Okay, there was absolutely nothing wrong with my beloved Technics Micro Series components. Since they re-entered my life three years ago, I've loved the hell out of 'em—despite my feeling that since they hadn't received proper service since they rolled off the assembly line, with a good recapping and adjustment they could sound even better.
At the same time, I've been beating myself up over the fact that I let my Kenwood KR-7400 receiver—that I'd owned since 2005—be relinquished into the hands of the restoration company who promptly declared it unsalvageable and trashed it. Like the Technics components, it was way overdue for a complete recapping, adjustment, and a proper installation of LED dial lights (a job I attempted myself but the results of which were ultimately disappointing; another case of me thinking I knew what I was doing but really didn't). With everything else that was happening in the aftermath of the fire, in my mind it was easier to just get rid of it.
I've regretted that decision almost from the moment it left my life.
I missed the Kenwood "sound," but wasn't really sure I wanted another 7400 since there were so many other choices out there.
Backstory
The KR-7400 was the receiver that my high school friend Gary bought new in 1974. As I'm sure I've probably recounted elsewhere in this blog, when he left for a two week summer vacation between our junior and senior years, he let me borrow his entire system while he was gone and the 7400 was the centerpiece. I grew to love that receiver, and whatever other equipment I'd set my sights on immediately faded into obscurity (until I heard my first V-FET amp, at least). When I actually had the funds to buy something a year later, the 7400 had been discontinued, replaced by the KR-7600.
I hated the entire "X600" line. Even though the 7600 had more power than the 7400, it lacked a lot of the features that drew me to the previous model, and frankly, I thought it was just downright fugly.
Today
Despite my initial impressions, Kenwood's "X600" series held my attention over the years, and when I thought I might want to acquire a replacement of the 7400 that I let go of after the fire, quite a few of this later series were available on eBay.
The 7600's up for auction were uniformly beat up, but a KR-6600 (basically all the same functions with only a slightly lower power rating) caught my eye. It was near mint, and the owner indicated it had been completely cleaned, pots lubricated with DeOxit, all panel bulbs replaced with LEDs and the BIAS on the amp adjusted. It was not recapped, but he assured me the caps had been tested were still in great condition. (Based on the number of other vintage units he'd sold and his feedback there was no reason to doubt him.) It had a "Buy It Now" option, so I said what the hell…and just like I'd done with the Technics components, I went for it. I figured the worst case scenario would be that if It failed to meet my expectations I could always box it back up and resell it on eBay myself (there were 76 watchers on the original auction).
It arrived yesterday, packed like a tank; packed by someone for whom this was not his first trip to the rodeo. It's not mint, but it's probably as close to mint as I was going to find for what I paid. It's missing a top case screw (something I was aware of) and has a bit of a scrape on the right end of the faceplate, but it's not that noticeable and certainly not anything I can't live with.
I hadn't had a chance to have an extended listening session until this afternoon, and I can say without reservation I'm blown away. As I said before, while there was nothing wrong with the Technics units, I now have a signal source worthy of my JBL's.
Even more now than when I first got the JBLs, good recordings absolutely sing, whereas every flaw in poor recordings is mercilessly revealed.
Am I crazy for doing this? Probably. If nothing else, I can now send the Technics units off for recapping and adjustment and not be without tunes for the 6-8 weeks months that's expected to take. But—not unsurprisngly after my listening session today—it's not a priority.
Hopefully this will be my last major post-fire purchase until Apple brings out the new 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro.