2. misc-audio
  3. 191932-107

Reliability - what’s your experience been?

I’ve been into high fi since the 1970’s. Fortunately, equipment breakdown has been few and far between.

As best as I can recall, I needed the following repairs:

1- new motor on a Thorens turntable (noisy motor)

2- Repair of an Aiwa tape deck (noisy channel)

3- Bryston amp (broken power switch)

4- Proceed amp (would not turn on)

5- CAL cd player (noisy channel)

6- Bricasti dac (no sound- just static)

7- Simaudio cd player (failed transport)

8- Pass integrated amp (intermittent noise)

not bad for almost 50 years experience. How has your experience been?

128x128zavato
immatthewj
2,208 posts
 

The Cary gear I have owned (two preamps and two amps) has been very reliable. (Actually, I haven’t put enough time on the latest preamp yet to fully make that determination.)

I once owned a pair of Audio Research VTM 120s that sounded great but had a nasty habit of blowing a random grid resistor when I turned them on.

I have a Rega Jupiter transport that I no longer use, but it has lasted forever.

A digital cable went bad on me once.

My Carver CDP took a crap, but it had a lot of miles on it. My B&K digital HT pre started doing wonky things before I gave up on HT.

I got this HP desktop I am presently typing on in 2012 (Windows 7!) and it is doing some goofy things here and there, but it is still my only PC.  

pmm
239 posts
 

Amps, Preamps, and Speakers. The most reliable.

CD players the least.

Spoke with a Hi End repair tech, he told me CD players have the highest failure rates vs Tape Decks and Turntables.

ghdprentice
7,223 posts
 

I have owned and upgraded a high end audio system since the early 1970s. Marantz at the beginning and getting better. Amber, AR turntable, Nakimachi, VPI, Threshold, Pass, Audio Research, Sony CD player (in the very beginning) and Sonic Frontiers, and Linn.

I only remember one failure… three times… the Sonic Frontiers CD player had the transport go out three times. They replaced it for free each time.

rlb61
789 posts
 

1.  Cary has been the absolute worst cr*p I've ever owned.

2.  BAT has been the absolute best gear I've ever owned ... great sound and built like a tank..

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,204 posts
 

Had to replace a motor on a Nottingham Spacedeck

Bad output transformer on a Music Reference RM9. Luckily Roger had a spare even though the amp was out of production 

Bad output transformer on a Canary CA-160. These were monoblocks and the cost to repair was more than their value. I sold the pair back to Canary. Was not impressed with their customer service

Blown tweeter on a Silverline Sonata. Replaced with no drama

Bass driver went out on a Von Schweikert VR4. Albert sent one out promptly and a UPS label for the bad driver. Great customer service, RIP Albert 

 

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