Now, I've got problems....

headrott

Don't feel too bad Troy (I hope it's a simple fix) but, a few weeks ago my girlfriend's daughter "accidentally" turned on my tube amp with the cover on it. It was on for about 4.5 hours (with the cover on). The power was on when I found it, and immdeiately shut it off. That's the last time I could power it up. I took it apart to diagnose it, and along the way redid the caps, bridge rectifier (it's hybrid tube amp) in it. Put it all back together, nothing. Took it apart to continue diagnosing it, to find it is the power transformer! I was sooo pissed off! I haven't even bothered to see how much it'll cost to replace it. One good thing is I had another tube amp that I am now using.....

Anyway, you are not the only one with tube problems. But I hope your problems don't involve the transformer like mine did.

reeltrouble1

I have no tube issues.

I do have a sand amp with a channel that just went out.

Sorry to hear the mod did not hold Troy. Just put the Classe in relax and enjoy your tunes. Your issue all along would be the amp, you know the kits sound better with the Quad so when its fixed you will be fine. Your next tube amp should be a BAT.

RT1

Systems

By chance it is a transformer let me know. I doubt it seriously, but still let me know. I have several, many in my stash and know of others with some on hand.

TroyD

Will do, the amp is a Heathkit W-5M. The transformer is the original Peerless....

There is a guy in Raleigh NC (The Analog Store)....that is supposed to be a good guy to deal with. That's where I'll probably take the amp to have it looked at.

BDT

tonyb

I just wanna see the pic of Troy swinging from the shower curtain rod.....all in all,sorry to hear of your troubles. Tubes is definately a love/ hate thing and you just have to accept that,or have a high tolerance level so you don't commit suicide.

Dawgfish

There definitely most be something in the air. Last week I was setting up the two channel rig in my new home. I got everything set up, turned everything on, waited a few minutes and started to play some music. The left channel was out. I rechecked everything before coming to the realization that the left channel in my Adcom GFA-555 (original not MKII) was out. I hope it's just a fuse. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

cfrizz

Ricardo wrote: »

Tubes Rule.

Snort, no they do not, and this thread totally proves it.

I push a button, sit down & enjoy the tunes, over & over & over again, not worries about tubes blowin, transformers smokin, etc.

So you all keep deluding yourselves, while you are changing those blown out tubes & whatnot. I'll be sitting back enjoying the music!:p:D

reeltrouble1

Tubers also Rule.

RT1

TroyD

Eh, I've had SS gear go tango uniform as well....

BDT

madmax

Tubes have never let me down, except that one time I tried tapping on one, but that was my fault. Oh, and the one in the dac needed replaced last year but it was really old.
madmax

vc69

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

Tubers also Rule.

RT1

You mean like... potatoes?

megasat16

Tubes - you gotta be careful with them. They are fragile like a young girl but yet unforgiven like your wife!

heiney9

Actually tubes are less fragile than transistors.

nguyendot

If you do it, do it right:
http://www.meijer.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=109590&cmpid=goobase&CAWELAID=317760953

megasat16

H9, Care to elaborate?

thsmith

Not a long time owner of SS or tubes as many of you here but the one thing I can say that makes me like tubes more than SS is flexibility in finding the sound I like best.

heiney9

megasat16 wrote: »

H9, Care to elaborate?

I guess define fragile?

I am talking more about the simplicity of a tube circuit vs. a common transistor. In a sense tubes are more robust in operation because of the simplicity of design.........lots less things to go wrong, IN GENERAL. I've seen transistors go out and take lots of other things with them. Many times tubes don't do this.

I guess I wasn't just thinking along the lines of strictly physical fragility. I tend to use thick glass, military grade tubes and they are anything but fragile.

And look what kind of abuse say a 6v6 takes in a guitar amp.

That's sort of waht I was referring to.

heiney9

I found this a great interesting read.

http://www.milbert.com/TVTFC.bdc

reeltrouble1

Entire military operations rested upon the glow..........transistor kool-aid tastes metallic......useful in building sand castles......twisted panties or twisted sister its all good in the end no matter what you like........either can leave you in the pink or in the stink. gee electronic stuff breaks.......call the newspaper.......there still are newspapers....right????? fact is the better sounding the gear the more it tends to bust, well, unless its just junk.......glass or sand......you hear me man.......come together

RT1---did I mention Tubes Rule........

megasat16

heiney9 wrote: »

I guess define fragile?

I am talking more about the simplicity of a tube circuit vs. a common transistor. In a sense tubes are more robust in operation because of the simplicity of design.........lots less things to go wrong, IN GENERAL. I've seen transistors go out and take lots of other things with them. Many times tubes don't do this.

I guess I wasn't just thinking along the lines of strictly physical fragility. I tend to use thick glass, military grade tubes and they are anything but fragile.

And look what kind of abuse say a 6v6 takes in a guitar amp.

That's sort of waht I was referring to.

I guess Fragile means easily breakable. But it means both easily breakable physically or electronically to me.

There are some Tube amps and preamps build sophisticated but most aren't. While it is true Tubes amps and Preamps usually have lower parts count than most SS amps and preamps but also lacking the protection circuits most SS amps and preamps have to offer. I think it has to do with the basic function of the tube. When it's blown, it's about it and no damage passes along to the speakers or amps. So, tubes have some kind of protection built into it.

Almost all transistors circuits require complicated protection circuitry since they can be blown in many ways and the components along the lines can be damaged when a transistor goes wild.

Anyway, if you look at NP designs, they are very simple and have very low parts count in them. They are almost comparable to most Tube Amps in terms of parts count and simplicity. But Pass Designs are hailed for an excellent sound.

About Guitar Amps, Tubes bring out the bass distortion in the music in the desirable way and that's why famous Guitar Amps usually have Tubes in them. The soft clipping nature of Tubes in Guitar amps are what makes the Musician think it's magical. But I am sure there are a good handful of power transistors that are well suitable for Guitar Amps without any distortion occurs. And there is no question that Transistors in Guitar Amps can lasts longer than any Tubes if implemented in Guitar Amps.

megasat16

heiney9 wrote: »

I found this a great interesting read.

http://www.milbert.com/TVTFC.bdc

Yep, interesting read! I am going to bookmark and read it tonight.

heiney9

Mega, my Pass amp will never leave unless I move farther up the Pass Labs line. I am loving the tube pre in a way I wouldn't have thought possible a year ago. My recently aquired 16 wpc 6SN7/6V6 based tube integrated I use on the 5B's in the office rig is stellar.......simply stellar! Polk 5B's have NEVER sounded better. Of course I am using some of the best sounding tubes around.....that helps. I'd like to get some Bendix 5992 and Tung Sol 6SU7's but for a secondary rig I can't see spending $400-500 on tubes.

The Milbert read is interesting even though I don't 100% agree with every point. FWIW none of the SS amps I've owned have had any type of circuit protection other than an AC line fuse. In fact the Aleph can be run into a direct short and I "hot" swap stuff all the time...........it's a simple, rugged design that can handle any load, anytime. But it's the exception, not the rule when it comes to amps.

TUBES really do ADD SOUL.

reeltrouble1

mega reeeeeeeeeely man if you dont think tube amps incorporate protection circuits check it out.

RT1

heiney9

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

mega reeeeeeeeeely man if you dont think tube amps incorporate protection circuits check it out.

RT1

I'll even do a little leg work for him:

A tubes output transformer in power amp protects speaker from DC voltage due to malfunction and protects tubes from shorts and blunts back-emf spikes from speaker.

H9

megasat16

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

mega reeeeeeeeeely man if you dont think tube amps incorporate protection circuits check it out.

RT1

While I understand some Tube Amps have sophisticated build and protection circuits (so the parts count is going up in these amps), most of them don't have these complex protection circuits. I guess I didn't say clearly enough before.

megasat16

heiney9 wrote: »

I'll even do a little leg work for him:

A tubes output transformer in power amp protects speaker from DC voltage due to malfunction and protects tubes from shorts and blunts back-emf spikes from speaker.

H9

This is not the same thing as protection circuitry you seen in SS amps. Having said that, I know all SS amps don't have complicated protection circuitry also. Take a look at PASS designs for example.

heiney9

megasat16 wrote: »

Take a look at PASS designs for example.

That was my example I gave. My Adcom had no active protection either just rail fuses. But if you shorted that amp, in for repairs it would need to go. Anyways I don;t want to derail this thread too much.

So far I am enjoying the sweet, simple Pass Aleph for power and a very nice Dared tube pre where even rectifiers make a difference. Again, I use some of the best tubes around in the pre and it makes a HUGE difference as well as the stock Auricaps.

There is a place for tubes in every rig and I realize you think tubes have no relevence, are old and dated and troublesome..............but


TUBES add SOUL even to the best SS gear.

george daniel

Well,, my fix was simple,, tube died,,replaced it and it's singing again,,sweet sweet VTL flavored sound,,with a dash of 6L6,, glad it was not a sand amp,,as it would be in the shop for weeks,hope your fix is simple as well Troy. As my esteemed collegue from the rabbit hole kingdom would say


Tubes Rule

Max Quad

thsmith

heiney9 wrote: »

I found this a great interesting read.

http://www.milbert.com/TVTFC.bdc

What I got out of this was Tubes have more advantages and less dis-advantages than SS.

nooshinjohn

Ricardo wrote: »

Tubes Rule.

I am glad it was you and not me because I was thinking the exact same thing:D