H/K 430 and KG4's

[xxufo1xx]

Well, I finally got my hands on an H/K 430 thru e-pay. Not the prettiest cosmetically but fully functional. So I got hooked up to my KG4's, put on a CD and sat down in "the chair " for some initial critical listening. What a shock !!! After using a Marantz 2250 for the last 2 months (very smooth)- I could not believe the improvement

in the low end and the overall soundstage. Listened to a couple tunes

and then stood up to put on another CD and WOW ! As good as the H/K sounded from my seat, it was absolutely amazing when I stood up and listened. Now how do I get that sound when I am sitting ? I tried moving the speakers closer to the wall, toeing them in, leaning them front and back but could never get that ultimate sound until I stood up. Any suggestions ? Other than standing or sitting in a high chair ?

Overall just an awesome little receiver. You guys were right AGAIN !

[Daddy Dee]

UFO1,

Thanks for the comparison on the Marantz and H/K. I've suspected this could be the case with these two receivers but wasn't sure about it. You are right on the H/K cosmetics. Nothing to write home about, but they sound good. That Marantz series is definitely a looker.

There are some folks around here, who I am sure can be of good help with this room and speaker placement issue that you mention.

[Tomski]

xxufo1xx This sounds like some sort of sound reflection issue.

Do a Google search on "sound reflection" and see what you find.

[Chris Robinson]

Sounds like you're getting some reflections as Tom says. If you're standing, you may be getting some reflection off the ceiling if it is a normal 8-footer.

I put together the exact same system for my daughter: KG4 & HK430 and I would agree that it is a killer system. Here's what I did for her:

(1) Put the KG4's on angled risers about 1' off the floor, pointing upwards. Seating area was about 8' back and looked right down the throat of the tractrix horn.

(2) KG4's put out about a foot from the wall. Put at least 10' between them if you have the room.

(3) If you haven't already, clean the pots on the HK430 with some Radio Shack cleaner. Here was a post from "HDBR Builder" (Andy) I filed away but it gives you a good idea how to do it. It REALLY improved the sound of the HK430 from its already great level.

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Cleaning Pots & Switches:

Old amplifiers have corrosion (oxidation) inside the controls and switches that gradually deteriorates the sound quality & volume of one or both channels. The most common cause is controls or switches that are rarely, if ever, used: The balance control is notorious for problems as you've described. Sometimes controls are so badly oxidized that just "excercizing" the control by twisting it rapidly to the left, then to the right, a few dozen times will make an audible difference.

I've "fixed" a half-dozen old receivers and amplifiers for friends with nothing more than a can of "TV tuner cleaner" or other solvent (I use Caig DeOXIT but there are many other brands).

Many switches and controls in the preamplifier circuits can cause this problem, but the balance control is a common cause because it's often not moved for decades at a time!

It may be possible to place your amplifier with the controls facing the ceiling so that gravity will cause a small amount of cleaner to drip down the control's shaft and get inside (or deep into a switch) but you usually have to remove the cover to properly clean a switch or control from the inside. This takes almost no talent and nothing will break ... but often the amplifier or reciever will sound like new as a result.

More from Andy ...

For the volume pot put some kinda folded up paper towel or something like that under the pot to catch the excess cleaner lube so that it doesn't run all over the bottom of the unit. Then pull off the volume knob. There are some openings on the pots where the rear part is crimped to the main part; you can use these to more easily get the cleaner lube inside of them, but you also need to give them a few squirts through the hole that the knob comes through so as to get the bearing surface there lubed. Use the tube supplied with the cleaner lube so that you don't get any on the front "smoked" glass/plastic panel of the unit...it will cause it to permanently turn "milky". Ok now that you are all ready, give it the squirts where I said to do it...two or three...then rapidly work the pot back and forth to loosen up the grunge so that it will mix with the cleaner and drain out in solution. You wil notice that the control tends to eventually turn much easier...that is how you know you are getting it clean. It may take more than one treatment...often does...to get it completely clean ans smoothly operating. It is a good idea to clean the function switch and the tone and balance control pots too...also the tape monitor switches, which are harder to get to...and the speaker switches...once these are clean then the receiver will also SOUND much better due to better electrical contacts being made in those places. Let me know how this works out for you. I also recommend changing the fuses under the hood to new fast blow ones after cleaning the fuse holder contacts...same for the fuses on the rear. Normally all a 430 needs is a good cleaning to really make it sing!

Andy

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[Tomski]

Cleaning Pots & Switches: Another tweak would be to clean all your speaker wire ends,pins and also your 2 or 3 prong electrical plugs.

[Seadog]

Use caution cleaning the receiver with the Rat Shack tuner cleaner. Although it says "tuner cleaner", do not spray the tuner section. This stuff leaves a film that will kill the sensitivity of the FM tuner on the HK430, then you will be looking for something else to remove it. This from personal experience! It does a good job on the controls and switches.

[xxufo1xx]

Thanks for the replies. I think you are right. The sound when standing

sounded almost like an echo or an effect created by a surround receiver. Anyway, it sounded nice at first but not really a true sound,

so I will try experimenting with placement. Currently the speakers are

about 2 feet from back wall and 8 feet apart with a huge wall unit entertainment center in between so there is not a lot of horizontal options but I can try to put them on risers and see what happens. I know when I tried that before with the Marantz it seemed as if I lost too much on the low end but I will give it a shot. Thanks.