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H/K 330c FM meter

Jonesy09

Jonesy09

Super Member
I have been checking these forums for a while and you folks seem to have a corner on the market as far as vintage gear knowledge goes. I have recently become a believer in the capabilities of the less-often-appreciated equipment. That said I've caught a H/K 330c recently (yet to be delivered) and it was advertised as not having a working FM meter. I don't know if it's the bulb or the meter. Anyone know what it takes to get one of these working? Thanks.
 
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The meter on those is NOTORIOUS for sticking. Mine does, and only moves a little.

Do several searches here, as it has been covered. Once I replaced the bulb in mine, I pretty much learned to live with it, but you CAN put a little lube on it CAREFULLY.

Search. Search. Search (and over on Audio Asylum, too. Vintage).
 
Jonesy09 said:
Thanks. I'll keep searching. Where is the best place to get replacement bulbs?
Click to expand...

Use the search feature here and type in "bulb source" or something. There is an AK'er who specializes in bulbs and LOUD speakers. :thmbsp:
 
Jonesy09,

Welcome to AK!

If you would like scans of the Owner's and Service Manuals just send me a PM with your email address and I'll send them to you!
 
Holy Balls!

(before I get started....thanks CUlater, I'll do that)

Well it arrived and I've got say.....Hot Damn! I am now officially a convert to vintage gear. I say officially because it took me two recievers to convince myself it wasn't a fluke. I put together a Rotel RX-402 and a pair of Polk Monitor 5jr+ speakers on DIY stands for my duaghters' b-day last spring and was really impressed. So much so that we often end up listening in her room.

Her older sister was slightly taken back when she found out the younger sister had a 'real' system (instead of the BB crap-in-a-box Aiawa that we got her years ago). So the H/K 330c is paired with a set of Infinity Beta 20's (sweet c-list score) that will rest on another set of DIY stands for her x-mas present.

Anyhow, like I said, it came in and after cleaning up the outside, vaccuming the inside (carefully) and deoxit-ing (is that a word?) the switches and knobs and such I've got to say the old gear really holds it's own. First off, the thing was heavy. Not like the boxes of Corn Flakes you find retail nowadays.

(Listening to Blue Train right now from another room and it sounds great!)

The only issues I can see at the moment are the aformentioned FM meter. It lights but there is no movement. I will follow the recommendations listed so far. I also noticed the stereo indicator light only light once and that was on one station out of the whole dial. It did not light again after moving the dial somehwere else and back. Now I didn't hook up any antenna whatsoever in this quick assessment so that may be the problem.

Regardless....the thing rocks and I am hooked. I may have to start getting a few of these for myself! Thanks again for the input.
 
After some more mokeying around I've noticed that the signal meter works for AM reception. Any idea as to why the FM signal won't read on the same meter?
 
It could be signal levels. Your local AM station might be much stronger than the FM signal.

I have a 330c also, and the meter wouldn't move when I first got it. I had to get into it from behind, as there's a clear piece of plastic across the opening. I dropped teflon lube into that spot in small quantities and then tune the receiver back and forth to get it to move. A small amount of applied impulse in measured quantities of index finger "thwacks" at times helped also. Then I just worked it back and forth and back and forth and ....
 
Well the meter woke up when I hooked a simple RS dipole to it. Score one for common sense I suppose. I am getting intermittent performance out of the stereo indicator. It seems to get better reception at night. Maybe not that uncommon eh? We live right down the road from a major FM station so I thought performance might be better.
 
I live in the foothills of the mountains and just have a two foot length of speaker wire as an antenna and the stations come in great. My FM signal strength meter does not work either but I can see it wiggle when I tune in stations. I would suspect that an antenna might help. Congrats on the vintage score. I picked mine up about a year ago or so for $25 - best $25 I;ve ever spent.
 
Both HK330C and HK730 I own are tough to lock into stereo mode (and once they do, I don't dare touch the tuning knob for weeks), but when they do, I can confirm they have a very sweet sound...
 
I don;t have that problem with my 630. Your stereo threshold level may be set to high if the unit has such an adjustment. Mine has an issue with the source lighting. On aux, all input source light turn on.Have physically inspected the selector and nothing seems to be odd and does not look like anyone has been in the unit.
 
I pulled this little guy out of the pile, it is actually the 330A. The schematic is here:

http://www.eserviceinfo.com/downloadsm/22097/Harmon Kardon_330A.html

It won't even lock in on stereo at all, I'm getting mono all the time. I remember I did go through the entire MPX board, checking caps (in place with an esr meter) and transistors (removed and tested them) and could not find anything wrong. Stereo beacon and meter are both dead, though the beacon might be on continuously at a very very low level. I see VR301, "seperation control", this is different than threshold you are speaking of right? If so, there is no way to adjust it. Any ideas would be appreciated, I'd like to get the FM back in action on this one, though I can always plug in a tuner into the aux and have radio.
 
For a nonworking meter in FM mode, look at the transistors on the FM IF board. Find meter in the schematic and trace back. I had the same symptoms on my 330A, turned out to be TR103, but the 330C layout is a bit different.
 
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