Audio Problems with Pioneer Elite VSX-29TX (VSX-27TX)

[Derek Simmons]

I'm having an intermittent audio problem with my Pioneer Elite
VSX-29TX. The VSX-29TX is similar to VSX-27TX (the difference is rose
wood panels and a copper chasis). My problem is more often then not
the audio won't come on. If I leave the unit on for a while the audio
will eventually come up. If I change the audio settings, from standard
to THX or vice versa it will also cause the problem to occure.

It almost seems like it is a bad capcitor. Does anybody have an
explanation as to what is happening and how to fix it?

Thanks,
Derek Simmons

 

[Ralph Farr]

I'm having an intermittent audio problem with my Pioneer Elite
VSX-29TX. The VSX-29TX is similar to VSX-27TX (the difference is rose
wood panels and a copper chasis). My problem is more often then not
the audio won't come on. If I leave the unit on for a while the audio
will eventually come up. If I change the audio settings, from standard
to THX or vice versa it will also cause the problem to occure.

It almost seems like it is a bad capcitor. Does anybody have an
explanation as to what is happening and how to fix it?

Thanks,
Derek Simmons

Hi Derek,
The likely problem with the Pioneer receiver is poor solder connections
on a couple of large surface mount integrated circuit chips on the DSP
processor board. After a couple of years of heating up/cooling down
cycles the large IC chips have some legs that lose connection to the PC
board foil traces. To repair this requires removing the DSP board from
the receiver and re-soldering any suspect connections. The connections
that require soldering are very small,close together, and easy to form
solder bridges. Unless you are familiar with soldering surface mount
devices you might want to have a service shop look at it - I think
Pioneer knows about this problem and might even pay part/all of the
repairs. Hope this helps you some with your problem.

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

Pioneer knows but sometimes the CS rep plays dumb. Keep after them.

Pioneer Customer service:
800-421-1404

Mark Z.

 

[Derek Simmons]

Hi Derek,

The likely problem with the Pioneer receiver is poor solder connections
on a couple of large surface mount integrated circuit chips on the DSP
processor board. After a couple of years of heating up/cooling down
cycles the large IC chips have some legs that lose connection to the PC
board foil traces. To repair this requires removing the DSP board from
the receiver and re-soldering any suspect connections. The connections
that require soldering are very small,close together, and easy to form
solder bridges. Unless you are familiar with soldering surface mount
devices you might want to have a service shop look at it - I think
Pioneer knows about this problem and might even pay part/all of the
repairs. Hope this helps you some with your problem.

Does anyone have experience making this repair?

If I have the top of the unit removed and I'm facing the front, is the
DSP board the board, the board on the right, in the sheilded
enclosure?

Is it more likely to be one of the parts then others?

Thanks,
Derek Simmons

 

[Derek Simmons]

Pioneer knows but sometimes the CS rep plays dumb. Keep after them.

Pioneer Customer service:
800-421-1404

Mark Z.

How much dose this reapir normally cost or are they going to try to
swap out the DSP board and charge me for a new one?

Thanks,
Derek Simmons

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

The DSP boards are no longer available. They went through all of them for
this problem.

Mark Z.

 

[Ralph Farr]

Does anyone have experience making this repair?

If I have the top of the unit removed and I'm facing the front, is the
DSP board the board, the board on the right, in the sheilded
enclosure?

Is it more likely to be one of the parts then others?

Thanks,
Derek Simmons

The DSP board is in the shielded enclosure and it can be removed
completely from the receiver if you remove some screws and unplug some
wires. I think it plugs into the main circuit board also.