Cat kills a Paramount (temporarily)

[porcupunctis]

While watching a movie the other night, one of my cats decided that the heavy-duty flashlight that I keep on my stereo shelf didn't need to be there.  He promptly knocked it off and it fell right on top of the 5670 tube of my left-channel paramount.  This happened while the Paramount was operating!

Surprisingly, I turned the amp off, replaced the tube, and was up and running with no apparent issues or side-effects.

Something tells me that this could have been much, much worse.  Since the amp was running I was expecting that there would be more sparks, flames, or at least some smoke but none of that happened.  It didn't even blow a fuse or a breaker.

I've attached a picture of the ill-fated 5670.  How much worse could this have been?

[johnsonad]

Impressive and lucky it wasn't the power tube!

[porcupunctis]

Yes, he missed the 2a3 by inches.  That would have been a lot more expensive to replace.  I think I paid $5-$6 for the 5670.  With no other collateral damage, I got off pretty cheap.

[Mike B]

That's good, flattened that sucker right out.  Cool that you didn't have to go under the plate.

I imagine you have a nice ding in the plate too?

[porcupunctis]

I lucked out there as well.  The flashlight must have hit the tube directly and the tube absorbed the impact.  I'm guessing the light bounced to the floor without ever hitting the plate.  The flashlight was a Mag-Lite XL50.  Not a big full-sized flashlight but a fairly hefty chunk of metal.  It survived without a scratch as well.

All things considered, I think this could have been much worse. 

[porcupunctis]

Here is a picture that was actually taken several months ago.  It shows the cat, and the flashlight (though in a different setting).  I should have known the two were a bad combination.

[aragorn723]

Don't forget, cats are out to rule the world!  I have 2, luckily they haven't broken my tube gear... glad the paramount is back up!  Cheers