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HF-85 Purchase

moodyj2000

moodyj2000

Member
Recently acquired a HF-85 that has been worked on previously. It sounds really good but is a train wreck cosmetically. I’ll probably break it down, remove the rust and try restoring the original finish on the cabinet.

I’m evaluating what has been done and what I won’t to do while it is apart. The phono section has problems.
 

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The chassis shows some pitting and minor rust nothing serious at all. Mine are about the same condition or worse.
DO NOT sand the cadmium plating it's highly toxic. If it were me I would leave it as is.
 
Looks like a creditable restore/refresh underneath. Did the topside can get replaced? What's the issue with the phono section?
 
The can was replaced with a Hayseed Hamfest 20/40/40. Phono section just doesn't play. I just haven't had a chance to get it on the bench. I rebuild a lot of gear each year, so the temptation is to clean this up. It will be for my personal collection so doing a ground up is tempting but not sure I want that much of a project right now. Have a Marantz 2245 I need to go through, and a Garrard 401 I need to build a plinth for. That and a pile of Dynaco amps to clean up.
 
If there is only one preamp to be had, other than a Lafayette KT-600, it would be my HF-85. I have put much time and effort into mine, but for my usual records, it displaced my ARC-SP-2C, SP-3A and my KT-600 sits gathering oxidation on its face, atop a shelf unit.

There are very few line stages out there that can compare to the drive abilities of an HF-85. The phono stage needs little to be uber refined.

I say stop worrying about the Dynaco pile.
First thing first, find a manual, showing the wiring, especially the phono/tape head/mic switch wiring. If it has been messed with, you will be able to return it to its original state.

Seriously, the potential of an HF-85 is endgame !
 
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