I`m not sure if this belongs in the Solid-State part of the forums.
If not, Moderators please feel free to move the thread to the according section.
Recently I bought named amp together with a Parasound P/LD-1100 preamp from ebay.
Seller described the condition of the HCA2200II as working flawless and in good conditon.
Paid Euro 800 for both + shipping.
I tested the power-amp. It`s basically working but I found one channel with noticable hum (and making some higher frequency noise too). The other channel is fine, dead silent as it should be.
I took off the hood and noticed one fried bypass foil cap in the frontend power-supply of the humming channel (at least, some other parts in the periphery of that cap are black from smut and I can`t see well if there isn`t any more damage to other parts but I believe not).
A film cap doesn`t die and go up in smoke because of senile decay, so something went wrong obviously.
It could be something trival only but also something more serious (maybe even JFET frontend damaged in some way).
The seller is responsible and would accept either a rebate or to reverse the deal.
If possible I want to keep the amp but do not want to undertake any repair attempts until we settled for a reasonable solution (for both of us).
Now here comes my problem and I`d appreciate Your opinion:
As the seller is a layman what concern audio electronics, he asked me (not a layman but no expert either) to propose an amount of discount which would be acceptable for me.
I don`t want to rip off the seller but I don`t want to shoot myself in the knee either as repairing the amp could well be to turn out rather complicated eventually (I really prefer to repair dead stuff, not half working) .
So I´m not sure which amount of discount would be reasonable to suggest (I thought perhaps Euro 175 but I`m not too sure about this).
What do You think? Opinions appreciated!
Thank You!
If not, Moderators please feel free to move the thread to the according section.
Recently I bought named amp together with a Parasound P/LD-1100 preamp from ebay.
Seller described the condition of the HCA2200II as working flawless and in good conditon.
Paid Euro 800 for both + shipping.
I tested the power-amp. It`s basically working but I found one channel with noticable hum (and making some higher frequency noise too). The other channel is fine, dead silent as it should be.
I took off the hood and noticed one fried bypass foil cap in the frontend power-supply of the humming channel (at least, some other parts in the periphery of that cap are black from smut and I can`t see well if there isn`t any more damage to other parts but I believe not).
A film cap doesn`t die and go up in smoke because of senile decay, so something went wrong obviously.
It could be something trival only but also something more serious (maybe even JFET frontend damaged in some way).
The seller is responsible and would accept either a rebate or to reverse the deal.
If possible I want to keep the amp but do not want to undertake any repair attempts until we settled for a reasonable solution (for both of us).
Now here comes my problem and I`d appreciate Your opinion:
As the seller is a layman what concern audio electronics, he asked me (not a layman but no expert either) to propose an amount of discount which would be acceptable for me.
I don`t want to rip off the seller but I don`t want to shoot myself in the knee either as repairing the amp could well be to turn out rather complicated eventually (I really prefer to repair dead stuff, not half working) .
So I´m not sure which amount of discount would be reasonable to suggest (I thought perhaps Euro 175 but I`m not too sure about this).
What do You think? Opinions appreciated!
Thank You!
WOW!
I really have not expected to get a respond from the master himself.
Until now I have been somewhat reluctant to contact Parasound`s service as I thought that I`ll perhaps overstretch their willingness to help with such a case (14 years old gear, bought second hand from ebay, with unknown defects) but now I feel encouraged and will email Tony.
Thank You Mr. Curl!
If other`s still have some suggestions though of whatever You think could be reasonable, please let me know and be it only a shoot from the hip.
As it`s clear to me that without actually trying to repair the amp it can`t be forseen what exactly is wrong with it and how much effort it will be to fix it, all this (at most) will only be an educated guess of involved magnitude of efforts/costs anyway.
I really have not expected to get a respond from the master himself.
Until now I have been somewhat reluctant to contact Parasound`s service as I thought that I`ll perhaps overstretch their willingness to help with such a case (14 years old gear, bought second hand from ebay, with unknown defects) but now I feel encouraged and will email Tony.
Thank You Mr. Curl!
If other`s still have some suggestions though of whatever You think could be reasonable, please let me know and be it only a shoot from the hip.
As it`s clear to me that without actually trying to repair the amp it can`t be forseen what exactly is wrong with it and how much effort it will be to fix it, all this (at most) will only be an educated guess of involved magnitude of efforts/costs anyway.
I just had my Parasound DAC 1600HD repaired by Parasound. When I received it from the seller it was not locking fully or producing any sound no matter what I fed it. They wanted 100 dollars to take a look at it and said that depending on what was wrong it would cost up 300-400 dollars or more.
Turns out it was European voltage and that that was the only problem (I live in the US). The seller who was also based in the US hadn't mentioned that (And probably didn't know).
They converted it and did not charge me extra for that. I ended up paying 135 dollars total to Parasound.. 100 for the diagnostic/conversion and 35 for shipping back to me.
I had paid an additional ~20 bucks packing it up and shipping it to them (Their location is ~45 minutes from where I live but its a bonded warehouse/tradezone or something and they wouldn't let me drop it off).
Over all communication is good and their turn around time is very fast. I did have to check with them to see when they shipped it though since they didn't let me know that but... that isn't a big deal.
I had the seller pay me 130 for cost of shipping the dac and the diagnostic fee considering he at least should have guaranteed it to work.
Originally I was going to split repair costs with him but it might have gotten overly complicated if it ended up being ~500 dollars to repair since he was pretty reluctant to refund me anything since he sold it 'as is" but he also rated it a 3 out of 5 which I told him I had taken to mean at the very least "working"
I would say that's what you should charge your seller as well... diagnostic fee and at least shipping cost for one way if not both ways. This is depending on if you end up shipping your amp to them to have checked out. The diagnostic fee may be different for your amp than my DAC so take that into account.
P.S. I am quite jealous! The 2200 MK2 looks pretty awesome and is balanced to boot! I just bought a HCA1000 myself to power my monitors. I have several balanced components but not a balanced pre amp and am a bit low on funds otherwise I would have gone 2200 as well!
Good luck!
Turns out it was European voltage and that that was the only problem (I live in the US). The seller who was also based in the US hadn't mentioned that (And probably didn't know).
They converted it and did not charge me extra for that. I ended up paying 135 dollars total to Parasound.. 100 for the diagnostic/conversion and 35 for shipping back to me.
I had paid an additional ~20 bucks packing it up and shipping it to them (Their location is ~45 minutes from where I live but its a bonded warehouse/tradezone or something and they wouldn't let me drop it off).
Over all communication is good and their turn around time is very fast. I did have to check with them to see when they shipped it though since they didn't let me know that but... that isn't a big deal.
I had the seller pay me 130 for cost of shipping the dac and the diagnostic fee considering he at least should have guaranteed it to work.
Originally I was going to split repair costs with him but it might have gotten overly complicated if it ended up being ~500 dollars to repair since he was pretty reluctant to refund me anything since he sold it 'as is" but he also rated it a 3 out of 5 which I told him I had taken to mean at the very least "working"
I would say that's what you should charge your seller as well... diagnostic fee and at least shipping cost for one way if not both ways. This is depending on if you end up shipping your amp to them to have checked out. The diagnostic fee may be different for your amp than my DAC so take that into account.
P.S. I am quite jealous! The 2200 MK2 looks pretty awesome and is balanced to boot! I just bought a HCA1000 myself to power my monitors. I have several balanced components but not a balanced pre amp and am a bit low on funds otherwise I would have gone 2200 as well!
Good luck!
Thanks for the replies guys.
Lineup,
I really don`t see how You can conclude Euro 80 being okay.
Without hesitating the seller agreed to this Euro 175 I suggested, for good reason.
If I would have returned the amp, Euro 80 is already what the seller would have lost in shipping alone if he wanted to get it repaired or only inspected by Parasound (4 times shipping 75 lbs boxed: to me and back and same for Parasound).
As "Icarium" has mentioned already, including diagnostic, the entire endeavor could easily sum up to a couple of hundrets $$/€€ depending of what is wrong. Not to mention all the hassle (this amp is HEAVY and no fun to carry around several times to and from the post office).
In this POV a 175 Euro refund IMO was still a very good deal for the seller.
What concerns me, well, I still don`t know as I haven`t touched the amp since then.
I tought once when I`m at it (WHEN I ever have time), I may give it a major overhaul as well.
I`m considering to replace all but the big can electrolytics to modern types and therefore likely to toss the foil bypass caps at all.
Replacing the electrolytics may possibly also solve the hum problem as it might well be that some of them deteriorated over time (don`t forget, this piece is about 12 to 15 years old).
As they are always suspicious in aged amps, l will take a deeper look at the output relays as well.
Lineup,
I really don`t see how You can conclude Euro 80 being okay.
Without hesitating the seller agreed to this Euro 175 I suggested, for good reason.
If I would have returned the amp, Euro 80 is already what the seller would have lost in shipping alone if he wanted to get it repaired or only inspected by Parasound (4 times shipping 75 lbs boxed: to me and back and same for Parasound).
As "Icarium" has mentioned already, including diagnostic, the entire endeavor could easily sum up to a couple of hundrets $$/€€ depending of what is wrong. Not to mention all the hassle (this amp is HEAVY and no fun to carry around several times to and from the post office).
In this POV a 175 Euro refund IMO was still a very good deal for the seller.
What concerns me, well, I still don`t know as I haven`t touched the amp since then.
I tought once when I`m at it (WHEN I ever have time), I may give it a major overhaul as well.
I`m considering to replace all but the big can electrolytics to modern types and therefore likely to toss the foil bypass caps at all.
Replacing the electrolytics may possibly also solve the hum problem as it might well be that some of them deteriorated over time (don`t forget, this piece is about 12 to 15 years old).
As they are always suspicious in aged amps, l will take a deeper look at the output relays as well.
Yeah it's nice living in the US as far as risk of blowing stuff up (There are of course issues in general with aspects of the country ). There's very little gear our electricity will blow up. Even Japanese stuff works fine for the most part... I just got a rare Esoteric dac that's japanese voltage so I'm getting a step down transformer for it.
). There's very little gear our electricity will blow up. Even Japanese stuff works fine for the most part... I just got a rare Esoteric dac that's japanese voltage so I'm getting a step down transformer for it.
cocolino said:
Yeah.
I did know you already 'had' 175.
I really only wanted to take the chance to shoot .. from my hip
.. and as you told: any suggestion was welcomed
If other`s still have some suggestions though of whatever You think could be reasonable,
please let me know
and be it only a shoot from the hip.
--------------------------------------
John Curl may have some additional really good ideas,
what could be 'upgrade replacements of old components'
in this one amplifier.
As he should know fairly well, I suppose
Maybe I should have emphasized "reasonable" more clearly.
I doubt that besides changing electrolytics (and maybe the output relays if necessary) much can be done to improve the amp without turning major parts of the design itself upside down and I`d just like to upgrade it if feasible and not building a new one (the latter was the reason I bought it in the first place).
Of course I`d be very grateful for any hints but I`d think Mr. Curl is rather busy on new designs instead of thinking about how to upgrade old ones (and right so, why scratch ones head about "snow from yesterday").
Maybe You didn`t know......no politics allowed on this forum
cocolino said:
why emphasis
better let the poster him self decide if his shot from his hip is resonable or not.
i am not into politics. are you?
so i do not think that your comment was directed towards me
hope, still, that John Curl will give a further hint,
what can be done to refresh your older Parasound amp.
regars
Lineup
Lineup Audio LAB .. a la John Curl working studio
PS.
i have not seen moderators often have much any troubles
with political posts no more
.. not like in those older days .. before we had proper moderation ..
when some of us were engaged to promote a peaceful world
where people can come together without hurting each other
.. and doing friendly diyAudio hobby discussions instead
without insinuations
DS.
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