H/K 570i... and repairs
mlistens03
Posts: 2,767
I was at the flea market this morning and saw it sitting on the shelf at a friends place, he sells all kinds of vinyl gear. I couldn’t leave it for the $50 he was asking, so I brought it home. He had said that he had tested it and everything, although when I got home I hooked it up, and when I turned it on, a very loud pop came through the right speaker, followed by humming. I immediately turned it off to save my Missions, just in case, and opened it up to inspect it, although I haven’t found anything wrong. I’m gonna try cleaning out the switches and volume pots to see if that helps anything.
I will say, this thing is built like a frickin’ tank. Metal faceplate and volume knobs, big heat sink, weighs at least ~20 lbs. Harmon Kardon doesn’t mess around
. I’ll probably try to get it fixed if it isn’t fixed by the DeOxit.
When I hook it back up to test, I’m gonna use some JBL woofers from an old set of j50s, so as to not destroy anything valuable. You guys have any idea what this could be in case the cleaning of switches doesn’t work?
Thanks,
Micah
I will say, this thing is built like a frickin’ tank. Metal faceplate and volume knobs, big heat sink, weighs at least ~20 lbs. Harmon Kardon doesn’t mess around
. I’ll probably try to get it fixed if it isn’t fixed by the DeOxit.When I hook it back up to test, I’m gonna use some JBL woofers from an old set of j50s, so as to not destroy anything valuable. You guys have any idea what this could be in case the cleaning of switches doesn’t work?
Thanks,
Micah
Comments
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I wouldn't turn it back on without having a professional look over it. Could be a fire hazard. You're never going to save up for a car if you keep buying broken electronics. Even a cheap car isn't that cheap.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
I wouldn't turn it back on without having a professional look over it. Could be a fire hazard. You're never going to save up for a car if you keep buying broken electronics. Even a cheap car isn't that cheap.
In my defense... uh, I didn’t know it was broken.
I still plan to get a better integrated and cables, and then I’m moving onto a car. Once my gear sells I’ll still have a lot left over from the cables and integrated that I decide on (whether that be fixing this or getting a different one). I knew that if this worked, it would be an awesome upgrade, but it doesn’t seem to. Hoping I can fix it with some DeOxit on the switches, because after reading an AK thread, it seems that the switches being dirty can cause all sorts of problems with this thing. So I will clean out the switches and give it one more go... of course outside with a fire extinguisher on hand.
I probably won’t get it looked at by a professional if I can’t fix it, because I don’t have the money for a professional. (At least I don’t think they do, repairs like this would cost a good chunk of money, right?) Since I am friends with the guy i bought it with, I can take it back to him and he will give me my money back. Try again I guess.
Thanks again,
Micah -
I can’t figure out how to get the switches apart, does anyone else have any ideas?
Here are some pics:
My dad thinks that the main power caps are bulging, but they don’t seem to be IMO.
Do you guys think a recap will be in order? And if so, how should I look at that price wise? If it’s too expensive, I’ll store it until I have purchased a car. -
Waste of $50, imo. I thought you were going to get new speakers next, not more vintage gear.
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Waste of $50, imo. I thought you were going to get new speakers next, not more vintage gear.
I thought about it, and the lacking part of my system right now is my electronics. I will move onto speakers next. When I sell my gear, I was planning on getting speakers and an amp, with amp in top priority, but I already knew that I wanted to get a vintage Marantz/Yamaha/Pioneer/H/‘K/etc. Now that I want to get a car, speakers may have to wait. When I do get the funds, I will get the Monitor Audio Bronze 2s, so don’t think your suggestions went to waste. The plan I made has just been delayed. -
A fairly nice receiver, although a little past h/k's "glory years" -- but the one that passed through here, years back (dump find) had only one functional channel.
Probably not quite worth the time, $, or effort, unfortunately, to rehabilitate.
Nice aesthetics for that line of h/k components -- h/k generally made nice lookin' stuff. -
Pop and hum is a bad sign.
I am guessing shorted driver or output device or devices -- although it could be power supply related.
If and when you 'smoke test' that receiver again, don't use loudspeakers -- first, check for DC on the loudspeaker outputs with a DMM or VOM. I don't know whether that h/k has speaker protection relays, fuses, otherwise (or nothing) -- I do know that it's not uncommon for a loudspeaker voice coil to act as a fuse to protect a receiver's protective circuitry from being damaged
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FWIW, and in case the OP didn't know it/find it already, hifiengine's got the OM, SM and some service bulletins for the 570i @ https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/harman-kardon/hk570i.shtml
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My dad is looking at it now, with his speakers that he doesn’t care too much about and if I had read your posts before you posted I would’ve warned him. But anyway, as it sat running and making noise, the hum would go up and down in frequency, intermittently go away, and then after a minute or two go away completely, and then sound pretty good. Me and my dad both guess that it is the contacts in the switches, so I’m gonna clean them out and we’ll see what happens. Worst case scenario, we take it back to the guy at the flea market, and give it back to the guy.
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After cleaning the switches with DeOxit, it still has the same symptoms. I can bring it back to the guy I bought it from, so I’ll take it back to him and return it, maybe try something else that he has. And this time, I’ll make sure it test it before we leave.
Thanks all of you guys for your help,
Micah -
Micah, just a note for future consideration - if something like this happens, speak to the seller immediately before taking a piece apart.
You say you know this person so it might be okay, but I can't imagine there are many people around who'll let a buyer (who's not a professional repair tech) disassemble a damaged piece of gear to do some troubleshooting, and then accept a return afterward.
You might be careful and know a bit, but there are probably more people who don't know what they're doing. Personally, if it were me, I'd be wary of accepting a return in a case like this out of concern that the buyer could have turned a simple problem a complicated one. Just my 2¢I disabled signatures. -
I wouldn’t have disassembled the amp had I bought it from anyone else, but he trusts me and knows that I know at least how to disassemble and reassemble everything safely, even if I can’t fix whatever may have been wrong. And all I did was just remove the front face, which is just remove 5 screws and then uncoil the light in the front. Then I cleaned the contacts and put everything back together. Very simple work, and he would trust me with (relatively) difficult work. Like I said, if it was anyone else, I wouldn’t have, but he trusts me.
Thanks for your help with this,
Micah -
Cool receiver! Honestly I only jump on vintage stuff if I know it is worth it. Is it worth the money...maybe but anything vintage will need a refresh eventually and that's where the money signs pile up.
Now everyone has that vintage piece they desire (mine is Marantz Model 250) but I still wouldn't buy one unless it had been refreshed ahead of time even if it was cheap. Best of luck on the next item, I have been waiting a while to get a new amp or integrated and it will take a bit longer so just hold out and make due with what you have.Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
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"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member -
codycatalist wrote: »Cool receiver! Honestly I only jump on vintage stuff if I know it is worth it. Is it worth the money...maybe but anything vintage will need a refresh eventually and that's where the money signs pile up.
Now everyone has that vintage piece they desire (mine is Marantz Model 250) but I still wouldn't buy one unless it had been refreshed ahead of time even if it was cheap. Best of luck on the next item, I have been waiting a while to get a new amp or integrated and it will take a bit longer so just hold out and make due with what you have.
A lot of good points. I think I may hold out to get something a little newer ... and something that works. However, maybe I should get something vintage and just eat the cost of refreshing it? From what I heard, it can make it sound like a totally different amplifier. Of course, I don’t know how much that would cost me, even using cheap caps.
I kinda want to keep this one and eventually recap it, but I don’t know if it will even be fixed by a recap, so I think I will get one that works right now, then use it until I have money for a recap.
Micah -
Take it back for a refund. So many of these projects never materialize because there is usually something much better within reach once you invest and the 'something' will retain its value better. This piece will be a complete money pit with no return on investment. You want a vintage piece to invest in? Get a baby Marantz. Otherwise, it'll be too costly to play for you and you'll literally lose all that money. You're not in a position to do things like that yet.
My father in law gifted me a Sansui 1000a and a Pioneer SX-34. The Sansui is the more desirable piece and I sold it and kept the SX-34. I wanted to restore the Sansui but if you do a google search and see the innards, you'll understand why I got out quick. Refurbed units go for almost a grand now. There's a labor of love in those units as they might be the most overwhelming builds I've ever seen.
This is a very good point. Thanks to all of you guys for your help in this matter, I’m going to take your advice on this one.
Ya know, when I don’t take your advice, things usually go worse than when I do. I think I’m starting to see a bit of a pattern. And to think, before I came here I thought I was the most knowledgeable audiophile in the world. 
Thanks guys, you really have helped me learn a lot, and I truly am grateful.
Micah
P.S. I just realized this looks a bit like a goodbye, so I’m just gonna clear any possible confusion, it’s not. -
Ok, so I know what I said. “I’m gonna get a vintage Marantz or Yamaha.” But, my friend start the flea market recently decided to only do store credit, so this was the best he had. And so far, I actually really like it! Massive improvement over my Technics, from what I’ve read (and heard) it has a nice tuner, nice phono stage, and just sounds nice overall. Has “Main” speakers and “remote” speakers, and a headphone jack.
And, big thing, it is gorgeous. Looks brand new, all lights work, all controls are smooth, etc.
It has two thumps upon start up, but I believe that to be pretty normal of amplifiers of the era.
I’m gonna clean the controls tomorrow or Tuesday. They don’t make noise, but might as well get it done.
This is still a temporary piece, but this temporary one might last a lot longer than my Technics. -
Cool, a lafayette LR-1100!
I'd definitely be interested in some under the hood shots if/when you get it opened up! -
Cool, a lafayette LR-1100!
I'd definitely be interested in some under the hood shots if/when you get it opened up!
I’ll get them later for you guys. Probably Tuesday, because I have family here now, and they leave on Tuesday. -
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22wpc, interesting. Micah, does it rock?
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22wpc, interesting. Micah, does it rock?
In the little bit of listening I’ve done, YES. Easily the best sound out of the Missions I’ve heard ever. Just blows my Technics out of the water.
And it is practically new. Not a scratch, smudge, or stain on the thing. The wood case is perfect, the face is perfect, the glass is perfect. All the lights work, none of the switches are noisy, truely flawless. This is my first piece I’ve owned that actually looks brand new. -
That line of Lafayette Radio Electronics (LRE) equipment was really nicely made -- way beyond the moderately junky (and vastly overpriced) hifi hardware, by and large, that R/S was selling at the same time. Not sure who the OEM was (were) for the Lafayette stuff.
LRE was more of a regional 'brand' (mostly in the northeast), though, and they were southbound (very much so, sadly) by the time that line of receivers came along (mid 1970s). They were gone by 1980 or so.
The late, great George Grand (of the Jersey Grands) - as old-timers will recall - was an LRE expert, too bad we don't have his input now
LRE Catalog 760 cover 1976 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
FWIW, I have a pretty good collection of LRE catalogs and I am slowly and randomly putting together a collection of scans of interesting items from them. The 'collection' (such as it is) is currently on Flikr @ https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3ZHULM
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mhardy6647 wrote: »That line of Lafayette Radio Electronics (LRE) equipment was really nicely made -- way beyond the moderately junky (and vastly overpriced) hifi hardware, by and large, that R/S was selling at the same time. Not sure who the OEM was (were) for the Lafayette stuff.
LRE was more of a regional 'brand' (mostly in the northeast), though, and they were southbound (very much so, sadly) by the time that line of receivers came along (mid 1970s). They were gone by 1980 or so.
The late, great George Grand (of the Jersey Grands) - as old-timers will recall - was an LRE expert, too bad we don't have his input now
From what my friend at the flea market said, this specific model might be a Pioneer. That was what he and the original owner agreed on, anyway. -
It looks like a Pioneer. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
It is not impossible that it was Pioneer OEM, but I very much doubt it.
It will probably be pretty obvious whether it is or isn't a Pioneer product when one pops the top.
Post photos of the innards if/when you can, please.
Internet chatter suggest OEMs from "Planet Research" to Luxman. Some LRE components in the tube era were made by Sansui and TRIO (which was the name by which Kenwood was known, then, in most of the world). Near the end, the LRE receivers were made by the same OEM who made the sought-after Setton branded hardware.
some chatter on the topic from AK:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/who-made-the-lafayette-line-of-receivers.814627/#post-11427428
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/lafayette-4-channel.342775/#post-4542977
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/lafayette-lr-9090-impressions.47146/
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/lafayette-lr-4000.29814/#post-420436
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/claricon-27901.568546/
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/lafayette-lr-5555.503093/
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/lafayette-lr-9090-series-setton-rs-660-series-repairs-upgrades.482152/
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/why-so-few-lafayette-fans.155513/#post-1738124
... and elsewhere:
https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/LafArt_60_3.htm
http://www.w5txr.net/Lafayette-Electronics-History.html
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As requested, pics:
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Thanks for taking and posting those.
4 FM gangs, 3 AM. not bad
PS Certainly doesn't look like mid-1970s Pioneer inside, which was the other reason I asked. "Planet Research" is a reasonable bet for the OEM.
