[DMcMahon]

I have no experience of the 3246 or any Ferguson so can only comment generally.

Unless someone can advise of a known/common fault for this, then the only practical way to investigate the VU meter issue would be to monitor the VU meter drive circuitry with a volt meter or scope to trace the fault (depending upon your relevant experience this may not be easy).

To do this means opening up the machine and there would be live mains voltage present so should only be done if you are competent and can do it safely.

The schematic for the 3246 can be purchased as an Instant Download from the top right corner of the Forum page.

I would start with the VU meter driver transistor VT6, voltages are shown on the schematic for normal conditions, so would expect to see a much larger DC voltage on the emitter of VT6 for your fault.

I have had identical type symptoms on 2 different machines where the VU meter goes hard over on power up and stays there until machine powered down. On one machine it was a bad electrolytic capacitor on the other a bad transistor. Although this fault on its own should not affect the actual record signal, i.e. like your no sound.

I see the 3246 has Automatic Record Level Control (ARLC). It would be interesting to know if the VU symptom exists when the ARLC is switched from Automatic to Manual. With the machine not in Record mode and no input signal then the ARLC circuitry should not have any effect but just wondering if there was a fault condition.

David