I have the LA-1K and HF-Auto in operation for ~18?months. A word of caution if one uses either the Key or ALC RCA phono plugs on the rear of the LA-1K. They are only connected to the rear panel circuit card assembly via soldered connections - they are physically isolated from the rear panel, i.e. no physical contact/connection. If stress is placed on either phono plug over time they can break their soldered connection(s) and operate intermittently or fail outright. I had this happen on my LA-1K for the Key plug. I switched over to using the DB-9 interface for the Key input, all is well.
I also have one of the loud fan units - even upon application of power from a cold start. In my QTH, I considered this a small annoyance, the LA-1K was located on the floor in the shack under a desk.
OTA performance - rock solid amplifier. I have 240V mains power, no issues in operating SSB phone at full rated power for hours on-end. Depending upon band and antenna used, I obtain full power with?a drive input between 40W-to-50W. On a few occasions, just with 35W drive. I rarely use with a digital mode so I cannot offer much other than when I have used in digital, temperature rises much more rapidly than SSB phone - but still never an issue.
Palstar recently (earlier this month) posted a firmware update on their website, V1.07B. If your LA-1K has on older version, check the release notes to see if it addresses any issues you may be experiencing.
