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HarmAn Kardon HK550 VXI LED Display is out. Can it be repaired?

Ric Harris

Ric Harris

Active Member
Picked up a HK 550 receiver of the Goodwill auction site and it works dandy but the LED is out. Granted I have a couple tuners I could use for FM but I'd really like to fix the display. I am handy as long as it doesn't require precise soldering. I know some techs who do computer stuff so if anyone has any knowledge of what usually goes wrong or any suggestions on repair I'd greatly appreciate it.
I'll pull the cover later and see if I can take photo's of it from the inside.
And yes I did bang on it. That does work with an old Pioneer VSX I have in the garage. That old thing just wont die.
 
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I suspect it's more likely a VFD-style display; a lot of tuners/recievers used them. They're complex little beasts compared to seven-segment LED modules. Maybe take a careful look at it for loose or unseated cables or bad solder joints. If the cable's popped out of its connectio n, banging on it is statisticaly unlikely to reseat it.
 
Hak Foo said:
I suspect it's more likely a VFD-style display; a lot of tuners/recievers used them. They're complex little beasts compared to seven-segment LED modules. Maybe take a careful look at it for loose or unseated cables or bad solder joints. If the cable's popped out of its connectio n, banging on it is statisticaly unlikely to reseat it.
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I am hoping that it is just the simple wiring or solder issue. A buddy of mine said same thing about the display being somewhat of a complex setup and that if it is messed up sending out for repair would cost way more than it worth. That is if it could be repaired at all.
 
I know this is an old thread, but i also picked up a 550 vxi from the goodwill auction site. My display is working however, it is very dim. Did you ever get your display repaired?
 
In case anyone looks at this thread again, it needs 2 new globes. A lot of people put in LEDs and a resistor.
 
Kevviek said:
In case anyone looks at this thread again, it needs 2 new globes. A lot of people put in LEDs and a resistor.
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More details and specifics would help ...
what does "needs 2 new globes" mean?
 
Literally, 2 new globes that sit behind the display and backlight it.

12v, 100mA like these will work, they need to be soldered in.


Remove the case

Remove the front panel by taking 3 screws from the top and 2 from the bottom

Remove the screen cover, 2 screws at the front.

Remove the shroud from the FM board, 2 more screws

Lever out the black plastic pin at the back then push the holder through from the front. The board will now slide out.

Then solder in 2 new globes, test and re-assemble.
 
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Kevviek said:
In case anyone looks at this thread again, it needs 2 new globes. A lot of people put in LEDs and a resistor.
Click to expand...
The problem with that is light dispersion from an LED is usually too tight to fully light the display. I've modded a Yamaha RX-450 to use 3 LEDs with great success. I've not been happy with LEDs in this application.
 
hopeless said:
The problem with that is light dispersion from an LED is usually too tight to fully light the display. I've modded a Yamaha RX-450 to use 3 LEDs with great success. I've not been happy with LEDs in this application.
Click to expand...
I used normal globes and it looks good, and was simple once I worked out the correct voltage.

With no globes it measures 16.5v, but with 2 installed there is a 4v drop across the series resistors.
 
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