bornonatrain
New Member
Hi All,
Long time first time. I have owned my Sansui AU-417 for over 12 years. Purchased through Craigslist in tandem with an AU-217. I believe it cost $150 total. Since then I have used KLH Model 5 speakers and this AU-417 as primary for Tape/CD/Tuner/Aux (Home theater > DAC). I'm not neophyte to electronics, but I am pretty much a novice, i.e. I don't know how to read a schematic, but if you tell me what to do I can get in there and solder a clean joint or replace a part.
The amp has had basically the same continuing issue that returns every few years, though I can't say for certain that what is happening now is exactly as it erred in previous instances, but it's pretty similar. The left (or right?) channel will begin coming and going or making unprompted intermittent, LOUD, scary Ka-CHUNK noises. It is pretty much a no-go to use the amp like this, it's scary loud and could damage my speakers. Eventually, in time (months? years?) it goes altogether. Turning the input selector between Phono 1 and Phono 2 will make that ka-chunk noise happen and I generally toggle back and forth as often as possible because it seems the more I turn it, that it calms down. Vague, I know.. Recently I left it on overnight and when I flicked it off I heard a zap sound, which is now what it does every time I turn it off. Additionally, I plugged in my headphones the other day and now there is a steady buzz noise..
I have brought it for repair to 2 service shops in Manhattan. I won't name names unless encouraged to, but one is a small storefront and repair shop on the LES in Manhattan and the other is purely a service shop in a nondescript midtown elevator building. The latter is supposedly THE place to go for vintage electronics repair, but also has a lot of negative reviews. The LES shop turned it around in 1 day, which was pretty frustrating because I knew there was no way they did an adequate and thorough job. They charged $326.62 including tax and provided a receipt with vague notes ("Rebuild mainboard / Replace Capacitors / Tune-up / General Service) (see picture 1). I hate feeling duped but what am I going to do, such is the nature of entrusting into the hands of so-called specialists complicated equipment I marginally understand. The second shop I went to about a year later, and they took almost 4 weeks, so I was anticipating that I finally found a reputable shop. They even complimented my amplifier and they were just super nice and professional. This shop listed many more services performed on the receipt--mostly that they checked such and such, but also "reset DC offset.." and "realigned discriminator..." (see picture 2). I was, however, slightly peeved when they suggested that I just make sure to turn the knobs more often... I understand what a scratchy pot is, and the issues that that kind of poor connection may cause. That is definitely not what this is. Well, that bill was $381.06 including tax, which I forked over with a dumb smile on my face. My hunch is that it is the DC offset and somehow it is wayward.
Of course, the issue has returned recently about a year after the last repair and I've decided this amp is dead to me. And maybe all vintage amplifiers. I'm not skilled enough to diagnose it myself and I can't afford to pay to fix them. So I think I'm in over my head. Currently, I just set up a random amplifier + preamp gifted to me by a friend's husband that works perfectly fine for now. I'm going to use it until I figure out my next move...It's a GFA-535 + GTP-540 with no phono stage :/ My friend bought a Yamaha A-S801 and I'm considering that. I'm also considering getting smaller speakers so I don't need such a powerful amp.
I've now put about $800 into my Sansui AU-417 (principal cost + 2 repairs). We've had some really good memories, but I think it's over. Am I getting duped by poor service technicians or is this just the nature of amplifier repair? Should I try to find a reputable service station (I will even mail it), or should I just move on? Somewhere inside of me I feel responsible, that somehow it is my fault, but I'm pretty sure that's not true.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Long time first time. I have owned my Sansui AU-417 for over 12 years. Purchased through Craigslist in tandem with an AU-217. I believe it cost $150 total. Since then I have used KLH Model 5 speakers and this AU-417 as primary for Tape/CD/Tuner/Aux (Home theater > DAC). I'm not neophyte to electronics, but I am pretty much a novice, i.e. I don't know how to read a schematic, but if you tell me what to do I can get in there and solder a clean joint or replace a part.
The amp has had basically the same continuing issue that returns every few years, though I can't say for certain that what is happening now is exactly as it erred in previous instances, but it's pretty similar. The left (or right?) channel will begin coming and going or making unprompted intermittent, LOUD, scary Ka-CHUNK noises. It is pretty much a no-go to use the amp like this, it's scary loud and could damage my speakers. Eventually, in time (months? years?) it goes altogether. Turning the input selector between Phono 1 and Phono 2 will make that ka-chunk noise happen and I generally toggle back and forth as often as possible because it seems the more I turn it, that it calms down. Vague, I know.. Recently I left it on overnight and when I flicked it off I heard a zap sound, which is now what it does every time I turn it off. Additionally, I plugged in my headphones the other day and now there is a steady buzz noise..
I have brought it for repair to 2 service shops in Manhattan. I won't name names unless encouraged to, but one is a small storefront and repair shop on the LES in Manhattan and the other is purely a service shop in a nondescript midtown elevator building. The latter is supposedly THE place to go for vintage electronics repair, but also has a lot of negative reviews. The LES shop turned it around in 1 day, which was pretty frustrating because I knew there was no way they did an adequate and thorough job. They charged $326.62 including tax and provided a receipt with vague notes ("Rebuild mainboard / Replace Capacitors / Tune-up / General Service) (see picture 1). I hate feeling duped but what am I going to do, such is the nature of entrusting into the hands of so-called specialists complicated equipment I marginally understand. The second shop I went to about a year later, and they took almost 4 weeks, so I was anticipating that I finally found a reputable shop. They even complimented my amplifier and they were just super nice and professional. This shop listed many more services performed on the receipt--mostly that they checked such and such, but also "reset DC offset.." and "realigned discriminator..." (see picture 2). I was, however, slightly peeved when they suggested that I just make sure to turn the knobs more often... I understand what a scratchy pot is, and the issues that that kind of poor connection may cause. That is definitely not what this is. Well, that bill was $381.06 including tax, which I forked over with a dumb smile on my face. My hunch is that it is the DC offset and somehow it is wayward.
Of course, the issue has returned recently about a year after the last repair and I've decided this amp is dead to me. And maybe all vintage amplifiers. I'm not skilled enough to diagnose it myself and I can't afford to pay to fix them. So I think I'm in over my head. Currently, I just set up a random amplifier + preamp gifted to me by a friend's husband that works perfectly fine for now. I'm going to use it until I figure out my next move...It's a GFA-535 + GTP-540 with no phono stage :/ My friend bought a Yamaha A-S801 and I'm considering that. I'm also considering getting smaller speakers so I don't need such a powerful amp.
I've now put about $800 into my Sansui AU-417 (principal cost + 2 repairs). We've had some really good memories, but I think it's over. Am I getting duped by poor service technicians or is this just the nature of amplifier repair? Should I try to find a reputable service station (I will even mail it), or should I just move on? Somewhere inside of me I feel responsible, that somehow it is my fault, but I'm pretty sure that's not true.
Thank you for your thoughts.
)) and could have helped you. Now however I am a bit in home repairs.
