Kenwood KT-917 aligning question. Is it hard to do?

[Kuja]

Hello,

My KT-917 will arrive soon.

This aligning thing sounds very complicated!

But I've read this on some review site:

8. Three I.F. filter bandwidths using Surface Acoustic Wave filters(!), rather than conventional tuned circuits.
Tuned circuits can actually be pretty good, if there's enough of them, but they tend to need alignment periodically.
SAW filters have better group delay and don't need occasional attention.
This means the tuner will never start to sound fuzzy or congested over time due to IF component drift.

The full link:
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/other/tuners/Kenwood/PRD_124411_1596crx.aspx

Does this mean that I'm lucky and that KT-917s in general do not need alignment?

If this is not true, how hard is to align a KT-917?

Has anybody here done it (on a KT-917)?

Any advices?

Service manual is on its way too...

Thanks,

Aleksandar

 

[kheper]

The presence of these filters in the IF section does
not mean that the tuner, itself, never needs
alignment. The IF section will need less
alignment attention than the RF and MPX
sections do.

The service manuals will show the exhaustive
procedures, required for proper alignment.
They, usually, suggest which tools to employ
as well. The problem for amatuers, as I see
it, is not a lack of skill or knowledge, which
can be obtained, but that the price of the
equipment needed is, simply, prohibitive.
FM signal generators and distortion
analyzers cost many thousands of dollars.

If you can acquire a half-way accurate FM generator,
a suitable scope for alignment and a decent
voltmeter, you will have the technology needed to
align mono tube tuners. The cost of this equipment
is not ridiculous, but to do a precise alignment
of relatively 'modern' stereo tuners, you would
need more and very expensive equipment.

Here is a link to a step-by-step alignment of the FM-5: http://home.indy.net/~gregdunn/dynaco/components/FM5/align.html

 

[Lefty]

Just recently discussed in general term...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=50372


Lefty

 

[warnerwhf]

This is something that not just any tech can do properly, much less an amateur. One of our sponsors, Radio X, does it and Mike Williams prices are quite reasonable. Don't even touch anything in there or you'll be sorry. An alignment takes experience AND alot of good equipment. I recently asked this at the FM tuners Yahoo group board as. So now you know too. Check out fmtunerinfo.com for more people who can do this plus a wealth of other information. Also the people on the Yahoo board have any info you can think of and are a friendly bunch.

 

[Danamc]

Do yourself a BIG favor and don't attempt this yourself. I've had both my 917s aligned and caps changed by Ken Bernacky at Stereo Surgeons in CT.

In addition to alignment these techs will disable the balun (B antenna circuit), deoxidize all switches, controls and tuner bearings. As important they will resolder any heat-stressed connections, very common in these old tuners.

These 917s are quite complicated and shouldn't be molested by the inexperienced. Good luck!

Dana