DR500 Upgrade & No Sound!

You've probably connected the din to xlr leads the wrong way round. 

Good spot HH.

Been there, done that.

I will re-check but the ch1 output of the 552 goes to the ch1 input of the 500 and similarly with ch2. Also I took a foto of the cables at the back before I dismantled it a couple of weeks' ago and it looks the same now as when it last produced sound.

But I'll take a look again.

99.99% chance that the 552-500 leads are connected to the wrong channel. Unlike RCA leads, they cannot be swapped with the only result of flipping the channels-fitting them to the wrong input results in breakthrough signal that is much attenuated. Which is exactly what you are hearing. 

The cables are side specific. The red one only works on ch2, green on ch1. 

I only have a Naim source but I am really good at mucking up a setup so I will share my experience. I just went to make a coffee and the machine just blinked at me.  Nothing.  I figured I was out of water to I filled it, still nothing.  Then I noticed the steam handle thing was slightly open.  Gave it a tap towards closed and it all came to life.

oh, sorry, what was your problem again?   Kidding.  My intentionally silly ( but it really did just happen) point is that it's mostly user error with gadgets.  

If you had blown a fuse you would hear nothing.  If a power supply was not properly connected you would hear nothing.  The leakage of sound from another input is a clue I would suggest.  You are busy looking at your power amp but I am wondering if the preamp is correctly hooked up or if the right input has been selected. Do you have a bypass or mute function on the pre ( yes, that old chestnut).

if you are relying on a photo then we could be in for a long night.  You have to think like an electron travelling from A to B.  

1. Go back to square one in the setup, unplug everything and have a coffee.  Pat the dog. Clear all preconceptions from your mind.

2. Hook up the simplest configuration you can. Source, amp speakers.  

3. If that does not fix it substitute elements that have changed .  Can you eliminate the amp by using an old receiver or similar.

Continue to swap out components until you isolate the problem.   You could even post photos here for the "experts" to check.

My guess is that you are now 90% likely to be happily listening to music......or you are on your way back to the shop with the 500 in the boot of your car.  Good luck.

It's almost bound to be the din to XLR wires. Even if channel 1 is connected to channel 1, if you are using the channel 2 wire it won't work. There is nothing to stop you putting the wrong wire in the wrong socket. Do check these two wires before taking everything apart, it will save you a lot of time. 

Briz may well be right, but on this occasion I'm more likely to be. Take it apart by all means, but be ready to waste a lot of time that doesn't need to be wasted. And if you have no dog, you cannot fix the problem. 

Yes agree with all the others, check those Din to XLR cables I have had this very scenario a couple of times, no damage will will be done. One thing that is confusing is that right and left according to the manual refers to looking at the back of equipment whereas we tend to look at it from the front so they are the wrong way round as you look at them!

Hungryhalibut posted:

You've probably connected the din to xlr leads the wrong way round. 

Hands up all these  that haven't done this at least once 

That'll be me then, for starters. 

I recently sent my amps back for service but took photos layer by layer as I took each level off the Fraim stack. The problem I find is that it's difficult to see the back of the amplifier box when it's on the Fraim, which backs up to a wall.  Fortunately each Din-XLR cable has a coloured band (pink and green) to help with orientation. 

Ghettoyout posted:

I wonder if the forum can help me. It's quite possible I've made a schoolboy error....

Kind regards,

Ghetto yout'.

Wake up, take off work, going on 12 hours!

That's what nice about the Forum, everyone is willing to pitch in, and solve a problem, I sure hope  HH has pin pointed the problem.

If it was my upgraded DR 500, I couldn't sleep, eat, or work!

Allante93!

Polarbear posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

You've probably connected the din to xlr leads the wrong way round. 

Hands up all these  that haven't done this at least once 

Hands firmly down at this point...

Thank you everyone for your helpful tips. This morning I swapped the din/xlr leads around at the 500 end with still the same result. I think the leads may be the wrong way around on the 552 end as has been suggested. I'll try that remembering the red marked cable is for channel 2. To be honest I thought they were the same and only made sure ch1 on the pre went to ch1 on the power amp.

I'll let you know how I get on. Does involve rebuilding one of the stacks so it's not a quick job.

Hopefully this is a schoolboy error on my part.

Pips,

Ghetto Yout'.

Just remember that the Red band is for the Right channel, or in Naim parlance, Channel 2 (because according to JV he was never that good on which was his left and right, hence ch1 and ch2).  Therefore green band = ch1, and red band = ch2.

Richard Dane posted:

Just remember that the Red band is for the Right channel, or in Naim parlance, Channel 2 (because according to JV he was never that good on which was his left and right, hence ch1 and ch2).  Therefore green band = ch1, and red band = ch2.

...with the right channel conveniently being positioned on the left side of the amp, for easy and intuitive location. Of course in studio/pro settings the amps are usually rack mounted with the back fascia facing outwards-which then does place the right channel on the right side.  Which I think is how the original NAP300 @Capital Radio was used. 

Ghettoyout posted:

Thank you everyone for your helpful tips. This morning I swapped the din/xlr leads around at the 500 end with still the same result. I think the leads may be the wrong way around on the 552 end as has been suggested. I'll try that remembering the red marked cable is for channel 2. To be honest I thought they were the same and only made sure ch1 on the pre went to ch1 on the power amp.

I'll let you know how I get on. Does involve rebuilding one of the stacks so it's not a quick job.

Hopefully this is a schoolboy error on my part.

Pips,

Ghetto Yout'.

If you still haven't got it working, might I suggest you get the owners manuals out and have a look at the diagrams.

You should see my cables when I dismantle the Fraim for whatever reason !!!

Being blind red and green wouldn't work for me anyway but I don't have this problem since I don't have  a 552/500 (yet? : ... but I still have the problems of all the other cables ...

At each end of the cable I wrap around some masking tape with enough hanging free that I can attach a Braille label to. I then Braille a code on this such as 'P3RT' - = Pre-amp 3rd socket from the right, top.

- it works ...

Hope you've got your problem sorted out now,

Allan

Polarbear posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

You've probably connected the din to xlr leads the wrong way round. 

Hands up all these  that haven't done this at least once 

It happened to me when I replaced my 250's with 300's and sold the first one on eBay to a guy in St Petersburg. The package took about 4 weeks to arrive, but then the buyer reported he only had sound on one channel. I suspected potential fraud initially, but eventually he advised me that I had sent a 300 cable.  I then read the 300 manual (something I'm inclined to skip) and it was the first time I became aware of the single channel leads. Anyway the buyer was extremely understanding and we sapped leads. Of course the 250 lead would work on either channel of the 300, being 2-way.

Hello once again.

I'm happy to report sound is now being produced! It was due, as many had suggested, to me using the red marked cable for ch1 instead of ch2. When used as designed, it all works perfectly.

Straight from cold having been off for over two weeks, it sounded a little pinched at first. However, as it warmed up, I'm hearing new sounds on familiar music (most especially drums and the lower registers - they are sounding more tuneful in the bass). It's early days yet and I'm sure it will continue to settle down in the coming weeks and new delights will emerge.

Thank you for your assistance with this. Sometimes it is wise to read the manual especially if dismantling the stacks is not done too frequently or, in my case, ask the experts on the forum.

Anyway, back to the Weather Prophets with, not unreasonably, the Smiths to follow.

Kind regards,

Ghetto Yout'.

Marvellous. Despite the fractured skull I've not completely lost it. And you playing the mighty Smiths too. Top man. As Morrissey said, such a little thing makes such a big difference. Was he writing about din to xlr leads I wonder. 

Reading this thread was a little like watching a pantomime with most of the audience shouting "He's behind you" - with HH the most vocal and coherent 

I'm glad all is now well G Y 

Yes I let myself down a bit there. The cables being the wrong way around reminds me of this joke from Tim Vine: I went to a Christening the other day and the Vicar was standing the wrong way around. He was back to font!

As Ted Chippington would say, can't argue with that joke.

Glad nothing was amiss other than the cabling. Enjoy your new upgrade.