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Welcome to Audio Carpetorium, my carpeted audio shop.I'm Jerry and I've been repairing and selling vintage tube radios, guitar amps and hi-fi equipment since 1999 on eBay and before that privately. I was fascinated by electrical circuitry as a boy (possibly because my father worked for the telephone company and was always bringing something home?), so he started me with this odd thing called Denshi block and then the Lafayette Radio 40-in-1 Experiments kit, a few simple Heath kits, then Fischer-Technik and later, studied electronics and computers in high school and computer science in college. |
Why do you do this? Because the vacuum tube gives recorded sound the most musical reproduction. Some design engineers say that the triode is the most perfect amplifying device ever invented. It certainly is the simplest! And I feel there’s a lot to be said for elegant simplicity. Simple circuits means less chance of failure and a lower repair bill when it does fail. Tube equipment made in the early days of hi-fi is now over 50 years old and still functioning or easily made functional. Can the same be said for your ten-year old CD player or solid-state stereo? Even if it can be fixed, it’s probably already obsoleted by mp3, mp4, DVD-A or the lack of an iPod dock?
Aren’t tubes unreliable? Yes, they do need to be replaced, especially the power types which do the heavy lifting in an amplifier, but even so, a new set of power tubes should last two years or more, depending on your listening habits. Preamp tubes can last many years.
Aren’t new tubes hard to get? Some are. Other types were made in the high millions. Plus, as the old stock get used up, the price rises and eventually, somebody starts making them again.
Why should I use your service? My restorations and modifications are well-received as you can see on my Reviews page here and on eBay as audiocarp. I'm also on Yelp! and Angie's List.
What do you do in a typical repair? Details are on my Repairs page.
How much do you charge? Repairs typically run $140 plus parts, return shipping and tax (NYS residents only). All repairs are fully guaranteed for 90 days, except for the Quick Fix option which runs $90 plus parts, shipping and tax, and has a 30-day guarantee.
How does this work? Typically, after a consult via phone or e-mail to determine what the symptoms are and what you want done, I give a rough estimate of the labor charge. Then you bring, or ship, the equipment to my shop in southern Queens. After inspection and preliminary testing to verify the problem, I mail you two copies of a contract with firm estimates of the total cost of the repair. You sign both and return one to me. I do the work, test the equipment and advise you of the actual charges. You have the option of paying by cash, check, money order or Paypal. After payment, you can pick up the equipment or I can ship it back to you.
How long does it take? About three weeks from when I get your equipment to when it’s fixed. But, if it needs an unusual part, that will delay things. If you’re in a rush, we can skip the consultation and contract steps and get right to the repair.
Is it safe to ship heavy, yet delicate, tube equipment? Yes, it can be done successfully, if you follow my directions:
Where are you? I'm located in Queens, NY, a stone's throw from JFK airport. My shipping address is:
Jerry Nutter
Audio Carpetorium, LLC
111-32 112 St
Jamaica NY 11420-1026 USA
Shoot me an e-mail by filling in the form below or call me at (718) 738-2549. I'm open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time (that's 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific time or 1300 to 2100 GMT), Mondays to Fridays. (Please call ahead before visiting, I do occasionally have to step out for one reason or another.) Pickups or dropoffs on evenings or weekends can be arranged.