Advice / Input needed: Shindo Haut Brion repair

[Jceaves]

Originally Posted by kev313

I'm a little unclear on one point. Are your only choices to either send to Japan or fend for yourself? You purchased from an authorized dealer, why don't you send it to another and they can address the problem as they would with any other piece of Shindo?

Originally Posted by fjn04

I would say, follow Jonathan's advice to the T. If you think about it, the Shindo gear makes it here just fine. The chances of incident should be very small. Assuming this is not tube related, it may be best to get it to the Factory.
Again, you are in good hands dealing with Jonathan.

Admittedly, as a new Shindo customer, I've been unsure about what level of service I should expect and what the normal repair protocol is. There seems to be a consensus among most of the (very helpful) AA members in this thread that Jonathan is expected to take a lead role in the diagnosis and repair, even if it means delegating that job to a different dealer. At this point, it's probably best to have a dialogue with Jonathan. Randall and I are still willing to pay the repair costs, but I feel that we need more help than has been offered thus far.

Having said that, we both realize that the big storm has made life and commerce nearly impossible for many in the NYC area. Hopefully, Jonathan (and Tone Imports) weathered the storm and is doing well.

Shindo owners often become repeat customers, and I certainly have caught the green box bug. Given that I bought two components from a Shindo dealer (retiring yes, but a dealer none-the-less), I would hope that Jonathan would take the long-term view to develop a good relationship with an established customer. I am aware that Shindo customers hold Jonathan in very high regard, and I'm sure that everything will turn out fine.

By the way Jerome, I heard from a second Shindo/Rega dealer that the R5's are fine to use with the Haut Brion. My Sophia Electric dealer also said they are good to use with my 91-01 300B. Thank goodness, I can have music until the Haut is repaired. Still, having just built a wonderful sounding turntable (slate plinth Lenco), I'm itching to build a pair of high efficiency horn-loaded speakers - can't swing the O96's right now!

[bakerman]

As much as it may be a pain the neck, if it were me I would want it to go back to Japan. Sure there are many amp techs that could diagnose and perhaps fix the issue, but there is only one place where it belongs and that's back at Shindo-san's shop.

Don't waste another day reading about what we think you should do. Call Jonathan. He's a great guy and will take care of you.

[Jceaves]

Good advice Doug. Thanks!

[lesmarshall]

Does the amp play music even though you hear a buzzing sound ? Or is the amp dead and you just hear it buzz? If it's the former, please do your self a favor and try this : I believe this amp has six driver tubes of the same type ( these are the small tubes ) . Take the tube cover off, and make sure all the tubes are pushed all the way in and seated snugly in the tube sockets. Turn on the amp on and when it starts buzzing, take a pencil with an eraser and gently tap each of the driver tubes with the eraser and see if the amount of buzz or volume of the buzzing changes in a any way. If so, it's most likely a bad or microphonic tube. If you don't hear any difference after having tapped all six driver tubes, try the same thing with the power tubes . If there is no change in the buzzing sound, call the dealer and have him send you ( or go on line and buy ) one driver tube and try substituting the new tube for each of the existing driver tubes , one at a time, after turning the amp off each time you change the tube , and turning the amp back on each time to see if the buzzing has gone away while operating the amp. If this does not solve the problem , pack it up , arrange to send to Tone Merchants and ask them to ship to Shindo. 50/50 or better it's a bad driver tube assuming that the amp is not dead and still plays music.

[pitch perfect]

Originally Posted by lesmarshall

Turn on the amp on and when it starts buzzing, take a pencil with an eraser and gently tap each of the driver tubes with the eraser and see if the amount of buzz or volume of the buzzing changes in a any way. If so, it's most likely a bad or microphonic tube. If you don't hear any difference after having tapped all six driver tubes, try the same thing with the power tubes .

Certainly appreciate people giving advice/etc to this customer-

But under NO circumstance should you ever tap a tube. Especially power tubes. It can actually cause damage to the delicate innards.. Tapping a tube will, of course, amplify the tapping. This won't tell you anything. A microphonic tube would be noisy without any assistance from a pencil eraser.

Typically service issues are dealt with by the Dealer who sold the product and/or Tone Imports. If that is not possible or if it is something that requires further assistance by Shindo-San, it is simply sent to Japan.

International Express shipping is a very straightforward easy process at USPS, btw. It typically takes less than 5 days via USPS/EMS service. Additiionally, Shindo is quick and decisive with repairs

-M

[lesmarshall]

Originally Posted by pitchperfect

Certainly appreciate people giving advice/etc to this customer-

But under NO circumstance should you ever tap a tube. Especially power tubes. It can actually cause damage to the delicate innards.. Tapping a tube will, of course, amplify the tapping. This won't tell you anything. A microphonic tube would be noisy without any assistance from a pencil eraser.

Typically service issues are dealt with by the Dealer who sold the product and/or Tone Imports. If that is not possible or if it is something that requires further assistance by Shindo-San, it is simply sent to Japan.

International Express shipping is a very straightforward easy process at USPS, btw. It typically takes less than 5 days via USPS/EMS service. Additiionally, Shindo is quick and decisive with repairs

-M

With all due respect , often the manifestation of a bad or microphonic tube is often intermittent ; I have rebuilt many vintage PTP valve amps , and tapping tubes will not harm the amp, but I don't wish to quibble. At a minimum , I would try rolling a new tube before expending all the effort to ship an amp back to the dealer or Japan.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by lesmarshall

At a minimum , I would try rolling a new tube before expending all the effort to ship an amp back to the dealer or Japan.

This is also my opinion.
A tube amp failing should have first the tubes checked.

Sent from my iPhone using A.Aficionado

[pitch perfect]

Originally Posted by lesmarshall

With all due respect , often the manifestation of a bad or microphonic tube is often intermittent ; I have rebuilt many vintage PTP valve amps , and tapping tubes will not harm the amp, but I don't wish to quibble. At a minimum , I would try rolling a new tube before expending all the effort to ship an amp back to the dealer or Japan.

I never mentioned tapping the tube would cause damage to the amp.

Troubleshooting by tapping perfectly fine tubes in an amp or preamp will lead to more problems than you are trying to solve.

When in doubt with a tube, tapping it is silly. Simply swap tubes from one channel to the other. If the hum or noise moves to the other channel this tells you something that the tube may be causing the issue.


-M

[Jceaves]

I may swap tubes like Matt suggests - that I can handle. Ultimately, it sounds like tube replacement requires a trip to Japan anyway.

Jonathan Halpern responded to me and offered to communicate with Shindo about the repair. Partly due to its age and the nature of the symptoms, he thinks the amp should return to Shindo, so the Haut is off to Japan.

Thanks everyone for all of the input.

[bakerman]

Originally Posted by Jceaves

I may swap tubes like Matt suggests - that I can handle. Ultimately, it sounds like tube replacement requires a trip to Japan anyway.

Jonathan Halpern responded to me and offered to communicate with Shindo about the repair. Partly due to its age and the nature of the symptoms, he thinks the amp should return to Shindo, so the Haut is off to Japan.

Thanks everyone for all of the input.

Please let us know how everything goes and how it sounds after you get it back.

Hopefully you won't have to wait too long...