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Bel Canto REF600 m amp reapir costs- exorbitant ?

I have a pair of REF600m, I took them out of my system for a month and when I hooked them back up one is dead. No green light, no music. Oddly there are no fuses or breakers in the amp ! Google shows that there are known problems with the power supplies going bad on these. I sent them both in to get looked at- they emailed me today that yup, one needs a new power supply- for $695- and they suggest doing the other one too as it'll probably go next. $1500 to repair two amps with known issues - and the amps are only worth $2800 if I were to sell them. Looking inside the amp there aint much hardware, $700 a power supply sure seems steep- and I'm really stuck. Don't fix them and they're useless, fix them and have a fortune sunk into a pair that aren't worth much. It's like I'd have to spend $1500 to make them saleable for $2500 just to dump them. I would have expected either a free replacement for a known problem or a low cost flat rate repair. I was expecting perhaps $350 each amp. Am I unreasonable? Ignoring the fact that I don't think they should have failed at all, ever. Signed: Unhappy and not buying anymore Bel Canto. 

speedthrills
erik_squires
17,537 posts
 

Take a look here and see if this looks familiar:

 

https://www.hypexdirect.com/products/modules/smps/

 

If so, you could have a replacement for under $300

1971gto455ho's avatar
1971gto455ho
588 posts
 

Sort of the vintage vs new debate… tin boxes with nothing but mass produced circuit boards vs quality possibly repairable, and or point to point wiring. Research, reviews, refurbish, relax. Open the case dust flys out and 700 to replace..What ? I don't think so. 

hiendmmoe
254 posts
 

For the OP what’s unrealistic about $750 for a new power supply.? This means $1500 for the pair and you basically have a new pr of amps. Such words as steep for a power supply that may not look massive or trying to equate the cost of repairs vs value of the market is foolish. You play the game and buy used or keep an aging product past the warranty period will always cost more to repair than what you would like to pay!

mark200mph
825 posts
 

You know parts express has whole ice modules for 400$ 1kw into 4 ohm .use the case and you have a new mono amp 2 for 800$. You could use some smaller modules for less. I guess the linear power supply that some class d  are using  may be a good idea. Some of the class d stuff has been disposable like some TV too expensive to fix

dr-hooves's avatar
dr-hooves
28 posts
 

Basically there is no way in the real world it costs that much to repair both amps.

The real problem here is fear of the unknown, all you have to do is find a local company that carries out Audio Video repairs and have them carry out the work.

A transformer is simply a winding made every day anywhere and caps also, it is good to do both for sound quality. It needs an honest man to look at them, not a magician. So go find someone and relax.

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