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I have a Rotel RSX-1056 and B&W speakers (5:1 setup). Recently while watching TV, the sound went out and the front panel of the RSX-1056 went blank. The blue standby light was still on, but no sound. Subsequently, a fine black powder filled the family room and created a haze, which was dispersed throughout the house via the cental air conditioning. There was no burnt wiring smell, no smoke, etc. just the black fine "powder". Called the retailer and they suggested calling the fire department (which I did) and they said it was not soot as it did not wipe off the kitchen cabinets easlily. The "powder or contaminate" was on everything. Prior to this episode, we heard some popping, crackling and sizzling sounds and we had to turn the volume up to 75 to hear what was on TV. The dealer has given us a "loaner" as they are looking into the situation and everything is working fine. The dealer says that in the four weeks they have had the unit it is working fine. I don't think I want the unit back if they can't find anything wrong with it. All my speakers are working fine with the "loaner". Does anyone have any idea what could have happened and should I take the unit back from the dealer without them having found anything wrong? Something had to have happened to get the black fine powder everywhere!
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Did you notice the powder coming out of the 1056 or just in the air afterwards? I don't know of too many things that would do that and continue to work. I'm wondering if a fault in wiring caused the powder and a surge related to that shut down the 1056??
Very strange.
Kevin D. -
My wife and I noticed the "haze" just after the sound went out and the front panel display went blank. I checked my Monster Home Theatre Reference PowerCenter HTS3500 to see if it shut off, but it was fine. I unplugged everything and then powered everything back up and my Sony 50" LCD RPTV, high-def cable box, etc. came back up but the Rotel would not work (except the blue standby light). The dealers "loaner" works fine and all speakers are functioning. Love Rotel!!! But can't understand why or what would cause this. The dealer said they can't find anything wrong with it, but I am hesitant on taking it back because of whatever was dispersed. My wife and I both woke up the next morning with headaches and after blowing your nose you could see that we inhaled the black powdery substance. The powder? left a line along the edge of our area rug, was on all mirrors in bathroom, furniture, etc. Thanks!!
Geo.Comment
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Did the fire dept have any conclusions? After the unit was opened up was there any evidence of the black soot coming from the 1056???? That sure is puzzling and i feel for you guys that just sucks!Not sure if i would want that unit back either ,what does Rotel have to say about this?Comment
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Fire Dept. did not have an air quality or whatever meter. But said it was not soot as there was no smell and it did not wipe off the inside of the kitchen cabinets. Forgot to mention, the dealer's installer took digital pictures of where you could remove a glass, etc. from inside the kitchen cabinets and see the white spot where the item was. Also, the installer took back two of the top paper plates we had inside the cabinets that had the black substance on them. The dealer has had the receiver for four weeks and says it is running fine in their Tampa shop, however if the cannot find anything wrong I don't want to fire it back up and have the mess to clean up again. It is very strange that all of my home theater equipment works (TV, cable box, DVD player) but the Rotel just quit on us. My wife had heard popping, crackling and sizzling sounds but everything kept working and there was no smoke or burnt equipment odors. I was hoping someone else had heard of this before. I was also hoping if the dealer could not find anything wrong, they would send the unit back to Rotel. In any case, I would like a new receiver as this one is only six months old! Thanks for your response!
Geo.Last edited by Geo52; 28 February 2006, 18:53 Tuesday.Comment
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Given the extent of the powder, the 1056 should be covered in it, if it's the cause. My original point was that Rotel's stuff is susceptible to power fluctuations that could 'confuse' it for a bit, and then work fine. The source of the dust might be the source for the 1056 flaking out too. Was the crackling noise you heard through your speakers or the 1056 itself?
I guess I'm just confused, if there is black powder all over the inside of your 1056 it needs to go back and be replaced. If there's no powder in the unit you really need to start checking everything in your house for hidden damage.
I've never heard of anything blowing up to that extent and still be working fine. Only a rat arching across the transformer and having spontaneous combustion could do what you have described.
Kevin D.Comment
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Kevin D.,
Thanks for the comments. You have given me some things to check out. When the dealer's installer was here bringing the loaner Rotel, he opened up the receiver and noted black on the inside of the cover. He was not sure if it was from the receiver itself or was paint overspray when the cover was being painted. He said everything looked okay electronically. As I have stated, I have never seen anything like this happen before. Normally you get a burnt circuitry or smoke smell when a TV, etc. goes on the blink. No such thing happened in this instance. We live in a house built 6 years ago and the house is kept very clean as my wife is home all day with Parkinson's. During the day before the Rotel "died" my wife kept noticing volume fluctuations while playing CDs. It was not until that evening when I got home and we were watching TV did the Rotel just stop producing any sound, front panel went out and the haze was prevelent. As a newbie to the higher end of audio equipment, etc. I haven't seen anything like this before. We live in Florida and whenever we have a thunderstorm (which we didn't the night this happened) I always unplug everything, even though we have the Monster PowerCenter. We also have had a surge protector installed for the house for the same reasons. I am not sure what happened. Again thanks very much for your comments!
Geo.Comment
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Wow,thats far out,glad you're ok.I think I would have looked at the unit,pretty easy to see when somethin' blew up to that extent.It still works? even wilder.The dealer should have been able to look at it and say yep its screwed or everything w/the 1056 looks fine.You sure it weren't the 3500,that things got a few problems.Comment
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Originally posted by Geo52
All tests indicate that this item (HTS3500) is an over hyped piece of Sh!* ... We've seen them pass 92 Volts and indicate no error... while still displaying 120v as the output voltage ... yet passing 92v to the gear... Hmmmm
I don't understand all the black powder and headaches and stuff, with no indication from the gear... if it burns it shows...
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its not the rotel. im really not sure where this black powder stuff came from, but its almost surely NOT the rotel.
use some common sense here... if it dispersed black powder throughout most of your downstairs, your rack would be COVERED, and the rotel would be covered too. also, since the rotel has very small air vents (relatively), most would be trapped inside of it. the casing is sprayed, so what the "technician" saw was just overspray. if it came from the rotel you should be able to turn it upside down and have a bunch of it fall out.
its something else.
plus, how in the hell would a small little fan disperse it throughout your downstairs? i cant believe you people are going along with this. all logic states that its not the rotel and possibly a problem with central heating/cooling?Comment
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Well........we were trying to be polite. :WComment
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Hey!!!!Originally posted by Andrew M WardAll tests indicate that this item (HTS3500) is an over hyped piece of Sh!* ...
Wait a second!!!!!
I just ordered a Monster Power HTS3500MKII 10-Outlet PowerCenter from buy.com YESTERDAY for $165, cuz the $50 rebate ended 28 Feb 06!
I know there is lots better out there, but I just dropped the Bling on an RSP-1066 and figured this was better than nothing to help give a little peace of mind to my new (to me) pre/pro, till I can afford a good APC?!?!?
Edit: So did I just totally waste $120 on this thing?Last edited by wkhanna; 01 March 2006, 18:50 Wednesday.Comment
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It is definitely not possible for the Rotel to do what was described here. As a previous poster stated, there would have to be a high-powered fan involved to disperse a black soot all over a house. This is undoubetdly a HVAC issue.
Simple logic should tell you that if the Rotel did expel that much material, it wouldn't be functioning.
A malfunctioning air conditioner could cause power irregularities that would make the Rotel function erratically. If you've been switching your air conditioner between heat and cool regularly due to the weird weather we've all been experiencing, condesation, mold and other elements could have easily collected on your coils and then been dispersed all over the house.Comment
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I can't say what it is or isn't, but the "fact" that it isn't soot due to it not wiping off easily isn't necessarily true. It depends on what burned to create the "soot". When plastic or other petroleum-based products burn, they can leave a black residue that doesn't wipe off easily (but can be removed with rubbing alcohol).
Also, it may or may not smell burnt, depending once again on what was burned.
I speak from experience from a house fire we had a year ago. The items I salvaged from the fire were quite difficult to "de-soot".
As for where it came from, if it came from the Rotel, you would have seen tons of it billowing out of it when it went out, and then it would have to have been sucked into your HVAC system to spread it through the house. Chances are it would have set off your smoke alarms as well.Comment
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Thanks for all of your comments. The dealer is sending the receiver to Rotel for them to go over. That should take that out of the equation. I live in a six year old, one story house in Florida I had built. When the Rotel shutdown, the "haze" was very prevalent and I do have an intake into the central air conditioning very close by the entertainment center. So that is why whatever the black powder was got throughout the house. The powder wiped off easily from the tile floor, mirrors, counter tops but seemed to stick to the thermafoil kitchen cabinets (inside and out) and also on the metal electrostatic filters in the air intakes of the central air conditioning system. The family room and the kitchen are not separated except by an island counter/sink, etc. The "loaner" is working great, the Monster surge supressor is working great, as well as the DVD player and cable box. I'm not talking about a complete "smoke" filled room as some might think. The "haze" as we called it, was fairly localized just around my system. But as I said, there is an air intake about 15 feet from the system. Lastly, a week before this happened we had the entire air duct system cleaned, sprayed for mold and mildew and had brand new metal electrostatic filters installed. Now they are black with whatever this was. Anyway, we will see what Rotel says when the receiver is either sent back or a new one comes instead. If it is not the Rotel, then I have no idea what it could be as all of the equipment was purchased between April and June of last year. Thanks again.
Geo.Last edited by Geo52; 02 March 2006, 10:35 Thursday.Comment
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Uhhh...Originally posted by wkhanna
I meant the 3600, the 3500 works much better...Comment
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To be fair, I would be quite concerned for all your electronics in the home :E
I do not feel the Rotel was the fault, but your first victim.
I think the mystery black stuff was already circulating your house before you picked up on it.
The cracling noises initially heard was probably shorting inside the unit due to deposits. The protection then operated, hence just stand by.
I would be concerned what else may fail later as a result of this black magic :E
I think I would look at the Air circulation system :W
All the best
sproutComment
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Hey Geo52,
I was rereading this thread, and feel compelled to say I have followed it from the beginning with great concern for you, your family and the possible health issues associated with this event. I may have come off as being more concerned with my measly $120 as opposed to the property and possible health damage that you have incurred.
I truly hope you are OK, and you find a plausible explanation as to what actually caused the problem. Do not take the possibility that you may have suffered exposure to a chemical that may not show symptoms until much later lightly. Document everything, and get answers to all your questions that are credible and in writing.
edit: grammerLast edited by wkhanna; 02 March 2006, 14:39 Thursday.Comment
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Coincidence?Originally posted by Geo52Comment
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wkhanna,
Thanks for the concern! That is what my wife and I are concerned about, the short term and possible long term affects the inhaling of whatever this was could possibly have on our health. The spraying for mold, mildew, etc. was just part of having the air ducts cleaned. Building a new house you never know what could be left in the air ducts by the contractors, that is why we had everything cleaned. We had this done when I was stationed in Miami and the duct cleaning service found a Coke can in the air ducts. We were just being careful as I am kind of a clean freak, therefore there was no mildew, etc. just being cautious. Hopefully Rotel will find something and fix it. If not, a few of the suggestions that have been given to me here will give me other directions to pursue. Have a great day! Aloha!
Geo.Comment
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Rsx-1056
I sure hope you and your wife are OK. I have a 1056 about 5 months old and have an intrest that you find the cause.You say the standby light stays on after all this happened,so maybe its something else. My standby light is red not blue as yours and mine is on all the time so I hope this is normal.When I bought my 1056 I called Rotel and they helped me with and questions as to hook-up or anything I asked ,even looked up the serial# to see if I had the latest software update. Maybe you could call and get someone from their tech dept to answer your questions,Just my suggestion. Keep us posted of what you find out .
Good luck Paul :TComment
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That's good.....'cause I bought one of those pieces of Sh!t on deep discount too.Originally posted by Andrew M Ward
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rhoffman,Originally posted by rhoffman000That's good.....'cause I bought one of those pieces of Sh!t on deep discount too.
Ahhh.......I think AW is just try not hurt our feelings too much.Comment
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I've experienced something similar and it was with "home-made" candles, ie. a lot of ordinary scraps of candle melted and formed to make new candles.
These new "candles" gave off black soot when used. We used them for shorter periods of time so we didn't really notice anything even though we were in the same room (it didn't smell) but after a few days I entered the room after the candles had been burning for some time and noticed the smog - my girlfriend was sitting in the room and had not noticed.
The whole appartment has now got soot all over - fortunately mostly not noticable but concentrated and black in many places.
I'd take a closer look at any "home-made" candles, if you have any...
/JohnComment
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Originally posted by wkhanna
Okay,
Let me remind everybody again. I must be ignored on the forum, responding to my posts only encourages me. 8O Pretty soon I’m going to start thinking I'm funny again, and we all know what happens then.
I offend somebody (horribly)
Although you guys seem fairly resilient in this bunch, I might just have to go bug somebody else, if you guys are on to me! :M
Clearly I'm going to have to work harder to offend wkhanna ... 15 years of losing in Pittsburgh has made for some tough sons of beehives over there.
Although winning cures everything.Comment
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The red vs blue depends on whether you have a black or silver unit. It's going to be either/or, never both. If for some reason it DOES change color, run away fast.Originally posted by Paul51
Kevin D.Comment
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And dive under the couch!!!Originally posted by Kevin DComment
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