HK430 notes

[colterphoto1]

Hello, well I finally won one of the much-lauded HK 430 units off eBay, $85 including shipping, not as inexpensive as some, but maybe the price is headed upwards. Been reviewing many of the posts, particulty Andy HDBRbuilder's regarding the care and feeding of the HK430 and came across this tidbit:

How do you ensure their longetivity? Simple...make sure every switch is off , the bass and treble are at "flat", the volume is all the way down, and turn it on...then turn the volume to about 10%...go get a beer/glass of wine/other beverage...come back, turn the volume back to "0", kick on the speaker switch, kick in the source, turn the volume to where you want it...and enjoy....use reverse procedure when shutting the unit down...kinda like tubes, huh?

Not to doubt Andy, but is all this really necessary? I generally turn the volume down/off when powering up, but switching speakers off and tone to '0'? Just wondering if this was something peculiar in the warm-up of the HK or just generally the nth degree of electronics care.

EDIT POST- Andy answers this in his 'cleaning notes' see my next post for directions to this- END EDIT

Have also read the notes re 'de-dusting' the circuit boards, lubing knobs, and replacing all 8 (yes eight) fuses in the unit to avoid problems. Can't wait for mine to be delivered- hope it's pretty!

Michael

[colterphoto1]

And here's the link to Andy's 'cleaning' notes, for anyone who purchases a used receiver, it's from 2002 and was on General forum, but I thought some of you might get some good from it. Sure miss Andy, anyone heard from him??

Michael

http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=27983&forumID=74&catID=19&search=1&searchstring=&sessionID={9D498A8C-E39B-4EE0-BD7F-5CA4BDFC9475}

[DizRotus]

Michael,

If you have already located the them, would you please cut and paste the links to Andy/HDBRBuilder's threads about cleaning the H/K 430? I've done a search using H/K 430 and/or HDBRBuilder, but the results are too voluminous to be of much use.

[DizRotus]

You type faster than I do.

[colterphoto1]

yea, bout 80 wpm LOL

[fini]

Would you type my posts for me?

[colterphoto1]

yeah, but I don't look as good sitting at the keyboard as Terry Gilliam!

Michael- 'and now for something completely different!'

[DrWho]

Hmmm, until I see a technical explanation for all that I'm going to consider it a waste of time. Though I've never seen or used an HK, I've messed around with all sorts of old recievers (cuz they're cheap) and I can't see how any of that will prolong the life. On the other side of things, having the volume cranked all the way when you power on with the source already playing is of course very stupid, lol.

Does the HK pop hardcore when switching sources and when powering on and off?

Sidenote: weren't those directions more for a first time powering up, moreso than for everytime you power up? If so, then it makes a bit more sense if you don't trust that it's in working order.

[Seadog]

I always let my HK430 (or 630) warm up for a couple of minutes before engaging the speaker select switch (the wife has also been trained to follow this procedure ). If the speakers are selected when the unit is powered up or powered down, bad sounds may occur, even with the volume turned completely down. This cannot be good for the speakers or the nerves.

[colterphoto1]

thanks for the input, so these units produce quite a startup 'THUNK', must be due to the circuit architecture? Anyone else with thoughts on this startup procedure?

I think Andy meant this to be an everyday thing. There is a separate set of instructions for a 'first time with questionable electronics' list that has you listening through headset before switching speakers on.

M

[Speedball]

Pretty funny Michael!

Enjoy the HK 430........I bet it would sound great with my 4.2's

[Chris Robinson]

Here is my collection of Andy's cleaning notes:

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.

=====================

Chris,

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