TA-100WA Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow?

[Homebrook]

I hear a lot about the difficulty in obtaining TA-100WA power amp modules for Kenwood amplifiers. Because I may need one myself in fixing a KA-9100 I have, I have been looking around to see where I might get one if the need arises. I ran across a web site where there are a LOT available, I mean at least 50 different places with 100s available apparently. It isn't hard to find, you can find it yourself easy enough, if you just do a search. I am not promoting the source.
My question is, are these legitimate? Has anybody ordered from these sources? If so, what has been your experience with what you received? Where are they coming from (yes I know from China, but where are they getting them)? Are they taking apart old units, recycled electronic equipment, etc., and parting them out, or what? I'm curious, because if they are legitimate, there is no shortage of TA-100WA modules.

 

[SicMan]

I have bought 2 from a place in China, took 38 weeks to get them, and luckily they both worked, but
you can clearly see these were pulled from units. Someone else on here or
another site bought one and it didn't work. There are alot of sites out there buying up this stuff
and putting it out there on the market untested. I say buy at your own risk.
My .02
John M

 

[Homebrook]

Wow! 38 weeks! That is FOREVER! I'll forget why I ordered it by that time. Are they rowing them over on rafts? Or perhaps they're just getting held up in our own, highly efficient customs processing.

 

[Prime Mover]

Probably some poor Chinese person spending months digging through the mountain of e-waste we shipped over to them during the last 20-30 years to find one to de-solder for you.