Parasound HCA-1206 Re Cap.

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VSAT88
VSAT88 Posts: 1,227
edited June 2016 in Electronics
Hello, the issue I am having is this , I have taken my Parasound HCA 1206 apart and I am putting in all new electrolytic caps (from Mouser). I have not worked on any equipment this new (over 20 years old) so I am not at all familiar with this design. Prior to this (about 4 years ago) I put in all new filter caps and had a lot of trouble soldering them to the power supply board it took a lot of heat, more than I thought should be required anyway, I have all the parts I need however this is proving to be a real PIA. I hope I am able to explain the problem so it will be at least a bit understandable. On a regular board the part goes thru the top and solders to the bottom however on these boards it seems as if the are soldered all the way thru the board or soldered on top and bottom of the board ? I also think that these boards have circuit traces on top as well as the bottom. Maybe a sandwich type design ?? I have not seen this before and I just don't understand. When I de solder it is really tough to get the parts out and the de soldering (suction type) tool seems almost useless. I am having to use a very small drill to put holes back in in order to put in the parts, this is painstaking to say the very least. Whats crazy is that I heated up one part too much and the trace around the hole burnt and lifted. When I installed the new part (by accident) I noticed that even without the part jumped out it retained continuity to the other side of the trace where I was going to jump it out. Crazy, I know. I did jump it out anyway just FYI. Can anyone at least tell me I am not going mad. Thanks !

Comments

  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,340
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    It sounds like the board is multi-layer with plated through holes. Careful with the drill that you do not remove the plating.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,227
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    skrol wrote: »
    It sounds like the board is multi-layer with plated through holes. Careful with the drill that you do not remove the plating.

    Skrol you ain't never lied. This joker is a pain. I have already lifted at least three traces. So what you said runs true. Point to point wireing is not so bad on a tube amp and not so good on a transistor amp. I am going to be busy for a while jumping out traces it seems. Even though I am being careful. Thanks for your comment and your help.
  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,340
    edited June 2016
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    I had to repair a few on my Parasound HCA-800ii and C/PT-600 but they were single sided boards. The HCA-1000A had a few broken solder joints on the bias resistors.

    When setting the bias, the voltage is measured across these resistors. It is easy to apply a little too much pressure and crack the solder joints. This is actually how I got the amp cheap. I bought it as-is with a bad channel which turned out to be a solder joint.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,227
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    Yes i read your thread about that amp. I was glad to have that info. It gave me other thoughts about where to look and what i should pay attention to in that area. I really do not want to go back into that baby unless i have to.
  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,227
    Options
    OK, time to update this thread. As seen here this thing is one hell of a mess to work with ! All turned out well in the end ; ) The images are not necessarily in order. I took about 90 images in all. They helped out big time. The amp. sounds great, but it always did, well after the original filter cap. replacement. Had to do that first thing after buying it.
    20160625_033856_zpsb3wchnyf.jpg
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,340
    Options
    Wow, that looks like quite a job. After re-capping my amps, I initially was not impressed with the sound. It was rather harsh but in no time they sweetened almost right before your ears.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,227
    Options
    Yes, it pretty much has always had no sound. In other words it does not seem to add or subtract from the source sound, for a lack of words. It seems a bit sterile now, not better not worse. I really hope the same thing happens to this one that happened to yours. This is the amp I use for my Polk SDA2b speakers. Wish I had more power than 130 watts per channel. I would really like to trade for a two channel amp. May well buy or find one one of these days, who knows right ?
    skrol wrote: »
    Wow, that looks like quite a job. After re-capping my amps, I initially was not impressed with the sound. It was rather harsh but in no time they sweetened almost right before your ears.