Busted Mackie CR4s

Gymrat76

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Hi all

MY Mackie CR4s, bought sometime in early 2016 has recently been experiencing loss of sound in either speakers when I turn on. By accident, I found that fiddling with the "powered position speaker select" switch at the back causes the sound to come back.. felt like a contact issues as I had to jiggle it a bit before I could get sound in both sides. Also, the back of the speaker was hot to the touch.

Sent it in to the service center, and they told me need to replace the main board as it had burnt out. Will cost me $120 to replace.

Now I'm wondering if leaving the power switch at the back on all the time caused this. I remember reading when I got the speakers that it's OK to leave it on, but can't find the source liao. If that's the case, then it shouldn't have caused the board to burn out? And even if I spend the money to fix, it's probably going to happen again? And at $120 (almost 1/2 the price of new speakers), should I just buy something else?
 

wwenze

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Wait hold it, that makes no sense. If it feels (as in literally via feeling) like a contact issue and it still makes sounds how can anything be burnt out.

In rare chances, momentarily cutting signal via the switch may clear some fault condition in a faulty amp chip. But if it can play for hours continuously then nothing is broken w.r.t. to amplification electronics. Especially if the problem goes away if you hold the switch in position, then that's definitely the switch.

Unless their definition of the mainboard means "the whole board because none of us are given the instructions on how to diagnose and desolder single components", which really is the very common practice when it comes to customer service.

As mentioned in the big thread, just short out the switch.
 

Gymrat76

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Wait hold it, that makes no sense. If it feels (as in literally via feeling) like a contact issue and it still makes sounds how can anything be burnt out.

In rare chances, momentarily cutting signal via the switch may clear some fault condition in a faulty amp chip. But if it can play for hours continuously then nothing is broken w.r.t. to amplification electronics. Especially if the problem goes away if you hold the switch in position, then that's definitely the switch.

Unless their definition of the mainboard means "the whole board because none of us are given the instructions on how to diagnose and desolder single components", which really is the very common practice when it comes to customer service.

As mentioned in the big thread, just short out the switch.

That’s exactly what I said to the guy. It works so it seems more like a contact issue. But he said when they opened it ip, 1/2 the board was burnt. But it worked fine just need to jiggle and hold it in place.

Will collect it back and then decide how to do the shorting out lol
 

Apex

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Side track best to power off the speaker when not in use for a long time.

Some speaker just isn't that smart to go into standby mode by cutting power to main circuit.(not sure if your model does that)

However Heat does cause wear and tear to electronics

Same thing happen to me leaving my subwoofer in standby after 6 month board blow. Lucky under warranty and the Uncle told me best power off when not in use
 

wwenze

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And then you blow power capacitors and the next guy comes along and tells you best to leave it on all the time.
 

Gymrat76

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Just collected it back. Don’t think I wanna spend 1/2 the cost of a new set for a new board that’s going to burn again in 1-2 years due to poor design/heat dissipation. Will use as long as I can then chuck them out for a new pair (prob KRK or PreSonus this time, maybe Genelac). Don’t trust Mackie’s ‘lifestyle’ speakers anymore :(
 

Gymrat76

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Brought home, hooked them up and playing R.E.M. nicely on them lol... had to fiddle a bit with the switch but it's been playing 8-9 tracks now without issues.. maybe can hold off spending money still :s13:
 

Gymrat76

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Update: after 3 weeks the speakers work fine. Just need to touch the switch at the back once in a while to get both sides to have sound but no other issues otherwise :)
 
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