PCTech Forums

My Kenwood L-07 per amplifier has died, one of the capacitors leaked and damaged the circuits underneath it.
I tried to jumper the damaged circuits after replacing the capacitor with the closest one I could find but the right channel will no longer work.

I'm so sad, it's almost like loosing a family member, and I've had it so long.
I bought this pre-amp as part of a matched set in 1978, along with the L-07T tuner and the L-07D turntable.
This is the first problem I have ever had with any of the set in almost 30 years, I guess I got my moneys worth.

So I'm looking to replace the amp and analog tuner, I'll keep the working turntable.
I have no idea anymore what is considered top of the line in audio equipment, so any input is welcome.

After spending two days shopping for a new home audio system I was convinced that my old Kenwood was as good as or better than anything I listened to.

So I put some more research into finding the exact capacitor in hopes that was the problem.
I found a guy in Washington that specializes in repairing older systems so I gave him a call.
Once I told him what the capacitor was for he told me he had a working Kenwood L07 pre-amp that he couldn't sell because the case was badly damaged.
It ended up costing me more to ship it than to buy it, he also sent me the right capacitor.

It arrived yesterday via UPS I hooked it up and it worked.
The case is real bad it looks like someone tried to cut it down to fit into a smaller space.
So before I swapped over cases I put in the right capacitor into my old pre-amp just to see if that was the problem.
It works, I now have two working Kenwood L07 pre-amps, all for less than $100.

I set off my neighbors home security alarm when testing the full range of power
The police showed up first and then my neighbor about 10 minutes later.
They didn't believe me that it was my stereo that set it off so I cranked it up again and the alarm went off, again.

I couldn't be any happier.

Thats seriously impressive! Im not very up to date on home audio either but i do know that some of the older equipment does indeed sound much better than alot of the newer stuff. Kenwood car audio, at one time, had some of the best sounding head units a man could buy up to about 5 years ago, now they use cheap components that produce ridiculous THD levels.

One of the newest systems i've heard and enjoyed in home audio is a JVC system that a friend of mine has. It has great sound quality and can easily make enemies of neighbors with 4 12" subs doing the dirty work.

Im glad yours is alive and well again, i felt just like you back when my old computer died. It was just like losing a best friend

I have a pair of Bose 701 floor speakers and a pair of Bose 901 speakers hanging from the ceiling in the living room.
The sound quality is unmatched from Bose, clean and clear no matter how loud.

Then I have an old pair of Marantz SP 1200 speakers for outside by the pool.
It's these old Marantz speakers that can put out the base and rattle windows.
They have 12" subs, 4" mid and 3" tweeters these speakers weight over 50 lbs each.

I believe some of the older electronics were built better, I still have a working 16 track reel to reel tape deck and a working 8 track recorder/player both over 30 years old now.