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Left RCA out on DAC not working

Hi guys,

As per title, the Left out RCA socket on my DAC is not working properly.

It will work, but only with RCA plugs with non-metallic shrouds, such as AECO plugs. I only discovered the issue when I went to try other interconnects. I started off with my Lavri Grand ICs which have AECO plugs, but all my ICs with metallic shrouds around the pin don't work at all.

The DAC is relatively new; I contacted the distributor, and he thinks it's a badly soldered ground on the inside of the chassis. He's ordered me a new unit, but has been admitted to hospital for major heart surgery, so I may have a bit of a wait 

Anyway, is he correct in his assumption of a bad ground solder inside on the Left RCA out?

Thanks in advance

128x128painter24
painter24's avatar
painter24 OP
310 posts
 

@jea48 you're correct of course re: the ground pin on the AECO plugs, and yes the centre pins are longer than normal, which may account for why the AECO plugs work......would this mean the left RCA out plug onbthe DAC is in someway faulty?

carlsbad's avatar
carlsbad
1,551 posts
 

The other cables are not making good connection on one of the 4 connection points or in teh middle.

jea48
4,453 posts
 

would this mean the left RCA out plug on the DAC is in someway faulty?

@painter24

Ya, that could be the problem.

Question is was the DAC RCA jack faulty to began with, or did the longer pin on AECO plug damage the center contact in the jack? Did you by chance first use your other RCA ICs on the DAC, and they worked ok then?

What make is the DAC? There is a big quality difference from panel mount RCA jacks and circuit board mounted jacks.

Jim

 

painter24's avatar
painter24 OP
310 posts
 

@jea48 that's the thing; the first ICs I used were the Lavri/AECO, it was only some time later I wanted to try copper ICs instead of the silver Lavri, and I discovered the problem. 

I feel it maybe as you say; the AECO's longer center pin may have damaged the jack.

gs5556
1,235 posts
 

My  guess is the RCA jacks on the DAC are pcb mounted and the left jack's hot pin is not soldered (not the ground). The AECO plug is longer than the other RCA plugs and pushes the hot pin back onto the pad, making electrical contact. Board mounted jacks require a large diameter pad to accommodate the hot pin and it is relatively easy to not apply enough heat to get the solder to weld.

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