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I was at my parent's over new year & my Dad mentioned that the right-hand speaker on his stereo wasn't working; he's got a Cambridge Audio A500 amp that we got from Richer Sounds years ago - it must be 12-15 years old. We paid extra to have the phono stage installed in it.
Anyway, I checked the speaker cables & some of the connections were a bit loose but not overly so. I tightened it all up and the problem was still there. Upon swapping the speaker cables left to right, the non-functioning speaker started to work fine. If you adjust the balance to the non-functioning side (right channel) and turn the amp right up, you can just about hear some fuzzy music coming from the speaker.
So, I suspect that something to do with the right channel power amp circuitry is buggered. Looking about, it seems to be common for the transistors to fail.
So, with all that in mind & the fact it is my Dad's birthday in 8 days, I am thinking of buying him a replacement.
Onkyo do an amp with phono stage that gets good review; the A9010.
Obligatory What Hi-Fi review....
https://www.whathifi.com/onkyo/9010/review
and it can be had for £175 at Richer Sounds currently.
Are there any better deals out there? He's half deaf, so ultimate hi-fi is not really what we are after.
He still uses his tape deck but I think only for a source, rather than a recording medium. I doubt I'll find an amp with phono stage & line level in/out for the tape deck so he'll have to lose recording functionality.
Also - my diagnosis was in the middle of beer fuelled New Years Eve family celebrations, so can anyone cast any doubt on it being the amp that was at fault, bearing in mind the working speak jumps when the speaker wire is swapped from R to L channel & you can get some faint music from the 'broken channel' if you whack the volume right up.....
Ta, in advance....
Loads of amps with phono and line level inputs at Richer Sounds - the Yamaha AS301 is meant to be pretty good.
[url= https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/separates/amplifiers-receivers.html?phono_input_filter=1569 ]Richer Sounds amps with phono input[/url]
ajantom - thanks for that! I'm kicking myself, because I looked at the Onkyo on Richer Sounds, but just assumed that they wouldn't have a filter for phono stage equipped amps so didn't look any further.
There are definitely a few options there that are within budget. Nice one, thanks again.
https://www.whathifi.com/marantz/pm6006/review
Stonking value for money.
I replaced a £1600 amp with one of these and I'll never spend that much again on the strength of it.
Drives my B&W CM1's a treat, and the phono stage is very good indeed.
Thanks slimjim78, but that looks to be too far over-budget.
Cambridge audio sr20 here. Works a treat through 2 pairs of speakers, supports my turntable, tv, phone, has Am/fm in and doesn't overly offend the household aesthetics police.