Audiogon Friday Feel Good Story of the Week


A number of you looked at and answered my question posted, uh, 10 days ago about stupid User Error on my part blowing the entire right channel of my beloved 1993 B&K ST-202+ Sonata amplifier. All the comments were appreciated even the less helpful ones. With your help, I was able to pick up a 1988 ST-202 that had just been redone properly at a very reasonable price. It arrived yesterday and I lugged it upstairs and simply connected it straight to the pre-amp.

Wow. Just wow. Because of the recent refurb it had, it actually trashed my Sonata who's last refurb was in 2007.

As I was sitting there a bit stunned and enjoying myself, I FORGOT that I had not hooked up the Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer at all. I'll get to that in a couple of hours but I wanted to thank everyone for their comments and especially thank the wonderful fellow who found and sold me the Amp and also the person who recommended Deltronics in Chicago to repair my Sonata. If I can't find some place local, I will definitely go that route.

Thanks again everyone.

j
stereoisomer
The ST-70 was not designed for low impedance speakers. Provided little more into a 4 ohm load than at 8 ohms. I used mine with Vandersteens and Sound Dynamics. With the right speakers I felt it was the best under $1000 amplifier available in the mid 80s. At $440 one could get more power for more dollars, however not better sound. 
Mesch, I started with the ST-140!  

It was my "between system" after moving up from the NAD 7020 to what I have now..

I bought the ST-140 and the Pro-5 pre-amp and the least expensive Magnepans I could get. I believe they were the SARA'S. This was right around 1985-1986. I confess for my normal listening tastes, that wasn't a great pairing. That's not the system you listen to a lot of Led Zeppelin on 😞
I had the B&K ST-140. Purchased in 1985. Sold it on AG in 2011 for 1/2 what I paid for it. Great amplifier! 
@jasonbourne52.  

Great! Not a complete idiot. That was what I originally thought but I wasn't 100% sure. And...thanks especially to the folks rooting for repairing the gear. B&K back then was something very special.
Not sure where you are located but if you are in the NYC area I can repair/upgrade your gear


Deltronics I’m sure does good work.
a lot of Chicago shops, repair shops, swap parts, or use inferior parts.
im not saying the “DO”, I’m saying be careful.
  This is from experience at Martroy electronics. 
  Chicago repair shops, be careful and investigate. 

Glad your happy.

    There is a small mom n pop place in Rockford which I have used twice. Inspected, they opened up the amp, showed me all they did, and a hand written list of parts removed and what parts were replaced. 
  
OP,

congrats.

Have you considered, NOT hooking up the sub is WHY it sounds so good!!!???


Direct Bypass on your Sonata Pro-10 means that the signal bypasses the gain stage and goes only through the volume pot. My PS Audio IV preamp has the same option. It lets you use the volume control higher up (where it is more linear) when connected with a device like a CD or DVD player with 2 volts output. More gain is not needed then!
MC, you're a surprise fer chure....a Ren & Stimpy 'woke'! *ROTFL*

('Log' fanboy, myself. We 'do' logs a lot, here...)

For the OP, (Happy you're happy, and that's what counts. 👍), I don't think hammers were involved.....;)
I have had numerous audio gear repaired at Deltronics and they have been very professional and very good at repair and their prices will not put you into the poor house.I had a Parasound JC3 Jr. with a bad right channel fixed for only $250.00 and an old Kenwood KR8010 receiver that I have owned since 1978 that they repaired that needed new caps and a total rebuild of the left channel for only $350.00 both units are now working like new and I would not hesitate to take any other audio gear to them in the future.I'm lucky as I only live about 30 minutes away and can just drop things off in person.
On a related note, my Sonata Pro-10 MC has a button on it labeled "Direct Bypass". On different amps that usually means it's cutting any bass or treble circuits out and sending the signal straight to the amplifier. But this pre-amp doesn't have any knobs or switches that might interfere with the signal source so...I wonder what I am bypassing. The sad thing is I used to know this but it's been quite some time since I thought about it. Anyone care to hazard a guess?
Ah, I thought I was actually being trolled. I didn't care over much because I was happy to have music again but it's nice to know nothing was meant by it. When I was younger, a lot younger, all I wanted was the best stereo I could ever afford. Life changed that so I am happy with what I have.

What a lot of people forget is that no system in the World no matter the price can duplicate live performances be they rock, EDM, Classical, whatever, it's a pale reflection of the real thing. That's why I put a premium on seeing so many live shows to the detriment of my hearing. I got to hear the real thing then listen to the album or CD at home. Anyway, thanks again everyone.
Mercy, tough crowd.

Time to DANCE......

That's right, Hat on the floor, as I slowly walk around the hat to the beat of the music and my faithful K-9 follows me. I STOP and we slowly back around the hat...

Music... again... Fantastic... :-)
How could you forget the TC and nobsound?
Midfi is not even an aspiration for you pal.

Glad you're happy. 
Joy, joy.
op

your system sucks, you need tektons driven by ravens, stat -- or are you deaf man?

jk

glad all is well and you are happy 😆