User Error Disaster

I'd like to thank everyone for their interest and help with this. With the help of another user I was able to locate a documented, refurbished and tested ST-202 for a very reasonable price. I'm planning on plugging that in place until I can locate some place local that can check out and fully repair my Sonata 202+ hopefully getting it back close to factory specs. And thanks to those who provided non-local repair shops as well.

You may wonder why I might be willing to spend $600 to refurb a nearly 30 year old amplifier. Some of you already know. You cannot find a modern $600 amp that can perform as well as this one. Pretty simple. Sure, if I was in the market for multiple new components, looking at a $2000 integrated amp might make sense. I appreciate the comments about needing to move into the 21st century. Thanks, I think we all got there whether we wanted to or not. And once my Sonata 202+ is repaired/restored, I have a fine amp to form the basis of a smaller system in a different room with the ST-202 I just bought.

Sometimes it just comes down to not overthinking things. I have an excellent temporary replacement until I can get mine fixed properly. Again, thanks everyone for your help and opinions. They were all valuable in their own way :)

j

I'll second the Fort Worth Audio suggestion.  They'll take care of you.

I've got an EX442 Sonata that is long in the tooth, but I simply love it.  I expect I'll do the same as you when it starts going:  fix it.  John Hillig (Musical Concepts) modded the Hafler DH220 I've got in my office, so I expect I'd send my B&K to him.  It's in mint condition and looks good in the living room, so.........there you go.  

It pairs up too well with my MMGs to roll the dice on chasing the sound through a different amp when I'm perfectly content with the current setup.

Due to 100% user error, involving testing and shorting out a transformer on a preamp while it was plugged into my two amps, a second preamp, and CD player, I sent 120 volts through the entire patch cold array.  No one wanted to repair anything, because the amp/preamp designer/maker never released any repair info or drawings.  Luckily, I found the trick.  Find out who does warranty repairs for companies like McIntosh in your area.  It is probably an old man in a garage, or a small repair shop, with a son up front and the old man in the back,  but this warranty guy will know everything needed to test and repair it.  This has worked in Tennessee and Florida (My Bad!!!)  for me.  Thanks long time sales guy Greg in Knoxville, and Chris at Audio Advisors in WPB, FL for the leads.