Solved! Home Theater Audio Problem

[ironlou]

Ok, so, I've got a Philips HTS3592 Home Theater System, 5.1, supporting DTS, etc.
It's connected with my PC through optical cable. Everything worked perfectly for nearly 4 years until for a month is having problems when playing something with loud-constant volume.
Everything works fine during dialogues, but if there's a continuous loud level (like an epic orchestral music for example), the volume starts to fluctuates crazily, intermittent, quickly "TA-TA-TA-TA-TA", up and down (can't explain it better with my poor English). The louder the volume, the more it fluctuates.
Initially I thought it was some Windows/Drivers issue and I went crazy for it (downloading, upgrading, downgrading, etc). Then after a while I tried playing a BluRay or CD out of it and the problem was still there. So it's not windows/pc related.
I also tried to look at the manufacture settings, I restored them to the factory values, but nothing changed. There's only one setting that can lower the volume and it's called "Night Mode", but it's deactivated.
So I think it's not a software but a hardware issue.

My question is: Can I solve it? If so, how? What could it be?
I tried already cleaning the optical cable ports and plugs. Could be that something burnt out in the receiver? Am I forced to throw it away?

Please help!
THANKS A LOT!

 

[doolittle]

yes you maybe correct, it does sound like something in the AIO unit burned out (they are not exactly the highest quality)... Get a decent AVR to replace, most can handle a 6-ohm speaker impedance these days e.g. the sony strdh590 pretty good deal where I am at state-side.

 

[ironlou]

yes you maybe correct, it does sound like something in the AIO unit burned out (they are not exactly the highest quality)... Get a decent AVR to replace, most can handle a 6-ohm speaker impedance these days e.g. the sony strdh590 pretty good deal where I am at state-side.

Thanks a lot for your reply and too bad to hear that I need to replace the receiver
However, my speakers impedance is 4-ohm and the subwoofer is passive... so it might be tricky.
I made some research and the receivers are mostly 6ohm upwards and for pre-amplified subwoofers... (probably the Sony you suggested too).
I'm considering getting a brand new system, PC optimized, like the Logitech z906, but it'll be a pity to waste my old speakers...

 

[doolittle]

ah 4-ohm yes that's very tough on home audio, have used car amps with old PC power supplies as budget alternatives but with a 5.1 setup it can get a bit expensive

That being said, there are budget 2 channel amps like the Pyle PTA4, since they are 2 channel you will have to get 3 of them and forgo the optical out for the analog 5.1 output on the PC, where one amp powers the main L/R, another for the surround L/R and the third will be for the center and sub (and you just have to pick which channel is L/center and R/sub for example).

Unsure if that sub is LFE filtered, if not you can use an in-line passive LPF like this one and just use one channel on the input.

 

[ironlou]

ah 4-ohm yes that's very tough on home audio, have used car amps with old PC power supplies as budget alternatives but with a 5.1 setup it can get a bit expensive

That being said, there are budget 2 channel amps like the Pyle PTA4, since they are 2 channel you will have to get 3 of them and forgo the optical out for the analog 5.1 output on the PC, where one amp powers the main L/R, another for the surround L/R and the third will be for the center and sub (and you just have to pick which channel is L/center and R/sub for example).

Unsure if that sub is LFE filtered, if not you can use an in-line passive LPF like this one and just use one channel on the input.

Darn... pretty messy... I guess I'd go for a Logitech Z906... (and try to sell the speakers or keep them for the future). But so in your opinion is 100% something faulty in the receiver? There's no way to fix it?