It looks like I'm going to have to sink......or...

Tom B. · 6429

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Offline Tom B.

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on: March 09, 2010, 09:06:35 AM
......swim, if I wan't to keep listening to my Paraglow/Abby combo. For nearly 10 years I've had a good friend make all my repairs. He also introduced the C4S board. The amp itself was built for me by the ever-so-generous Phil Sieg.

My friend has moved to the other side of the country.....and aaarrggh.....my amp broke! I was looking at the sick amp today, attempting to make sense of it all, when it dawned on me, I don't have to build this sucker. It's already built! All I have to figure out is what just happened when I turned the amp on last week and had one of my 2A3s fog up and die. Just in case it was just the tube, I placed a good tube into the socket and nothing happened.....no fireworks....just a dead amp. I switched speaker cables and still nothing.

So hopefully, I can borrow a decent Weller soldering station, some solder, and a volt-ohm meter......did I mention I'm dead broke. I live in Mountain View, California (Googleville). Anybody want to help me out? This time around, I'd appreciate somebody simply handing me the metaphorical fishing pole and with a bit of guidance, teach me how to fish, so when the amp dies again, I might just be able to remedy the problem on my own.

I'm not too sure about this new format. It seems to me, the only folks that are going to be reading about my plight will be people looking through the "Legacy Products"/Paraglow posts. On AA, I used to get a dozen responses or more within 3 or 4 hours. Just a thought....(are you reading this Doc?)

Ciao, Tom B.

What Me, Me Worry


Offline Paul Joppa

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Reply #1 on: March 09, 2010, 09:28:31 AM
No worries - most of us hit the "show new posts" button so it doesn't matter which forum you post in.

Just a quick starting point - did you check the fuse?  :^)

If the 2A3 "fogged up" then it probably died. The question is, what else did it take out in the process? Fuse is the first thing to check!

Paul Joppa


Offline Tom B.

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Reply #2 on: March 09, 2010, 10:36:39 AM
LOL....Paul, you're talking to a technically challenged imbecile of the first order. I went to check the fuse and found that white plastic enclosure that I couldn't open up.....until I just ripped the wire that was attached to it clear off the board. The fuse looks good.

Tom B.

What Me, Me Worry


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #3 on: March 09, 2010, 11:08:02 AM
I'm not too worried about the new format since you seemed to find exactly the right place to post your question. And PJ and I are already on it.

The first thing you need to do is acquire is a multimeter. Then you need to dig up the original manual and perform the resistance and voltage tests which are pretty clearly described. Once you have some numbers to give us we can probably help you diagnose the problem at a distance. If I had to guess with the limited info we have so far I would guess that you have a blown fuse or possibly a blown rectifier in the power supply. Unfortunately you can't always rely upon a visual inspection of a fuse. Checking it with an ohmmeter to see if it reads around 0 ohms will verify that it is still intact.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
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Offline Tom B.

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Reply #4 on: March 09, 2010, 11:34:44 AM
Thanks Dan. I'll see about borrowing one from a neighbor. Presently, I bummed about the whole situation and have my TT connected to the only thing I can stand listening to......my STAX......and taking many drugs.

Scuuuuzz me while I kiss this guy, Tom B.

What Me, Me Worry