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Crown K1 channel out

A

arcticranger

New Member
The left channel on my old but beloved Crown K1 will only give output at the 3 highest volume levels. I brought it to three repair shops who said it wasn't worth repairing. I have been using it every day and getting it to give output at lower levels, kinda hoping I could restore the channel by pushing it (magical thinking?).

If I push or slightly wiggle the volume knob it crackles into action and out again, etc.

Right channel is fine. Any hope for my K1? Bought around 1998 and have certainly not used it enough, but this problem is pretty recent.
 
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What is your level of expertise? Since you say it comes back to life when you wiggle or push on the volume control, I would say that it is probably volume control related.

A simple check of the volume control if mounted to a circuit board would most likely reveal a cold solder joint or two. Worst case scenario would be a bad volume control pot itself.
 
Amazing. This is a simple fix - guess the "repair shops" weren't interested in getting their hands dirty.

You will need to disassemble the amplifier so that you can access the left and right gain controls from the rear. [Hint - the toroid is attached to the faceplate and you don't want to attempt to unattach it. The shape of the faceplate reflects this . . . ] Once you've gained access to the gain controls, clean them with some deoxit. After working the controls vigorously and cleaning up your mess, reassemble the amp. She'll be good for another 24 years . . . I had to do the same with my K2 . . .
 
Thanks. I have zero experience but found a decent video on K1 repair


I got the unit open already, it's very clean and I can see where the volume knobs connect to a circuit board. I can't change a tire but I've repaired gear shift columns thanks to YT (lol) so let's see. Also found replacement volume pots for the K1 on Ebay.

Wouldn't a cold solder occur when the unit was made? It's been working for 20 years.
 
Cold solder joints actually occur after 20 years or so where heating and cooling cycles are being done on a normal basis or if the unit is living around corrosive conditions like being close to the ocean or being exposed to salty air. The circuit board connection usually cracks and makes intermittent contact. I can't show pic of a cold joint on this tablet I am using but I am sure that someone will be along to show you what one looks like.
 
damacman said:
Amazing. This is a simple fix - guess the "repair shops" weren't interested in getting their hands dirty.

You will need to disassemble the amplifier so that you can access the left and right gain controls from the rear. [Hint - the toroid is attached to the faceplate and you don't want to attempt to unattach it. The shape of the faceplate reflects this . . . ] Once you've gained access to the gain controls, clean them with some deoxit. After working the controls vigorously and cleaning up your mess, reassemble the amp. She'll be good for another 24 years . . . I had to do the same with my K2 . . .
Click to expand...

Well it's fixed, both channel outputting equally. I used WD-40, being too lazy to wait for the Detoxit via Amazon. Left channel still gives am almost unnoticeable crackle on gain rotation.

Only negative is the foam pad formation around the LCDs disintegrated after spraying perhaps too wide and too much (argh). The back of the faceplate actually had some melted foam stuck to it which I cleaned off. This unit does get very hot.

Can not believe I was told to chuck this K1 and find something "better and cheaper" on Ebay as it didn't even require extensive disassembly.

THANKS!
 
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