Counterpoint Solid 8 Preamp Schematic

As you are American maybe if you can contact --Aria Audio/Ltd or Mike Elliot in the USA if the company still exists when he broke away from Counterpoint .


Used to go under Altavistaaudio.com but that too probably wont exist any longer .


Try searching his name .
 
Member
Joined 2008
Paid Member
Altavista is no more...for a while now. Mike got sick as I understand it. He was fielding email for a time afterward. I don’t know how he faired with the illness. He used to provide service manuals and the like for a fee...they were NOT cheap.

I have an SA12 that has sat on a shelf for several years due to a shorted/blown output stage. I actually found some of the unobtainable matched transistors that a fellow member pulled from a good channel of an SA20 that had suffered the same fate. Unfortunately, I still haven’t fixed it.

There is a member in here called anatech who is very knowledgeable of Counterpoint gear and offers repair and upgrades. You might try him.
 
Thanks for the responses. I'll try and contact Anatech.

I have been probing around a bit inside. Interesting that one of the five relays (the muting relay on the outputs) is a different brand than the others, but, it's supplied by the same voltage as the others. Wonder if it was replaced at some point by a cheaper relay. The specs on it are slightly different, and, I looked it up, and, it is a cheaper part. I don't have a parts list, so, I can't be sure if it's different by design, or, a replacement part. All the caps, based on appearance, seem to be ok.

I'm going to continue to troubleshoot this thing. Any input would be appreciated.
 
Good evening Sharlan,

maybe i can be of assistance ?
I'm the lucky owner of a Counterpoint HC818e. This is a multiroom preamp but based on the Solid 8.
My HC818e officially does not exist. The "e" stands for "export" and those units had encapsulated gainstages incorporated. My unit has completely open/naked boards (completely stuffed with goodies incl the opamps) and spare empty gainboard -PCB's for further experiments ? And…...a service manual of all HC818 things to know.
And in that manual are, because of its roots, also lots of Solid 8 knowledge.

I took pictures of those pages.
Hopefully this will help.
Sorry; a list of material was not included.

Please not the serial number of your Solid 8. (see my copied pages) as it wil hint if you're looking at Revision A or Revision C.

My unit is playing perfectly. I only swapped out a set of cinch connectors as they are flimsy by nature.

Regards,
Reinout
 

Attachments

  • 1. opening.JPG
    1. opening.JPG
    358.9 KB · Views: 612
  • 10. early solid 8 gain stage (rev A).JPG
    10. early solid 8 gain stage (rev A).JPG
    424.9 KB · Views: 633
  • 9. solid 8 block diagram.JPG
    9. solid 8 block diagram.JPG
    458.1 KB · Views: 443
  • 8. DC voltages.JPG
    8. DC voltages.JPG
    412.1 KB · Views: 278
  • 7. service data 2.JPG
    7. service data 2.JPG
    366.2 KB · Views: 232
  • 6. service data 1.JPG
    6. service data 1.JPG
    470.3 KB · Views: 217
  • 5. circuit decscription.JPG
    5. circuit decscription.JPG
    620.6 KB · Views: 471
  • 4. specs 2.JPG
    4. specs 2.JPG
    312.3 KB · Views: 455
  • 3. specs 1.JPG
    3. specs 1.JPG
    312.1 KB · Views: 465
  • 2. gen. description 1.JPG
    2. gen. description 1.JPG
    532.2 KB · Views: 541
second set of copies.
Regards,
Reinout

(i made 17 pictures....so if you got those you got all the Solid 8 knowledge i have)
 

Attachments

  • 16. Solid 8 Rev A layout.JPG
    16. Solid 8 Rev A layout.JPG
    726.9 KB · Views: 244
  • 15. transformer primaries.JPG
    15. transformer primaries.JPG
    502.7 KB · Views: 201
  • 14. transformer secondaries.JPG
    14. transformer secondaries.JPG
    396.3 KB · Views: 238
  • 13. PS schematic.JPG
    13. PS schematic.JPG
    393.3 KB · Views: 336
  • 12. later solid 8 gain stage (rev D).JPG
    12. later solid 8 gain stage (rev D).JPG
    437.8 KB · Views: 401
  • 11. later solid 8  gain stage (rev C).JPG
    11. later solid 8 gain stage (rev C).JPG
    423.6 KB · Views: 481
  • 17. Solid 8 Rev C layout.JPG
    17. Solid 8 Rev C layout.JPG
    879.4 KB · Views: 322
I changed three caps: one in the power section that drives the relays and two in the power section for the audio. But, I still get the random drop-outs. I monitored the voltage in the relay circuit over time, and, when the relays drop out, the voltage drops to zero for that circuit, usually for less than a second, but, sometimes almost five seconds.

I'm going to test the transformer to make sure it's operating properly. Next will be the bridge rectifier and voltage regulator in the relay power circuit. Seems odd behavior for a transformer, but, then, I'm not an electronics expert. At least the audio circuit seems good. The issues seem isolated to the relay circuit.
 
Good afternoon Charlan,

great news !
Hopefully your Solid 8 will be an usefull component in your set-up for yours to come.
And you got the schematics for future services if needed. Noted that a lot of people downloaded the schematics so there was interest anyway.

Regards,
Reinout