Simon Collison
Another time-consuming but deeply rewarding home repair. I love this amp far too much to replace it, and there’s really no excuse when there’s a detailed YouTube video of a Turkish chap repairing the very same 44-year-old Technics amplifier. I came close to despair with the input switches, but I bloody did it.
Mar 15 at 5:13pmWeb
Show threadSimon CollisonMar 15
For anyone interested… Oxidised contacts were causing crackling when adjusting volume and input selection, often resulting in intermittent stereo with one channel frequently dropping. Had to do a partial breakdown, completely dissemble switches and faders, remove dirt and oxides with DeoxIT D5 and a razor blade, then lubricate with FaderLube F5.
Show threadDoug WilsonMar 15

@colly Love this! Wish I was handy enough to do this.

Back when I was a teenager in the late 1990s, I was gifted a B&O Beogram 8000 that worked, but only partly. I wasn’t smart enough to fix it and YouTube wasn’t a thing yet. I held on to it for years just because it was beautiful, but eventually gave it away.

Show threadSimon CollisonMar 15
@onpaperwings I'm not handy at all, never matured into one of those people. But then, there are coffee machines and hifi separates that I love too much, and YouTube makes a home repair believable. I hope one day to find a Prophet-5 in a skip and spend eight years rebuilding it.
Show threadLuke Dorny Mar 15
@colly omg, Simon! That’s amazing!
Show threadLuke Dorny Mar 15
@colly also I have three of these marantz devices to do this with.
When I have “the time” to address it.
Show threadSimon CollisonMar 15
@Luke Gorgeous, love a bit of Marantz (from afar, never owned any) and always chrome for me. For reference, this is the video I followed — outstanding stuff, except he never properly showed how to refit the hairline spring to the switch bar and I nearly lost my mind and hate him for that. https://youtu.be/KR3PuaE86Xk?si=eN6GRwzNTTDrwnqq&t=17
Technics SU-Z15 Stereo Integrated Amplifier Maintenance Repair Restoration

YouTube
Show threadLuke Dorny Mar 15

@colly hahahah! Will watch. Thanks, Simon.
Gotta refurb my pots.

Edit: wow, he did a lot. Reassembled the pot too fast hahah. And those selector switches are quite a bit more complicated than keeb switches. Wow.
Also, might as well replace the forty year old power cord with new wire.

Show threadnazMar 15
@colly Deeply satisfying photo too.
Show threadSimon CollisonMar 15
@nazhamid Yeah, I like a good kit shot. The job was frustrating at times, but strangely calming for long stretches. Easy to see how people (usually dusty and downtrodden men of my age) fall into refurbishing old machines for a living.
Show threadnazMar 16
@colly I know the feeling. Two years working on a now 18-year old car is a similar mindset. It’s good (and mostly fun?!) to know the things you rely on inside and out.
Show threaddamianwalshMar 16
@colly Something similar happened with a Cambridge Audio amp I'd had for 20+ years, but I didn't have the courage to repair it. Couldn't find anyone to do it either. I'm sure repair shops used to be a thing! It got replaced by a new, cheaper one, sadly. Anyway, glad to see this repair job worked out.
Show threadSimon CollisonMar 16
@damianwalsh It does take courage — and without a decent video for the exact model you'll likely never succeed with the dozens of "I'd never have worked that out" moments and break things instead. I've had bad experiences with "professional" service and repair people in the past, so I'd rather try myself.