2. amps-preamps
  3. 160991-11545

Amp repair cost — is this right?

I recently sent my Musical Fidelity a308cr power amp off to be recapped. This amp is somewhere around 16-18 years old and one of the power caps failed. I contacted Musical Fidelity and sent it to a repair shop they recommended. Today I received an estimate to replace 18 caps, 8 of which are large power caps, resolder the boards, and re-bias the transistors. Basically a full overhaul. The quote I received, including return shipping (prob around $100) Is over $1,300 which possibly exceeds the value of the amp. That doesn’t include the $115 it cost me to ship it out. Having never had an overhaul done on a power amp like this, I’m wondering if anyone with experience can tell me if this sounds right. I guess I was expecting something more like $600-$800 but I don’t know why since I really don’t have a frame of reference. Perhaps it was the assumption it might be 4 hours labor (say $400) plus max $200 for caps. Is $1,300+ on track? Either way I’m going to be out the shipping cost plus a $160 fee paid for the estimate.
jnehma1
peteroen
2 posts
 
FWIW - I had sent my Emotiva XPA-2 gen-1 amp about 18-months ago to Emotiva's facility in Tennessee for a channel dropout issue.  While it was there, they evaluated the amp and recommended replacing its capacitors.

Cost for that was $465, which included the parts & labor for:
  • the re-capping work,
  • bias adjust,
  • 4-hour burn-in,
  • re-test on their Audio Precision system
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
I opened another disc on TECH TALK, , with the discussion taking on  up this issue,,, 
1) repair?
2) upgrade?
3) sell?

I thought over this $1500 tech estimate and I've come to the conclusion (based  on my exp of local techs fees) this amount is excessive.
Tech's know they  have little competition , so audiophiles are left with little choice but to pay up.
We all need to list techs that we know who are fair and reasonable,, this way we can see how far a  drive one of these techs are from our home , or pay shipping. 
I have no tech here in the new orleans area who I can recommend. 
Sorry. 
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
Cost for that was $465, which included the parts & labor for:


^^^^^^^
What quality./brand cap?
I mean where they Mundorf SESGO or just <<garden variety Nichicon's>>???

I mean $465 seems fair,, but i can't say for sure unless i know the  quality of the cap. 
and quantity of caps. 

Biasing , that should have been thrown in as FREE. 
So really you paid near $500 for caps, 
Brand?
Quanity?
Then we know what deal you got.

ml8764ag's avatar
ml8764ag
502 posts
 
tazdevl30. +100

Bravo...well said...guaranteed that 99% of them never even used a soldering iron.


audio2design
1,351 posts
 
Based on the comments I will take that bet. A bunch show evidence of understanding the work just fine. It's the ones that go off on a tangent with esoteric replacement parts that make me pause.
More to discover