Do not buy Darkvoice/Audiophilechina.com - Power Switch Broken

[scootermafia]

Well, my crappy 336SE arrived today.

After 2 weeks of waiting.

And the power switch was flopping around like a limp weenie as soon as i opened the package. After trying to get it to flip one way or the other, it simply cracked off, leaving a nub-like thing in the socket.

I'm going to have to remove the front faceplate and try to switch it on somehow; I'm not spending upwards of $100 and another 1-2 months of waiting to send the piece of shxt back to China.

Any suggestions? I'm already pretty sure I voided the warranty by opening the under-panel and looking around, unless I figure out a way to reprint the little white warranty stickers. As I said, I'm not mailing it back, I'm fixing it myself.

Either I fix the toggle switch, have someone help me install a new toggle, or I figure out a way to connect the power directly and bypass the switch, so that the amp is always-on when it's plugged in.

Thoughts?

 

[SundayDuffer]

I think you should demand them to send you a new one...and also they should pay the postage for the return of the bad one also.

Take pictures and send them the pics.

Good Luck.

 

[atbglenn]

Not that you should have to replace the switch yourself. Better than sending the amp back for the $100 shipping if the seller refuses to pay for the shipping. Switches are cheap and easy to change if you're handy with a soldering iron.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, my crappy 336SE arrived today. After 2 weeks of waiting. And the power switch was flopping around like a limp weenie as soon as i opened the package. After trying to get it to flip one way or the other, it simply cracked off, leaving a nub-like thing in the socket. I'm going to have to remove the front faceplate and try to switch it on somehow; I'm not spending upwards of $100 and another 1-2 months of waiting to send the piece of shxt back to China. Any suggestions? I'm already pretty sure I voided the warranty by opening the under-panel and looking around, unless I figure out a way to reprint the little white warranty stickers. As I said, I'm not mailing it back, I'm fixing it myself. Either I fix the toggle switch, have someone help me install a new toggle, or I figure out a way to connect the power directly and bypass the switch, so that the amp is always-on when it's plugged in. Thoughts?

Unless you are "up to the task" of a DIY repair, I think I would find a good local electrical repair shop and have them put a new power switch in it.

I'd also contact Audiophile China and see if they will pay for the repair and send you a replacement switch at their cost - it shouldn't cost more than about $25 + your part - especially, if you do the dis-assembly, and re-assembly, and just have the repair shop install your part.

As you say it would not be cost-effective to return the amp.

How do you know it was broken from the distributor? Couldn't it have been broken during shipment, or by the customs inspectors, who "forced" it back into the styrofoam packaging?

As I recall, you have to be very careful in packing it in the styrofoam packing, and unpacking it to avoid any excessive pressure on the toggle switch, which protrudes quite far from the face plate.

Sure... "its a pain"... but, you have no idea how the damage occured do you? I'd "just suck it up" and see if Audiophile China will send you the replacement part at no charge to you. If they won't... then... I think you have something to legitamately complain about.

Sorry for your disappointment - but, I'm sure you'll get it worked out... and be very pleased!

 

[fatcat28037]

Give Audiophilechina the opportunity to correct the problem, at their expense. You may be pleasantly surprised by their response. No headphone equipment vendor wants to see their name dragged through the mud on Head-Fi.

 

[xxbaker]

yeah I'd recommend trying to talk to them. I'm assuming at the time of posting this you were pretty pissed, but if I were you and looking back on this I'd feel bad. I'm sure they'll help you out in some way.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...And the power switch was flopping around like a limp weenie as soon as i opened the package.

I'm sorry, that early passage just made me lol.

 

[atomiccow]

I hope you have better luck than I did taking apart my Littledot MK IV when it died after 2 months of use. The front panel screws were hex screws and their grooves had been ground smooth almost by the manufacturers so there was no way to remove the front panel. Removing the rear panel was possible but the PCB had such a wealth of wires stuck between it and the chassis and so little clearance than when I finally wedged it out, it was impossible to wedge back in. In the end I trashed the thing and bought a Kicas Caliente.

Thats the horrible QC of Chinese-run corporations for ya.

Oh ya Darkvoice never refunded my shipping fee for my DOA Figaro either so I doubt you'll get your shipment fees refunded.

A power switch shouldn't be nearly as hard as my case was though, especially if you can get the front panel off. It probably isn't soldered to the pcb so it won't be proprietary switch hopefully.

 

[atbglenn]

Why do you think I buy American products when I can. I had the worst luck with Little Dot...Never again

 

[RockCity]

Unless you're implying it's easier to deal with American companies because they live closer, all US companies farm their products OEM from Asia. The assembly workers here aren't what I consider top of the class, either.

 

[Brighten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sorry, that early passage just made me lol.

Ha... all of the other audio enthusiast gear-head geeks like me must have missed it

 

[scootermafia]

UPDATE:

Well, after a trip to the hardware store, got the tools I needed.
Easily took off the front faceplate - just pull off the volume knob and remove the hex screws that are in a circle around the volume knob, off it comes.

Then, use a wrench to loosen the thin nut holding the on-off switch on. Taking apart the on off switch, I saw the problem. The little metal contact inside that rocks against the switch had shattered internally. It's bad QC straight from the factory, and they don't give a fark whether their amps work or not. There's no way any sort of mishandling could have caused this, if you have unboxed a 336SE before you'd know there's a large internal cavity that has nothing pressing against it, that's where the front panel faces into, and it's well padded and the vacuum tubes are in there. The switch was screwed from the moment the cruel person that designed it had it put to manufacture. I would pay 10 whole extra dollars to cover the cost of a sensible, unbreakable power switch. Instead they give me one that's about as durable as a balsawood sex toy.

So, opening things up, it's clear that positive and negative wires go into the switch, are switched, and leave through 2 more wires. Just connect them, and it will be always on, simulating the action of the little magnetic toggle inside the switch, the poor broken bit of metal that pushes on two little see-saws inside that connect the two contacts. This is kiddy stuff to fix, I don't know how to solder stuff (well at least, not well) so I plan to just use some wire, twist it all together, tape it up, and it will be always on. Its on off will be controlled by a separate power bar just for it.

That is, until I can find some nerdy person to give it a new power button.

 

[frank99]

Good to know at least it works for you now.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

For god's sake man...take it to someone who can do that 5 min job for you...if you futz this up you could blow the whole amp...start a fire....(at worst)...seriously...a tech would charge 10 bucks for the fix (if you bring the replacement toggle) Make sure your toggle is rated to handle the current and voltage required...in most instances a 3A 250V toggle will suffice...the broken toggle will have a rating on it write that down and head to Rat Shack or your favorite store for such things. Online parts suppliers, Mouser, Newark, DigiKey, Partsexpress.....all have numerous models types and quality levels to choose from.

Learning to solder isn't rocket science either....practice a bit soldering some scrap wire to the broken toggle's terminals (once you have removed it and memorized what wires go where). Better yet take a pic of the wire placement before you remove the toggle that way you have a visual record of the correct wiring.

I doubt these guys would ship a unit with a fuXored toggle....I bet the clowns shipping it did the damage.....how beat up is the box ? It's also possible customs broke the toggle.....in any event Audiophile China should send you a replacement toggle IMO. They may also claim that is was shipping damage...which is most likely considering the distance and how stuff is handled at XMAS time.......as in terribly rough.....I've seen it happen (additional staff added at XMAS....don;t give a crap types that chuck stuff around). A good quality toggle is around 6-10US....pretty cheap.

Anyway it's a dead easy repair.....get it done properly with a quality switch and your amp with give you years of trouble free service.

Peete.

 

[scootermafia]

Yeah, it's been delivering solid sound for about an hour now.

I rolled in the 6080 NOS tube and the new production tung-sol preamp tube. They sound nice, but they have some hum and will need to be broken in, at least that's what other people say is the solution - the tubes (at least one of them) is brand new, the other is NOS but probably unused.