Metaxas Opulense - lights on but nobody home!

[marknoir]

Hello fellow audio-martirs!

I just bought an old Metaxas Opulence, which arrived dead. Seller so far refuses to refund, so it looks like I'm stuck with it. It powers up, but no sound. I measured output impedance at the jacks - ground level, which tells me that it is muted. I wonder if anybody has a schematic, or has some hands-on knowledge of Metaxas preamps? There must be some sort of output relay or delay muting circuit or something. I can not open the unit yet, since I'm still hoping the seller may come thru after the dispute resolution is over (in about a week). It is a fairly complicated machine... Metaxas of Australia want about $200 for manual, or tell me to send the unit to them, which from NYC in shipping alone will be cost prohibitive (about 40 lbs)

Any help will be appreciated!

[VivaVee]

I have schematics for the Charisma which might help - it depends on what of the many options oyu have fitted to the Opulence. If I recall correctly, the difference is mainly in the power supply.

These preamps did not use exotic parts so a repair would be fairly straight forward.

I just checked - my schematic is pretty hard to read so I think that a scan would be illegible. But ti might give you a start if component values are not needed.

[marknoir]

Thanks! Anything will help! If you don't mind e-mailing me a scan?

[lineup]

Me taxas Opulence

i did some visit to the website of manufacturer of your amplifier
first, you can order Service Manuals,
one example shows $100 for a manual

i wonder really how serious this company is
if there products are designed as they speak in information
then i would not ever touch anything from there

Let us hope reality is a bit better
Them using easy to find components is a Great Plus for DIY

3. Cutting Edge Technology
-----------------------------
Amplifiers- No wire construction with shortest possible signal path
'Capacitorless' circuits including voltage regulators-no time/phase distortion.
'One-wire' circuit path
Ultra-high speed circuits- power amplifier can put full power into 8 ohm load at 1.0 MegaHertz!
High Speed diodes in power supply
UHF technique circuit layouts

Cables-
Using fastest copper available in the world
with low signature dielectric

[marknoir]

Agreed. But they do sound very well (when they work). I've had a lot of solid state preamps, and arguably Opulense is on top of my list...

[lineup]

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...postid=1535821
Amplifiers >Solid State >metaxas opulence preamp help
------------------------------------------------------

marknoir
That is good news.
I have a vague remembering long ago (maybe 5 years ago), about this metaxas.
That I found something interesting.
But I can not remember what it was.
What I think is, that the Main Designer of Metaxas has got very much Audio Technical knowledge.
He knows his thing.

But only having good amplifiers
is not enough to make a good company.
Not from the perspective of paying customers.
Enjoy your amplifier.
you will get one Manual / Schematic here for free.
From some nice diyAudio member.
Do not worry ... you will see I will be right just you wait some days


Regards Lineup
Lineup Audio

PS. I visited your website:
http://www.shvarts.com/
Nice stuff! DS.

[slr 5000]

lineup you are a legend !!!

i must say that the metaxas opulance pre is the most dynamic pre ive ever heard ,and is most definately worth repairing

i hope it works out for you

[Nrik]

Lineup.
Any chance of getting that schematic too?

I never heard Metaxas but I read the review and often drooled over their cabinet designs.

[marknoir]

Hello and thanks

I tried it with switches in every possible position, and nothing. I used to have a very early Opulence many years ago, and now I remember too, that it would first have TWO lights on on the front, then there would be a click, and one light go out. There is a definite problem with this one, and the most annoying thing is that the seller refuses to take it back. I've only had it for ONE day. ................ site staff had a dispute, and resolved it in my favor, but so far I have not heard from seller. There are some bad apples out there!

M

[marknoir]

Perhaps all Metaxas Opulence owners should chip in together, buy that repair manual for AU $200, and then POST it!

Who's game?