what would you do about this amp, fix it or toss it?

danger boy · July 2008

My ongoing Pioneer A-88X int amp repair saga continues......

the good news, it can be repaired..

the bad news, it's gonna be hella expensive because of the complexity of the amp build and the time to rebuild it.

it has several layers of PCB boards and they are tough to get to.. so repairs would be several hundred $$ to get it running again.

repair time = $$

so my ? is.. do i ditch it and sell it for parts, or look for a similar one and buy it and use this one for parts? Or use it as a door stop? (these don't come up for sale often... maybe two a year).

I love the amp. It would be tough to find another one just like it. I don't have enough experience with high powered dual mono built integrated amps to know if this is a common sounding amp or if this is a jewel in the rough with it's sound.

lemme know your thoughts. (I know you will anyways)

Sherardp · July 2008

if cost to repair is near or exceeds the cost to buy new then I would just replace it. Thats just my take, but if you really love the amp, dont hate to part with it, consider the repair option.

pearsall001 · July 2008

I think you pretty much answered your own question when you underscored the I love the amp part. I've been going thru pretty much the same scenerio. I picked up a mint Nikko Alpha VI amp (300w dual mono, 1st 30 watts pure class A) & it has to die for looks & sound.

The Nikko (manuf date of 3/80) performs as if it was just taken off the showroom floor. But there are a few parts that would be hard to replace if it were to ever go south on me. But like you...I simply love the sucker & I'm willing to go the long haul with it. My Krell KAV 250a hasn't been back in my system since I first started listening to the Nikko.

Look at it this way, even if it costs you a couple hundred bucks to fix 'er like new...in today's market what would you have to pay to get something comparable?? I'll bet a whole lot more.

Keep it & enjoy!!!!

BottomFeeder · July 2008

Oh my gosh, DB!!!

I just feel so badly for you!

That's all I have to say about that.

Shicks18 · July 2008

I would buy a new one, who knows if its gonna break down again in the future and cost you more $$ to repair. Save the time, money, and stress and put that money towards a brand new product with a warranty!

billbillw · July 2008

I'd fix it for the same reason you don't send a classic Mustang to the junkyard when it needs a new engine. This is a somewhat rare amp that likely performs as well as anything new and is built with better quality than many of current products.

I'd still see if Echowars would work on this for you.

DollarDave · July 2008

Here's your answer - put it up for a karma and see how fast you get to about 20 people willing to pay to fix it. About an hour is my guess.

heiney9 · July 2008

That's a tough call. Have you compared it to other amps in the past? Or do you love it simply because you've not heard too many others side by side with the Pioneer.

Old vintage gear is cool but if the repair is beyond the $$$ worth that's a slippery slope. I guess the other way to look at it is to compare the repair cost to what it would cost to replace the unit.

I don't hold that era of vintage gear to high as there are easily some stuff out there that can equal or better it for not a lot of money. But that's just me.

If you really like it compared to many other pieces you've compared against it and it has sentimental value or you are just attached to it then pay to get it fixed. Isn't this the 2nd or 3rd time in for repair though? That may be telling you something right there.

Good luck

H9

BottomFeeder · July 2008

Ok, I'll take a whack...Maybe ask yourself this question: "How much would I hate to see it go?" vs. "How much would I be willing to pay to keep it around?"

Which question wins?

heiney9 · July 2008

You know DB you sure have a lot of issues w/gear-:p

First the Adcom (which is unusual) and now the Pioneer for atleast the 2nd time. Maybe, just maybe it's user error......................I kid, I kid:)

Junk it all and get a BOSE 3-2-1 system

H9

WilliamM2 · July 2008

If it's truly several hundred dollars to fix, I would junk it. Throw out that tape deck too while you are at it.:p

billbillw · July 2008

Even if you don't pay to get it fixed, its still worth a bit of money to someone who needs parts or is willing to fix it. The knobs, transformers, the feet, the wood panels, etc. I'm sure you could sell it 'as is' whole for a decent amount of money, or split up the parts and ebay them off for a pretty hefty amount.

danger boy · July 2008

heiney9 wrote: »

That's a tough call. Have you compared it to other amps in the past? Or do you love it simply because you've not heard too many others side by side with the Pioneer.

Old vintage gear is cool but if the repair is beyond the $$$ worth that's a slippery slope. I guess the other way to look at it is to compare the repair cost to what it would cost to replace the unit.

I don't hold that era of vintage gear to high as there are easily some stuff out there that can equal or better it for not a lot of money. But that's just me.

If you really like it compared to many other pieces you've compared against it and it has sentimental value or you are just attached to it then pay to get it fixed. Isn't this the 2nd or 3rd time in for repair though? That may be telling you something right there.

Good luck

H9

I have not compared it to other similar amps.. so I'm not sure it is similar in sound as others. I know whatever speakers i hook up to it.. the bass is unreal.

This has been seen by three different shops... none of them were willing to take the time to investigate the problem more than just saying the easy stuff they found wrong with it. Basically I think it is more of a rebuild project than a simple swapping out a few caps and calling it good.

danger boy · July 2008

WilliamM2 wrote: »

If it's truly several hundred dollars to fix, I would junk it. Throw out that tape deck too while you are at it.:p

you're just pure evil to the core

Face · July 2008

WilliamM2 wrote: »

If it's truly several hundred dollars to fix, I would junk it. Throw out that tape deck too while you are at it.:p

I can't believe I'm agreeing with William.

BaggedLancer · July 2008

I would send it to Face so he has to leave his house for a change.

sucks2beme · August 2008

So is this thing junk, or what????

jon s · August 2008

The amp was one of Pioneers last great integrated amps... it's really up to you whether to junk or not. Do you know what the problem is? parts for vintage amps can be difficult if not impossible to find.

I have a 1976 Sony TA-8650 V-FET Integrated Amplifer which I also love and will not part with it for a $1,000,000 (well, maybe I would). The amp when bought (for $500) was in mint condition inside and out but it was not running to spec. A bugaboo with this species of amp was that the diodes fail and they are no longer available. Also, after running for awhile, one channel would intermittently cut out. I shipped the amp to someone in Missouri (cost $300) who is a well known audio repair guru. He charged me $300 for the repair including parts and labor. Shipping it back to Hawaii 2nd Day Air was another $300. So I spent $1400 for an old amp. Was it worth it? For me, yes. Anyone else, I doubt it. Would i do it again, maybe not cuz shipping is even more outrageous now and parts are now impossible to find. Do i regret it, not one bit.

Now why? Sentimental value. This was the first purist piece of audio I bought in 1976 (it was $1300 new). I foolishly sold it and regretted it. it took me 30 years to find a nice one.

what would you do about this amp, fix it or toss it?

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