It looks like I'll have to endure my TV's speakers for now. For the last week or two I've had to deal with my Integra DTC-9.8 surround sound processor becoming flakier and flakier. It started not engaging the speakers. The subwoofer output has been working fine the whole time, but the rest of the speakers wouldn't kick in at times, but I would turn it off and turn it back on, and usually that would get it going again. It kept getting worse, however, and it would take more and more turning off and on to get it to finally send a signal. Last night I spent probably half an hour trying to get it to work. It finally did, but tonight, after well over an hour of trying, no such luck. It looks like I'll be calling Onkyo/Integra tomorrow to see which service center I need to send it to.

Though now that I'm typing this, I'm wondering if it's potentially the amplifier. I've been working from the assumption it's the processor, but it's weird that the subwoofer would still work, but not the other speakers. I'll have to see if my dad still has an extra receiver with pre outs and test it out. I'll be sad either way, but it would probably actually be better if it was an amp problem, as I know Axiom will take care of me quickly, whereas who knows how long Onkyo will need to fix the processor.

Anyway, my luck with electronics continues. The cutting edge always leaves me bleeding.

The five stages of electronic problems:

Sorry to hear that. Silly thing to try: did you unplug it and then replug it a little later. My sub pte-out on my Onkyo 805 had stopped working a while back and it started working by magic again when I unplugged it to move the power bar and then replugged it. Some relays near the output could be desynchronized.

That's too bad. I had a similar problem with an Arcam avp700 when I first got it 2.5 years ago. It ended up being a defective circuit board which eventually was repaired under warranty after 3 weeks.

But now you have me concerned about a new Integra I have ordered.

Hope you get your problem resolved quickly, TV speakers suck.

Do you have a receiver with pre outs that you could try to detirmine which unit is giving you troubles. You'd really be pissed if you send the Pre/Pro in to only have to send the amp in later.......

My dad might still have one, so I will talk to him today. I just tried the stereo audio out from the TV to the amp and got nothing. This should work, shouldn't it?

Rats. I thought I'd figured out why I couldn't get sound from the TV to the amp, but it didn't work. I had been watching a digital station, and it won't send that information through the analog stereo out. I switched to an analog station, but still no sound. Hmmm.

Do you have an MP3 player or iPod you could try? Or how about the analogue output from your computer?

No luck on a receiver with pre outs, but I did just try my mom's portable CD player hooked up to the amp, again with no luck. I plugged it into the TV just to make sure it was outputting sound, and it was, so it's looking like the amplifier's the culprit. At least I know I'll be taken care of quickly.

That is a very good thing, since my sister will be visiting next month, and I want to show off my system to her and my brother-in-law. They've seen various incarnations, but I'm not sure if they've felt the subwoofer, and I know the amplifier wasn't present on their last visit.

How well does the subwoofer blend with the TV speakers? You might need to experiment with some crossover settings before you give up all hope.

Ha ha, it would be hard to blend the TV speakers with the subwoofer since they would be controlled separately, and any change in volume in the source would put it out of whack, but believe me, I thought about still using the subwoofer while waiting on the replacement.

YESSSSSSSSSSSS. I got an email from Amie saying that she personally shipped the replacement amp via FedEx today, overnight even, so I will hopefully have it for the weekend. I've heard of good service, but come on, is this real?

Well, here goes nothing--*pinch*

I don't really know what that proved.

You were supposed to say, "Ouch!" and then I'd say "Yup, it's real."

Thanks for ruining my joke.

Ouch! Now I feel it.

Good.

Better luck with your new amp.

Thanks!

So the latest is that FedEx called this morning to say my replacement amplifier was held up in US customs, as the value is over $2000. Apparently, there is a form I need to fill out and get back to them. They wanted to email or fax it to me, and since I don't have a fax machine, I gave her my email address. Either she wrote it down wrong or I gave it wrong, as I didn't get the email. So I've left a voicemail for her, which she won't get until Monday. Hopefully she can email the form to me Monday and get it moving again. Otherwise, what was the point of Axiom going out of their way to ship it overnight? So, fingers crossed.

Based on this great experience with Axiom's customer service, I emailed The Consumerist ( http://consumerist.com/ ) to let them know what a great company Axiom is, and I gave them my specific story. If you've had a similar experience, it might be worth passing on to them, to give Axiom further well-deserved exposure. My sister is the one who suggested I tell them about the phenomenal customer service, as she has purchased items from companies that she may have otherwise never purchased from simply because they had a positive mention on that site.

Excellent initiative. I'll do the same with my A1400 story as well.

I hate when I miss FedEx's delivery attempts.

Can you go and pick it up today, at least?

No such luck. I work until 8 at night, so it's not really possible during the week. Plus, I don't have a car, so I would have to beg a friend to take me. Now you know how I can afford my hobbies, though. No car to pay for. I'll just have to wait by the door tomorrow morning, and hopefully they try delivering at the same time.

I just feel bad for Axiom, paying for overnight delivery only to have US Customs hold it up, then with me missing the first attempted delivery... but I blame my coworker. She almost always guesses correctly about when I will get a package, and she guessed Wednesday, even though she knew it was supposed to be here last Friday. She's really one of the worst people I know. Ha ha.

The B**ch.


I HATE her!

Trust in womens intuition?

Gah, even she was wrong. FedEx still hasn't shown up, and now I have to head to work. Evil! And I can't just sign the door tag and have them leave the package, since they voided where I can sign to have it left, for "security" reasons.

Scratch that. He just got here, and now I'll be two minutes late to work. I guess I really should trust a woman's intuition.

Glorious!

Next time, just have it sent here.....

Party at Mark's house!

It works! I'm off of TV speakers. Since I kind of went on a CD buying spree, it's nice to be able to listen on my nice system again. Thank you, Axiom.

And Mark, if you one day get a nicer room for your system, I will send you a room-warming present. Maybe not a $3850 one, but definitely double-digits. That's all the incentive you need, right?

Congrats, Charles! Those TV speakers are nice, though. You might reconsider.

They actually weren't as bad as I was expecting. They definitely weren't full-range, but they were decent for most material. Still, yeah, I'm glad I'm back up and running.

You're one up on me already for the "disc giveaway" CD you sent!

Congrats on being "up and running" again!

Its hard to be without the audio you're used to. Good to see your up and running again.