Customer Reviews

Technics SA-DX930 Audio/Video Receiver

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Mine lasted for 14 mos. before burning out. I can still get sound out of it, but if I have a cd playing, I can hear it on all inputs (tv, dvd, tuner, etc.). I can't believe Technics made such a poorly engineered product. I had a Technics receiver before this one that had lasted me for 15+ years through moving many times and college abuse, so I felt comfortable going with Technics again. I should've checked around more. Don't buy it.

I purchased the 930 based on the recommendation from a magazine. While I agree the sound is excellent, the heat it creates is hot enough to fry an egg on. And yes, after one year of use my 930 did burn out one of the fuses. Thankfully I had purchased 3-year extended warranty on it, so I was able to get it repaired for free.
If it weren't for the heat, I would have given the 930 a five-star rating. The sound is that impressive.
My recommendation: If you purchase this receiver, make sure you get an extended warranty with it. If you don't, you will probably be disappointed.

I followed ALL instructions, I even installed two fans one below and one above to keep unit cool. I guess that is why Mine lasted almost 18 months. The thermally controlled fan NEVER went on.

AVOID THIS P.O.S.

This product is incredibly unreliable as discovered by about 95% of the people who have purchased it. Technics (Panasonic) will affect repairs when demanded by the 1 year warranty but it is virtually assured that the product will fail repeatedly and certainly not last beyond its warranty. Any good review of the SADX930 was guaranteed to have been made by a new owner who simply hasn't had his/her first bad experience with it yet. The unit runs hot and is probably a fire hazard. Mine lasted for less than ten uses playing DVD movies before the digital audio completely failed and the VCR audio was bleeding over into the tuner audio. The top of the unit was too hot to leave my hand on it for any length of time. After it failed, I swept the Web for review sites and found a few which invariably had the vast majority of reviewers crucifying the unit for its heat production and early demise. You are forewarned. . .DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT

I found the solution here:
http://www.audioreview.com/A-V+Receivers/Technics,SA-DX930/PRD_118843_2718crx.aspx

It's a great step-by step. I had the receiver for over a year and then ended up blowing the fuse due to heat buildup when I absent-mindedly covered my stereo center with plastic while painting. Any receiver will run hot. Technics' problem seems to be they put the threshold too high for the thermal fan to get activated.

Here it is copied (thanks to Paul from Colorado Springs);
I purchased at RadioShack the following parts: 270-1051 four-pack 1.6A fuse, 273-0243 12V DC 3" fan, 273-1631 AT&T 9-12V AC adapter, for a total cost of $29.97 plus tax. I chose the AT&T adapter as it was the smallest size and cheapest unit which would provide a 9V DC source (12V runs too loud).

Step 1: Unplug and open unit cover by removing six screws. Locate blown 1A fuse, one of three fuses hanging from circuit board on transformer. Fuse is closest to outside of unit. Replace with 1.6A fuse. Replace unit cover.

Step 2: Remove two philips screws which attach existing fan to back of unit. Remove 1/8" thick plastic fan cover plate, leave fan connected and in place. New fan has two flanges (front & back) with small holes for mounting screws.
*Expand two of these holes on the back flange with a 1/4" dia. drill, which permits the two screws to push all the way through to the front flange.* (I didn't both with this.. I just cut the 2 -not all 4- screw holes on the front so I could put the screws in the back of the new fan) Piggy back the new fan onto the existing fan and reattach the two screws through both fans and into the unit back.

Step 3: Cut the output cable of the AC adapter to about a 12" length. Strip insulation from this cable and the new fan cable. Test polarity of adapter/fan leads (white stripe on adapter cable matched red fan lead on mine) to ensure fan operates. Join fan and adapter leads with technique of your preference. Ensure the adapter is set to 9V DC and plug into the switched AC outlet on unit back. The adapter sitcks out sideways about 1-2".
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Now, I've been running this a few days and no problems. The unit stays way cool since the new fan is on all the time, and the unit won't blow a fuse as easily with the 1.6 amp. You don't have to worry about ventilation and stand-alone fans, also. The unit works great, with digital/optical in and outputs.

unfortunately i have to agree with 95% of the reviews so far. i had purchased the SA-DX930 around two years ago and not even a month after the warranty expired it crapped out on me. it has a serious over-heating problem and i too had the problem of the signal "bleeding" over when other sources were switched. i bought the unit because of a previous model i had owned which worked great. so i dont recommend this unit to any one wanting a receiver to work for more than a year.

Runs way too hot. Mine burned out after 18 months.

I have the SADX940, which I believe replaces this model. It does run on the hot side, but if you give it the 4 in of ventilation that the manual calls for, you will be OK. Many reviews that I've read have cited the heat, but almost always they have solved the problem with a little more ventilation or by putting a fan near the unit.

Overall, it is a strong value. Sound quality is good, and it has enough power to hit you with when you've got an action DVD playing. If you are on a budget and want a surround starter system, consider this unit.

I got my unit 5 or 6 years ago at a GoodWill, of all places. Its been used pretty routinely, and only now have I had to modify the fan, and really its because I'm cranking the volume pretty good. The unit does run warm, but the fan motification is super easy, and the great sound quality makes it well worth the 10 minutes of work involved in making this thing a completely reliable device.

-PC

I had bought this one 10 years back it still works well. All the different modes, Surround, Simmulated Surround,Hall etc. are working fine. Even the test feature to test all the five speakers + sub-woofer works fine.
No need to install any additional fans. All the receivers emitt heat and if you put recevier in enclosed environment it is going to burn it out.
I have no issues at all very good for the price.