So You Want To Repair Audio gear, Eh? Here's the tools you need...

I have been wanting to get into testing/upgrading/repairing some of my current pieces for awhile (both tube and SS) and am very interested in the subject.

I have a Nakamichi T100 audio analyzer and am wondering if this is useful enough to keep, or would I be better served to sell (should sell for $500+) and purchase a decent used scope and Audio Signal Generator with the funds?

I already have a Fluke 87 meter, Weller WD1002 soldering station and remainder of list.
 
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The Nak T100 is fine for tube gear, and doing some general audio tests, it is not a ultra low THD piece of gear. I was surprised to find a service manual on hifiengine.
 
Very good thread, I have not got thru it all yet, I just got off the phone with Bob Latino about building my dynamo st70 kit for me.
He is a really nice guy and gets back to you very fast.
I sent an email and within an hour I got a phone call from him, I was not expecting that.
Turns out it's not one of his kits but he assured me it was not a problem , that he could have one of his tech's do the job for me.
I explained to him ,I had stripped down a heath kit w4m and buggered the practice round up so I would much rather keep practicing on junk and let them do this one right.
I'm sure if I keep practicing and reading I will be able to get one going.
I decided I was going to learn this, if you own something you should have some knowledge of how to trouble shoot it and repair it, especially with vintage gear.
I bought all the items on the above list last year and have been side tracked, the biggest stumbling block I ran into was a how to on the oscilloscope, so I will be checking out the listed web site on that.
This is a great forum to be a member of, so much knowledge in one place, thanks guys.
 
Very good thread, I have not got thru it all yet, I just got off the phone with Bob Latino about building my dynamo st70 kit for me.
He is a really nice guy and gets back to you very fast.
I sent an email and within an hour I got a phone call from him, I was not expecting that.
Turns out it's not one of his kits but he assured me it was not a problem , that he could have one of his tech's do the job for me.
I explained to him ,I had stripped down a heath kit w4m and buggered the practice round up so I would much rather keep practicing on junk and let them do this one right.
I'm sure if I keep practicing and reading I will be able to get one going.
I decided I was going to learn this, if you own something you should have some knowledge of how to trouble shoot it and repair it, especially with vintage gear.
I bought all the items on the above list last year and have been side tracked, the biggest stumbling block I ran into was a how to on the oscilloscope, so I will be checking out the listed web site on that.
This is a great forum to be a member of, so much knowledge in one place, thanks guys.

Did you finished building it? I got his 120 VTA. Can't go wrong with his kit , I also have his partner pre-amp build by Don sachs . Wonderful combo.
 
Did you finished building it? I got his 120 VTA. Can't go wrong with his kit , I also have his partner pre-amp build by Don sachs . Wonderful combo.
I have my amp back now and Bob and his tech did a super job on the build, I could not ask for better more knowledgable people to deal with.
 
Does anybody have one of those M328 transistor tester clones? I know they can check capacitors, but are they useful for anything else we would need? I'm still a newbie at all this, so I figured it would be fun to assemble the kit and allow me to brush up on my soldering. It was a fun little build, and cheap too. Worthwhile, or a waste of time?
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Paladin wire strippers. Surprised there's been no mention yet.
https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-111...0&sr=1-1&keywords=paladin+wire+stripping+tool

They used them at the physics lectronics shop in college, bought my own pair since they worked perfectly (absolutely no wire nicks or insulation 'threads') from 10-to-28g (on weird coated wires, even kynar, as I recall). Still about $100, and rarely show up used...tho no idea if the 'new' ones work as perfectly.
Funny story: brought them into work (mfg electronics), & showed the owner, who poo-poo'd them with a sneer (he was used to the rube goldberg ones with big springs and slotted teeth.)
Then I showed them to the assembly lead, who used them for a day and immediately demanded they buy some and toss all the others they had.
Owner asked if they could use mine in production instead. (Notwithstanding that I was already using mine for circuitboard QC).
I said NO, and took them home for good.
Guy was and is a total ahat, but filthy rich today...easy to see why.
Me, not so much, but happy as all get out...and I STILL have and use them frequently...45 yrs later.
 
I have been making good use of one of these on soldering projects. Mainly because my adjustable magnifier and light is just a pain in the ass to keep in place. The headband is plastic and is uncomfortable on the forehead, but otherwise, another useful tool to have in the arsenal.
 

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If your looking to get an oscilloscope on a budget kick around ebay for older analog ones. Stick to the big names and youll be ok. Make sure they have photos of a trace. You can pick up decent ones for $100
 
Does anybody have one of those M328 transistor tester clones? I know they can check capacitors, but are they useful for anything else we would need? I'm still a newbie at all this, so I figured it would be fun to assemble the kit and allow me to brush up on my soldering. It was a fun little build, and cheap too. Worthwhile, or a waste of time?

$7 component tester review


Also for anyone looking for a good cheap multimeter grab an Aneng AN8008. They can be found for $25 on amazon and ebay. Make sure to look at the actual photos as both places have it listed under other brands but its still the AN8008 model. That same youtube channel above compared one to his Keysight bench multimeter and its insanely close.
 
this is a very useful scope for Audio repair.

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this is a very useful Multimeter, including true RMS, for Audio repair.

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All in one: the little Tek 213. It works also on the road, and ground lifted, bec. there are inside NiCd Batteries.

greetings
Martin
 
Of coarse this µTek need fresh Batteries when you buy one.
And it is no good idea to put there NiMh. The NiCd Batteries are still in production, to use for hospital light systems.
A 213 need 2pcs of D Cells 1,22V - 5Ah

The work with this scope is amazing. It use the vertical deflection amplifier also for the multimeter, so it read voltage directly from the probe. This means: put the hook in the apparat, watch the amplitude, switch to DMM and read the DC Voltage, switch to AC + RMS and read the signal or hum/boise on the line. Only for testing resistors it need seperate cables.

greetings
Martin
 
I don't remember the size of the custom battery packs that also served as board supports, I do remember it was the replacements that took a caustic dump on the power board.
It was cute and useful while it lasted, I'm not fooling with another battery replacement.
 
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