Welcome to Beoworld !

Replace the muting relay. It's a standard fault and we've discussed it several times here on Beoworld.
I can supply the relay (email me) if you cannot find one elsewhere.

Martin

Hi Ryan, welcome to the forum!

It would not be unheard of to have a problem with the speaker sockets themselves. But most likely it is another classic problem, the mute relay (you'll find plenty on that on the forums if you search). That would only affect the Speaker 1 connections. Sometimes it gets better if you just exercise the mute function a lot, the contacts tend to oxidice if they are not used. But often the only real cure is to replace the mute relay.

The MCPs are quite robust apart from the too common problem of leaking batteries. Let's hope it turns out fine after you put it back together!

Hi guys,

I had read a lot about the mute relay issues before I bought the unit.  Logically I thought that the relay probably had 1 set of contacts and therefore that couldn't be it since the left channel worked (my electrical knowledge is limited and mostly theoretical) but I opened it up just to make sure and indeed it had 2 sets of contacts. I plugged it in and exercised the button and to my surprise now the left and right speaker 1 channels will go in and out. I do feel a little dumb right about now :)

About the relay, my dad says that relays that look like the one in question were mounted on sockets back in the day. Is the mute relay on a socket? I would hate to have to solder a new one in as I couldn't even get the amplifier's fan housing off. Sorry if this is a stupid question by the way, I don't usually do electrical work!

Ryan

The muting relay is not under the fan housing, it sits near the socket bay, under the flip-up tuner board.
The relay nearest to the large transformer is the amplifier power relay - it rarely fails because the current it
handles is much higher, burning though eventual oxidation. This also causes black deposits to build up at
the inside of its clear plastic housing and it looks burned from outside but it will be fine.

Cleaning the contacts will only last for some time. The ultra thin platinum contact material has scars from
oxidating by airs moisture and arcing from electricity.
Look at it in a microscope and you will see the moon surface.
Using abrasives will remove the contact material. Only lasting solution is to replace the relay.

The relays are never in sockets in these machines.

Martin

Ryan wrote:

how much should a Beolink 1000 go for in the US? Carrying around a huge remote is kind of a pain :)

A Beo4 would also control it.  Maybe $50-$75 for a Beolink 1000; $100 for a Beo4.  Just check eBay.

About the MCP, don't forget:

1) to clean the IR window and the IR leds, 

2) to replace capacitors.

My own MCP has had the same alcaline batteries for almost two years, but prior to that, they would die quickly (caps) and lacked power (cleaning). The "no contact" beacon would be lit unless the panel was at about 2 metres from the BM.

Dillen wrote:

The relays are never in sockets in these machines.