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Thread: Broken JBL 6290 amp - what would you do?

  1. #1
    Senior Member gsb001's Avatar
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    Broken JBL 6290 amp - what would you do?

    Hey All,
    Please chime in with what you would do – thanks, SB
    I bought a JBL 6290 amp (300 wpc 8 ohm) from Ebay - $250 delivered.
    Channel A is not working. On button does not light up and power transformer does not turn on. Fan does.
    Channel B turns on as should, except “on” button brightness changes from high to low.
    Cosmetically front is not bad, same with bottom, top and the sides.
    I took top cover off and found large white wire from A channel side running across the top to the back of the amp, with burn mark on plastic wire cover. About 1 inch long.
    I think the transformer might have been repaired or changed out during it’s past. Part is original, but two of the four screws holding it to the chassis are not factory.
    One last observation – the top and bottom cover had strong oil smell and excess oil in the cover creases, slots and screw holes. It’s as if it was wiped down with an oily rag. Strange.
    The seller is going to send me a replacement amp, he had more then one. Seller has been very nice about everything. I think he’s a straight flipper.
    So if you were me, what would you do with the broken one?
    If I was willing to pay $250 for a working 6290 in the first place, and I end up with one. I’m leaning towards setting a budget of $250 to repair the broken one.
    If I don’t repair – what do I do with broken one? Sell as broken I guess would be one option.
    Big down side to repair is risk / cost. It will be about $100 for estimate from my pro audio repair shop - Midwest Audio. So it will cost me $100 to find out of if can be fixed for $250.
    Thanks for reading.
    Tks - SB

  2. #2
    clmrt
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    Would you need two?

    If you had it fixed for $250 or less, would you hold it for a spare or sell it?

  3. #3
    Senior Member gsb001's Avatar
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    Good question – tks.
    I run two systems in my audio room, one with SR speakers and one with home speakers.

    So I already had one JBL 6290 driving pair of SR4735’s. I bought second 6290 so I can have one each driving (just bought) pair of JBL MRX-518 sub’s.

    To replace the first 6290 originally used on the SR’s, I bought two AB International amps (270 wpc & 425 wpc) to drive them bi-amped.

    I can’t think of a way to fit another (3rd) 6290 into the SR system. Any ideas?

    My home speakers are:
    JBL L150A, L-112, 4312A, 4311.

    I could use it for the home speaker system. For the last two years, I’ve been using a Carver M-500T (250 wpc). I love the look of this amp, very reliable, sounds great to my ears, and is nice and compact.

    I play my system at high levels. I would like to have more WPC’s for the home system, sometimes the Carver runs out of gas for my use. I thought of adding a second M-500T and them running bridged (500/600 wpc). I’ve done this in the past and it worked well to get ton’s of clean power.

    I could use the fixed 6290 on the home speaker system, replacing the Carver. I would hate to give up the Carver from my collection, and the M-500T is legendary for is sound. The 6290 would have to give me more noticeable WPC’s to make the trade off work for me.

    SB

  4. #4
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gsb001 View Post
    I play my system at high levels. I would like to have more WPC’s for the home system, sometimes the Carver runs out of gas for my use. I thought of adding a second M-500T and them running bridged (500/600 wpc). I’ve done this in the past and it worked well to get ton’s of clean power.
    The problem with bridging is that you sum the distortion and noise. Usually not a big issue but at high levels you might hear it.

    Look into the Carver M-4.0t, TFM-42, TFM-45 or TFM-55. Not hard to find and insane power. (Any of them can be bridged to 1000W). The M-1.5t is another candidate. If you like the look of the M-500t, the TFM models with meters might be the ticket.

  5. #5
    Senior Member gsb001's Avatar
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    I like all those Carvers you mentioned.
    Any thoughts or experience with JBL 6290 VS Carver older Carver amps?
    Sound quality, power, etc.
    SB

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    Thumbs up 6290 spare parts

    Hello there,

    Don't get desperate on the repair of your 6290.I do own a lot of spare parts for that amp,going from output transistors to complete heatsinks with the 2 PCB's attached.The only thing i can't help you with are the transformers and fans cause mine are all wired for 220V mains voltage.Let me know what you need,i think i can help you out there.

    [email protected]

    Grtngs;
    Johan-Belgium

  7. #7
    Senior Member jbl_daddy's Avatar
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    I never sell gear but my wife and I were moving and I did some thinning. I sold all three of my 6290's on ebay ranging in price from 275 - 425. All of mine were near mint. Do not sink money into a broken one, pickup a nice one on ebay for the right price. PS. I replaced my 6290's with Crown K2's, vrey different sound, I found the 6290 to be a great amp but it does color the midrange a little. The fans are also very loud. My 2 cents
    Well why not it's just one more pair...
    4340's and 250ti's what an odd pair...

  8. #8
    Senior Member gsb001's Avatar
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    Update

    Update. Buyer beware.
    The seller sent me a second JBL 6290 amp no charge as a replacement for the first non-working amp. Seemed more then fair.
    Second amp does not work either.
    Took both to repair shop. Spent $300 to fix one and $200 for the other.
    Two broken amps $250
    Repairs $500
    Total $750 / $375 each.
    Seller originally agreed to help with repairs – now he won’t answer emails. I turned him into Ebay, they are trying to get $200 refund for me.
    More then I wanted to spend for two 6290 amps.
    My only reconciliation is I know I now have two good amps.
    SB

  9. #9
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gsb001 View Post
    Update. Buyer beware.
    The seller sent me a second JBL 6290 amp no charge as a replacement for the first non-working amp. Seemed more then fair.
    Second amp does not work either.
    Took both to repair shop. Spent $300 to fix one and $200 for the other.
    Two broken amps $250
    Repairs $500
    Total $750 / $375 each.
    Seller originally agreed to help with repairs – now he won’t answer emails. I turned him into Ebay, they are trying to get $200 refund for me.
    More then I wanted to spend for two 6290 amps.
    My only reconciliation is I know I now have two good amps.
    SB
    THIS is WHY I haven't bought anything off ebay in 5 years! Generally speaking eBay has become seedy, IMHO. Once, the bay had good sellers with good, and hard to find items, and good scores in abundance. Now it is the other way around, the GOOD and HONEST sellers are the more rare people, and after getting burned a few times, I just stopped buying on the bay, altogether.

    My advice, since you already know YOU like these amps, chalk up your losses, accept it, and you now have amps for your systems, as well as a spare.

    Oh and BTW, IT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT WORSE! How? Easy, you get the amps, amplifiers you have been looking for forever, they are long out of manufacture, they don't work, and you take them to a service center, and find out they CANNOT be repaired! So, you came out sort of OK!

    Did you leave feedback for the seller yet? IF NOT, NEG him, you will see how fast he contacts you through arbitration, and tries to remedy the situation. NO seller wants negative feedbacks, and this will get them out of their hiding hole, fast. Of course, the arbitrator will allow you to stand firm on your negative feedback if you choose to, and tell your side of things!

    Other than these things above, your amps now do work, use them, and enjoy them. But the next time you see something on the bay, you'll be a bit more cautious.
    scottyj

  10. #10
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    Unhappy 6290 spare parts

    Quote Originally Posted by gsb001 View Post
    Update. Buyer beware.
    The seller sent me a second JBL 6290 amp no charge as a replacement for the first non-working amp. Seemed more then fair.
    Second amp does not work either.
    Took both to repair shop. Spent $300 to fix one and $200 for the other.
    Two broken amps $250
    Repairs $500
    Total $750 / $375 each.
    Seller originally agreed to help with repairs – now he won’t answer emails. I turned him into Ebay, they are trying to get $200 refund for me.
    More then I wanted to spend for two 6290 amps.
    My only reconciliation is I know I now have two good amps.
    SB
    As my earlier post stated,i do own "muchos" complete 6290 pcb's with original parts.I wanted to help you out.Price would have been 50$...
    Maybe next time....
    Grtngs Jorre

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