Car Amp Repair in the Bay Area? (prefer near SF, if possible)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-11-2013, 01:18 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
CLsmooth71's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: only tourists & kids call it "Frisco!"
Posts: 2,539
Car Info: baby blue TRICK STAR on pink TUFF II's (MIA) =(
Question Car Amp Repair in the Bay Area? (prefer near SF, if possible)

Hi all,

Turns out I bought a bad JL Audio amp from someone off Craiglist. Well, technically, all 4 channels work, but one of them cuts in & out/gets distorted occasionally. My bad for not testing the amp & just taking the seller's word (i never do that. well, i did this one time). Bought it like 3 years ago, but just installed it in one of my other cars and found out it was messed up. smh.

Anyways, anyone know of a place that repairs amps inexpensively? My friends that have or work at car audio shops just send their stuff back to the manufacturer. I really don't want to put too much $$$ into this amp or I might as well just buy another one.

Thanks in advance,

CL

Last edited by CLsmooth71; 03-11-2013 at 02:05 PM.
CLsmooth71 is offline  
Old 03-11-2013, 09:29 PM
  #2  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
CLsmooth71's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: only tourists & kids call it "Frisco!"
Posts: 2,539
Car Info: baby blue TRICK STAR on pink TUFF II's (MIA) =(
any car audio gurus know of a local spot?
CLsmooth71 is offline  
Old 03-11-2013, 10:03 PM
  #3  
Registered User
 
iammedan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Bay Area, California
Posts: 383
Car Info: 2012 PBP Subaru WRX
Try auto sound performance in daly city
iammedan is offline  
Old 03-11-2013, 11:02 PM
  #4  
Registered User
iTrader: (3)
 
sebhockey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Fremont, CA
Posts: 207
Car Info: 2015 WRX Limited
Sorry, but that kind of repair would cost more than another amp unless you do it yourself. Manufacturers don't even repair half the time anymore, it's normally cheaper to just building a new one.
sebhockey is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 08:28 AM
  #5  
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
EpsilonK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: South Alabama
Posts: 1,028
Car Info: 2015 WRX
Originally Posted by CLsmooth71
Hi all,

I bought a bad JL Audio amp from someone off Craiglist.

Bought it like 3 years ago, but just installed it in one of my other cars and found out it was messed up.
Maybe it worked fine when you got it. 3 years is long enough for electronics to sit around and decide they don't want to work anymore. Also it probably got moved around, maybe exposed to temperature, humidity, etc.
Who is to say it didn't work when you first got it?
EpsilonK is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 08:36 AM
  #6  
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
 
jdblock's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: norcal
Posts: 888
Car Info: 2004 STI
Have you opened the amp to see if it's just a loose wire?
jdblock is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 09:05 AM
  #7  
vaj
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
vaj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: East Bay
Posts: 673
Car Info: 2004 Big Booty STi with a two finger gap.
Just Repairs -- Audio Car Amplifier Orion Soundstream Xtant HiFonics & Many More Amp Repair

I don't know of anyplace local but these guys are awesome. I've sent spectronics all my old school PPI amps and they do excellent work.
vaj is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 09:05 AM
  #8  
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
pter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 357
Car Info: '08 SpecB
Originally Posted by CLsmooth71
Hi all,

Well, technically, all 4 channels work, but one of them cuts in & out/gets distorted occasionally.
Is it cutting in/out due to vibration? Could just be something loose.
pter is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 01:03 PM
  #9  
If in doubt, FLAT OUT
iTrader: (33)
 
04GG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nor Cal SJ
Posts: 7,039
Car Info: 2010 Hatch, 2011 Sedan
Have you tried swapping different inputs/outputs on the various channels to make sure it is the amp? If the problem follows the channel, it isn't the amp. If it stays on the same channel, then at least you know where you should be looking.
04GG is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 01:12 PM
  #10  
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
SkizzDawg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: The Bay Area
Posts: 2,572
Car Info: 2006 STI
Originally Posted by vaj
Just Repairs -- Audio Car Amplifier Orion Soundstream Xtant HiFonics & Many More Amp Repair

I don't know of anyplace local but these guys are awesome. I've sent spectronics all my old school PPI amps and they do excellent work.
Thanks for this info. i have an old PPI amp that i want to get fixed. one of the cleanest sounding amps i have ever owned.
SkizzDawg is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 01:14 PM
  #11  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
CLsmooth71's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: only tourists & kids call it "Frisco!"
Posts: 2,539
Car Info: baby blue TRICK STAR on pink TUFF II's (MIA) =(
thanks for all the responses. i'm at work, so cant get to them all separately. pretty sure the channel is bad. friend's shop did a bunch of testsbon my system & isolated the prob to the amp. bench tested it too. shop isn't best buy or some hack place. one of the best around. i'm just being cheap about sending it back to jl cuz i only paid $180 for it. i really only need 2 channels for now but i'm just using the 2 good channels at 75 w each. i wanted to bridge & get 2 x150 to my 2 way components.

thanks again for the feedback & suggestions. please keep em coming. man, i havent kept up w/car audio since i had a full nakamichi system w/pa-304 & 301 amps in my first car. lol
CLsmooth71 is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 01:58 PM
  #12  
vaj
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
vaj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: East Bay
Posts: 673
Car Info: 2004 Big Booty STi with a two finger gap.
Originally Posted by SkizzDawg
Thanks for this info. i have an old PPI amp that i want to get fixed. one of the cleanest sounding amps i have ever owned.
No worries mate! Sent my old art series and powerclass pc450, 2100, and 4100 surfboards to them and they do excellent work. Came back good as new. Old school rules.
vaj is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 02:01 PM
  #13  
vaj
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
vaj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: East Bay
Posts: 673
Car Info: 2004 Big Booty STi with a two finger gap.
Originally Posted by CLsmooth71
... a full nakamichi system w/pa-304 & 301 amps in my first car. lol
The golden oldies! Good isht! Good luck with the JL mate!
vaj is offline  
Old 03-12-2013, 03:59 PM
  #14  
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
iflycoach's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 434
i go to sound source in oakland for all my audio/video needs. would recommend talking to Alan. i think he owns the place.
iflycoach is offline  
Old 03-13-2013, 09:00 AM
  #15  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (4)
 
CLsmooth71's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: only tourists & kids call it "Frisco!"
Posts: 2,539
Car Info: baby blue TRICK STAR on pink TUFF II's (MIA) =(
Originally Posted by vaj
The golden oldies! Good isht! Good luck with the JL mate!
thanks, yes, those were the days! wish i still had that gear, esp the amps. sold em off.

Originally Posted by iflycoach
i go to sound source in oakland for all my audio/video needs. would recommend talking to Alan. i think he owns the place.
thanks, but i just need an amp repair place. i already have a few friends that work at/own shops. they deal mostly in high end gear, so they just send their customers' products back to the manufacturer for repairs.


anyways, I checked out that Just Repairs site. Looks like a reputable outfit, but pricing is pretty close to what my friend said JL charges. JL has a flat rate $120 repair fee. Not sure if that's just for a diagnostic. Likely, doesn't incl parts. If I have to ship the amp out, it's prob not worth it to fix this thing. I hate to have a partly functional amp, but again, I only paid $180 for it.

gonna hold out to find a more local place. guess i'll have to track down my other car audio connections. i don't really like to impose upon friends, but really don't want to ship this thing out.
CLsmooth71 is offline  


Quick Reply: Car Amp Repair in the Bay Area? (prefer near SF, if possible)



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:20 PM.