I hope maybe someone can give me some guidance.
I bought a CS-300 from a fellow forum member in 2009. Everything seemed to be fine for a while and then I started having problems with the volume fading in and out of the right channel. There was also static in the channel as well. I wanted to have the unit inspected for problems, but I couldn't find any authorized repair shops in Taiwan. People were suggesting that the voltage regulator might have been to blame. But after consulting Leben, it was decided that Taiwan's power standards (110V) were within the tolerable range.
I sorta forgot about it for a while since I had another amp and was busy with work. After a few months, I pulled it out of the closet, determined to fix the problem. So, I ordered new tubes, installed them and had the same problems. Somehow, after emailing Leben about the problem, the unit started to perform regularly. The fading was gone. The static, nonexistent. Great! Once I told them that the problem no longer existed, we concluded our correspondence. Then, it started up again. I emailed them but received no further responses. Not exactly sure why. Perhaps the person I had been talking to left the company.
I became too busy to care for a while and only pulled it out again last month after the arrival of my LCD-2s. Only this time, the static was still there, occurring sporadically, but noticeably. Only, after a couple of days, I decided to adjust the volume (I normally keep it about 12:00, because I am feeding it from my Grace m902, which controls the levels). Now, the unit functions well. Actually, it sounds great with the new headphones (no, FANTASTIC). Now, if I hear static or have volume problems, I just make a slight adjustment to the volume up or down, and the problem goes away.
Has anyone ever had any similar problems? What should I do about this?
I live in Taiwan and the amp is originally from Japan. Shipping there and diagnosing it could be expensive and uneccesary. I've been offered help by a friend's father, who happens to own a high-end audio store. Only, I don't want to hand him a machine which has a problem that is sporadic and cannot be replicated.
Any suggestions?