Maybe just a dirty volume control?  Try a call or e-mail to Cliff at 
Avid in Texas.   He is a well reviewed Kenwood repair tech, and is known 
to give  answers to questions that may  keep you from having to send it in.

On his list of radios not repairable, the 440 is only listed as not 
repairable for the dots problem on the display, other problems  may be 
fixable depending on parts.

http://www.avvid.com/

73, Steve KW3A

On 6/10/2015 5:36 PM, Oriano wrote:
> Thanks Mike and Mark,
>
> Yes, I've tried all kinds of things. Everything from lightly tapping on the
> AF gain dial, plugging and unplugging external speakers, leaving the rig on
> for many hours in case heat improved things. I even opened up the rig and
> made sure that there were no loose connections in and around the speaker
> etc. Good thing is that it is not an intermittent problem.
>
> Oriano VE7 D Y Z
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Mike Duke, K5XU
> Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2015 2:29 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: TS440 Repair
>
> Before you look too hard for a repair shop, try this.
>
> plug an external speaker into the speaker jack on the back, and see if that
> fixes it.
>
> Or, push a plug into this jack several times, and remove it.
>
> This is just to be sure that jack has not closed just enough to short out
> the receiver audio. I have seen that happen.
>
> As for repair shops for the TS440, you need to be aware that many of the
> parts for that radio are no longer available from Kenwood, or from anywhere
> else other than another used TS440. So, most shops will no longer take
> them.
>
> This is unfortunate, because the 440 is a fine radio.
>
> --
> Mike Duke, K5XU
>
>
>