My #@%$ Cat Destroyed My ARC REF 5SE. Soliciting Suggestions.

gosh, you are so funny!

If your cats' urine was acid enough to etch a circut board, your cat had an issue....and likely needed a vet visit...or....
-Litter box needed a cleaning....if you got hung up in traffic, that's one if  it was used to 'regular maintainence' with its' box....
-Expression of 'discontent', if it was used to your appearance at the 'regular interval' ( they're as bad as dogs in that respect...).
-Possesion jealousy...if you gave your pre more attention that it, they're known to pick your fav object....esp. if they're not feeling good or pissed at you for neglect for some reason.

If your pre getting doused, or anything else for that matter, was unusual...you were getting a message....an expensive one in your case.

Spouse and I have had a number of cats over our decades...the worst one did was claw lp spines.  They are trainable to some degree, but you have to start with the kitten....the kitten you raise is going to be the cat you have.  

@bobauch Well said, sir. 

I’ve repaired many an audio item, and even done full parts removal from boards, 99.99% isopropanol based scrub and forced pressure spray wash on said board and chassis, and so on. And I just can’t quite see the unit as being irreparable.

Work, lots of work, insane work, yes.

But irreparable? no.

The scenario is more that ARC won’t and can’t do it at an effective cost, for them.

So they give you a price and option, that keeps them in their comfort zone. All reasonable for a company that tries to remain in profit mode. Looking at it without any projected emotions...they no one any freebies.

If you live in the big city and the tech is a ARC repair center or empowered to repair ARC, then you might get the same answer as you got from ARC.

If the tech is, again, in the ’big city’ they have plenty of other work that is far far less painful or insane, or less time consuming for far greater return... than a nightmare level work load and low profit margin rebuild -of the likes I’m speaking of. Thus the answer being the same as from ARC. Importantly, the big city techs...are mostly going to be specialists, not broadly experienced restoration specialists.

If it was me, to take a risk, I’d buy the unit for $500, or more properly, notably less than $500... and then spend a few days of overall hard complex nuanced expert experienced work... over a far longer time period (done in chunks)... and bring it back to life, better than original.

Just...because.

The work level and work load, in getting it back to order, and even the potential that it may not be possible... means that the purchase of the unit to be rebuilt, must be at a junk fire sale level..and then..the potential value, as a rebuilt item.. would have to be in my hands, and there is no incentive other than that to get involved, at all.

At this point, if it was pulled out of a garbage dumpster by a competent and seasoned tech, of the highest order..and also in pristine external condition.... there is no doubt in my mind that it would eventually be repaired, fully.

So, yes, repairable. but not effectively for you, overall.

I hate cats