Once repairs and upgrades have been completed, the PSU equipment will be tested and calibrated to the recommended output voltages. All work will be carried out by an experienced Chartered Electrical and Electronic Engineer. Once you have ordered, details will be emailed to you on how to send the repair to us. The equipment will be shipped back to you via recorded delivery/courier.
Try to ship your equipment to or within the UK using a medium parcel size. Ideally, less than 46 x 46 x 61 cm. We recommend shipping the entire unit, rather than just the SMPS, so we can verify overall operation.
Q: You are showing out of stock, how do I order?
We open limited weekly slots for these repairs to keep turnaround times quick. We control the slots with stock availability. Please keep checking back.
Q: Is this a known issue with older Linn units?
Yes – Brilliant power supplies and backup batteries are known wear components.
Q: Will this improve sound quality?
It restores correct operation and stability, improving overall performance and can improve sound quality if the PSU was noisy.
Q: Do you offer a warranty?
Yes – all repairs include a 6-month warranty on replaced components and associated labour.
Q: What is turnaround time?
Typically, 14–21 working days from the time we receive the equipment (can be longer in severe-damage cases).
ian young (verified owner) –
Steve at Valhalla was recommended to me by a regular (trade) customer who I bought speakers from and during that purchase I mentioned that I had a ‘sick’ Kairn pre-amp. I followed up on the conversation and sent a query via the Valhalla website outlining my concerns and thoughts.
Steve replied within the day and called me to discuss fault repairs. He presented his suspicions as to what the cause might be but was honest enough to say he could not be certain without getting the amp on his bench. The honest conversation convinced me that the Brilliant PSU service and battery replacement would be worthwhile. So I bought the package online, boxed it up and sent it on a Thursday afternoon.
No later than Sunday Steve contacted me with images showing leaking capacitors and early PCB damage from leakage out of the NiCd battery. He also shared before and after images of an oscilloscope signal analysis. The difference shown was quite stark. Steve was confident that the work done would probably rectify the fault I had found and he felt it would be better that I took the amp back and tried it for myself rather than pursuing a wholescale re-cap; he believed that everything else was looking fine. I agreed with that cost saving advice.
Remarkably I got the amplifier back on the next Thursday, only a 8 days total including the return journey by Royal Mail. Incredible turnaround.
So the audible results: I did have some initial concerns about low gain, and a soft / recessed sound. Once I spent more time listening to other line level inputs – rather than the Kairns MC phono I realised that the issue was just that Linn MC input, and it transpires that it is likely that the cartridge is miles off from the spec of the Kairns MC circuitry expectations. Using the MC vinyl source via an external phono stage the full sound possibilities were evident.
I am generally very skeptical when it comes to audio community woo-woo in particular the concept of ‘burn-in’ periods in new equipment/components. But I actually do think that my amplifier has undergone a transition since it was put back along side its power-amp sibling. Previously a stand-in Majik integrated was feeding my power amplifier via its pre outs. The Kairn now repaired puts it back in its place, a good emergency alternative but not really an equal one.
My point of view now is that although the amp was working it had been sounding tired for some time and it was actually quite well on the way to more catastrophic levels of damage that might have even been a write off case.
The service package from Valhalla is an efficient and effective route to securing a good few more years out of the gear. Fully recommended for the technical assistance, the approachable attitude and pre-sales advice.