Stereo Console Electronics Tips
Our recovery and restoration experts have many years of experience fixing electronic problems specifically on stereo consoles, which are applicable to TVs and cassette players. To support the industry and create a bigger pool for all to swim in, we share our top stereo console electronics tips.
Capacitor Replacement
Capacitors made in the 1950s have a tendency to fail over time, especially when not used in years. Therefore, we at the HiFi Clinic, recommend replacing all electrolytic and paper capacitors if you intend to use the vintage electronics.
Electrolytic Capacitors
A polarity (+/-) mark is an indicator that you are looking at an electrolytic capacitor. Usually, there are between 5 and 15 electrolytic caps in a stereo console. The purpose of these is to filter the electricity in a single direction. They don’t work in reverse, which means that it’s important to pay close attention to the polarity when removing original electrolytic caps.
Paper Capacitors
Exterior paper coating marked with the capacitance and voltage ratings usually identifies a paper capacitor. Usually, the capacitance values are in the micro- (i.e. 0.15 µF) and pico- (i.e. 4700 pF) value range while voltage ratings are between 125V and 600V direct current.
