Question for audiophile or electronics wiz

[Ron]

I have an old preamp that sat in my closet for over a decade. It worked fine when I stored it but not long ago I pulled it out, hooked it up and it doesn't work any longer.

It is an Adcom preamp, I've had one of their surround sound preamps stop working (also in the closet) due to the loudness switch failing.

I'm thinking a switch or pot is oxidized or whatever happens to them that make them fail.

Is it worth trying to find someone to service these things or should I just chuck em?

     

[Brad Johnson]

Run all the sliders and pots through a full wipe 8-10 times.  Check the fuse and make sure it isn't rusted or missing.  Make sure any integrated circuit breakers aren't tripped.

Brad

[mtnbkr]

make sure a mouse didn't chew internal wiring?

Chris

[Fitz]

Contact cleaner

[Monkeyleg]

Ditto to contact cleaner. Take the unit apart and try to get the spray in any openings in the pots. If that doesn't take care of it, you'll either have to look for spare parts or junk it.

[Azrael256]

Any electrolytic caps?  They die after a while if you don't use them.

[Gewehr98]

I've brought a couple amplifiers and receivers back to life using Caig Laboratories DeoxIT Gold. 

[Ron]

I think I'll pick up some DeoxIT, thanx.

[never_retreat]

Open it up plug it in and let the smoke out of it.l

[Ron]

Open it up plug it in and let the smoke out of it.l

I thought you had to keep the magic smoke in it or it stopped working 

[Balog]

Any electrolytic caps?  They die after a while if you don't use them.

This would be my guess, if the deoxit donesn't work.