Q Even though our speakers and speaker wiring check out OK, we keep getting a “Protect” error message on our 2-year-old Sony STR-DG710 AV Receiver. Then the receiver shuts off. This happens when watching TV or a DVD. Is it just time for a new receiver? - Lynn, California

Check the speaker terminations on the back of the unit. The problem you described happens when the leads touch.  It can be tricky to find, so pay close attention to how the speaker leads are terminated. Or simply unplug all speaker wires, shorten the exposed copper and reconnect. . Good luck.

Steve Crowe - 06 July 2009 06:54 AM

Q Even though our speakers and speaker wiring check out OK, we keep getting a “Protect” error message on our 2-year-old Sony STR-DG710 AV Receiver. Then the receiver shuts off. This happens when watching TV or a DVD. Is it just time for a new receiver? - Lynn, California

Lynn,
Assuming that your speakers, wiring and speaker connections are OK as you stated and by the way you describe the problem:

“we keep getting a “Protect” error message on our 2-year-old Sony STR-DG710 AV Receiver. Then the receiver shuts off. This happens when watching TV or a DVD.”

I think that your receiver is over heating because it is installed in a space ( cabinet, build-in, etc) without proper ventilation. If you are not able to use the receiver for more then few seconds before it goes into protection mode and by removing all the speaker wires the problem is still there the you need a new receiver. And do not forget about ventilation. 80% of the problems that occur with receivers and amplifiers after more the 12 months of moderate usage are caused by poor ventilation.
Ovi

My understanding is that the actual “Protect” error occurs only when there is an electric fault (i.e. a short in the speaker wiring) and not in response to any heat conditions.  I would suggest disconnecting all speaker wiring and then adding back pairs one at a time until either the problem recurs or all wiring is reconnected with (hopefully) no protect error.

Pretty much all of the other posts are correct to an extent. When your receiver goes into, “Protect Mode,” it can be a number of problems… The following is a check list I suggest before purchasing a new receiver;

1. If you have changed the speakers in your system, make sure the new speakers are within the impedance range the Sony can handle. (Nothing under 6 ohms).
2. If you have recently installed a new cable DVR box, these suckers run extremely hot and should not be directly stacked on top or on bottom of the receiver. Ventilation is the key.
3. If for some reason you have recently turned the receiver around to install a new DVR or gaming station, chances are speaker wire leads were accidentally pulled out and are now touching one another which is shorting out the receiver.
4. If you have had a power surge, (and it doesn’t take much), it could have locked up a micro processor or blown an amplifier capacitor.

Thus, improper ventililation, power surges, and speaker wire shorts are the usual suspects. The easiest way to diagonose the problem is to first completely disconnect all speaker wires. With all wires disconnected, turn the unit on. If the unit still goes into, “Protect Mode,”  chances are a capacitor or an IC board is shot due to a power surge.

Next, if the unit does NOT go into, “Protect Mode,” with all speaker wires disconnected, shut the unit off and begin to connect speaker wires one at a time. Every time you connect a single speaker wire, turn the unit on again. Repeat this process for all speaker wires one at a time. If at any point, (EXAMPLE: 3 speakers are now connected), if you hook up the 4th speaker and it goes into, “Protect Mode,” there’s either a problem with the speaker wire, or the speaker is blown which would cause a dead short.

continued on next post… ran out of room-

continued from past post…

Lastly, if all speakers are re-connected and you’re good to go, let the unit play for about a 1/2 hour. If the unit goes back into protect mode, your problem is definitely proper ventilation or you’re playing the unit too loud and over loading the internal amps.

Bottom line: If your unit has been up & running for two years with no problem and you haven’t physically moved the unit, changed the speakers, or added or stacked a new device to the receiver, you more than likely experienced a power surge which has damaged an internal component within the receiver. Since Sony receivers only have a 1 year parts & labor warranty, now it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth fixing or just purchase a new unit.

If you do purchase a new unit, I would strongly suggest a Denon model… I sell a lot of Sony video, but I’m not a big fan of their receivers.

Hope this helps!
Dave Stevens
President Steven’s Audio

Acai,
Since your Denon receiver is 9 years old, (and I’m extremely fond of Denon), I would suggest you purchase a new Denon piece so you can take advantage of all of the new codecs, (Dolby True HD, DTS Master, etc.), and also take advantage of HDMI inputs & outputs that will keep you up to date with HDTV standards and Blu Ray players.

BTW: NEVER turn anything up all of the way. God forbid you wake up a capacitor in the unit or discover you have a tape monitor on, you’ll wind up blowing everything up. Go to Denon’s website and find yourself a new model that fits your budget… You’ll be more than happy that you did even if you go for one of their lower end models such as AVR-1610 which will offer you many more advantages than what you presently own. Considering that your 9 year old unit must have been one of their 1st receivers with DTS, you had to spend at least $1,000.00 on it back them. An AVR-1610 only retails for $379.00, and you can probably find a small discount off that price if you look around. Just make sure you purchase it from an authorized dealer and not some on-line, “B” good whore.

That’s my best advice.