Tube amp repair recommendations - San Diego?

I dropped off my 2 Dyna ST70s yesterday (Aug 25 2009). Mike asked me good questions re. history, service, issues. (a good sign).

First impression - A service engineer's service engineer based on his line of questions and his "lab" equipment. It was nice to see a a mix of new and older analog test equipment on his bench. My Dad's Heathkit tube based volt ohm meter would feel right at home on Mike's shop bench. I have built my share of Heathkits and small electronic equipment for an old hobby - long ago (amateur radio WB6YRW - general class). I just don't have time to trouble shoot anymore.

At the time I dropped of my amps Mike was working on a Mcintosh amp.

Mike was very personable. He is a little backlogged (also a good sign) and will be giving me a call next week to give me an update status. He said he should have these units completed by end of next week assuming no transformer issues, which I don't think is the issue.

I will keep this thread posted on the results.

* Received a call from Mike yesterday 8/31/09, as he promised. How many service shops have you worked with that have follow through like this?
* Amp status updates - couple of original diodes went out; transformers and tubes all fine; one on/off switch went out; biases checked and were fine; mono switch on one amp was out
* Mike is going let them run for awhile and check the amps on a spectrum analyzer
* He expects to have these amps ready for pickup Wed/Thurs this week
* No extra / unusual findings to drive ticket markup
* Very very reasonable price for the work is all I can say
* I will give an update once I get the amps back and run them in the system

* Picked up my amps yesterday, Thursday; 6 days after dropping off
* I have one amp already plugged in and warming up for 24 hours.
* Played some of my records through it. (Sota/ETII/Sumiko,AudioResearch SP14 pre, Dyna --> Janzen electrostat low boys). It is great hearing these amps again in my system.
* Mike was a pleasure to work with. When I picked up the Dynas he received and was working on a relatively rare BOSE amp from the mid 1970s. He said this is the 2nd one he has ever seen/worked on in his career. The BOSE amp reminded me of an early Mark Levinson; Mike had the amp splayed open. Mike definitely works on some interesting equipment.
* I can not say enough positive things about Mike's timeliness, honesty, service craftsmanship and service cost reasonableness; a gem/keeper service provider.
* Yes I would recommend and use him again. No doubt
* I am going to take two of my Dyna Pas3x for a tuneup before I sell these preamps.

Stuogawa, I'm glad Mike worked out for you. I'm considering sending him an amp which no one out this way can help me with. It's a seventies vintage AEA A620 350wpc monster. I feel though if anyone could fix it he's the one. Thanks for the updates.

* Dropped off my Conrad Johnson PV 1 preamp to Mike about 3 weeks ago.

http://www.conradjohnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/a-PV1.html

* PV 1 stopped working.

* Mike had never worked on a PV 1 and did not have schematic.

* Traced problem to two main caps failing.

* Dropped PV 1 on a Monday and got it back that Thursday.

* All tube system (PV 1 and Dyna ST 70s) sounds tubey groovy!

* Again very reasonable repair cost and timely service.

* What I have begun to appreciate with Mike is that he will tell you right up front if he is too busy to accept more work. He is a one man shop and only accepts work that he can complete within what appears 2 weeks time. I have been fortunate because I am close by and can drop off my equipment if he finishes work up earlier.