Hot take: recapping old gear is sometimes a waste of time

I spent 4 hours last Sunday replacing every electrolytic cap in a 1978 Pioneer receiver, only to find the real issue was a dirty volume pot. Now I've got a perfectly recapped board and the same scratchy sound I started with. Would it be smarter to clean controls first before blindly swapping parts on vintage audio gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth2202d agoMost Upvoted

Did I just recap my life's regrets along with that receiver?

lily2303d ago

Learn from your pain and always clean pots and switches first lol. It's way faster and you'll actually find the real problem most of the time. Saves you from doing unnecessary recaps when the issue is just dirt.