I now have five SB3s, one of which was a recent purchase (used) from Ebay. This new (well, to me...) unit powered up fine but appears to have the same issue was one of my older units. The analog output of one channel is extremely low. I suspect that this is a simple matter of a bad capacitor. Perhaps even something that I could repair myself.
Is this something that is known to be a common fault over time? Are there any notes on what to replace if I should wish to do the repair?
I could just add an external DAC and forget about the problem, but that seems like a messy and potentially costly solution.
Thanks,
Michael Graves
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2015-02-23, 13:29 #1
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
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- 138
Squeezebox 3 common faults over time?
Michael Graves
House: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, M-Audio BX5As
Home Office: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, M-Audio BX5A D2, Berhringer B2092A subwoofer
Workshop: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, Alesis M520 Active
Back Yard: HiFiBerryOS on Pi3, Dayton Amp, Definitive Tech AW6500s
Front Yard: SB3, SMSL Q5 Amp, Definitive Tech AW5500s
LMS via PiCorePlayer on Pi4
email: mgraves <at> mstvp.com
blog: http://www.mgraves.org
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2015-02-23, 13:54 #2
I have 2 working still and never had an issue with the analog output channels. Now I will say its been years since I used the analog outputs as I use Toslink now days for my connection, the SB3's I replace with Touches use analog now days.
Pioneer Elite N50 main HT rig hardwired to router connected
1st Touch Wirelessly connected (Master Bedroom)
2nd Touch Wirelessly connected (bedroom)
3rd Touch Wirelessly connected (bedroom)
4th Touch Wirelessly connected (livingroom)
5th Touch Wirelessly connected (downstairs bedroom)
Server (In garage)
running on Duo Core P4 3.0 GHz 8 gig ram
Windows 7 pro 64 bit
350 Xternal gigHD
1.5 TB backup
Verizon Fios wireless router w/HG antana
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2015-02-23, 14:01 #3
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Posts
- 138
Oddly enough, I had one Touch. It was the very first SB to die on me. Of the SB3's (Classics if you prefer) I have one that has the original silver front & Slim Devices branding, and four Logitech models.
The fault is the same on two of them. Loss of level or complete loss of one analog output.Michael Graves
House: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, M-Audio BX5As
Home Office: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, M-Audio BX5A D2, Berhringer B2092A subwoofer
Workshop: RPi3 + HifiBerry Pro XLR, Alesis M520 Active
Back Yard: HiFiBerryOS on Pi3, Dayton Amp, Definitive Tech AW6500s
Front Yard: SB3, SMSL Q5 Amp, Definitive Tech AW5500s
LMS via PiCorePlayer on Pi4
email: mgraves <at> mstvp.com
blog: http://www.mgraves.org
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2015-02-23, 14:42 #4
You are not alone! I also have a Slim Devices SB3 that has a diminished analog channel. I went with a little optical to analog converter to hang on to the unit. Haven't gone back to the repair idea...
Here are a few links:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...one-very-quiet
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...-right-channel
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...most-no-volume
Good luck - let us (or at least me) know how it turns out - I might be ready to try a repair?!?!
JimAll wireless (TM-AC1900) except NAS (ReadyNAS PRO - OS 6.10.3 - 3GB RAM - 3 X 4TB drives - XRAID2 - LMS 7.9.3 )
Squeezebox Boom - Anywhere with an AC outlet
Squeezebox Touch > Bose Radio - Kitchen
Squeezebox Touch > Hafler 100 preamp > Hafler DH-220 amp > Sima SSW-L6 EX Speaker selector= Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II - Living Room, Definitive Tech ProMonitor 100 - Dining Room, Infinity US-1 - Porch
Ipeng on an iPad controls everything!
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2015-02-23, 15:11 #5
Yeah the failing capacitor in one channel .
Wifi card that breaks can make the player to reboot .
Failing psu ,can also make it reboot , failing PSU connector .
VFD displays that gets washed out .
The ir led in the remote can get loose .
You also have an odd bunch of software faults that a xilink reset fixes .
It can also forgets it's Mac adress ,so that you have to look at the sticker at the bottom and re-enter it again .--------------------------------------------------------------------
Main hifi: Rasbery PI digi+ MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3 sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Loggia: Raspi hifiberry dac + Adams
Bathroom : Radio (with battery)
iPad with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server Intel NUC Esxi VM Linux mint 18 LMS 7.9.2
http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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2015-02-24, 05:14 #6
I've often wondered if using the mono IR emitter in the headphone jack on the SB3 could be the cause of the left channel failure.
Having used IR blaster on one of my SB3s for several years. A few months ago I tried the analog outs only to discover it had developed the left channel volume drop issue.
I have two other SB3s purchased at the same time and the analog outs are fine having never used the emitter with them.
I ordered new caps, but have not yet replaced them as I'm concerned they will just fail again if I continue to use the IR emitter.
Can anyone corroborate or refute my suspicions?Ralphy
1-Touch, 5-Classics, 3-Booms, 2-UE Radio
Squeezebox client builds donations always appreciated.
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2015-02-24, 06:31 #7
My SlimDevices SB3 has never had anything attached to it except RCA cable on the analog outs. Yet it has the left channel failure.
So I think your IR emitter theory is not a reality....
Any chance you might detail your repair (photos/words/diagrams) for the rest of us?
Thanks
JimAll wireless (TM-AC1900) except NAS (ReadyNAS PRO - OS 6.10.3 - 3GB RAM - 3 X 4TB drives - XRAID2 - LMS 7.9.3 )
Squeezebox Boom - Anywhere with an AC outlet
Squeezebox Touch > Bose Radio - Kitchen
Squeezebox Touch > Hafler 100 preamp > Hafler DH-220 amp > Sima SSW-L6 EX Speaker selector= Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II - Living Room, Definitive Tech ProMonitor 100 - Dining Room, Infinity US-1 - Porch
Ipeng on an iPad controls everything!
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2015-02-26, 07:47 #8
Thanks Jim for debunking my theory.
I now at least have some incentive to make the repair.
At the moment I'm only using digital out on that SB3.
When/if I make the repair I will take some pics and notes.
I've attached the pdf of the schematic for the SB2 DAC that Sean Adams links to in one of the threads you listed which is no longer active.
It's the same for the SB3 except the silk screen component names are different.Last edited by ralphy; 2015-02-26 at 07:51. Reason: Forgot to attach the pdf
Ralphy
1-Touch, 5-Classics, 3-Booms, 2-UE Radio
Squeezebox client builds donations always appreciated.
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2015-03-01, 03:12 #9
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
- Location
- Hertfordshire
- Posts
- 6,182
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...p=633195<br />
This post says that the polarity of the output capacitors could be incorrect so check that if you replace them.
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2016-04-24, 12:22 #10
New caps installed
Well, I finally replaced the C16 and C20 capacitors in my original slimdevices sb3, back when you could by them without the wireless card.
I used aluminum electrolytic 10uF 16V caps, purchased from digikey.
P/N USA1C100MDD-ND NICHICON CAP ALUM 10UF 16V 20% RADIAL
If I had not already ordered the caps, I would have ordered these non-polarity ones.
Opening the sb3 is quite easy, you just need a Torx 10 (T10) screwdriver.
http://lowtek.ca/roo/2011/squeezebox-classic-repair/
Remove the 2 x T10 screws from the back and then remove the front face plate.
With the face plate removed, unscrew the 4 x T10 screws from the front and slide out the "guts". It's one piece.
I cut the capacitor leads down close to the size of the original surface mount caps.
I attached the new caps with the same polarity as the original.
I opened a 3 year newer logitech sb3 to see if logitech had switched the polarity of the caps, but they have not. They were the same as in my original sb3. If they fail again.....I'll try them the other way.
Before.
Original capactors removed.
New ones installed.
All back together now and both the analog out and headphone jack are working great!Ralphy
1-Touch, 5-Classics, 3-Booms, 2-UE Radio
Squeezebox client builds donations always appreciated.