The Audio Cynic·Writers·The Bench

Tj Tomasetti

Years on audio support desks and repair benches, including at PS Audio. He writes about what actually fails, what it takes to fix, what it costs, and whether it is worth fixing - with the uncertainty left in.

01Audio Repair Field GuideBy Tj TomasettiThree Things to Photograph Before RepairPhotos can help a shop understand the device and its condition before intake, but they cannot identify the failed component by themselves.4 min read 02Audio Repair Field GuideBy Tj TomasettiThe Repair Quote Is Not the DiagnosisA price discussed before inspection is an estimate, not a diagnosis. The useful question is what evidence will turn the estimate into a decision.4 min read 03The MagazineBy Tj TomasettiThe $12 Soldering Iron ProblemRepair got framed as a specialist activity you buy access to. The first real bench tool costs about twelve dollars. The actual barriers are information and parts, and those are business decisions.4 min read 04Tj's WorkshopBy Tj TomasettiWhy the Hi-Fi Industry Hates RepairA lot of high-end audio is designed to be thrown away. Not on purpose, mostly. But follow the pattern: potted modules, dealer-only firmware, parts that quietly disappear.5 min read 05Ask Tj / Ask the BenchBy Tj TomasettiAsk Tj: My Vintage Receiver Hums. Is It Worth Fixing?A hum is a symptom, not a diagnosis. What it usually means in vintage gear, and how to know whether the repair makes sense before anyone quotes you.4 min read 06The MagazineBy Tj TomasettiWhen It Is Not Worth FixingThe hardest repair answer is sometimes do not spend the money. A useful decision weighs replacement cost, parts, sentiment, and risk together.4 min read 07Tj's WorkshopBy Tj TomasettiRight to Repair: What It Actually Means for YouRight to Repair is about whether the device you paid for can remain yours after the first failure, not just a slogan on a poster.6 min read 08Tj's WorkshopBy Tj TomasettiWhat I Learned at PS AudioYears around audio support and bench work taught me that a repair is also a trust problem: bring the music back, then explain what happened.5 min read 09Audio Repair Field GuideBy Tj TomasettiThe Capacitor Problem: Why Old Gear Changes Over TimeElectrolytic capacitors age. Here is what that can mean for an amplifier, receiver, DAC, or other older piece of audio gear.6 min read 10Audio Repair Field GuideBy Tj TomasettiWhy Component-Level Repair MattersBoard swapping is often the fastest way to make a repair bill bigger. Component-level work starts by finding the part that actually failed.5 min read

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