RSP-1098 Digtal Drop Out with Coax?

[Aussie Geoff]

Help,

About 3 months ago my RSP-1098 started dropping the digital signal on most devices, sometimes once a night, sometimes lots. Eventually it needed to be turned on and off to recover. So I put it in for repair. My helpful dealer gave me a loan unit (older generation with old firmware). Interestingly (and worryingly) this has started dropping out as well... So I am trying to diagnose (I am still waiting for my repaired unit which has 'gone missing'...)

Just before the first set of problems I got a new DVD player and my Satelitte changed to to a PVR so I could use Digital Coax connection. I am wonderign if there could be some kind of earth leakage / current on one of the coaxes that is cuasing digital drop out. I seem to remember an old post where someone had similar problems and fixed it? Can anyone remember or have they experienced similar things?

Geoff

[Kevin D]

So does it only drop out on the new DVD and DVR inputs?

Kevin D.

[Aussie Geoff]

Kevin,

No all inputs. The one optical drops out less though.

Geoff

[2manyremotes]

Are you using any of the 12v triggers?

[mazuly]

Hello

I like to add to this thread to open it up again. I hope someone can provide some feedback.

I have the same issue with my RSP-1098. It starts by sounding like a bad cell phone connection and then it completely drops the signal. The signal will not come back unless I restart the unit. Then it works for maybe 10 min to an hour and then it drops the signal again. Basically I had to stop using the unit now. I am feeding it digital optical from my set top box (Scientific Atlanta 8300HD) and Apple Mac-Mini. When the signal is dropped, then other digital and some of the analog inputs make this clicking clacking sound but no audio comes out.

Has anyone had the same issue and if yes, how did they fix it.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[mjb]

When the signal is dropped, then other digital and some of the analog inputs make this clicking clacking sound but no audio comes out.

Its a bit faint, but I definitely remember something about the relays suffering fatigue and no longer making a good connection: thus intermittently dropping the input signal. The only solution was to replace the affected relays. How feasible this is I'm not sure. Perhaps you could ask Rotel support?

[mazuly]

Hello Mike,

Thanks for the feedback.

I called Rotel and I am going to take the unit to one of their dealers here in San Diego to get fixed. They told me that there could be something wrong with the power source or the digital board. I hope this will not be an expensive fix.

In any case, I am happy with my unit since I was one of the first in Canada that bought RSP-1098 and it has been working flawlessly up to year 2010.

Maziar

[madmac]

Digital processing problems are not new with digital Rotel amps and receivers. There have been many similar issues on other posts within this forum. It's too bad because Rotel amps are so amazing sounding. I had the same issue with mine. I sympathize with you on this one because it will likely be a difficult issue to fix. If you are a 2 channel kind of person and are not using a sub, you can always switch the unit setting to 'Stereo bypass' which bypasses the digital processor altogether. When mine broke down, that's the only way the unit would work......in stereo bypass. Which is NOT good for a surround sound receiver right??!!. Mine was within warranty and Rotel ended up replacing the unit for me...thank God !!.

[mazuly]

Hello,

Well I had to send the unit back to Rotel to be repaired. Rotel change the relay and the digital board I think.

When I got it back, I got a scare since the sound using digital input was not very good. All detail was gone and sound stage was modeled. Within a week it went back to how it sounded before and now it sounds like it used to sound.

So all fixed now and sounds fantastic.

Maziar

[mick_hut]

Hi, I've been a keen reader of this forum for years - any many thanks for all the insight you've provided - but as I only just signed up then I reckon I owe a contribution or two at least.

I also had a very similar problem to Maziar and Aussie Geoff recently, so I'll post this in the hope it will inspire a bit of confidence in what I still think is a remarkable piece of kit.

My RSP 1098 began randomly re-detecting some of its digital inputs for no apparent reason several months ago, clicking its relays and re-displaying the current input format on the TFT screen. Digital connections for DVD playback, HDTV and HTPC playback gradually all became affected. Analogue multichannel (DVD-A and SACD) and bypass CD stereo connections weren't affected.

This fault gradually became more frequent, and spread from the Toslinks to the Digital Coax connections. (I had originally tried to work around the Toslink problem with a Toslink to Coax converter which did work for a few months.)

In the later stages the 1098 digital connections developed a quiet "pop" noise or crackle that sounded a bit like a static discharge: oddly the sound came from each 5.1 speaker in turn including a weird low pitch version from the subwoofers.

B&W/Rotel UK offered me a "minimum price" repair package, including 150 minutes labour, 3 months warranty and return shipping, of 215GBP. As I still think it's an utterly brilliant piece of equipment, I took them up on it.

They tested for a couple of weeks then called me for a more detailed description of the problem as they couldn't reproduce it. They told me they then replaced the relays within the regulator circuit that can cause a problem and fitted a new type DSP board (with integral dust flaps over the optical inputs). They also upgraded my software from V3.1.0 to V3.2.3 and reinstalled my settings.

Ironically I haven't been able to find out anywhere what bugs were fixed by V3.2.3 as all the lists I've seen online stop earlier than this version - so any insight would be most appreciated!

So that's where I am now - haven't reinstalled the unit in my system yet for testing, but hope to do so soon and will let you know how it goes.

Mick

[mazuly]

Good to hear that all went well for you Mick.

For me it was 1.5 hour labor and with shipping charges it came to USD $335.34.

The changed RELAY, 24VDC 5A 240VAC and PCB DSP B'D which I guess it means they changed the relay and the DSP board. In my case, the unit would not work even using the analog inputs.

Maziar

[mick_hut]

It does sound like an incredibly similar fix, Maziar. Even a fairly similar price, depending what exchange rate you use :^)

I've had my 1098 reinstalled in the system now for about a week and it's as stable as a rock again. No sign of the previous problem thank goodness. Maybe there's been a little break-in period, it's difficult to be sure, but it really sounds great again.

My next problem is to decide whether to sell the Myryad MXD4000 I bought while the Rotel wasn't working, or (shock horror) to put the 1098 up for sale. The two sound astonishingly similar, although only the Rotel has that super TFT screen which I plug in to my Oppo to save powering up the plasma just for menus, etc.

Just out of curiosity, what would you do?

Mick

[mick_hut]

So I put them both up for sale on a UK site called Hi Fi For Sale to see which will sell first - let the market decide I guess!

(I don't think I qualify to use the Pawn Shop section on here yet).

[tinnsoldaten]

Hi Mick_hut

Could you provide me please, the contact info to company who fixed your rsp 1098 ?

Thanks

[mick_hut]

Hi Mick_hut

Could you provide me please, the contact info to company who fixed your rsp 1098 ?

Thanks

Hi,

The company was Rotel UK. I got in touch via its website to get a quote and arrange the repair. Only regret was that I should have double boxed the unit as the original packaging suffered a bit at the hand of the courier...

Cheers,
Mick