The Venerable Harman / Kardon 430

[BadChile]

So...my father-in-law reclaimed ownership of his Sansui TR-707 I restored so I was left with a desire to scratch my solid state itch.  A couple days of patient browsing led to a two month old listing for a Harman Kardon 430 at a dusty record store I'd never heard a 30 minute drive away.  Yeah, sure it had some issues but I figured a drive was in order and sure enough, it was still on the shelf. Being the day before Thanksgiving I didn't even negotiate but still got a discount.

 

Opening her up, few spritz of DeOxIt fixed all the sticky buttons and scratchy pots, but a few caps showed the unmistakable signs of age. Replacing the puffy caps with some Elna Simlic IIs I had sitting around in the proper values (side note: I'm now that guy - "let me check the parts bin, I think I have what I need, oh, look at that!") and plugging her in....wow.

 

Been playing now for a couple days with the Heresy IIIs and I'm in love. My poor Elekit TU-8200 sits forlorn like a spurned lover as the middle-aged solid state beauty sings with the voice of a Siren. Dare I say my father-in-law can keep his Sansui - the H/K has it beat in every metric.

 

Planning on replacing a few more caps and the transistors, but to be honest that is fixing problems that aren't there (yet).

 

Obligatory photo below because I can't get enough of this glow...

 

[DizRotus]

Congratulations.  

[henry4841]

Nice. I just started a picture of SS gear thread and maybe you will ask a moderator to move your post there. Good job.