Hi, My name is John and I'm an audioholic.

Slip Sliding Away...

Ok, so all NIB and unopened, Luxman, CD113, K110W, and yes another R-117. Am I wrong or is this just good stuff and worth the addiction. I'm not wrong, and I can stop anytime I want. I just don't want to. In case you haven't figured it out yet my pusher is one Mr E. Bay. He dangles wonderful dainties in front of me and I just can't resist. He along with his partner, Pay Pal work in unison to provide me with all the stuff I can handle.

I am short on time so this part is short on verbiage, but I have one last confession to share. The reason I choose Luxman as my preferential poison.

Also, on a technical note, are there any techies in the forum? I am working on the non working R-117 #2 and would like to pick the brain of someone knowledgeable in the technical stuff.

Cheers and good listening.
 
retrex said:
Also, on a technical note, are there any techies in the forum? I am working on the non working R-117 #2 and would like to pick the brain of someone knowledgeable in the technical stuff.

Cheers and good listening.
Click to expand...

retrex - hopefully by now you've discovered the "techie" forums and threads on this site. Some of the best vintage techs around are AK members. And welcome! Thank you for letting us help you feed your addiction!

- jw
 
If it's broke, fix it.

john_w said:
retrex - hopefully by now you've discovered the "techie" forums and threads on this site. Some of the best vintage techs around are AK members. And welcome! Thank you for letting us help you feed your addiction!

- jw
Click to expand...


Thanks JW, will start post when I can put something with some kind of clarity and detail into words. Something a little more than it's broke, help fix. One thing I learned from my other addiction, restoring Vintage Japanese Mortorcyles, is that if you can clearly state what you have done and what is wrong, someone out there will recognize the problem and have the solution.

So far I have removed the left, I think it's the left, amp board and found three of the six power transitiors shorted. But this is probably best left for a tech post.

I would have more time to work on the repair if Ebay would just shut down for a few weeks. :)
 
retrex said:
I would have more time to work on the repair if Ebay would just shut down for a few weeks. :)
Click to expand...

Ironically, I would have more time to play with audio gear (including repair) if AK would just shut down for a few weeks. :yes:

Not that I'm advocating that. :no: Too much fun here. :yes:
 
That's the first important move in any 12 step recovery program. Unfortunately most of us here never get any farther...

:music:
 
Welcome to the group John! Now here's what you do...Whenever you come across a super deal at a flea market or yard sale, say for example, a McIntosh MR1900 or a pair of Klipshorns for $50, DON'T reach for your wallet! Instead call someone else from the AK group and they will be GLAD to step in and make the purchase, and save you much grief from your girlfriend or wife.:D
 
Oh I see the light now

johnda said:
Welcome to the group John! Now here's what you do...Whenever you come across a super deal at a flea market or yard sale, say for example, a McIntosh MR1900 or a pair of Klipshorns for $50, DON'T reach for your wallet! Instead call someone else from the AK group and they will be GLAD to step in and make the purchase, and save you much grief from your girlfriend or wife.:D
Click to expand...

So what you are saying johnda is that instead of buying the NIB unused R-117, DC-113 and K110W for a pitance I should just post where and how much they are here on AK and I'll be free of my addiction?

If so then viva la addicione.:music:

I feel I'm slipping.....
 
AA Meeting III, coming home

I feel I'm slipping.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go&feature=related

So it all comes down to what's gonna be my poison. I looked back into my past, way back into the bygone times. I tried to draw from aging memory what it was that made me smile, what struck me as unique and especially what I remembered as being stuff that I never sampled because it was beyond my means. Macintosh popped into mind immediately, and almost as quickly left. Although now within my means, I remembered Mac as being built like a tank with sound more akin to a humvee. Don't send the hate mail please, I was going on past memory. Sansui came to mind next. I had a 9090 and paid less for it new than what I see them going for on Ebay now, hard to justify that cost for 30+ year old component parts. I liked it but it, but it did not hold any special memories of audio excellence, again no hate mail please. Although it was a beautiful machine when all lit up. I ran Yammie NS1000s(Ebony Wood), AR3as, two separate sets of K Heresy’s, KEF104s, and Dalhquist DQ10s with it. Ok, but been there, done that. Marantz next, a good name but nothing special there for me, no exceptional memories. Ditto for the other stuff I owned, too much to list. Yamaha up next. Good stuff, real good, in its day, but once again aging electronics and from what I've read component level issues. Tandberg, HHScott, HK and all the others wrested from my failing memory all came up short of the gotta have its. One name that came to me that was always out of reach, and from what I remember often referred to as the Japanese Macintosh, but with excellent sound, was Luxman. So I go into research mode and find that the last great era for Luxman was mid to late 80s and in particular they made a receiver, the R-117, which rivaled separates. A high current brute of an amp section with very good audio characteristics. From what I could piece together, this was Luxman’s last statement of excellence before going under the Alpine umbrella. So I go to EBay and score my first Luxman component, a very nicely kept R-117. I also picked up a NIB D-375, and a like new K110W. I liked the R-117 so much that I got an addition two working and one hopefully soon to be working units. The last working R-117 being my pride and joy a NIB unit sold to me by a very nice lady who received it and the DC-113 and another K110W, both also NIB, as anniversary presents but never used them, because she had no room. But that is only half the story. It’s all in the speakers man, the speakers. :)
 
Resistance is futile....

Anybody know where I can get a Fukushima Futaba MPC722 2x5W .22 Ohm resistor or two or three.

See http://www.nova-elektronik.de/english/resistors/mpc.php


This is a three terminal resistor that is one of the components I will need to replace in my non-working R-117.

Any thoughts Sparky? I'm guessing your name indicates you know your components inside and out.
 
Audioholic Soundoff,

Hi Dave, welcome to the twelve step process. You have taken the first step and admitted your addiction.:tresbon:
 
AA Meeting IV, This is were I live now

The only bad thing about life is there is never enough time to live it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqnnIRPSPIE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Abjt2K4E3w&feature=related

Speakers I love them and I hate them. On the one hand they are the only way to listen to music in the manner it was meant to be listened to, coming at you from in front, framed in a large soundstage with all the subtle nuanced passages clearly defined and pleasingly placed. On the other hand, this rarely happens, well not to the extent that you can clearly say that this the way I want live with my music, well at least I haven't. The only thing that has ever gotten me close to where I want to live with my music has been my trusty STAX headphones. When I dumped all my stuff years ago the only things I could not bear to part with was my SR5s and the companion STAX 12s Class A power amp/pre amp. There is just something about the electros that sets them apart. So when I started looking into what kind of speakers I wanted to live with I immediately thought that I would look into electrostatics. When I dropped back into audio sobriety years ago there were a few high price units around that produced some really amazing sound. I thought that after all the time that had passed since I kicked my addiction that manufacturing advances would have made electros better and cheaper. I was really disappointed to find that this was not the case. Instead, what I found is that we are still like the cavemen in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey. Circling tentatively around coned boxed speakers fearfully touching them with our hands in wonder and awe of the enigma that is before us. So once again I was forced to look into the past and find something unique that I always wanted to try but for one reason or another never did. Since I had electros on the brain, the next thing closest to them I recalled was something called Mangnepan Planer speakers. Not true electros, but as I recalled they were showing some promise at the time I turned off from the audio scene. So I go into research mode and sure enough they are still around, and they have gotten better and used ones are fairly cheap to boot. I checked with my pusher, EBay, and fall into a real sweet deal with a very lightly used mint condition pair of Maggie 1.4s. When I got them and hooked them up to the R-117 and played some favorites through them, the sound that came from those two large flat thin panels made me question, except for the STAX, whether I had really every heard my music. Although I don't have the time that I would like to listen, I find myself listening at every free moment to this new wonderful addiction. I found that I have come home, and it is a good place to live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Al1DGzto4
 
Tech help wanted, apply within

I am working on my damage R-117 and would like to ask for help from anyone who is willing to take the time to do so. I am using the schematic from the below website, that I assume alot of you already know about. If not, check it out, it is interesting. Anyway I come here hat in hand looking for help and advice.

http://www.hifiengine.com/manuals/luxman/r-117.shtml

Ok, so what I have done and found out so far in my repair project. The seller, I bought the unit on ebay, stated that his tech said the only thing wrong with the unit was an op amp gone bad. When I first opened the unit up there were several wires diconnected from their connectors on the right Main Amp PC board, so I reattached them. The connections were obvious plus I had the left board to reference. After reconnecting everything I turned the unit on and was treated to a very nice fireworks display so I shut it down. I removed the right Main Amp PC board to examine the damage. The sellers tech, I assume, had unsoldered two of the terminals on three of the power transitors to test them and did not resolder them when he put the unit back together. I did not see this before I plugged it in. Maybe he expected to do the repair, but the seller didn't ok it so that is how it got to me. I have listed below the components that I have determined to be damaged. For anyone interested in helping me out I listed the schematic source above.

I am having difficulty finding the R608 MPC722 three terminal resistor, and I am unfamiliar with the ZD502 and ZD504 diodes and not sure what parts to order. If anyone would care to take a look at the schematic and offer any help or observations I would greatly appreciate it.


Q538,2SC3281Shorted
Q540,2SC3281Shorted
Q534,2SA1302Shorted
Q518,2SC3467Blown
Q522,2SA1370Blown

R602,4.7ohm 1/2 watt F.R.Open
R604,4.7ohm 1/2 watt F.R.Open
R616,330ohm 1/2 watt F.ROpen
R608,.22 ohm + .22 ohm 5 watt C.E.Open on one side
R584,470 ohm 1/4 watt F.R.Open
R562,1K ohm 1/4 watt F.R.Open

D506,1S1588Shorted
D508,1S1588Shorted
ZD502,Zener 1/2W 12.2V ZD50-122Shorted
ZD504,Zener 1/2W 12.2V ZD50-122Shorted
 
Crawling towards electrical integrity

I have finally been able to obtain several of the the R608 MPC722 three terminal resistors. I had been delaying getting the other parts until I was sure I could find this item. I understand that I could probably have substituted something, but I would like to use OEM wherever possible. My next parts hurdle is the power transistors, the 2SC3281 and 2SA1302 pair. I have done some research and found that these transistors, even if they are available, may not be the real thing. I hear that the newer 2SA1943 (PNP) and 2SC5200 (NPN) pair can be substituted in their place. Does anyone know what the differences, if any, in sonic quality of this substitution. Also, I am still not sure what I can use to replace the Zener Diodes. Any help or observations would be much appreciated.
 
retrex said:
I feel I'm slipping.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go&feature=related

So it all comes down to what's gonna be my poison. I looked back into my past, way back into the bygone times. I tried to draw from aging memory what it was that made me smile, what struck me as unique and especially what I remembered as being stuff that I never sampled because it was beyond my means. Macintosh popped into mind immediately, and almost as quickly left. Although now within my means, I remembered Mac as being built like a tank with sound more akin to a humvee. Don't send the hate mail please, I was going on past memory. Sansui came to mind next. I had a 9090 and paid less for it new than what I see them going for on Ebay now, hard to justify that cost for 30+ year old component parts. I liked it but it, but it did not hold any special memories of audio excellence, again no hate mail please. Although it was a beautiful machine when all lit up. I ran Yammie NS1000s(Ebony Wood), AR3as, two separate sets of K Heresy’s, KEF104s, and Dalhquist DQ10s with it. Ok, but been there, done that. Marantz next, a good name but nothing special there for me, no exceptional memories. Ditto for the other stuff I owned, too much to list. Yamaha up next. Good stuff, real good, in its day, but once again aging electronics and from what I've read component level issues. Tandberg, HHScott, HK and all the others wrested from my failing memory all came up short of the gotta have its. One name that came to me that was always out of reach, and from what I remember often referred to as the Japanese Macintosh, but with excellent sound, was Luxman. So I go into research mode and find that the last great era for Luxman was mid to late 80s and in particular they made a receiver, the R-117, which rivaled separates. A high current brute of an amp section with very good audio characteristics. From what I could piece together, this was Luxman’s last statement of excellence before going under the Alpine umbrella. So I go to EBay and score my first Luxman component, a very nicely kept R-117. I also picked up a NIB D-375, and a like new K110W. I liked the R-117 so much that I got an addition two working and one hopefully soon to be working units. The last working R-117 being my pride and joy a NIB unit sold to me by a very nice lady who received it and the DC-113 and another K110W, both also NIB, as anniversary presents but never used them, because she had no room. But that is only half the story. It’s all in the speakers man, the speakers. :)
Click to expand...

So you're the one! :thmbsp:

That eBay listing was discussed on the Dollars & Sense board when it was listed. Some were wondering if it was legit. Good to hear everything went ok.

If you are have technical issues, the best thing to do is post them in the Vintage Solid State board and start a thread like Luxman R-117 Fireworks! Need help

Very few techs are going to see your tech requests here in Introductions.

But you described what you have observed and tried which will save techs a lot of time figuring out what happened, so be sure to post all of that.

Eventually, you'll start to recognize some of the tech names.

Welcome!
 
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