Electronics equipment is actually very reliable; as
power amplifiers contain little in the way of mechanical
parts, they often survive well compared to some other
types of audio gear.
Disclaimer
Electronic equipment contains dangerous voltages and
currents, especially where large capacitors or valve HT
supplies are involved - these voltages and currents can
hurt or even KILL you if you're careless. I wrote these
articles from my own experience and the knowledge I've
built up over time, in the hope that they might be
useful to someone else learning to repair audio
equipment as a hobby, really the same sort of person who
I was 10 or 15 years ago - that's my sole reason for
publishing them.
There's an old saying that goes 'A little knowledge can
be dangerous'; only YOU can judge whether you're capable
- if you doubt whether you are, please don't try.
- Bruce, June 2011.
The old
version of this article became huge, this time I've
split it into different sections:
Common
faults - The reasons behind why things sometimes go wrong.
Electrolytics -
Electrolytic capacitors can be a major cause of problems
in vintage audio gear.
Testing
the unknown - Why you need to be wary with an unknown
amplifier.
Reassembly -
Rebuilding everything
and applying power again.
Cosmetics
- Some tips and tricks to get things looking good again
(currently in progress).
