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  3. 142606-137

Catastrophic Accident! What To Do!?

This actually happened during the holidays.  I'm having a hard time dealing with it.  I've owned my Music Reference RM9 amp for over 15 years.  While replacing a fuse, something I've done easily over 2 dz. times thru the yrs, The amp tipped over.  Long story short, the way the unit fell damaged/smashed most of the tubes (12 in total!).  Man, seriously, I practically feel like I've lost a member of my family!  I've been in contact with Roger Modjeski at Ram Labs and they've been 100% supportive even though I'm not the original owner.  But the dilemma is substantial, the amp can be repaired no doubt, but to transport it from S. Fl. to Ca., plus tube replacement, plus possible other repairs.  Not sure it makes dollas & sense.  The fact is I'm not the youngster I was when I 1st acquired the gear, plus being retired the money ain't what it used to be.  This accident has seriously got me considering whether I should continue with the hobby.  The gear, 1000's of records and CD's somehow, suddenly feels like a bit much.  I've been into the gear for 35+ yrs. but I've been a music-lover my entire life, I'll never stop listening....but maybe it's time to downsize?  Ram Labs has offered help in testing, and/or repairing, and even offered the alternative of selling the unit for parts.  Tremendous support!  I think I'd be able to sell it but I just can't bring myself to go down that road, not yet.  So into the 'spares' closet she goes, and since I don't have another amp, it's headphone time!  

Here's hoping y'all have a safe and incident-free New Year!
128x128chazro
zerobias's avatar
zerobias
73 posts
 
"Good call on the insurance there @big_greg. "

Actually, no it isn't. Making claims like that will raise your premium and deductible amounts considerably. You will end up paying more for insurance cost increases than you will on repairing the amp. Once you are rated (labeled a risk) by your insurance company, that goes into a database and future coverage with other companies will cost you more. Sometimes it will make new coverage hard to find. Mother Nature, and insurance companies, don't mess with them.
chazro's avatar
chazro OP
635 posts
 
Hey all! Just wanted to give the last update on my situation. The amp’s working! Long story short, I finally got around to cleaning/detailing the amp before installing a new set of NOS tubes. All the while thinking that doing so was pretty much an exercise in futility. I mean, no way the amp’s gonna work, right? And of course, I had no way of knowing without doing a complete install. She fired right up and has been singin’ like an angel ever since! Not bad considering I was seriously contemplating leaving the hobby completely behind, I was truly rocked by the accident! Tellyawhat, commendations to Roger Modjeski for designing and building a superb product, the RM9. The unit fell 2 ft., landing upside down on a marble windowsill, directly on the tubes. The tubes that weren’t immediately smashed all had bent pins, so all TWELVE tubes were ruined. I mean, it was as if I had basically hit the amp with a sledgehammer! I thought she was a goner but, yr not gonna believe this, she actually sounds BETTER than before, BRAVO! The goal now is to get the amp out to Ram Labs for a ’tune-up’, I have no doubts that the unit will out-live me!;)
jond's avatar
jond
5,660 posts
 
Ha I was pretty sure that would be the case those amps are known to be bulletproof! Awesome outcome and thanks for the update and most of all happy listening!
big_greg
6,554 posts
 
 Thanks for sharing the happy ending to the story, that's great news! 
acman3
4,116 posts
 
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