Channel degraded & now 100% silent....

jimbo · 1020

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Offline jimbo

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on: July 18, 2021, 11:06:08 AM
Hi all,

Only a matter of time until I came crawling over to you lot on here for a bit of help. 

I have not really used my Bottlehead Crack amp for a while but today I got it on.  Was sat listening and noticed at first a volume imbalance in one channel, then that same channel became distorted and quite noisy and faded in and out returning to the same low volume. 

I thought I would remove both the valves and pop the same ones back in (don't have spares right now) incase they were not slotted in well enough.  However now one channel has completely gone silent. 

Any ideas.  I am thinking to replace the valves first before going drastic, but before that wanted to ask for advice.

The weather is unusually mid heatwave here in the UK & maybe the ambient temperature has caused the issue, but saying that we Brits love to blame the weather on everything, it is part of our culture so excuses up front there :)
« Last Edit: July 18, 2021, 11:10:47 AM by jimbo »


Offline Love Rhino

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Reply #1 on: July 18, 2021, 11:09:38 AM
Probably already did this, but you checked the tubes, right?


Offline jimbo

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Reply #2 on: July 18, 2021, 11:12:14 AM
Quote from: Love Rhino on July 18, 2021, 11:09:38 AM
Probably already did this, but you checked the tubes, right?

Cheers for the swift reply :)

Don't have a way to check them, I don't have spares either right now.

Just wanted to know if new tubes is step one really.


Offline Thermioniclife

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Reply #3 on: July 18, 2021, 11:22:33 AM
I think redoing the voltage and resistance checks would be a good first course of action.

Lee R.

Offline jimbo

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Reply #4 on: July 18, 2021, 11:32:10 AM
Quote from: Thermioniclife on July 18, 2021, 11:22:33 AM
I think redoing the voltage and resistance checks would be a good first course of action.

Okay I will read up and find my meter.  Need to sharpen my skills & follow the manual for this when I have the time.


Offline jimbo

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Reply #5 on: July 18, 2021, 10:40:37 PM
So this morning I have put the amp back on and both channels are both working again !

Maybe one of the valves was not quite in properly after all.

Time will tell  ;)


Offline jimbo

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Reply #6 on: July 19, 2021, 05:46:56 AM
Back to gradually becoming more distorted again.  Some fading on left channel. Then sometimes okay again.  Needs a complete checking over as said. 


Offline oguinn

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Reply #7 on: July 19, 2021, 05:59:00 AM
Yeah, that sounds like that could be a loose connection someplace.

Jameson O'Guinn

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Main System: Schiit Bifrost MB, Rega Planar 6 with Exact cartridge, Eros 2, BeePre, Kaiju/Stereomour II, Jagers, Mainline

Desktop System: Crack with Speedball

Offline jimbo

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Reply #8 on: July 19, 2021, 08:40:20 PM
Quote from: oguinn on July 19, 2021, 05:59:00 AM
Yeah, that sounds like that could be a loose connection someplace.

Based on the way things are changing over short time periods it does point that way.  I will have a good look when I have time & highlight the culprit on here for the reference for others.


Offline jimbo

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Reply #9 on: December 17, 2021, 11:22:43 AM
Long story short ! 

Everyone check your cables before messing around with anything.  I was lucky and did not start messing with the amp, or get someone else to look at it.  Instead I swapped in my Pro-ject headphone amp and waited and eventually noticed the same issue.  All pointed backwards towards the integrated amp & yes was the damn cable !   

Annoying & feel stupid but could have been expensive and even more frustrating than it already was.

CHECK CABLES / Interconnects  !! !!


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