Now, I've got problems....

TroyD
TroyD Posts: 13,077
edited December 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
Okay, so I was talking about the gremlins, right??

**** me. I was swapping out some cables....I frigging just switched on one of the Heaths.....the inboard power tube started GLOWING...quick whiff of ozone...smoke.

Dudes, I swear, if I just toasted the transformer....I'll be swinging from a shower curtain rod by morning.

F*cking hobby. If it's just blown tubes or even a cap or something....eh, I can deal with that. A toasted transformer??? Christ, those Peerless trannies?? Man, oh, man.......FAAACK.

BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    Ouch dude! OUCH! :eek:
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2009
    Must be something in the air,, I fired up the VTL's,,sat down, read some emails,, got up to put on a tune,,no sound from the right side,,looked a the amp,, cold,,fuse blown,,at this point I am thankful that I did nor have the expensive tuning fuses in it,,I suspect a bad tube might have caused this,I hope,,,,when stuff like this happens,I get a sick nauseous feeling.Good luck troy,let us know what the culprit is--good luck.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited December 2009
    Tubes Rule.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    I'll bet he ain't thinkin' that right about now......
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2009
    I dunno...I just shut everything down. I'm just sick....

    One, I've got to order new tubes....I don't have any 6l6's.

    The fuse didn't blow...which is odd.

    Again, if it's just blown tubes...ok, I can deal.

    Eh, going to bed....too much to think about right now.

    I swear though, if the transformer is gone, I am thoroughly ****.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2009
    Ricardo wrote: »
    Tubes Rule.


    That was mean Ricardo.:rolleyes:
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2009
    That's funny right there....

    Classic Club Polk....if a brother is on the border of suicide...just another nudge...

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited December 2009
    Sorry, couldn't resist it.

    Always said it. Tubes is a love-hate thing.

    Hope it's a simple fix.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2009
    Well I have no more 6L6's either,, and I am honestly agonizing over it right now,, as my VTL's are the Compact 100's that have been modded and they are the old school,,take the bottom cover off to bias the tube,while retaing the adjustment pot on the top cover,,I have to do this very carefully,,lol,,or I'll get the holy bezuzus shocked outta me,,complete with flying sparks:mad:
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited December 2009
    Jeez George... you guys are certainly not encouraging my jump into tube amplification.

    I hope everything turns out glowing. ;)
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited December 2009
    The Intergrated gods have spoken. Too bad you didn't get a good whiff of the smoke, may have eased the pain a bit.
    >
    >
    >This message has been scanned by the NSA and found to be free of harmful intent.<
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited December 2009
    I love my preamp, but I'm getting some noise (yes, already know it's tubes). So right now I hate it. Need to re-tube it. Well, it has no less than 8 (eight) 6922's and it likes the good stuff, 7308's preferably white lettered Amperex. I can buy a new preamp with that kind of money. I know I won't get the good stuff.
    Then the two 5881 rectifiers. Guess what, it likes NOS Tung-Sol's. Hard to come by and also expensive.

    See? Love it, Hate it.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2009
    vc69 wrote: »
    Jeez George... you guys are certainly not encouraging my jump into tube amplification.

    I hope everything turns out glowing. ;)

    Comes with the terratory,, mine is just probabally just a bad tube,in which case the fuse is supposed to go,,the tubes are only a year old though,, maybe I just got hold of a bad one.sux so much cause they are soo good to listen too,,like coming home from work everyday to a new toy that you've alswys wanted,,,and it's broke.:(
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2009
    Eh,, don't try to get back on the "good" side Ricardo,, you kicked us when we were down and tubeless ;)

    Max Quad--over and out.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited December 2009
    Sorry Troy.

    Yep, Ricardo keeps telling me tubes are love/hate. I absolutely agree. Dealing with little glass bottles that are over 50 years old in most cases is bound to make you on the verge of going with an iPod fro good (a form of audiophile suicide).

    Then you have all the new production tubes that A) rarely sound as good B) aren;t built anything like the NOS tubes C) seem to have a high failure rate of their own.

    I have 3 tubed pieces and my most recent integrated has seen one very expensive RCA 5691 "Red Base" tube bite the dust. Now I'm having some issue's with some early 50's RCA 6V6GT "smoked glass" tubes.

    It never ends, but the hassle is definitely worth it. These issues pop up now and again as well as the noise Ricardo is experiencing but it's the labor of using tubes.

    Hope it's something simple Troy.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited December 2009
    It must be in the water, a friend of mine had his transformer on one of his snapper's leave a nice oily spot.

    He is really bummed but it is still under warrenty.

    Hoping for the best George and Troy.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited December 2009
    Tubes may rule! But the above is definitely NOt a good Ad campaign for them!

    Hope you haven't fried the unit...but just a tube!

    Good Luck

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    Sand gear has just as many issues, if not more. Tube issues have just been concentrated on this one thread. ;)

    Hang in there Troy.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited December 2009
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Sand gear has just as many issues, if not more.

    You can repeat that 1,000,000 times, but it won't be true ;)
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited December 2009
    If its got knobs or t!ts, you will have problems with it;)
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    I don't know Ricardo.......I have one tube amp in the magic closet but about 10 sand amps. :eek:

    Hmmmmm.....
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited December 2009
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Sand gear has just as many issues, if not more.
    Hang in there Troy.

    Absolutely not true. I've had one issue with a piece of SS gear in 30 years. I had 2 small caps go out in a 1985 Nakamichi pre-amp in 2009. I bought the pre-amp new.

    I have had a couple CD transports bite the dust in the past 15-20 years. All mechanical problems. Other than that no a single solitary issue with any SS gear.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited December 2009
    I'm sure if I should be reading this, being a new Tube Rules guy is this **** catchy?????

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited December 2009
    My brother has had a few issues with the BAT amps he bought from Ted. He had a transformer go out on his Dodd power amp as well as some tube issues. In the case of the BAT they were able to trouble shoot a cold solder joint over the phone. In the case of the Dodd amp he had Gary replace the tranny.

    Both amps are roughly 10 years old, that's a pretty good run for multiple owner tube power amps.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    Heiney, I guess your experience doesn't match mine over the years. It's all good. Not everybody can have the luck I do when it comes to SS gear.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2009
    treitz3 wrote: »
    I don't know Ricardo.......I have one tube amp in the magic closet but about 10 sand amps. :eek:

    Hmmmmm.....
    Well, look at who's amps you're using... :eek: The Jaguar of hi-fi. :D
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited December 2009
    disneyjoe7 wrote: »
    I'm sure if I should be reading this, being a new Tube Rules guy is this **** catchy?????

    Hey man, it happens. Not a damn thing you can do about it. I bought the 1955 RCA 5691 Red Base tubes that normally run about $100/pr. and within an hour the left channel tube popped and then hissed and then silence. These are 'effing military, 5 post, triple mica, thick plates, closely matched triodes made specifically to run in warheads and they can't play in a simple tube amp circuit :D:rolleyes::p

    I am in a dispute with the seller right now. I've since bought another pair of the same type and have run them a week with no issues so I know it's not my gear.

    I had some very noisy and expensive Valvo 12AT7's which I did get a refund on from the seller. NOS tubes are sooooooooooo much better than current production that sometimes you just have to take a chance; sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Unless you are willing to pay BIG BUCKS to a professional tube reseller than gives you a warranty.

    Upscale Audio gives you a 90d guarantee, but their prices are 7-10 times as much as you can buy from a reputable seller on ebay.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited December 2009
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Heiney, I guess your experience doesn't match mine over the years. It's all good. Not everybody can have the luck I do when it comes to SS gear.

    Sorry you've had so many issues............it's not typical but I guess it does happen.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited December 2009
    Face wrote: »
    Well, look at who's amps you're using... :eek: The Jaguar of hi-fi. :D
    Damn, that's cold. :D
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited December 2009
    Sorry to hear! I hope it's a small fix and no biggies!

    I never really blew a Tube or damage any Tube gear before since I don't use any Tubes a lot. I always go back to my Sand Castles! :D
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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