I use an old Technics surround amp for my computer (SA-GX350), listening to music recently it seems scratch, have checked all the connections but it still sounds crap, it doesent seem based on volume but more the level in the music, i.e. in quiet pieces it doesent happen but when it gets louder it does. Its had a fair few years hard use on the pc and before that as my cinema setup, the kids used to turn the volume right up and then turn it on, then run away because it scared them.

It also occasionally cuts out if something really loud is going on, so given its age and the hard life it lead do you thing its f*cked or could it be something else, have tried the usual method of messing with the windows volume control to no avail, even muting everything else.