This McIntosh C2500 tube pre-amplifier was stuck with the standby LED lit, with no response to the standby button. I isolated it to an issue with the main micro-controller. The microcontroller was not running, and the watchdog timer was resetting it over and over. I’ve been very successful replacing surface mount / fine pitch components like these. We’ve recently added a hot air tool to the shop which makes rework of these surface mount devices much easier.
More and more fine audio equipment is designed with microcontrollers and other logic, so these are common problems. Replacing the micro-controller resolved the issue. The unit is back to being enjoyed by the owner. If you have a McIntosh C2500 stuck in standby, or if you have any other odd behavior that might be a symptom of a logic issue with your McIntosh or other fine audio equipment, reach out on our service page and we will be glad to help you out.
