I have an old Sound Concepts Image Restoration Control IR2100 that I bought in the early 1980s, and it's gotten unlistenably noisy. Is there anywhere I can get it overhauled with new caps, etc.? How much would it cost?
"Recapping" a unit may not be the answer at all. There may be other issues, not having a schematic handy it is tough to say. There are some capacitors that may need changing, but not all and certainly not coupling caps usually.
Asking for even a rough estimate sight unseen is not reasonable. Equipment this old becomes an individual, they may have some similar issues, but are equally able to have more of their very own. I service equipment still (for nearly 50 years now) and refuse to give estimates without seeing the unit. If it has been serviced by someone else, all bets are off. Some people have no business working on anything.
So if you like it, take it to a known really good audio technician with some formal training. Everything else is just rolling the dice. Even if it seems to work afterwards.
Asking for even a rough estimate sight unseen is not reasonable. Equipment this old becomes an individual, they may have some similar issues, but are equally able to have more of their very own. I service equipment still (for nearly 50 years now) and refuse to give estimates without seeing the unit. If it has been serviced by someone else, all bets are off. Some people have no business working on anything.
So if you like it, take it to a known really good audio technician with some formal training. Everything else is just rolling the dice. Even if it seems to work afterwards.
schematic posted here https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...reo-interaural-crosstalk-cancellation.399376/
Sadly, I know exactly what you mean. Soldering iron melts, chewed screw heads from using the wrong screwdriver, chewed nuts because they didn't own a spanner or nutdriver, the list goes on. Even worse, some stuff was manufactured that way! I've scrapped a number of Cambridge Instruments bridges for their low thermal EMF posts and discovered chewed screw heads deep inside. The only tool some people should be allowed to use is a vacuum cleaner.
Thanks Bill,
Yuck, bucket brigade chip! Thanks for pointing me to the information.
Hi EC8010,
I just had to tear apart an HP 3457A to correct improper reassembly by a monkey that was inside years ago. There are no limits to poor workmanship. Even inside excellent equipment. Stripped and missing hardware is so common, very sad.
Yuck, bucket brigade chip! Thanks for pointing me to the information.
Hi EC8010,
I just had to tear apart an HP 3457A to correct improper reassembly by a monkey that was inside years ago. There are no limits to poor workmanship. Even inside excellent equipment. Stripped and missing hardware is so common, very sad.
I'm unaware of any known really good audio technicians with some formal training in my area; I'm completely out of touch. Does anyone know of one in the U.S. who has done overhauls of IR2100s I could contact? I can't do it myself. Some here apparently have done their own; would you consider working on mine?
Hi Schmye Bubbula,
Any good audio technician is far better than trying this yourself - depending on what you want as an outcome. An "engineering technician" will generally do it correctly without wasting money, and may be able to improve performance in a real way. A straight good audio tech that doesn't get creative will restore your unit properly. A "wannabe" will read stuff on the internet and results may vary widely, including making your unit no longer repairable.
So it really depends. There are some very good technicians on DiyAudio, maybe some can point you to someone in your area. I don't know many even in Canada, most have retired or passed on. Your equipment isn't any different to deal with than other audio equipment. Not to a good tech anyway.
Any good audio technician is far better than trying this yourself - depending on what you want as an outcome. An "engineering technician" will generally do it correctly without wasting money, and may be able to improve performance in a real way. A straight good audio tech that doesn't get creative will restore your unit properly. A "wannabe" will read stuff on the internet and results may vary widely, including making your unit no longer repairable.
So it really depends. There are some very good technicians on DiyAudio, maybe some can point you to someone in your area. I don't know many even in Canada, most have retired or passed on. Your equipment isn't any different to deal with than other audio equipment. Not to a good tech anyway.