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"Tone Defeat"
April 11, 2010
My receiver has a button called Tone Defeat.
What does it do?
Richard
If the receiver has a Tone Defeat button, then it also
has tone controls, which allow for frequency-response adjustments for the bass and highs.
The problem with tone controls is that the circuitry can add distortion to the sound, even
if the buttons are left in the neutral position. It’s a small thing, but it’s
been apparent to me on the receivers I’ve used. The Tone Defeat button bypasses
tone-control circuitry, meaning that you can no longer adjust the bass and highs, but
you’ll have purer sound. Therefore, my suggestion is to use the Tone Defeat button if
you’re not going to adjust the tone controls, but live with the subtle degradation in
sound that the controls bring if you do.
On and off
April 7, 2010
I hope you can help. My Yamaha receiver is
about ten years old. It worked fine until yesterday when it immediately shut off for no
reason. I turned it back on and it clicks off again. I tried this more than five times.
Any advice?
Bruce Jarrett
Your Yamaha might be at the end of its life
and is certainly well past its warranty period. My suggestion is to not turn it on
anymore. There is obviously something wrong with the unit and you should get it checked by
a qualified technician if you wish to continue using it. Alternatively, it might be time
to start shopping for a new receiver.
On "On Reference Equipment"
April 3, 2010
Thanks, that was a very good piece ("On Reference Equipment").
I am a bit of a novice and never quite undersood what "reference" meant. Now I
know, and I'll always remember your personal story. And now I have my own.
