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Audiolab Q-DAC failure - advice please

Fretbuzz

Fretbuzz

pfm Member
I cluelessly opened up a failed Q-DAC to see if there was anything apparently wrong that I probably couldn’t fix anyway…

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…Is the orange gunk on top of some of the capacitors a failure in them, and would that be the reason it suddenly conked out (whist in use)? There are six small ones like that, and one of the larger ones has a few yellow crumbs starting to appear.


Note I did check the PSU fuse first and it’s not that.


Anything else amiss, from the photos? Or other potential causes?


TBH I’m only after a cheap and easy fix for this if anything. Audiolab (IAG) quoted a minimum for repair (before parts) and it’s just not worth it to me. I can get hold of a soldering iron and give it a go if required….


Help/advice much appreciated!


Rob
 
its bit of a well known failure those audiolab caps. the psu ones are bulging too. I had a cd player which did the same and had to go back for warranty repair, but it should still work unless one of the psu caps literally burst open i would think?
 
Fretbuzz said:
TBH I’m only after a cheap and easy fix for this if anything. Audiolab (IAG) quoted a minimum for repair (before parts) and it’s just not worth it to me. I can get hold of a soldering iron and give it a go if required….
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How much did they quote? If that PCB is anything like the M-DAC, getting the caps out cleanly is something of a PITA.
 
hifi-dog said:
its bit of a well known failure those audiolab caps. the psu ones are bulging too. I had a cd player which did the same and had to go back for warranty repair, but it should still work unless one of the psu caps literally burst open i would think?
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Not sure. It was working and sounding fine until it suddenly cut out... No sign of life since.

mercalia said:
The black ribbon cable in pic 3 looks a bit skew at the blue end? Has it unseated its self?
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It seems fine, thanks - probably just optical illusion from it being angled slightly when the case was open.

mansr said:
How much did they quote? If that PCB is anything like the M-DAC, getting the caps out cleanly is something of a PITA.
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£55 for the fixed repair fee, plus any parts, plus VAT, plus postage both ways. Didn't seem unreasonable, just not worth it to me for what it is.
 
Fretbuzz said:
Not sure. It was working and sounding fine until it suddenly cut out... No sign of life since.
Click to expand...
That could definitely be caused by some of the capacitors going bad as seen in the photos. The exact symptoms depend on what function the bad capacitors have and whether any electrolyte has leaked onto the PCB causing short-circuits.

Fretbuzz said:
£55 for the fixed repair fee, plus any parts, plus VAT, plus postage both ways. Didn't seem unreasonable, just not worth it to me for what it is.
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Yes, that's reasonable. The parts would probably come to about the same amount again, assuming they replaced all the electrolytic capacitors.
 
Cheers. Looks at least that, all-in. From the above it sounds like you'd need all caps replaced (no confidence in it otherwise), which would bump it up more.

I've asked for an estimate on that basis.

I won't just bin it either way.
 
I had all the caps replaced in my MDAC as well as an input combo socket replaced about two years ago for about £100 all in inc VAT and return postage which I thought was very reasonable

eddie
 
If it is £55 get it repaired. That is very reasonable!

I have had no issues with my QDac which I have since new. They are great little units either as just DAC or Pre/DAC.
 
Grrrr can't be a***d with this any more. They won't provide a price or upper estimate for replacing all caps, so I don't want to pay (postage and fixed labour charge) to find it's going to cost more than it seems worth...

If anyone here (contributors) wants it to tinker with or send off themselves, just covering the postage cost for me to send it you, let me know. Original box and packaging.
 
Fretbuzz said:
Grrrr can't be a***d with this any more. They won't provide a price or upper estimate for replacing all caps, so I don't want to pay (postage and fixed labour charge) to find it's going to cost more than it seems worth...
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If you want it recapped, I'll do it for £100 plus postage. There's obviously no guarantee that there isn't something else also wrong with it, though.
 
mansr said:
If you want it recapped, I'll do it for £100 plus postage. There's obviously no guarantee that there isn't something else also wrong with it, though.
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Thanks mansr, that's a kind offer. As you say though there could be some other issue too so I'll not risk it. Cheers anyway.

If you want it anyhoo, feel free.
 
Given a number of the smaller caps have vented and the 2 larger ones are bulging i'd be surprised if replacing all does not bring it back to life. I'd advise against giving it a go yourself if you have no experience reworking multi layer boards.
£55 + parts is actually a very good price to re-cap.
 
mark121211 said:
Given a number of the smaller caps have vented and the 2 larger ones are bulging i'd be surprised if replacing all does not bring it back to life. I'd advise against giving it a go yourself if you have no experience reworking multi layer boards.
£55 + parts is actually a very good price to re-cap.
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Thanks.

They still won't provide an estimate, and TBH it feels like throwing good money after bad for something I don't much care for. So if no one takes it here I'll offer it up in the classifieds.
 
I’ll happily give repairing it a go, I’ve never heard a Q-DAC- but would need you to ship it to Switzerland, which I’m happy to pay for? If OK, let me know and I’ll PM you, thanks:)

Richard
 
Hi Richard. Was already spoken for by the time your post popped up in afraid!

So, it'll be off to a new home soon and hopefully making music again.
 
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