Fisher repair in NYC?

Got it. No mp3s.

I will upload something to youtube or soundcloud later on and post the link.
 
I really like Blackie. He is a knowledgable guy who has had years of amplifier repairs under his belt. He repaired two Harmony tube guitar amps for me. He did a great job and upgraded the power cords on the guitar amps making the amps safer, and they sing.

However I am not convinced he is the guy for audio amplifiers. I posted earlier this year in the tube forum looking for someone to repair my HK A500. This was after going to Blackie.

Long story: I purchased an A500 five years ago and had Analogique repair it. After 5 years one of the can caps is leaking, oops. Analogique is not the same shop as it was when I first went to in in the 90s so I went to Blackie with it. I told him about the leaking can cap and said check the other caps and check the tubes. The A500 has 7355 tubes but I had collected 8 extras. After $400 in parts and labor I get it back. Blackie said he replaced some caps and the offending can cap, but the tubes were good. He told he he tested them. I take it home and hook it up, but it still does not sound great, especially the phono. I take it back to him a week later and he hooks it up, goes through the aux and the phono, and tells me that it sounds the way it is supposed to sound. Ok, I think, I remember this sounding better.

I then find Mark Weiss at Amplifier Experts in CT (about 2 hours away) and he does another $200 parts and labor, finds shorted caps, additional bad can caps and bad power resistors. Oh and all the tubes are bad. However, now the amp sounds great. Really wonderful. I am happy.

Could the A500 have deteriorated in the three months in between? Possibly. But I did not run the amp as it was not sounding good, so I am not sure how the tubes would go bad, and the caps and power resistors would develop issues without it being used. I think Blackie missed something. Mark did a great job. He has a slightly cheaper labor rate than Blackie, but is not close by. Also he is seriously talking about moving to Japan so I don't think he will be my go-to for the long run. I don't know, maybe the A500 is an odd piece, and it takes patience to get it to sing right. Maybe Blackie is better with Fisher and Dynaco like the Stereophile video shows. I just know I don't like having to take something to be repaired at a different repair shop after picking it up from one shop.

Thus my question here in the Fisher forum. I bought a Fisher KX100 and when it arrived in the mail it was not working. I think something happened in the shipping. The person I bought it from offered to take it back and refund my money. I however want a working Fisher. This one is nice cosmetically so I fell for it. It looks gorgeous. I am trying to find someone to repair it. With Fisher in it tube prime being local to NYC I thought there may be a local Fisher aficionado here that someone on this forum knew.

Unfortunately with rental costs of NYC another shop I had used, Cosmophonic Sound, has moved to Long Island. I have heard of Bender and Stereo Repair World, but I do not have experience. I don't mind traveling to get something repaired, but I can combine going to CT and NJ into other trips. I don't have real reasons to go to Long Island.

I have also heard really good things about Bristol Electronics in Ho-Ho-Kus and talked to them on the phone, but he always has a long turnaround time so I have not gone there.

The tech I know in NJ is a guy in Boonton NJ who works out of his house. I had him repair a MAC 1700 and he did a wonderful job. I will post his info when I dig it up. I have it in my files.

Sorry for the long post, but I feel like finding a tech you like and trusting their work is a never-ending search.

If you liked Cosmophonic Sound, I'm thinking that that might be your best bet. Heck, you're out on Long island already really, being in Brooklyn. ;) Also, navigating there is easier than going up to Connecticut or out to Jersey. By the way, I hope you're enjoying the Wharfedales. And I hope that the 800B worked out forTom B.
 
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Curious: Any way you could put up an audio of this "thwack, thwack, thwack?"

Of course because I have not tried the amplifier for over a month, now that I plug it in the "thwack, thwack" is not happening. However, my right channel had a healthy level of crackling and static but that has slowly diminished in intensity over the last hour.

Hmmmmm. Very curious....

But I don't suppose anyone wants to hear a recording of static. I think it was the uniqueness of the "thwack" sound that people wanted. Right?
 
If you liked Cosmophonic Sound, I'm thinking that that might be your best bet. Heck, you're out on Long island already really, being in Brooklyn. ;) Also, navigating there is easier than going up to Connecticut or out to Jersey. By the way, I hope you're enjoying the Wharfedales.

Hey Gannon, right you are about Brooklyn being the tip of Long Island. Now if only getting to all the fun stuff did not mean the LIE...

And I am loving those Wharefedales. I got them for the tubes and they sound sweet. And I threw a coat of oil on them and they look gorgeous now. Thanks!
 
Of course because I have not tried the amplifier for over a month, now that I plug it in the "thwack, thwack" is not happening. However, my right channel had a healthy level of crackling and static but that has slowly diminished in intensity over the last hour.

Hmmmmm. Very curious....

But I don't suppose anyone wants to hear a recording of static. I think it was the uniqueness of the "thwack" sound that people wanted. Right?

That "thwack" or rapid "tock, tock, tock" may be what's called motorboating, a symptom of a dead/dying cap or a grounding issue. That's why I wanted to hear it. If you now have diminishing static, I'll bet it's a tube arching in its socket or just a bad tube. With the unit playing, see if you could see a tube flickering. If so, clean the socket and see if that cures it. If not switch the tube elsewhere to see if it acts up in another position. If so, you found your problem.

George; You're just a glutton for your own Punishment!

Larry, I told myself I'm DONE! D-O-N-E! Yesterday, what did I go and do? Stopped in to Sal's Army on my way to see my dad, saw a NAD 7225PE just sitting there, plugged it in and the front panel lit up, stuck it under my arm and for $22 I walked out. Just like a freakin' thoughtless robot! But, seriously, I'm done! I'm going to finish up the 500-C, the CX-2, and this NAD and dats it. I'm going to shift gears into building some cases to get rid of some material I've accumulated; then it'll be spring and I mo concentrate on fishing.

I promise :)
 
Hey Gannon, right you are about Brooklyn being the tip of Long Island. Now if only getting to all the fun stuff did not mean the LIE...

And I am loving those Wharefedales. I got them for the tubes and they sound sweet. And I threw a coat of oil on them and they look gorgeous now. Thanks!

That's great, Patrick. You know, I looked up Cosmophonic Sound and it seems that it might be located in Rosalyn, and that's not too far out of the city. Take the BQE to the LIE and you're there very quickly. I think Rosalyn is around exit 37. It's in the 30s for sure, in Nassau County. It might even be easier to take it to a place like that instead of lugging the amp around Manhattan. Just put it in the car, and less time carrying it on the street. Also, no expensive parking garages. It's good for me to know about, in that I am on Long Island, myself.
 
That "thwack" or rapid "tock, tock, tock" may be what's called motorboating, a symptom of a dead/dying cap or a grounding issue. That's why I wanted to hear it. If you now have diminishing static, I'll bet it's a tube arching in its socket or just a bad tube. With the unit playing, see if you could see a tube flickering. If so, clean the socket and see if that cures it. If not switch the tube elsewhere to see if it acts up in another position. If so, you found your problem.

Hi George. Thanks for the info. I did shoot a short video on the phone which I will post when I get a chance. I can see the V10 tube flickering as I turn up the volume. The static comes from the right channel only and it and the flickering start as I turn up the volume past 5 and continues until I turn it down again. I did switch the tubes around and even tried a newer EH tube, but no luck in solving it. I will try the cleaning of the socket.

Stay tuned for the film...
 
If any tube flickers in that socket then it is the socket or related components. Fisher resistors generally are very stable except for the carbon comps. If it is not tube, or a dirty socket, then check underneath for a bad resistor or cap. I'll tend to think that it is not a solder joint gone bad given the fact that you say the condition improves over time.

I don't have a schematic so is V-10 a right channel tube?
 
Here is the video.

I turn up the volume and the flickering and static increase. I turn it down and it decreases. The V-10 tube is the right channel tube.

 
K, quick question: when it's acting up like that do you have music when you're passing a signal? I understand that you have static but are you getting music notwithstanding the static? Also, have you checked the guts of the unit, particularly the components attached to V-10? Before you go any further, clean the socket first and try again. If you're comfortable flip it over and open er up; take a good pic of the underside of V-10.

BTW: I'm pretty sure this is an easy fix.
 
The sound will play, I can get music notwithstanding the static. I just posted it with no signal going through to demonstrate the static. In quiet passages of music you can hear the static, less so on louder passages. However it was VERY obvious before when I was having the cycling "thwack" sound. You could play music through both channels but it was hard to hear over the "thwack."

I hope it is an easy fix. Unfortunately I am gone for the holiday, on to snowy Vermont while the KX100 is back in NYC. I will update you on the progress when I am back in NYC after I clean the socket and open it up and share a photo.

In the meantime, if you have insights I am happy to hear. George, your knowledge and wisdom is much appreciated. I am truly grateful for the time you take to weigh in.

And to all who reply to my inquiries, thanks again. The shared wisdom and camaraderie is what makes this forum so valuable, I appreciate it. Happy Holidays to all.

-Patrick
 
I'm actually glad there is some distance between you and the Fisher. Now I don't have to "hear it" as I run between AK, last minute holiday prep, and my own diversions. So, no worries. I'm pretty confident this is an easy one.

Enjoy the snow!
 
I've had some recent NYC experience with my 500c.

First, I would NOT recommend taking anything to a place called SG Custom Sound in Queens. Without getting into details, that dude doesn't seem to know anything about working on Fishers- he screwed up my power supply when he replaced a bunch of caps to fix a little hum that had developed. He also incorrectly biased the NOS Sylvanias I had him install.
I've used Blackie for my guitar amps for years and he's great... but I've never taken him any hifi equipment.
I can vouch for "captailfantastic" in Brooklyn. He's the guy I originally bought my 500c from. He's pricey, but he knows his stuff. I took my 500c to him after the other guy screwed it up. He offers a "full restoration service" on eBay for $500, but I think that's kind of overkill. He "upgraded" some coupling caps for me, but I found that I preferred the sound of the original ones (especially in the phono section), so I put them back in. He got my Fisher working great again. Put in adjustable bias too. And fast turnaround. I should have taken it back to him in the first place. PM me if you want his number.

-Keith
 
Thanks keith. I spoke to "the captain" once actually, but never kept his number. Would you mind passing it along?

Out of curiosity, if he sold you the 500C to begin with, why did you decide to use the guy in queens for the repair?

- Jonathan
 
My 500c sounded magical when I got it. It came with Electro Harmonix 7591's and one of them went bad after about a year and a half of playing about 3-4 hours daily. So I tracked down a matched quad of NOS Sylvanias, figuring that the extra expense was worth the increased reliability. My Fisher also still had the original can caps and I knew I should have them replaced just to be on the safe side. I live in Queens and it was just more convenient to take it to the dude in Queens because traveling anywhere in this city (even without carting a 50lb stereo) can be a nightmare.
I spoke to the Queens guy before I took it in and it seemed like a pretty simple procedure to do. He replaced all the electrolytics and "installed" my Sylvanias. When I got it back, it sounded very flat & sterile and I had to turn the volume pot up a lot higher to get the same level as before. I took it back to him and told him it just didn't sound right. He admitted that he "hadn't done any critical listening" when he installed my new power tubes. I mentioned that the Sylvanias should be running ~34mA. It turns out that he didn't even re-bias when he installed them. So I got it back and I knew it still didn't sound right.
So I took it back to "captainfantastic" and he said the power supply was wired wrong. He got it back to me in less than a week and the magic was back.
The whole experience was really frustrating and expensive. The silver lining is that it pushed me to learn how my own equipment works and how to troubleshoot/repair it. I watched a ton of electronics tutorials/schematic reading/tube circuit theory videos on youtube, and got a better soldering iron & multimeter. And of course AK has taught me a million things, and I'm super grateful to be able to learn from other's experience and expertise! So thank you!

-Keith
 
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