Are there ever pieces that make you want to hang up your soldering iron?

Although I did not give up soldering I did give up on a Marantz 4270 with an intermittent connection. It worked for awhile when you smacked it. I sold it off to a tech.

a_Marantz_4270_Inside_Bottom.jpg
 
Although I did not give up soldering I did give up on a Marantz 4270 with an intermittent connection. It worked for awhile when you smacked it. I sold it off to a tech.

a_Marantz_4270_Inside_Bottom.jpg

This is one that is on my "gonna cost" list.
I've done enough of them and found so many places where shit happens that I know when/where/how.
If someone desires to keep a 4270 long term. it should just be completely gone through.
Packing quads in stereo cases was a real cluster f**k by the companies.
All the quads have to much shit in the small box.

Hey. that's a multi voltage unit in the photo.
Was that a P or U model?
 
Had a radio that was a simple recap. Finished turned it on station coming in loud and clear then just faded to nothing never to return. Fooled with it for a week then to save my sanity I just gave up. That big soldering iron. My 70+ year old radio tech used the electrified version of it. I don't know how he did it. Said it was so big it didn't lose heat when soldering so it was faster and since it was fast there was less chance of overheating the pieces you are working on.
 
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Pioneer QX-949A and Marantz 4270 are two that come to mind. It's very tough to gain access to many of the boards in most quad receivers, it can be done but it almost always involves a LOT of disassembling. The Pioneer is a little tougher than the Marantz IMO. Sansui quads were laid out a little better IMO, they seemed like they were more geared for quad units.
 
On the other side of the coin, the reason I love those old Sansui 2000x units is because you just unplug the power board, set it on the bench and work on it, then just plug it back in. No muss, no fuss.
 
for SS, i really like BGW. modular construction , large safe operating area for the output
devices , lots of heat sink......Unfortunately, a lot of used amps were rentals and have
rack rash and are all beat up. Just gave a 250D to relative for a present.

I have a BGW 250D that needs the channel modules replaced or repaired. I got this one dirt cheap and still haven't looked for the modules. The 250D was Paul Klipsch's reference amp.
 
BGW modular construction.

1125779-bgw-750b-power-amp.jpg

I like this design approach. The engineers designed this amplifier with service technician friendly features. Very well and intelligently thought out. I wish more gear was designed to be service technician friendly. Cuts labor involved in a repair.
 
This is one that is on my "gonna cost" list.
I've done enough of them and found so many places where shit happens that I know when/where/how.
If someone desires to keep a 4270 long term. it should just be completely gone through.
Packing quads in stereo cases was a real cluster f**k by the companies.
All the quads have to much shit in the small box.

Hey. that's a multi voltage unit in the photo.
Was that a P or U model?

I go as far as not recommending a Quad receiver if you plan to only use it in Stereo. They're complex to repair, there's double and change of them in one box, there's also IC chips for the Quad functions, and they're much more difficult and thusly more costly to repair if they fail their owners. And with all this extra electronics packed inside, many run hotter than a comparable Stereo only model would.
 
I like this design approach. The engineers designed this amplifier with service technician friendly features. Very well and intelligently thought out. I wish more gear was designed to be service technician friendly. Cuts labor involved in a repair.

I think BGW still provides service for their legacy products. In the commercial end of
audio, if it's broken you don't make any money.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BGW_Systems
 
The Sharp VZ-3000 I restored a while back. Whilst having a nice cuppa, before plugging in the iron, I could hear faults developing. That thing was one issue after another.

I beat it though, and it was a great learning experience in hindsight. Nearly tipped me over the edge though !
 
Oh yeah. B&O TT's (never again). Shed or barn-finds in general. Damn thing sat in a barn for 30 years and some jack-alope needs it done in 2 weeks...hen-feathers and devil crickets all up in there, not to mention the ghost whiz of some feral tomcat.
 
Oh yeah. B&O TT's (never again). Shed or barn-finds in general. Damn thing sat in a barn for 30 years and some jack-alope needs it done in 2 weeks...hen-feathers and devil crickets all up in there, not to mention the ghost whiz of some feral tomcat.

Had a Garrard Lab 80 like that. Dreadful state. I gave up on it, but kept wielding the iron :)
 
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