If my Kenwood KD decks can't be repaired?


I have 2 Kenwood KD decks and both are out of action. They are so well engineered and come with simple features that simply don't appear on modern decks - end of side motor shut down and arm lift. They also come with very good gimbal arms that are a doddle to set up. The bearing assembly because that is what it is is superb will go on forever.

There used to be a good D/D repair co. in the UK that imploded. If the inevitable has occurred what possible alternative exists, bearing in mind that I am at the point of wanting to digitise my LP collection, CDs I will keep to use on the hugely under rated Marantz CD6007 which walks all over the original Marantz and the 63KI.

So, suggestions for a new/second hand T/T preferably D/D.

deep_south

Yes doddle is English 'as is spoke'. I always find it amusing when Americans pronounce 'route' as 'rout', as in an army 'doing a runner'.

lewm - I did replace all the electrolytics in the first deck but the problem remained.

pindac - I hav'nt lived in the UK for 21 years, I live in France and though it may well be possible to detach the Kenwood's PCB I would almost certainly encounter the double VAT/TVA  farce now that Brexit is in force.

I bought s/hand about 25 years ago a Tecnics SL-120 for my wife, it's the same as  the SL-1200 but without the arm. It came with an SME fitted 3009 detachable h/shell, the original owner lived just a few miles from the SME factory in Steyning, Sussex.

The Technics are good decks but the Kenwood KD/KP series are topnotch. Now that health problems for me and my wife are sorted I will put both decks side by side and do continuity checks to ascertain if the problem is the same.

As so many functions are at fault I think that the problem/s must be soon after the Tx. In the first deck I measured all the resistors and they are fine, if an i/c has died then it will almost certainly be a no-no. 

I did try on diyaudio to find a specialist for the Kenwood but no response. I thought I might find a person or company in Germany that could help as it was the Germans who recognised how revolutionary the designs of the Japanese D/Ds were and the superb engineering, I bought both decks on ebay.de.

I shall get both decks up on the bench and see what the craic is. If the i/cs are functioning and I can find and eliminate the problem I will share with the forum. 

These Kenwoods are truly very good decks and even with the prices they fetch nowadays they are very good value as they come with excellent arms let's see. 

To even approach this quality today in a modern deck and without the functions I have mentioned, it will mean a serious outlay.

@deep_south can you let me know the region in France that you live.

I might be able to discover an option for you, that does not entail too much of a logistic. 

I have sent a mail with a contact link, the moderators are looking at the content, as a result of a contact being included,  I can't see a issue, it is a direct result of and related to the thread.

Let me know if it is received ?