Sad day - Kenwood KR 9940 Popped

[KR-9940]

I went out and score some non quad stuff today. While testing a set of Pioneer CS 901A's....The Kenwood KR 9940 Popped. I had it on about 2 and was testing the CS 901A's loud pop and no more sound. Sounded like a cap blew and smelled like a transistor fried. Me and this receiver have almost 30 years of history.

I am thinking about doing a total rebuild. I need to find a source for parts.

I think the old girl is jealous. The last time it went out was when I brought home the Pioneer SX 1980. I replaced all the TO-3 transistors that time. The was in the 80's. I bring home a receiver and a mp and pop there she goes again. we all say these old stereos have personality....maybe they have feelings too.

 

[TPT19764SQ]

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that. .

 

[Doug G.]

Sad day but good, in a way.

You now have a mission to get the Kenwood 100% operational again.

Doug

 

[KR-9940]

Sad day but good, in a way.

You now have a mission to get the Kenwood 100% operational again.

Doug

Oh yeah....It wont be down long I hope. Only down for a few hours and I miss it alot

 

[KR-9940]

Well tore in her today. I felt like I was doing an autopsy on a loved one. Protection looked like it had been bombed. All the caps were shot. It took out 4 outputs. Power switch has been toast for awhile. I need to replace it. If anyone knows where there is a dead KR-9940...please get ahold of me. I need parts.

 

[westgate]

sorry to hear it crapped out. hope it's an easy fix.

i had both my pioneer qa800a quad amps recapped, etc last winter.
one of them i've had and used since buying it new in tokyo back in 1973, the other is just as old but i bought it 2 years ago as a backup/spare.

 

[timw]

There are a couple of KR-9940's on ebay right now...One for Parts -BIN: $99, One that works-BIN $160 or BO.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kenwood-kr-9940...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2c55e4a800

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Kenwood...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3a5cea3b60

After seeing these ebay ads I realized this was the same receiver I had back in the days when i was into quad. It was a damn nice receiver!
Best of luck...Hope you can bring her back to life!
Tim

 

[KR-9940]

There are a couple of KR-9940's on ebay right now...One for Parts -BIN: $99, One that works-BIN $160 or BO.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kenwood-kr-9940...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2c55e4a800

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Kenwood...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3a5cea3b60

After seeing these ebay ads I realized this was the same receiver I had back in the days when i was into quad. It was a damn nice receiver!
Best of luck...Hope you can bring her back to life!
Tim

I have been in touch with the the guy with the 99.00 one. He said he turned it on one day and there was no sound. So I am trying to get my El Camino sold...its in pieces anyways....so I can afford to get my KR9940 back up going. Thanks for the links!

 

[MidiMagic]

I was an audio repairman back in those days. That was the classic case of a rectifier shorting and letting AC into the set. None of those parts were designed to take reversed voltage, so they blew out.

Be aware that the other one might have the same problem.

Most of the equipment made in the late '60s and early '70s is subject to "cascade failure." If one part failed, it destroyed all of the semiconductors in the stage.

 

[KR-9940]

I got the 99.00 one. I was very happy to see it come after a week of waiting. There is definitely no sound. There was a few burnt resistors...couple of cap blown. I grabbed those parts out of mine just to see what is going on. Nothing reburnt...but still no sound. I went and check all the voltages on the main amp board. None acceptable. So I am leaving it alone. Thought if it was something simple I was going to just get it going and rebuild mine and have that one till just before mine was done. The rob it for the rest of the pieces I needed.

 

[KR-9940]

After several months....It is fully restored and I dont seem to remember it sounding this good. I am a very happy man!

 

[Doug G.]

Glad to hear you are able to enjoy it again.

My attitude is that a good piece of equipment that has given a lot of pleasure should never be allowed to languish without at least an effort to get it to function again.

After all, man made it and man can fix it.

Doug

 

[KR-9940]

Next project is to tear down my Pioneer SX1980 and do the same. But I know it is going to be more expensive.

 

[eyg2181]

Congrats KR-9940! Glad you got your receiver back. Would you consider sharing the finished piece of equipment with QQ in the Gallery? I'd love to see this guy all lit up. I'm sure it looks very nice.

-Russ