PFR Schematic

[Shadrax]

I am still looking for a PFR schematic. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[admin]

Unfortunately we don't have this one in our database. Are you having a specific issue? Maybe we can help.

[Shadrax]

No signal from pre amp outputs but I can listen from EP out. One of the two fuses is blown and blew again when replaced. There is no obvious heat damage or short circuit visible anywhere. It’s expensive to send the PFR to CJ so I have been in the process of learning more about electronic trouble shooting. I have a good multimeter and ESR tester. I have built a condenser mic from a kit and replaced a transformer in a guitar amp. So I’ll keep picking at this. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Seems that there has to be a schematic somewhere. The guy at CJ was nice but reiterated that they do not sell parts or provide schematics. I am not happy that I spent quite a large amount of money on what I thought would be a lifetime investment only to find that CJ would not stand behind their product. The power amplifier I bought from them also required replacing a transformer and I had to pay for that. No more CJ for me.

[admin]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. CJ no longer releases schematics as they had a huge problem with Chinese companies ripping of the designs. If you go to ebay, you can actually find these cheap knockoff board easily. It's unfortunately for us legitimate users. They do offer a 3 year warranty on their equipment but that is obviously not going to help somebody that is using vintage gear like you or I. There is also a financial and quality control aspect that would motivate them to keep everything inhouse.

Trying to test the components on the signal path of the blown fuse may be a good place to start. At least that would narrow it down a little.

[AnotherJohnson]

The guy at CJ was nice but reiterated that they do not sell parts or provide schematics. I am not happy that I spent quite a large amount of money on what I thought would be a lifetime investment only to find that CJ would not stand behind their product. The power amplifier I bought from them also required replacing a transformer and I had to pay for that. No more CJ for me.

This is rubbish. They will stand behind their gear, but you don’t want to send it to them.

Try any other competitor. No one offers a lifetime warranty. Schematics are only available to authorized repair personnel. And parts are often not even available since boards are replaced rather than discrete components.

No more CJ for you rings true. See what you can get from Audio Research, Krell, Mark Levinson … or any one else that builds great gear for the high end market.

[AnotherJohnson]

Do you realize that the PFR was introduced in 1995? By automotive standards, it would qualify for an antique license plate in many states.

Just as with an antique car, a good technician generally does not need a schematic to fix something as simple as a line level solid state preamp. There are only a handful of well known sub circuits present. It might help to have reference voltages, but it’s not critical if the tech has any significant experience. I don’t know where you are, but a guy like Tom Brucker at HiTech Service on Nolansville Rd in Nashville could get it going again if that’s the goal. If you want to bring it back up to original spec, send it to CJ.

As for a transformer failure, I don’t know what model you owned, but until the last decade or so, transformers had a finite life and it was common to have to replace them in any old tube amp. Foolish owners use the wrong taps, run them to no load, and they can also age out due to insulation failure. The latest transformers are still susceptible to foolish operators, but they are less likely to age out compared to earlier models. This is not peculiar to CJ.

FWIW, solid state gear like the PFR tends to go for a longer time after manufacture without attention compared to tube gear, but when it does need attention, it’s usually a bigger pain. CJ have abandoned continued development of pure solid state equipment, although no one seems to notice their wide spread use of solid state in buffers and such. Strictly speaking, I think some of their designs could be reasonably called hybrids.

[Big Dog RJ]

Yep! I can certainly confirm that.

Even dating back to our dealership years and prior, we're talking 95 to 2004, they wouldn't just provide circuit diagrams willy nilly, unless you were a registered CJ authorised service centre. It wasn't really hard to achieve authorisation status but you had to possess two main criteria: 1. Have experience with high end gear and 2. The necessary tools and electronic equipment to fix them upto spec. Only then would they send across diagrams.

We had some real problems with counterfeits even back then, mostly coming in from Malaysia and Thailand. Not easy to keep a track of all the gear but one thing Lew did require before sending out any diagrams, were the serial numbers. If the serial numbers didn't match what was on CJ's primary database, then no diagram! Simple as that!

Man! Were those the days... we would get calls all from the corners of Sth East Asia, requesting for diagrams on a range of CJ gear. One idiot even wanted one on the Premier 8A monoblocks but we knew straight away it was a knock-off when we realised his serious lack of spelling... it went something like, " Preeemeeer 8"!!! I still laugh about it to this day! When asked for the serial number, he hung up and his email address was a load of bollocks as well.

Anyway, of course there were others who were quite legit but everyone and anyone that required service on whatever CJ gear at the time, had to go through authorised service centres, nothing else! Luckily we had one in Spore and still to this day, Norman Hi Fidelity represents CJ with such great passion! Man that guy must be over 100!

Yes, so for those with much older vintage gear, wanting to repair or restore the equipment with original parts, must get approval first. Unless of course you wish to go your on route... good luck with that!

Cheers, RJ