My Tuner/Amp

[Sean Regan]

I mentioned elsewhere that my vintage 1970s Leak 2000 tuner/amp had started "motorboating." This is a term to describe the sound it makes when you turn it on.
It becomes hardly noticeable when you turn up the volume as that sound doesn't increase. It's a common fault. So it's gone in for an estimate for repair.

I've had it for about fifteen years. I bought it for sixty quid on eBay. So it doesn't owe me any money. I'd be loath to get rid of it as I use the radio and can run my record turntable, cassette player and jukebox wallboxes through it (not at the same time!) it also has another input for a tape recorder if I had one. Many such tuner/amps don't have more than a couple of inputs. It also has "din" multi-pin sockets, essential for my cassette player and turntable,
which were one of the reasons I bought it as they are the same as a Philips tuner/amp which went U/S it replaced.
I'll get the estimate some time next week.


In the meantime I spotted this one on eBay. These usually sell for anything betweem £80 and £150.
I think people were a bit put off as there's a knob missing and scratches on the top.

The plus points for me, were that the vendor said it was working well and had been recently serviced. Now, he's got 100% feedback and what I've read were positive.
Another plus point is that there's no wear on the control lettering, which suggests not a lot of use. Even mine which is in othewise perfect cosmetic condition, the "on off" and "volume" lettering has worn.
I've got a spare knob and I can sort out the scratches on the top. It's proper wood veneer, the top is only held on with two screws, so I can take it off rub it down and repolish it.
A few of the push buttons look as if they've been replaced as they are slightly different. They do tend to fly off sometimes, but again, I've some spares of the right ones.


So this is it. I paid £56. I should get it on Friday.



All being well I'll use it to replace the vintage Rotel in my "office" which I bought last year and that can become the spare.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I kinda miss the valves. I had a original Harmon Kardon amp when I was 13 that I wish I kept.

 

[Sean Regan]

Valve amplifiers are hugely popular still with many enthusiasts.
Such equipment is still being manufactured, but it is at the top end of the price scale.
They like to see them exposed as they I guess, are considered "a thing of beauty."

 

[DirtMechanic]

Valve amplifiers are hugely popular still with many enthusiasts.
Such equipment is still being manufactured, but it is at the top end of the price scale.
They like to see them exposed as they I guess, are considered "a thing of beauty."

View attachment 86356

I think they are art. Especially since they were the original idea.

 

[Sean Regan]

The tuner/amp I bought on eBay arrived this afternoon.

It was extremely well packed.

I plugged it in and checked out all the functions and it's working fine as was promised.

I took the front off and cleaned the tuning dial and the facia and replaced the missing mw/lw switch.





The vendor had included this photo of the damaged top in the description.
But it's a "proper veneered" top and sides, unlike many receivers of this age which have "wood effect" cabinets and are unrepairable.




So I spent just a few minutes on it with my belt sander and gave it a dose of liquid furniture polish. It will need more as it needs to soak in as it was very dry, but it's looking a lot better already.





I won't get the estimate for the repair of the original one until next week. But I will have it done, as the cabinet is in immaculate condition.

This one will replace the Rotel in my office which will become a spare.

There you go, up and running.

 

[Sean Regan]

When I bought the first tuner/amp on eBay fifteen years ago I managed to get hold of a service manual for it from an enthusiasts' site, via PDF, which I thought would come in handy.

It enabled me to know how to remove the two side wooden panels. They are are just secured by a clip at the front and one screw at the back. I would imagine, given the great deal of work that went into the original assembly, the sides and the top weren't fitted until all the electric work, with soldering irons etc., was done, by I guess a lot of different people, so the wood didn't get damaged.


So I've taken them off and given them a sanding down. It's mahogany veneer so came up reasonably well, The top needed a bit more "fettling."
Looking at the state of one of the sides I bet it was stored on it's end for years and occasionally moved about.

This was the worst side, but after attacking both with a couple of grades of sandpaper it's come up quite well. I've used Golden Oil wood polish and conditioner on all three bits which really soaks in, it's a bit like Cuprinol.

I guess I'm looking for things to do now the cupboard is finished.

 

[dirtdigs]

Cool vintage gear.

 

[dirtdigs]

Been swapping systems around.

Lil desk area setup.

Cheap "wannabe" tube amp that streams half was decent.

1972 B&W DM4 speakers with original Bextreme midbass, Delestion HF1300 MkII and the Coles 4001 supertweeter.
Trying them on some new Rockville stands.

Will cook some play sand tonight and get the stands filled tomorrow.

They still sound good for being 49rs old. The Velcro holders for the grills are still intact.

Too bad they were not the special-order rosewood finish.