James_Dean
Active Member
Hi all, it has been quite a while since I have posted on Audiokarma - hoping I would be able to tap into your collective Accuphase expertise. I've acquired a early 2000s Accuphase E-212 which sounds great, but was in a bit of a sorry state when I purchased it (quite dusty inside and out). I have cleaned the unit and all is working well, with the exception of the ALPS 346G 50K X2 potentiometer. It has a slight channel imbalance: I have to turn the balance knob about 1 setting or so to the right to have the channels balanced and not have the left channel louder. Moreover, the potentiometer seems to turn "past zero" slightly - if I turn it all the way past the normal zero point, I suddenly hear low level sound through the right channel.
Following any directions and advice I could find on this forum and others, I have thoroughly cleaned this sealed pot, as best as is possible, through any little holes and openings in the body with our favourite contact cleaner and thorough working of the pot. There may have been slight improvement, but not much. I was able to remove the pot and the board it is attached to do this outside of the amplifier and reinstall to test.
This leads me to my various next course of actions, and this is where I'd like to get your expert opinions on the next best course of action. I've come up with three options:
1. Live with it and just leave the balance setting at 1 or so to the right
2. Desolder the pot from the Accuphase volume control board and attempt to disassemble to clean it etc.I have read that this can be challenging, and can result in potentially destroying the pot if it's done incorrectly, as these ALPS sealed pots weren't really made to be taken apart and repaired.
3. Try to locate a replacement pot. I have looked thoroughly, and as this Alps pot was probably custom made for Accuphase, I have only been able to find one used replacement, in China, for a quite high price. It is a motorized 50K X2 unit with a somewhat uncommon 40mm shaft to allow enough travel to attach the volume knob in front of the thick front panel of the amplifier.
I'm facing a bit of a dilemma choosing the next step. Any thoughts or opinions would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Following any directions and advice I could find on this forum and others, I have thoroughly cleaned this sealed pot, as best as is possible, through any little holes and openings in the body with our favourite contact cleaner and thorough working of the pot. There may have been slight improvement, but not much. I was able to remove the pot and the board it is attached to do this outside of the amplifier and reinstall to test.
This leads me to my various next course of actions, and this is where I'd like to get your expert opinions on the next best course of action. I've come up with three options:
1. Live with it and just leave the balance setting at 1 or so to the right
2. Desolder the pot from the Accuphase volume control board and attempt to disassemble to clean it etc.I have read that this can be challenging, and can result in potentially destroying the pot if it's done incorrectly, as these ALPS sealed pots weren't really made to be taken apart and repaired.
3. Try to locate a replacement pot. I have looked thoroughly, and as this Alps pot was probably custom made for Accuphase, I have only been able to find one used replacement, in China, for a quite high price. It is a motorized 50K X2 unit with a somewhat uncommon 40mm shaft to allow enough travel to attach the volume knob in front of the thick front panel of the amplifier.
I'm facing a bit of a dilemma choosing the next step. Any thoughts or opinions would be much appreciated. Thank you!