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

(Public service announcement-keep your pets away from your audio equipment)

I love my cat. But not as much as I once did :-)
The short story is cat pee corroded the main board to my ARC REF 5SE. 

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover repair or replacement because owning a pet means you assume liability/responsibility. Ironically, or strangely enough, If my neighbor's cat or dog did this, I could collect.

My options-
Repair it. Fixing it will cost 7K. The main board alone is 6K.
Buy a pre-owned replacement at close to similar price. And if I go pre-owned, what's the market on a REF 5SE with a destroyed main board.
Go in a different direction.

What would you do?

TIA,
David
128x128wharfy
chronoglidesky's avatar
chronoglidesky
45 posts
 
My beloved Onyx (my cat, RIP 2 years ago now) managed to destroy TWO top-end Lyra cartridges (at different times). Bless. I wagged my finger sternly at him and said "no, bad puss" each time, but I suspect he didn't quite get the message.
timinphoenix
17 posts
 
Hello

I am a technician, an Audio Research owner, and this happened to me also. I fixed mine.

Send me your preamp for no charge evaluation. No charge unless I order parts. No labor charge unless I can fix it. You would pay return shipping cost if unsuccessful.

ehometech8022@yahoo.com

Tim Martin, Scottsdale   480 253 2781 ........  pls text me first

papafrgog
102 posts
 

That is awful. Considering the cat has 9 lives, you'll probably run out of money before the problem is truly solved. But seriously, clean it up, disclose the damage and sell it to a electronic tinkerer as a project. Use the proceeds to offset a replacement. 

Although I'm not an ARC guy, I believe that most manufacturers of high end gear have improved the components they use over the last 10 years. You might find better sound at a lower price point in the ARC product  line.

fleschler
2,015 posts
 
Have your audio equipment listed under scheduled property as a separate  part of your homeowners policy.   Also, insurance policies vary from HO3 to HO5+, the former is comparable to having the minimal auto insurance and the latter, the highest limits with best coverages.   All my audio equipment is covered by a scheduled policy.  Earthquake, flood, theft, even cat or dog damage (whosever) is covered.  So long as the covered equipment was not purposefully destroyed, it is covered.
fleschler
2,015 posts
 
anzaanimalclinic Can you tell me why one of our cats (smaller one) enjoys peeing in our bathroom sinks occasionally?  We've had cats for 35 years and this (intelligent) cat does this once every two weeks.   I suspect she sees us using the sink and is so personable that she wants to imitate us in the bathroom.
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