Luxman C 1010 restoration. Worth it?


My C 1010 pre amp starts showing its respectable age (45 years and counting). The usual things I suppose: a loud plop over both speakers when switching the input selector, crackling switches and volume potentiometer, one channel of the tuner input is dead. These is not new issues and I could work my way around them by careful switching with the volume down and putting the tuner on one of the Aux inputs. But recently a fairly intrusive hum has developped on both Aux inputs. I can’t ignore this, as the noise is loud enough to even be heard through soft musical passages from the listening position some 4 metres away from the speakers. Curiously, both phono and tape inputs are completely silent.

The C 1010 is at the heart of my vintage set up, which also includes the M 4000 power amp and T 110 tuner. These pieces still sound wonderful and I have strong feelings about their visual design, so I’d like to keep them working together for as long as I live.

I’m not a technician, but I have to assume that all of these issues can be solved by a qualified technician. Is that assumption correct? If not, I’d like to know before considering to take action. But if it is, solving these issues might involve alot of hours work. So perhaps too costly to make sense. What do you experts think, worth it?


edgewear
It is SO worth it. I have a couple of amps, but I am forever attached to my McIntosh 2105, and I have put the money into it that I think that it deserves because I love the sound, and that includes modern speaker teminals and input jacks, an IEC input for aftermarket cords and a full redo of the innards including new transistors, signal transistors and capacitors etc. As a result, I listen to an amp I love that is totally refurbed and sounds better than ever. If you find a tech that you trust you can do the same, and I guarantee that you won't regret it.
It's not much fun listening to a worn out antique trying to get by on memories of what it used to sound like.       
I've decided to go for it and have already found a Luxman expert in my neighborhood who will do the job. Thanks for confirming it's worth doing that. It was precisely what I was hoping to hear 😃

Definitely worth it and likely not terribly expensive I would say go for it.
HI, 
Depends from the cost and how you value your preamp. 45 years, sure needs some attention, new caps, cleaning, and readjusting. It has a modular design and in the hands of a good technician can come back to life.