2. amps-preamps
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Do amps degrade over time?

Most of my system is fairly new but I have a 15 year old Sunfire Cinema Grand amp. I had it serviced and recapped a few years ago when it started giving a buzzing sound (I realize capacitors need to be replaced after a while). I'm wondering if it's worth upgrading it. To be honest, I would probably replace it with something similar but newer. So my question is: Does the performance of a solid state amp degrade over time sonically? Would I get an improvement in sound quality with a newer amp? Or should I just keep using it until it really breaks down?
malcolm02
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
Transistors also degrade over time but it usually takes longer than 15 years. By the time the unit is 30 years old one can expect a higher noise floor, not only from the transistors but also the resistors. Corrosion can also cause semiconductors to fail for no apparent reason. This is usually a problem associated more with ICs but it can certainly affect discrete devices also.

For now though, since you already have the power supply filter caps replaced, I would expect no worries for quite some time.
csontos
1,275 posts
 
Second Thesoundhouse. Some of those older circuits are truly SOA. The right tech with the right upgrades will give anything current a serious run for it's money.
malcolm02 OP
43 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. My upgrade bug has been satisfied (and my wallet lightened) by recent purchases, so I think I'll be hanging on the amp for a while.
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