Hi folks,

I have a Rega Mira 3 integrated amp that has been a nightmare.  After owning it (I bought it new) for a year or so it started intermittently making a strange popping/crackling sound (in one channel only).  When I could no longer stand the sound (as it became gradually more frequent) I took it to the dealer and they sent it to the Rega repair center.  I was told that some Mira 3's bought during my era had faulty transistors that required replacement - and that they would do it under warranty (even though the warranty had expired).  I was very happy to hear this and got the unit back this weekend - having only paid $30 for shipping.

Much to my dismay, when I plugged it in, the crackling was indeed gone - but another problem had emerged (actually three problems):

1) I am now finding that to get regular sound level out of the unit, I have to dial the volume knob up to 2pm or so - for all types of inputs (phono, CD, etc).  This was not the case before.  It used to be more like 10 or 11am for regular listening volume.

2) If I move to turn the volume up from 2pm towards 3pm (for slightly louder listening) it starts to get loud and then at a certain click on the volume dial the left channel cuts out - almost like it is protecting the unit from playing too loud or something (and yet, we're not talking about any real volume here)!

3) The third problem is that the tape deck (yes, I still have one of these hooked up, although rarely used) only plays in one channel - just the right channel - at all times.  [Note: the tape deck works fine when plugged into another amp I have -and it used to work fine with the Rega amp too.]

None of these issues existed "pre-repair".  I will be sending this back to Rega's authorized repair center, but I am really concerned - and disappointed.  This was my first high-end purchase for an amp, and I've been totally let down.  Sure, it sounds great when it works, but I didn't pay hundreds of dollars for an amp to be in the shop. 

The sad thing is that the old NAD amp I had prior still seems to work perfectly fine after sitting in the basement for a couple of years...(as it's getting an audition now while I seek repairs on the Rega).

Your thoughts as to what might be wrong would be welcomed!

-Graham