PL-400/1 “Linda” repair

[AngrySailor]

I’m at the carpentry shop now, only listened to her a couple minutes before had to leave. I’ll let her stretch her legs easy later and recheck the bias. The new channel is SILENT. I didn’t think it was working. Very very slight hiss from the old channel. I’ve heard far worse, but the new side is dead quiet. Idle Temp seemed way down too but again, she wasn’t powered up all that long.

 

[J!m]

You got far today!

regarding the flaky meter: mine gets flaky when the battery is low. Try a fresh battery and see how it does.

 

[AngrySailor]

Yeah I’ll try a new one. It’s. Its not showing low battery, it won’t read infinity on ohm scale even with the leads unplugged and reads .496mV on DC scale all the time. It’s just a cheap mastercraft knock if of a fluke.

 

[J!m]

I’m sure that’ll fix it.

Mine is a cheap fluke (model 10 I think). I just need a/c and d/c volts most of the time in work so it’s fine. I’ve been meaning to get a manly Fluke for a couple decades...

 

[mlucitt]

I like that volume control.

 

[AngrySailor]

Got the Carver 4000 from grapplesaw hooked up, spinning some vinyl. Sounds real nice, big improvement from the PL4000 and I haven’t even got a handle on all the bells and whistles yet I’m sure.

The 700 goes under the knife next seeing as I have most of the tools I’ll need spread out on the kitchen table already... I really need to get the shop cabinets done so I can build a proper entertainment center to house the vintage gear in the house... busy busy but the list seems to be getting shorter. If only I stop blowing stuff up, I’ll get ahead of the game eventually!

 

[AngrySailor]

I like that volume control.

? The Carver with the remote? Yeah it’s sweet, I keep getting up in a bit of a rush at the end of an album then get halfway from the couch and go “oh yeah... remote!” I have a Bluetooth adapter to RCA jacks I lent to a friend rn. It sounds acceptable for streaming music, I can see me getting lazy once this is all hooked up permanently...

 

[laatsch55]

Where's the fun in that??>?

 

[laatsch55]

I have some class round rack handles that would have matched the 400 better...damn..

 

[AngrySailor]

I have some class round rack handles that would have matched the 400 better...damn..

If they’re in stock when the next care package goes out I’ll probabl have you send em! Linda’s face plate is a a little rough where the bolt holes are, scratched from rack mounting before I got her then I elongated the holes to fit the 700b handles. I plan to make some nice brushed plates or washers to trim the handles in, could easily make the roundies fit nice, put the 700b handles on the 700/1 but I’d do it so I don’t damage her in any way.

Linda sounds great, chilling to some tunes rn, she’s cool as a cucumber.

 

[grapplesaw]

Good deal Andrew. Back the bias down to 350 when shes warm..

Yes with no dim bulb in circuit Andrew

 

[AngrySailor]

The remote pre amp on/off is interesting... I used to throw the switch and the amp and pre amp would both come on with no problems. Now I power up, turn the pre amp on and the DCP trips. I’m thinking to use a contactor triggered by one of the pre amps switched 110v outlets so that the remote controls the whole system. Turn on the pre, contactor pulls in and starts both power amps or shuts them off. Could even use a time delay if needed. No problem, just a different operating characteristic.

Edit: it sounds great G

 

[AngrySailor]

Checked bias this morning warm. A little high 390/375. Got them set to 355mV and 353mV. They hunt around a little bit seem to stay pretty close to that after a couple checks.

 

[laatsch55]

Common for a stock board. The WO board will be rock solid...

 

[mlucitt]

? The Carver with the remote? Yeah it’s sweet, I keep getting up in a bit of a rush at the end of an album then get halfway from the couch and go “oh yeah... remote!” I have a Bluetooth adapter to RCA jacks I lent to a friend rn. It sounds acceptable for streaming music, I can see me getting lazy once this is all hooked up permanently...

Actually, the PL400 with the control in the middle... I assumed it was volume, maybe a power switch, maybe both?

 

[J!m]

That’s the anti-theft missile launch control.

 

[AngrySailor]

Actually, the PL400 with the control in the middle... I assumed it was volume, maybe a power switch, maybe both?

That was a power switch a previous owner installed. It’s a rotary switch and it’s disabled. It turned in the face plate and shorted to the light board years ago and toasted one of my VU Meters. It went away electrically after that, I left it in place to cover the hole some jackass drilled for it!

 

[mlucitt]

That’s the anti-theft missile launch control.

Missile launch requires two controls, 7.5 feet apart.

 

[J!m]

Only the NATO sanctioned ones.

 

[AngrySailor]

Missile launch requires two controls, 7.5 feet apart.

I need another bastardized 400. “Ok, on three, turn to the left!”