Audio Innovations Alto

[ultraprime]

Hi, in the mean time I found this topic Audio Innovations Alto amp - noise on one channel
Where Sakis tells allready that ---There has been reports that output relays fail quite often
So that stands a big change, it is now 15 years old. But I do not turn it off and on a lot, maybe 30 times a year max. It's radio sound all day, tv sound all evening and inbetween some cd's ;-)
So it would be a good start just replacing this component?

The othe issue I also have: ---selector switch faulty or dirty
Did at one time disassambles and cleaned, but can not find a replacement. 6 position slide selector swich...

[madtecchy]

Hi
A little info that may help Alto owners.. I found an Alto and matching cd/ tuner at a local garage sale. it is the chrome version . I assume it is the later version . After removing the cover to do an inspection before powering up i noticed This amp to be totally diffrent to the one that is spoken about in this thread.. It has a sub out connection and the amplifier is a complimentary dual rail design with no output capacitor . it also uses 15000uF per rail. I was disapointed at first as i really wanted to have a listen to a single ended version. The sound of this little wonder as far as my ears can tell matches the original write ups apart from the bass is not lacking in this version.. Will remove cover and take some piccys if anyone is intrested..

regards Mark

Ps this version is also remote control and uses logic to switch inputs and motorised pot for volume control.Did find some info on the web stating it was simler to denon a500 topology but that is a quasi complimentary amplifier

[sakis]

not single ended ...single supply ...yeap pics will be interesting

[madtecchy]

I stand corrected Sakis it is indeed not single ended .. Would it be single supply quasi comp. The light is good now i will get the lid off and get snapping will list some of the device types too

[ultraprime]

That would be the 2nd generation Detector AM1 and CT1
Text copied from AVforums: Best looking separates ever | AVForums.com - UK Online This never fails to amuse me- AP stopped making Alto's because they were as popular as a fart in a space suit. Four years later, I still get emails about them .

Basically they come in two different types
Original- Built by the old Audio Innovations. These are (I think) only in black and run a Class A amp so you can use it as a hotplate as well. (Edit, no, these where made in chrome as well) The CD might have quite a bit in common with the old Arcam Alpha 7 (same mech certainly)- the prototype was an Alpha 7 in an Alto Box . These sound nice and have some support from Definitive Audio. They obviously don't look as smart in black and they are rare and not hugely reliable.
Second batch- Built by us in the Chrome. The key difference is that the CD section had a tuner module (not a shabby one either- its the one from the Creek T43/Cambridge T500) and could be driven by a single remote as the two units were connected with a "canbus" (RJ45) lead with the socket on the back (the old ones don't have this). These units have a fair amount in common with the Cambridge Audio D500/A500 but the heat sink was squashed to fit in and this meant that the amp was more fragile than the standard A500. The display on the CT1 CD player was also frighteningly complicated as it was a sandwich with the CD section on one layer and the tuner on the other. These fail. Lots.

If you really want them, the bay is the best place but shop carefully- remotes and the original short RJ45 leads are now extinct. The stand is unbelievably rare as it never sold and only one batch was made.
HTH

[madtecchy]

thanks ultraprime .. I agree with the tuner not being too bad at all.. Im still not conviced about the amplifier being simler to the cambridge a500 the amplifier uses dual rail psu but is quasi complimentary . the later alto is fully complimentary... As for the ealier version being class A i dont think so it was based on a lynsley hood class a design but it is biased A/B .. The heatsinks are very small so deff not class A.. Now got pictures of unternals of the amplifier .. Will have to get a data cable as the bluetooth on my phone is duff

[madtecchy]

A few piccys of the AM1.

Regards Mark

[sakis]

ha ha ha it seems that they really managed to squeeze all these parts in such a small case

I presume that still power remains low and i wonder how it sounds one next to each other

thanks for the pics

kind regards
sakis

[madtecchy]

The specs i have found say it does 50W Rms 8 Ohms.. I guess if pushed it would also get a little on the warm side.. I would like to compare aswell.Im glad the only thing i needed to do to this amplifier was to re dress and solder a three core ribbon cable to the led that reside in the volume control knob. any repairs to the amplifier would require totall srip down to gain acces to underside of the PCB. The cd/tuner i aquired along with the amplifier just needed the laser cleaning and a new belt for the draw.. All in all not a bad find

[gmphadte]

I have an Alto amplifier with main board K4043/6 and since sunday an issue...
During normal operation all of a sudden both channels, no sound anymore. powerled still on.

Just re-solder the whole thing or if u want to be selective, solder the hot areas (near heatsinks and power resistors). Should solve the problem.

Gajanan Phadte