Membaiki alatan muzik : Laney IRT60-212

I first tried a Laney IRT60212 in 2012. I help my student bought the amp from the shop I was teaching at. I only got few minutes of test run with the amp before we carry it to his vehicle. Tone wise it’s not bad. At the time it was retailing at RM3600. That was that and I really shouldn’t be writing about tone and price as those are subjective matter.

What interest me then was its overall built quality inside. It was light for the size. I wonder why doesn't manufacturers do a show and tell of the guts of their products. Nothing to see when it isn't a flagship I guess? I know Tony Mckenzie does inside and outside review each time he buys something but there’s bound to be limitations on us all in terms of financial and technicality. Anyway I commend his love of doing it. He sure expose what we do not see most of time. Head on to his channel to subscribe. I did.

This IRT60-212 is from another client. It’s in for a retube, bias and circuit board check. The stock pair 6L6GC Rubies were switched to JJ's. The send/return gain slide switch has a recurring contact issues. It would sometime cut the sound to less or mute. I only managed to dismantle and serviced the guts. Retubed, biased, serviced and done. Let’s go to my un-academic review.

The internal layout is good. Beefy output transformer and toroidal power transformer (good for low noise). Components silhouette are clearly outline with numbers and values (sometime) on the board preventing misplacement. Boards are arranged according to section of operation with random zig zagging of detachable connectors. The abundance of connectors allow techs to take out any father, mother, son and daughter board for re-soldering or close checks.

At this point, I foresee some tech friendliness for trouble shooting or beguessing through. The input section is shielded with a sheet of formed aluminium. Great work. The screws holding it are the same shitty ones like found in the VC15R. It's a one-time screw deal. Once you un screw them then you're screwed. Lesson learned and yes, I replaced all three. The digital reverb circuit is merged with the send/return board as like the VC15R. I’m beginning to see a pattern here. In case of a board replacement, the reverb wouldn’t take out any key circuitry with it. Those send/return and switching jacks are cheap enough and probably had been included in the MOQ order.

The rear metal grill shows Laney concern of pest inhabitants. Anything bigger than gecko will not pass through. The speakers frame black paint appeared flaky. This is either due to cheap paint, inadequate coats or heat emission from the power tubes. My assumption is poor ventilation from the cabinet? Speaking of it, the top layer is of cheap particle board. Do not put cold drink there or leave the amp in a dark damped room. The sides are layered plywood. Light but strong, thank goodness. The screws at the back are a joke. The two wood panels are held by will power and tight vinyl coupling. The screws are too short to bite on the mating block. I'm surprise to the fact this didn't fall apart in transit.

The send/return switch is a shitty add-on. First is the type. It’s commercially unobtanium. It has too many legs/pins for its purpose. Only some of it gets used in operation with the rest acting as holder to the circuit board. What the pluck? Okay, I see now why it was chosen. Secondly is the lever length. It's un-practically too long but too short only to be flush with the chassis. It should have protrude a bit for the user to easily flip it. In this one, few times prior, we(I and user) thought we've slide it in place when it actually didn't. We had to resort to a screwdriver which is a touchy thing for some. Unless you have an iron heart inside you then don't touch that switch with a screwdriver. As a matter of fact don’t look and don’t even point at it. Leave it as how it was from China for they know what's best for you! But then again it is quiet an important feature to be overlooked. What a plucking genius were the folks at Laney. I just don't understand why they put it there in the first place. Friggin just screw the switch to the bloody chassis, like the old school way.

The bias test point is accessible from the top vent but then not the bias pot though. It too deep inside. So I unscrew the top four fasteners. It did not budge even a bit. What kind of industrial epoxy did they sealed the chassis with? I proceeded opening the side handle and what do you know, two more screws at each end. A bloody inconvenience of the highest order. Someone please inform Laney that MDF board isn’t good after several screwing around. Yes, tell them to move the bias pot right under the top vent too. It would make everyone’s life easier. Thanks in advance.