The worst build quality I've ever seen

[Lwrs10]

A fellow AK'er sent me his SE 6L6 Vital Audio amp to fix in a trade we worked out.

When I popped the "hood", I couldn't believe what I saw.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a few thousand words.

Not a bad looking amp. I like the layout. I do not like the capacitor hold down straps though.


This photo basically sums it up. Every solder joint is like this. This is one of the 6L6 output tube sockets.


Random pieces of solder just floating around inside.


The 4 and 16 ohm taps are just cut off and taped to the bare chassis.


Capacitor leads cut then soldered back on. And a random chassis standoff stuck on the left.



These are just a few of the major issues this amp has. I'm utterly blown away by how bad it is.

So, if anyone has considered buying one of these amps, all I can say is steer clear. Very very clear.

 

[GChief]

Did they buy it new? Or is that someone’s else’s hack job tying to fix something?

 

[Lwrs10]

Did they buy it new? Or is that someone’s else’s hack job tying to fix something?

Not sure.

But I am 100% certain this is not a hack job fix. It's a hack job build start to finish. Every single aspect of the amp is like this. From the bottom cover to the really bad paint job. Every solder joint. Every wire. The no name offbrand capacitors. And so on.

 

[Squidward]

How are you going to fix it?

 

[Lwrs10]

How are you going to fix it?

At this point I am not.

I won't touch it anymore unless I get the greenlight to rip it completely apart and start over. Including repainting the chassis, ordering quality capacitors/sockets, etc.

 

[Lavane]

How are you going to fix it?

Shotgun method. 12ga. 3" tall base 00 buck should do it.

 

[gadget73]

thats ugly. Can't really sugarcoat that. Agree that a map and a full re-do is the way to deal with that one.

 

[Lwrs10]

Shotgun method. 12ga. 3" tall base 00 buck should do it.

That might turn out to be better quality than it currently is!

 

[Superampman]

But not till you see the whites of their eyes!

 

[Lavane]

My shotgun has a bayonet lug. Sometimes you just have to stab it after you shoot it to feel better. That is a mess, melted wire coverings and all.

 

[Joshua Gray]

Absolutely scary garbage. Does it even power up? Gotta stink even if it does. High resistance connections galore.

 

[Lwrs10]

Absolutely scary garbage. Does it even power up? Gotta stink even if it does. High resistance connections galore.

He said it was scratchy in one channel. I'm surprised it didn't burn his house down honestly.

 

[GordonW]

Please tell me that was a kit, that someone put together as a first project.

If that's what someone thought passed as "production", that person should never touch a soldering iron, or any other electrical tool, or part, again.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[whoaru99]

Those amps were, apparently, built and sold by someone on eBay.

Whether that is as-built or a middleman's handiwork

http://www.glowinthedarkaudio.com/vital-SE6L6.html

 

[spicer]

That's what you get with a kit and no experience using a Weller dual heat soldering gun and dirty tip. At least the solder wasn't acid core.

 

[Erhard-Audio]

hhhmmmm...they say ya can't polish a turd......

 

[Mike Stehr]

Capacitor leads cut then soldered back on.

Capacitor recycling...

 

[Mike Stehr]

This photo basically sums it up.

That you can't solder with a cigarette lighter.

 

[Hifi Dave]

If the guy who wired that was hung for being a technician then they would have hung an innocent man !!!!!

 

[Lavane]

It makes some of the schetchy Chi-Fi solder work look steller.