So Close...Yet So Far [resolved]

[anthonynchandler]

Yes. I am, BUT let's confirm in case I am not.
The inputs are the three sets of RCA jacks. I have tried using different jacks from the three with both a phono pre output and a connection from my iPhone.

The outputs have been tried going  to either an AudioLab 6000A (as power amp) or two DIY Nelson Pass Amp Camp monoblocks out to Klipsch Heresy IV speakers.

The system works without the Moreplay.

Am I missing something obvious? I try different outputs, move the balance and the volume and the selector.

[Paul Birkeland]

Can you check the resistance between the black (whichever you'd like) wire on the selector switch and the white wire?  How about black and red? 

Your meter won't support signal tracing, but finding a meter with a 2V AC scale isn't super tough, and that can be used to figure out where things are dropping out. 

Based on both channels not working properly, I'd be suspicious of wiring issues around the selector switch and balance pot.

Come to think of it, I looked back at your photos and didn't see anything showing the balance pot wiring, so posting a couple of pictures of that could be helpful.

[anthonynchandler]

Certainly. Give me a moment and I will photograph the two sections.  I tried different tubes to troubleshoot, and then just switched through all of the jacks with all of the combinations. I figured that if it was something like one sloppy solder point then I would get some signal somewhere.
Photos and results of metering will be incoming.


Thanks

[anthonynchandler]

The resistance between black and white is 77
Black and red is 66.

[Paul Birkeland]

Something we have seen happen now and then is CAT5 getting overheated and the individual wires end up touching when the jacket melts away. 

This would appear as 0 resistance on the upper or lower middle lugs on the volume pot with the volume pot turned all the way up, or 0 resistance across the outer pairs of lugs on each level of the balance pot.

[anthonynchandler]

Hmmm, not totally following you with where the cat 5 melting might be connecting, BUT:

On the Balance  I get a 77 on the top and a 66 on the bottom outer pairs of lugs
On the Volume  I get a 10 on the top and a10  on the bottom outer pairs of lugs

Not sure where to measure for the middle lugs of the volume pot, but from terminal 23 to middle lugs I get 0.

 ACTUALLY in the 200 range I get a 2.0 on the middle lugs.

[Paul Joppa]

Are you confident that your cables are in the correct RCA jacks?  If all the voltages are good, it'll be something pretty simple like this.

Your post #20000!!!

[anthonynchandler]

At this rate I may be Paul's #25000 and #30000.

I gave it a rest last night, but I am afraid we are still with no sound.

Any more ideas on what to do next?

Many thanks,
Anthony

[Paul Birkeland]

The first thing to do is to get a meter that can measure low AC voltages.  This one looks fine and isn't too expensive:
https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Multimeter-Resistance-Transistors-Temperature/dp/B071JL6LLL/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=33V3Y6WMBFOUH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0igT1Raq2QuSN2cSijNtPcSoCFfxOvx2OVUSjP30cWAYY1Q3-oK75-p8bZRBjrAIlbsVzJ3Wpq1OLklw65bsG8GuWib9FLbjE_eflH3oul5IgOkxofdLMuDET5qwdd6iZ4hiog0QQdFkQOezw8tjrfekHiZSTwAiDotLuDkOzcqZr0SnjcKNZYs_t84ic62bI7Gix58thh8uKi2eSdzMeCmTdX38fsmL3G4x9UPwC2DPXiJa2imGHc_TE_afTSkS6XKNc8JE2iEErpSnqlJVOzSqCAqTXvos7iSVccjXJ1I.Li9MpJnkJmhtn6ukfUL0GTAEni6PNJ8Q5iOT2IPBLlo&dib_tag=se&keywords=digital%2Bvolt%2Bmeter&qid=1739068248&sprefix=digital%2Bvolt%2Bmet%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

You'll need some device with a headphone jack and an 1/8" TRS to RCA cable.  This can be a laptop, phone, or tablet, and you'll either use a signal generator app or just a web based 60Hz test tone on that device to shoot signal into your Moreplay.

When you have those devices, we can start tracing signal in your preamp.

[anthonynchandler]

Ha ha ha...I KNEW I would need a different multimeter sooner rather than later!  I had that one to help with with some house electrical jobs.   The AstroAI is definitely priced right. Alright, I will order one and then see what we can discover. 


I should have the cable with appropriate signal maker.

Many thanks,
Anthony

[anthonynchandler]

Paul,
I have the signal 60hz, the connection from my phone to rca and the new multimeter arrived.
 Where do I begin?

Thanks
Anthony

[Paul Birkeland]

Start by playing a 60Hz tone from your source with the 1/8" to RCA cable plugged in.  Be sure to turn the volume all the way up!  Now take your new meter and set it to AC volts and use the probes to measure across one of the male RCA plugs, and let us know what that AC voltage is. 

-PB

[anthonynchandler]

Paul,
If I plug in the 60hz source  to input 1, turn all volumes up, turn on the Moreplay and then measure across any of the RCA inputs [if you mean red to red rca and black to black rca on the same input].
then the ranging numbers go immediately to 0.

If I just touch the red probe to a red rca, then I get between 0.998 and 1.2

A

[kgoss]

Put the black probe on the rca ground and the red probe on the rca center pin/cup.

[Paul Birkeland]

No, this is a test to measure your device, the Moreplay is not to be used for this first test.  Just plug the cable into whatever source is making the 60Hz tone, then measure the voltage across the male end of the cable when it isn't plugged into anything.  It's important to know this number first.