Musical Fidelity A1 - Problem

I'll have a closer look later but the 400mv offset is puzzling because it points to no gross failure anywhere. Its not the most intuitive of circuits but it splits neatly into a top and bottom half with one mirroring the other.

(have you checked the 0.22 ohm resistors are OK and which actually seem to be 0.47 ohm in your picture?)

You must carefully check voltages including checking across base/emitter junctions to see if devices are trying to be turned on. Output TR10 and driver TR8 should try and turn fully on via R10. The PNP output and driver should be doing the same.

TR5 and TR7 provide the means for reigning in the massive current that should be flowing.

Its odd because a fault on one half or the other would be expected to give a high offset and that obviously isn't happening.
i will try to measure it in the evening again...
have to reconnect it.
 
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Paravicini invented this practice.
It is cheap, not good. Whoever invented it, it is simply not how TO3 should be mounted.

First thing I did when I repaired A1's was to make this better. With 2 lugs per transistor. Also the replacement transistors casing material not always allowed for soldering to the casing and I at least had it once that there was a dry joint and a loose wire.

If it is an early one I recall also mains wiring to be eh.... particular.
 
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It is cheap, not good. Whoever invented it, it is simply not how TO3 should be mounted.

First thing I did when I repaired A1's was to make this better. With 2 lugs per transistor. Also the replacement transistors casing material not always allowed for soldering to the casing and I at least had it once that there was a dry joint and a loose wire.

If it is an early one I recall also mains wiring to be eh.... particular.
what do you mean with mains wiring?
i had to replace the transformer because it was defective.
 
Hi.
thank you for your comment.
i will try to be more precise.

i have about 400mV DC-offset, but the output transistors (MJ15003G and MJ15004G) stay cold, because they are turned off.
(amp is 20W class A and should run very hot...)

12V is also OK.

no sound due to not working output transistors...

I am very confused...
🤔
By the way, it's not the full 20W in class A, only the first 8 W I believe. Although it gets hot enough to boil an egg on it.
 
For anyone that wants to play:

Screenshot 2025-03-18 143850.png


with 0.22 ohm resistors it runs at 260ma bias current and around 6.5 watt dissipation per output transistor.

i checked and there is no connection from collector to the aluminium. so insulation is ok.
collector has good contact to wire.

Begin by measuring voltages carefully. You need to measure both to the transistors and also across the base/emitter junctions. Each junction should be around 0.6 to 0.7 volts if turned on.

This path should be trying to turn on the upper output (same for the lower). You have to see why that is not happening.

I'll look in later 🙂

For anyone wanting to try the sim you will have to put your own model in place.

Screenshot 2025-03-18 144324.png
 

Attachments

For anyone that wants to play:

View attachment 1436922

with 0.22 ohm resistors it runs at 260ma bias current and around 6.5 watt dissipation per output transistor.



Begin by measuring voltages carefully. You need to measure both to the transistors and also across the base/emitter junctions. Each junction should be around 0.6 to 0.7 volts if turned on.

This path should be trying to turn on the upper output (same for the lower). You have to see why that is not happening.

I'll look in later 🙂

For anyone wanting to try the sim you will have to put your own model in place.

View attachment 1436924
i replaced the R30 and R31 with 0R47 instead of 0R22, because they were installed before also with value 0R47.
I just replaced them with 3W.
 
yes I replaced them with BC550C and BC560C.
i measured them now and they are fine...

I will have a look in the evening if i can measure and update here...
Why use the most noisy transistors one can find?

You had a defective transformer. Mmmm. Burnt/open primary? Probably already asked but are the rectifiers still OK and what about the voltages? All good?

With this master piece of unreliability I had more than once detective rectifiers and filter caps. Also input selector and volume potentiometer.
 
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Why use the most noisy transistors one can find?

You had a defective transformer. Mmmm. Burnt/open primary? Probably already asked but are the rectifiers still OK and what about the voltages? All good?

With this master piece of unreliability I had more than once detective rectifiers and filter caps. Also input selector and volume potentiometer.
yes trafo and rectifier diodes replaced
 
yes trafo and rectifier diodes replaced
What were the defects exactly!? You have to be more precise in answers. We can not possibly know what was detective and what you have done unless you tell us. The exact fault of parts may indicate why and what went wrong and why you can’t solve your problem.

Some will know what I mean. Nothing happened, the device just stopped, repair should not cost too much and then the repair guy discovers the device had 400V.

So transformer, all transistors, filter caps and rectifiers were replaced?
 
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okay.
here we go.
replaced:
transformer
rectifier diodes
output transistors
driver transistors
electrolytics
all 1W to 5W resistors.
some blown resistors and transistors in the phono power supply.

i think this is it
1. What were the defects of the parts?

2. Did you simply replace anything except the PCB as it was total loss?

3. Are you very sure you replaced the NPN and PNP transistors for NPN and PNP transistors?

4. Did you buy original transistors by normal brands or Aliexpress versions?
 
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Trafo had only 1 x 18V
resistors were black from heat
outputs defect (shortened)

i ordered from everything from mouser.

MJ15003 and MJ15004 complementary transistors
BC550C and BC560C all original

i replaced everything correctly and checked with shematic