Threshold reliability

[RobertS61]

Just scored the accompanying black livery Threshold FET ten/hl with 'E' Series psu for my SA/1's

What amazes me time after time that Threshold gear seems to be so reliable.
I've had dozens of them and apart from one faulty output transistor in a S/1000 Series II, it just always work.
And bulbs for my SA/1's which I bought 50 of them but only changed two of them over the years 😉
I've never seen any Thresholds at repair-facilities. How can that be? Are they conservatively build, gone through a perfect part selection process when build, have a simple topology...?
Pass Labs will probably the same in this category.
So I do not feel the urge to replace any parts like lytics or so but maybe I should.
I did replace the eight Mallory's in one set of SA/1 and put a thermistor in them as a rushin current limiter, that's it.
Amazing stuff!

 

[Zen Mod]

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

Absolutely lovely!!!

But... as an avid DIYer... couldn't you "book match" the front panels of the amps?

 

[RobertS61]

Yeah, I always wondered why Besné didn´t design a mirror pair of these amps.

 

[WBS]

Unless you have some fans in those cubby holes, those things will llikely overheat!

 

[DrKarl]

I am also interested to know if anyone owns Threshold S1600 power amps, and see some photos of them. Looks like they are very rare. Any idea?

 

[Richard Ellis]

When someone says, "I've had dozens of them..." And if we are talking about reliability, are we talking about, how much time has expired in hours/years/decades when device is operated normally vs. "Abused"?
If one says, I've had dozens of them...how long in time had the device been owned?, one per year? , five each year?...OR have all dozen been running full power 24/7 for a decade or two ? If indeed you have owned a dozen in a span of seven years time, that is not much time they could have been running.
PS, the first photo shows a full-wave bridge & other devices without appropriate heat-sinks...so much for engineering design details. Those holes in those devices ain't there for decoration... (Not a fan of derating)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...

 

[Toys4Boys]

Is that a 390S? I just acquired 1 that a client was tossing, dead drive, to use as a DAC and at some point see if the Philips transport can be salvaged. It would be sweet CD player for the price 😁

 

[Mikerodrig27]

What I have noticed is that the lower the rail voltage seems to help reliability. So your SA/1's should be pretty reliable VS say a S1000 (which is already pretty reliable).

 

[RobertS61]

Is that a 390S? I just acquired 1 that a client was tossing, dead drive, to use as a DAC and at some point see if the Philips transport can be salvaged. It would be sweet CD player for the price 😁

Yes that's an factory upgraded No. 39 to a 390s.

 

[RobertS61]

I am also interested to know if anyone owns Threshold S1600 power amps, and see some photos of them. Looks like they are very rare. Any idea?

I never did. The SA versions, in this case the SA12, were preferred.

 

[RobertS61]

Unless you have some fans in those cubby holes, those things will llikely overheat!

The back is open. So no overheating.