Kermit z
09-18-2009, 06:27 AM
Last year, while on a major vintage kick, I bought an SA-303 off the 'bay. I was so excited cuz I got a good deal and really wanted to get it and hook it up. At that point, I had a Pioneer SX-3700 and a Pioneer SX-550. Both cleaned up nicely and were playing well. So I really didn't need another receiver, but the fever had reached a high pitch. A week after winning the auction, I get the Technics. It was very dirty:mad: So I clean it all up, clean the switches and pots with Deoxit and hook it up to watch the power meters light up. Well, only 1 light worked on the dial. But the meters seemed to work fine. But after a few minutes, the left channel goes out. I try cleaning the balance switch again. No luck. It comes and goes, then finally, goes. I realize I'm over my head now after multipule cleanings. To say I was disappointed was an understatment. One day while cruising CL I find an ad for a tech. He works on vintage gear. SO I decide to give it a shot. Real nice guy, he says it should be no problem. But it was bad inside. Someone had sprayed Deoxit all over the board (A bad thing it turns out:o ) So for a major cleaning and refurb, with out recaping was going to run 100.00. I decide, to just get it done. I was not going to flip it anyways, and if I don't get it running, it would be a parts unit . The good thing was that he would give it a warranty, so if anything went wrong with it, he would fix it, no charge. Parts would, of course, be charged but not labor. So off to work he goes. 3 months go by with no call. I finally call him to find out what was going on. Its done, he said, I was going to call you. So I go pick it up and am all excited. I get it home, hook it up, left channel is dead:mad: My misstake was not having a listen when I picked it up. He offered but I said naa. So I call him. Bring it back. a few more weeks go by. Its ready again. I go pick it up. We have a listen before I take it. All was well. So I get home and hook it up. Right channel is out:confused: I put it on its side in the corner and forget about it. This last spring at the local Vintage audio show, I run into the tech. He asks how the Technics is working, I tell him its not. He is very sorry about it and wants to take a look again. So I decide, what the heck. I bought a Kenwood KA-6002 integrated amp from him and find it has an issue, so I take it and the Technics back. Well, the Kenny is gone but the Technics is finally up and running. This took 1 and a 1/2 years but it looks great, plays real nice with its 40wpc. Since this time, I also picked up a Technics SA-400 that had all the lights working. It has 45wpc and works pretty well. So I finally can say I am a Technics fan