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Good day to all!
I am selling this Kenwood KA3020 amplifier because I don’t have the appropriate tools to repair it. I purchased it from a lady who is a frequent ebay seller. The amplifier was advertised as ‘working/ tested with tape and everything works’. When I received and picked it up I noticed that the metal cover of the electronics was improperly fixed/ had play, so an indication that it had been opened*. I then connected it to the speakers and laptop and the result was the following:
-using the screws to fix the cables, the sound was mostly finding its way to one speaker;
-using banana connectors, both speakers received a quality input sound.
The amplifier worked well in ‘Source Direct’ mode but, when I de-pressed the button, in order to adjust the bass, the sound became severely distorted indicating a problem with the control board.
I then opened the amplifier, which was inundated with dust, and carefully vacuum cleaned it whilst blowing the dust off with a lens blower. It is now considerably cleaner than before but not optimally clean, not how I would expect an amplifier to be.
Inside the amplifier, as expected, I found the control board (pictured) cracked. The plan was to bridge the gap / crack ( image 6) with flexible ( U shaped ) copper wire such that the electrical circuit is restored and it has enough give that it will not break upon vibrations of the board.
I then removed the electrical insulation layer by mechanically scraping it with the tip of a knife. Then I bought a soldering iron from ‘toolstation’ which proved to be too wide and caused the darkening of the area next to the copper line. Realising that I am doing more harm than good to the amplifier, I stopped and put it back. Whilst putting the control board back, I did not insert it exactly between the fixing supports ( image 8, next to the two cracks ) but in front of them. Because of this, when I pushed the metallic front mask on, it, in turn, pushed the PCB against the sharp holder and caused a second crack. This is how the first one must have been done: someone opened the amplifier, did not slide the board into its holders and pushed the metal mask against it causing the breaking due to localised stress.
As a consequence of my actions, after putting the amplifier back properly, the sound was only audible from one speaker in ‘Source Direct’ mode.
This is its current state: a damaged amplifier that needs repair.
I would like to kindly ask you to buy this amplifier only if you intend to fix it. This is not ‘for parts’ but it is a good amplifier who just happens to need a skilled owner to put it back in working order by mending the damage done to its control board and by cleaning it properly, with connections cleaning fluid. An electrician should have no problem in joining the interrupted electrical circuit parts.
As an ending note, please look carefully at the images and notice the scratches on the left corner, top cover and also usage signs on the sides.
The power cord has some traces of what looks like beige paint on it.
The red point on the volume knob is not an LED but paint, in case you are not familiar with the model.
The amplifier itself weighs around 9 kg, which is why the transport cost is 16 .
Performance details can be found here:
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/kenwood/ka-3020.shtml
Please buy the amplifier only if you intend to fix and use it.
Happy bidding!
*the lady refunded my purchase almost entirely and allowed me keep the amplifier.
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Category: Sound and Vision:Home Audio and HiFi Separates:Amplifiers and Pre-Amps
Location: SALISBURY