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Older Electronics - When to cut bait? Your thoughts?

Hi - I am looking for your collective insight and advice.  I have a Conrad Johnson PFR preamp and MF2250 amp from the early 2000's.  Ironically, I purchased them because of their CJ tube sound AND yet they were more "maintenance free solid state" vs tubes.  Well, here I am approximately 20 years later and I repaired my PFR preamp for approx. $600 two years ago and my MF2250 just went out.

My question is, at what point is it prudent to cut bait and give up on older electronics before they become a money pit?  In the back of my mind I wonder when the PFR will go out again with some other problem and I am looking at another $600 repair.....by then I would be in it for $1,200 of repairs and that is a good chunk towards a newer model.....PrimaLuna for instance.  I am now very fine with tubes as it seems easier and less costly to replace tubes and I really a warm full sound.

For context, I love(!) the sound of the two units although I expect the same, if not better, can be had for a few grand each with lower risk of repair in the next 15+ years... Again, like a PrimaLuna.

Lastly, I know there is not a hard and fast rule here and the answer is subjectively unique for everyone although, I expect some of you have been down this road before so I would love to get your thought process and logic.  Your personal experiences can help inform my thinking as I ponder what to do.

THANK YOU!  Dave

For added context, although I am not sure it matters, I have:
-JanZen Valentia speakers
-McIntosh CD player, MCD205
-Linn LP12 will just about all the upgrades....money pit here:)
-PS Audio DirectStream DAC
-Moon Audio, Silver Dragon interconnects
-Whatever speaker cables....someday will get something else
butterman
hemigreg's avatar
hemigreg
119 posts
 
well ive got Crowns,Dynacos,BGWs,Heathkits etc since the 70s and play them all hard since. over 50 pieces. not one has ever failed me cept for a fan or two wearing out. ive checked the signals regulary for decay and nothing more than a few mvolts offset drift. some are powered on at all times like in a recording studio which i had till huricane sandy.. all on clean AC power. dont understand why the eseroteric stuff blows out maybe they want to sell more stuff with planned obselence????
I come from the Electronics/phisics/RF world and I know this to be true for commercial designs. go MILSPEC stds and you wont have failures.
Newer technologies are nothing more than mods of the basic electronic principals. built in a more complicated way. thilk Rube Golbreg.
sorry for the rant.
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16f4's avatar
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16f4
1,063 posts
 
My 35 year old NAD amp was causing me problems, and I was debating another cap replacement or just buy a new amp.  And then I received a sign: my wife asked me, “why don’t you just by a new one?”.  
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,495 posts
 
I just got back my Ayre amp back...they did this and that....nothing was wrong with it before, ....sounds a bit better.....good for ever now.
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Hi ,
@butterman,
check first what was the cause to repair your PFR and if this is common.
If so replace both units (synergy) but keep in mind that a wow factor will not come cheap and not in Prima Luna league. Older units, if top notch when new, will remain so for a very very long time. Depending on their quality of construction, materials quality used and usage will give a trouble free life of over 30 years. They can easily be serviced after that and continue to compete with newer stuff. All that if you have settled and believe that your system is doing justice to your ears.
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