Vacuum Tube Amplifiers
McAlister Audio offers a professional audio service with repair and restoration for both current and vintage vacuum tube and transistor preamplifiers, amplifiers, receivers, tuners etc. With comprehensive, hands-on experience in designing, diagnosing and repairing all types of audio and personal experience with hundreds of repairs you can be assured that your equipment will be professionally diagnosed, repaired and serviced for best sonic performance and long term reliability.
Estimates and Rates: Normally, I do not charge a fee for an estimate since the customer has incurred shipping costs to send the unit and will pay the return freight - this commitment is usually sufficient. Please note that I do allow equipment to be dropped off and picked up. I will be pleased to answer any questions pertaining to your unit repair, modification or shipping. Service, repair or restoration work is quoted individually for each piece of equipment and varies, depending on the work required to complete the job. The customer will be contacted by e-mail, phone or fax with a repair estimate and completion date prior to any work being done. Turn around time is typically within 30 days.
Service /repair / restoration: this typically includes cleaning and lubricating all switches and controls, checking all tubes, checking and replacing electrolytic and signal capacitors, replacing and/or rebuilding power supplies and re-soldering poor/cold joints with alignment as required. Service/labor is estimated in number of hours to repair the unit.
Parts: All capacitors, resistors and related parts are standard grade that will meet or exceed the original replacement. McAlister Audio has a good supply of most parts required but in some cases vintage hi-fi will need a part no longer available and you will be advised on the suggested substitution if possible. Please note that a surprisingly large amount of vintage equipment was never designed with a mains fuse and McAlister Audio as a policy always adds this to the circuit at a reasonable cost along with a polarized mains plug.
Restoration and Modifications: Please contact McAlister Audio with your model and type for suggestions / comments or to answer any questions you may have.