 2022) plus postage from China (it's an obsolete part). Or (2), open the preamp and spray, into any openings found on the volume encoder, a contact cleaner. I recommend a non-residue (non-lubricating) contact cleaner like CRC 'CO Contact Cleaner' (that's 'oh', not 'zero'). Lubricating cleaners leave a residue film on the contacts that can collect dust over time, thus aggravating the problem in the long run.

Daniel (Australia)