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Pioneer A-88X recap help

Thanks hennessy. Sometimes it is easier to look at one capacitor a time. What would you use to replace this group of capacitors with? I am basically clueless, anything would help.

a-88x chassis direct c3 10000 71 ACH-106
a-88x chassis direct c4 10000 71 ACH-106
a-88x chassis direct c5 10000 71 ACH-106
a-88x chassis direct c6 10000 71 ACH-106
 
Those are harder to hunt down and their size, clamp size, termination style has to be considered.

Search for 80V versions, I wouldn't waste time for 71V.

You can take in account Nichicon KG Gold/Super Through capacitors. They are sometimes stocked @Mouser, and Michael Percy stocks them in many values.
10000 comes in 50x80 for Gold, and 63x80 for Super Through. Please check if they fit.
Capacitor clamps Mouser sells, PartsConnexion, too. Please, use google: "capacitor clamp".
Other caps: Panasonic T-HA (35x80), T-UP (35x63). HA are better; they are rated to 105C. Can be had @Mouser.

There are other choices @Mouser, such as United Chemicon KMH, SMH and Cornell.

I would use KG. In addition, I would be reluctant to buy them off auction site, might be counterfeit.
 
Thanks hennessy, there are too many unknowns for me to try to even find the right stock number to match the Pioneer stock number. Markthefixer is working on it in his spare time.
 
Thanks Markthefixer, Just got back from the desert. Did you ever find any spare time to cross reference the pioneer stock numbers to the mouser.
 
not yet, haven't even gotten in any bench time today yet, and I STILL have PM's to do... :sigh:

p.s. look at what my posting times started at and what the quantities of posts are.... :tears:

I'm tempted to say go with UPW's and UKL's - the standard answer, unless you can find if silmics have non-magnetic material leads, or that some of the "audio" nichicon caps also don't have magnetic leads/components contained...
 
Thanks markthefixer,
That's OK I can imagine how busy you are. I've been away awhile and haven't been able to get to my pet projects.
Is there anyone out there that can help me cross-match the capacitors to the pioneer stock numbers. This is only a hobby for me but I'm a good at soldering. I'll take any advice.
Thanks, MM
 
look up top on the forum, the "tuning fork" thread.

read the capacitor articles, then look at the parts list for the A-88x, and see what they indicate is special about particular caps, that is what is needed as the next step.

You could list the zzz-999 board number and cxxx numbers with the special characteristics indications, and I or someone else will recognize which caps out there can substitute or come closer than the upw and ukl caps...
 
This may be of interest. I got tired of the glitchy microswitches on my A-88X, been at them with DeOxit and Marine Contact Cleaner and they always eventually crackle. Since this is a very worthy amp, I decided take minimalist approach removing all the input switching boards and wire my own selector switch using 3 line-level and the phono inputs. Thanks to all the good documentation, I was able to remove most front-end boards, leaving only the tone control, volume board, and cartridge switching switch. It is amazing how much is lost in all these contacts.
Eventually, I will recap and order the speaker relays. Thanks for the part numbers. Op amps are also a target.
 

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This may be of interest. I got tired of the glitchy microswitches on my A-88X, been at them with DeOxit and Marine Contact Cleaner and they always eventually crackle. Since this is a very worthy amp, I decided take minimalist approach removing all the input switching boards and wire my own selector switch using 3 line-level and the phono inputs. Thanks to all the good documentation, I was able to remove most front-end boards, leaving only the tone control, volume board, and cartridge switching switch. It is amazing how much is lost in all these contacts.
Eventually, I will recap and order the speaker relays. Thanks for the part numbers. Op amps are also a target.

In retrospect, those removed switches were rotary to linear motion switches, which can be removed, opened, polished back to like new status, reclosed and reinstalled. Did you keep the parts you removed?
 
Yes, they are in a pile. Been through that, even replaced one or two of them IIRC. I had originally bypassed them as pictured. Other still, crackling on occasion. For what I use the unit for, I found them to be in the way. When the rotary tape switches started failing, I decided to go this route.
 

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...
Check speaker relays. You can replace them with Omron G4W-2214P-US-HP or Panasonic JC2-aF-DC12V-F...

This relay seems to be the wrong part, the relays on my A-88X receive 49 VDC and are rated for 48 VDC, when I used this part, it blew up the 240 ohm resistors feeding the relays in about 10 seconds. I had to replace the 12 volt zeners and these resistor to repair things. The good is that I was able to clean the old relays that were better quality anyways and it is all better now. But, it took me some time to figure out. Also recapped the tone board and upgraded the op amps with the parts given earlier. I used Nichicon FG and Elna Silmic II, great caps for this purpose. I also removed all the quality traps and added my own selector switch. Unit is better than ever. Thanks for the parts numbers nevertheless, it helped. Pictures follow.
 

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You are right, I made a mistake, probably looked at the wrong reference at my notes. I should have checked the service manual schematics instead:bash:

Feed 66V, 12V Zener shifter takes off 12V, 18.8mA through 240 Ohm takes off 4.3V, Zener resistance 10-20 Ohm takes off couple hundred mV. Result: around 49V going to relays.

I should be boiled in molten Kester 63/37 for eternity...
 
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Cool never seen this before. Could you show some more pictures. I still haven't rebuilt mine yet, maybe someday.
 
I've had mine for a good while. I had Isotonic check it out. He replaced a couple resistors. He told me to not to load it to hard until I did a complete restore. It's been working great for a year. I'd like to recap but, it's working really good. I cant use the tone sections. I think the switch is going out. Works great in Direct mode. The phono section is really good. :)

MK
 
I've had mine for a good while. I had Isotonic check it out. He replaced a couple resistors. He told me to not to load it to hard until I did a complete restore. It's been working great for a year. I'd like to recap but, it's working really good. I cant use the tone sections. I think the switch is going out. Works great in Direct mode. The phono section is really good. :)

MK

Agree, the phono is quite good and substantial. The switches on this unit are very glitchy and led me to getting rid of most of the parts in the front of the unit. It is better than ever.
 

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I have both - A-88X and 900D. I remember that 900D had some cost savings parts wise. Such as KS capacitors instead Muse in 88X. Not a big deal, though. Otherwise, the same.

The other day tried to find suitable replacements for those 48V speaker relays - no deal. Only on bay for 25 each! The seller must be related to Jack the Ripper.

The other way might be to modify the circuit to run 24V relays, if cleaning doesn't help.
 
I have both - A-88X and 900D. I remember that 900D had some cost savings parts wise. Such as KS capacitors instead Muse in 88X. Not a big deal, though. Otherwise, the same.

The other day tried to find suitable replacements for those 48V speaker relays - no deal. Only on bay for 25 each! The seller must be related to Jack the Ripper.

The other way might be to modify the circuit to run 24V relays, if cleaning doesn't help.

Just open them up and take some very fine sandpaper and Marine cleaner to the contacts. You will be surprised how much metal there is in the contact pads. And mine had no pitting at all. I actually would prefer them over any new replacement made in China. My stock relays are back in the unit, working like new.

Oh, and yes, on my A-88X, it is chuck full of Nichicon MUSE ES, emerald green, in the whole phono board! I placed the Nichicon Fine Gold in the tone control board along with the ELNA Silmic II. This thing should scream audiophile!

Here is how
 
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Oh, I opened a lot of them:thmbsp:
I use GC9337 burnishing tool or just plain paper for contacts.
Then glue small magnets across contacts on the outside to mitigate the arcing - prolongs life (not mine, but relay's):(

Considering tone board, I would put Silmics instead of FG at C1, C2. Silmics and Nichicon UKZ are probably the best audio path electrolytics available for us. Sometimes low leakage UKL are even better, if low leakage is requested by mfr. I have MKS2 installed there.
C7-C10 for op-amp power decoupling do not require Silmics. Originally they were 50V, I see you put there 35V, right?:scratch2: Rail is 22V. Best might be to use equal or higher voltage cap for power supplies, like UPW, UHE, UHW. Panny FM, FR. Or that same UKL.

Other suggestions: C5,C6 - 0.1uf MKP2, C11,C12 - 4700pf FKP2 or styrene (treble bleed cap - good ears will hear the difference), C 13,C14 - film (ECW, ECQ if fits, I have there MKS2), C15,C16 100pf FKP2, PFR, or styrene.

To lower noise floor resistors might be replaced with metal film such as CMF/RN. Power resistors can be replaced, too, with wire-wound or CPF higher rating.

Anyway, that still won't be enough, cause true audiophiles despise tone control;)
 
I like the Elna Silmic over the FG, I am wondering why I did not place them in C1 and C2, must have been out of mind. Good spot on the 35V, maybe a waste of the Silmics here, but I have a bunch. If Mouser has the KZ, will order them next time. Here is the Nichicon catalog: Nichicon
 
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