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Linn Classik - DEAD!

DonaldStott

DonaldStott

Donald
Currently working on a Linn Classik which was DOA - it's a CLASSIKK/S/230

One reported fault was that the display had intermittent problems and wasn’t functioning correctly? Got the lid off and found that problem fairly quickly - the display ribbon cable was shorting out against the inside of the case - I'll attach a picture once I know how?

Now I’ve got to identify why this player is DEAD - no lights, no relays clicking, nothing? Something amiss in the power supply perhaps so I need to check various components. But of course I’ve got to remove the CD transport and various boards to get at it - not sure how to do that??

A copy of the circuit diagram, schematics or any other documentation (not the User Manual) would be invaluable.

Forgot to mention that I have fairly good electronics knowledge and skills. :)

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
As a follow-up I've read elsewhere that no power or rather, the semblance of having no power is a common fault on this model.

The advice was that the Classik was stuck on standby and the solution involves replacing capacitors in the power regulator circuit - where are they?

I have managed to remove the Tuner board which gives access to the board underneath.

The fuse has checked out o.k. and I've got 246V A.C. on the two Switch pins (P301) on the main board. Looking closer I note that the Switch lies under the CD transport but not sure how to get that removed? What could be the culprit under there?

Apologies for all the questions - if only I had a circuit diagram or schematic!

FOOTNOTE: I had a notion that if I left the Classik powered up for a couple of hours then some of the electrolytics might reform? What I have observed is that I have a very, very faint green light after two hours - so there's some life in there somewhere?
 
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TheDecameron said:
@linnfomaniac83 is your man!
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I have one here that is totally dead, it had been a basket case when it arrived and was showing the L OP error message, which is symptomatic of dead caps in the switching PSU section, I replaced those and it came to life but had some operational glitches (electrical noise from the CD mech and temperamental response to control inputs, so I did a full recap... great, now fully working! for about 12-15 hours anyway whilst on an extended soak test, then it just went off, totally dead, nothing hot, no bad smells. I need to delve into it to find out what's gone amiss but I loaned my scope out to a friend, who's left it in a now closed venue where he was working... and I'm still waiting to get it back.:mad:

I'm suspecting it's the PWM controller but I don't want to just go in there blindly changing bits. I don't want to take it on whilst i'm not equipped to do so. Also, given that this one here has similar symptoms (which I've not encountered before), I'd like to find out the cause. I saw a couple on eBay where the small transformer in the SMPS had (allegedly) failed and been removed, and could not be obtained, if that's the case with these units, then they're probably toast unless I can substitute the existing SMPS with something else, it feeds the +/- 15v rails, which I could potentially tap a supply into... but it's a big undertaking because the existing SMPS is part of the main board. We'll see, it's something I'll explore when I have time.
 
davidsrsb said:
Photos would help, but I would focus on adding an external power supply. Linn loved switchers too much
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For the most part, Linn have made very good use of switching power supplies, the original “round Brilliant” PSU gets an unfair reputation, they’re old, capacitors die, just as they do in linear supplies, recap them an they usually spring back into life for a good few more years. I’ve had to swap the AVS chip on one and a fet on another, but they came back to life, the only one I’ve ever wrote off was one that had been messed with before I got it, and it had been comprehensively destroyed, I’d have had to replace almost all of the components and ran bodge wires everywhere, but that wasn’t the fault of the PSU, just the plonker who’d been in there before, it would have just needed a recap, but he tore traces from the board, then ran bodge wires... to the wrong places, and it went VERY bang.:eek:

The slimline Brilliant and the Dynamik have proven to be very reliable, apart from when they tried to use the slimline to power the 5103 where it just ran too hot, that needed a larger PSU, I have revived one for a friend with a bespoke PSU stuffed in a separate box, but its hassle and I’d have to charge good money to build them commercially

It’s the one in the Classik that’s really problematic, and the fact that it’s part of the main board makes it harder to sub out. I’d have to pull components from the original PSU and then try and find a way of safely packaging another PSU in what is a pretty tight space. In all honesty, if I encounter any where the transformer has failed, I’ll probably just write them off because the cost and complexity of stuffing another PSU in would probably be prohibitive.

The only other products that have the SMPS actually on the main board like that are the Pekin tuner and the Kolektor preamp, those very rarely fail, I’ve only had one faulty Pekin come my way and about £3 in capacitors restored it to full health. As a side note, I love my Pekin, great tuner!
 
Thanks for the helpful and informative responses.

My Classic is completely DEAD - nothing on the display, not even an error message.

Before I start to contemplate changing capacitors I really needed some confidence that the big toroid is working? I've got 242V A.C. going in at the Primary and 27.7V A.C. at both of the Secondaries, assuming the centre tap is OV. I'm assuming these lines feed a bridge rectifier (somewhere?) to produce -ve and +ve rails - but that's just my guess?

If I do need to start changing caps in the switching PSU section then can someone please indicate where these are and what are the values - thanks!

In general I'm not a big fan of blanket cap changes but sometimes needs must!
 
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DonaldStott said:
No responses for several weeks so I suppose that like the Linn Classik this Thread is also DEAD?
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I’d not seen the updates on the thread, it’s obviously fallen back a few pages and in all honesty I’d forgotten about it...

Anyhow, the shorting display cable is very odd indeed, I’ve never seen anything like that before but it could have caused some big problems. Fingers crossed everything is okay there.

The toroidal transformer is only energised when the switching supply energises the relay, I’ve no reason to believe the toroidal transformer will be at fault. If, in the extremely unlikely event that had failed, you would still see power and display but the power amp section wouldn’t work.

As for the caps, the main culprits for preventing the unit powering up properly are C327 and C328 which are 100uf 35v through hole electrolytics which filter the outputs from the small PCB mounted transformer, however you should see, or at least hear (in the form of a hiss/whine) some signs of life if these are bad... they usually are, replace them with 105°c rated low ESR Panasonics. However if there are no signs of life, check for voltage between ground and the inductors (L301 and L302), if you have nothing there, it’s not the capacitors, and it’s likely to be something in the PWM circuit that drives the small transformer. I am just about to order parts for Jason P’s Classik and rebuild the SMPS, the only bit I can’t replace is the transformer itself so I’m praying that’s okay, if it isn’t, the only fix is a Classik T with a burned output stage which I can harvest for it’s transformer. I’ll let you know how I get on.

PS, I have a schematic for a Classik T if you’d like a copy, PM me your email address and I’ll email the PDF to you.
 
@linnfomaniac83. slightly off topic here, I don't suppose you have the circuit schematic for the old Aktiv Isobarik XO, do you? One of mine is intermittent on one channel.
 
suzywong said:
@linnfomaniac83. slightly off topic here, I don't suppose you have the circuit schematic for the old Aktiv Isobarik XO, do you? One of mine is intermittent on one channel.
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Unfortunately not, it’s one of those things I’d have to reverse engineer if I had it in front of me, however if it’s intermittent I’d be checking solder joints around the input of the affected channel, or even the cable (if you haven’t already).
 
So, I have an original Linn Classic which has done years of solid duty. I never unplugged it or turned it off, until we moved house last year.
Now, it won't power on properly. The lights on the LED come on and go to 'STBY' and there is a slow clicking on and off sound. It keeps making this while the display goes dark again until I power the unit down. No front panel controls are effective.
I have opened the unit up and had a look. The clicking is from a relay 'RL300' in the middle of the board.
What the diagnosis - power supply/capacitors?
 
I’m having the same problem with an Arcam Solo all in one. DEAD . Switch it on, Arcam displays for 2 seconds then nothing. You can’t even switch it off unless I unplug it from the wall. Any idea where to start? I’m not really electronically minded which doesn’t help :( but it would be nice if it worked again
 
Iain Boyd said:
So, I have an original Linn Classic which has done years of solid duty. I never unplugged it or turned it off, until we moved house last year.
Now, it won't power on properly. The lights on the LED come on and go to 'STBY' and there is a slow clicking on and off sound. It keeps making this while the display goes dark again until I power the unit down. No front panel controls are effective.
I have opened the unit up and had a look. The clicking is from a relay 'RL300' in the middle of the board.
What the diagnosis - power supply/capacitors?
Click to expand...
Is this thread dead?
I’m having exactly the same issue, after many years of faithful service, Linn Classik went through a period of getting stuck in standby mode, but could on occasions be encouraged into action. Since then it is permanently stuck in standby and after switching off power to let heat dissipate it now doesn’t register anything on display panel for few minutes after powering up although power button light still comes on. Were you able to fix? Or is this unit now toast?
Any one in se London area?
Thanks in advance.
 
The Linn Classik was completely DEAD and returned to the seller as it was incorrectly described on eBay. I got all my money back including p&p.

So unfortunately I can't help with your problems JimakoBee but there are others on this Forum with a lot more knowledge and experience than me.

If on the off chance you decide to sell the Linn Classik then drop me a PM.
 
@DonaldStott was the ribbon cable shortening issue in the photo above the result of heat from a soldering iron? I'm struggling to see how that might have happened. At least you got your money back on it.
 
The boards on the inside of this Classik showed no signs of having been worked on, from memory, so I can't confirm or otherwise that the ribbon shorting was as a result of a soldering iron encounter?
 
I have a pair of Classiks and the one in the den (Classik T) has failed. LED comes on but nothing on the display and no relay click. Im suspecting the standby SMPS. I will try @linnfomaniac83 suggestion for C327 and C328 but any other pointers would be greatly appreciated.
 
My experience at 'fixing' Classiks is fairly limited but I am aware that they suffer from over-heating problems due to poor ventilation, amongst other issues.

This usually impacts on capacitors in the power supply which need to be replaced.

@linnfomaniac83 is certainly the person to contact.
 
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