Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: rjb1101 on August 02, 2017, 10:50:10 AM
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I finished my Crack build about 1 month ago, passed all checks and the amp works with the stock 6080 Power Tube.
I bought a used Chatham 5998 online and after 1 week of using the 5998 I began hearing occasional static in the right or left channels but never both at the same time. If I swap back to the stock 6080, the static is gone.
How do I begin troubleshooting to determine what is causing the static sound? What checks can I do on the tube vs on the amp to determine if it's a tube or an amp problem?
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What checks can I do on the tube vs on the amp to determine if it's a tube or an amp problem?
The "check" to see if it is the tube or the amp would be to try a different tube. You have done that. From the obvious conclusions drawn from that test, the solution to this noise issue is a simple two step process.
Step one: Put in the 6080.
Step two: Listen and enjoy.
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1. Clean the pins.
2. Try another drive tube?
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1. Clean the pins.
2. Try another drive tube?
I turned down the volume on my input and turned up the volume on the amp. This seems to have worked. I'm not sure why it would work though.
I'm going to clean the pins this weekend.
I'm trying a new drive tube now (had to order).
Is it better to have the crack near max volume and the input (computer) at low volume or max the input volume and have the crack at low volume?
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Always maximize the volume of your source component(s).
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Very interesting, Paul. Please explain.
Thanks,
Alan
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A high signal to noise ratio requires high signal.
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This is also happening with the Stock 6080 tube (Phillips). I didn't originally notice it with the 6080 tube because it wasn't a problem when I first built the amp. Seems like a solder joint is getting worse and worse. I'm going to try the chopstick method that PB suggested in another thread. I would also like to try to clean the Power tube socket. How do I go about clean the power tube (octal) socket?
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This is also happening with the Stock 6080 tube (Phillips). I didn't originally notice it with the 6080 tube because it wasn't a problem when I first built the amp. Seems like a solder joint is getting worse and worse. I'm going to try the chopstick method that PB suggested in another thread. I would also like to try to clean the Power tube socket. How do I go about clean the power tube (octal) socket?
You just have the crack for less than a couple of months. I don't think you need to clean your socket.
Something wrong with your circuit.
Knock on the aluminum plate, did you hear any difference?