Scratchy sound, channel imbalance + weird voltage readings.

[Carolus]

Thanks for taking the time to look at my soldering, and for the compliments on my twisted wire.

I just trimmed the bare wire at the headphone jack. I don't think it should have anything to do with the voltage problem since the joint itself looks solid.

The wire on B3 just barely pokes trough about a mm upwards, but as far as I can tell it is soldered on with a good amount of shiny lead that fills up the hole. It also feels completely fastened and I reheated it earlier as well.

The insulation on the wire going in to 7 is right up against the terminal, but I don't think it's in the actual hole. It feels stiff and completely soldered on when I wiggle it and the end is wrapped around the terminal itself. There is no free play in the wire.

I will try your recommendations before I send in the amp. The capacitor on 9 and 10 feels loose when I wiggle it, but I know it is soldered on, so it has to be something with the capacitor. The capacitor closest to the RCA connectors made a loud bang when I reheated it, but it seems to be working just fine and giving correct Voltage readings on terminal 21. Maybe I should replace it anyway since I've heard that capacitors that get short-circuited tend to have a reduced lifespan.

I'll update you on my progress later, but if I can't fix it over the weekend, then I probably will send it in. How is the repair backlog at the repair department?

[Paul Birkeland]

Maybe I should replace it anyway since I've heard that capacitors that get short-circuited tend to have a reduced lifespan.

I have yet to have one of those capacitors present a problem in any repair or any build online, unless they are really horribly burned by a soldering iron.

I'll update you on my progress later, but if I can't fix it over the weekend, then I probably will send it in. How is the repair backlog at the repair department?

I plan to clear the bench today, but there are several sets of packaging floating around out there that haven't been shipped back yet.

-PB

[Carolus]

I changed the wire going from B3 to 7 and made sure that the wire was bent up against the terminal like a hook, but I still get the same wrong voltage readings on terminal 7 and 9.
Is there anything else I could try? Maybe I have to change some components? I feel like just sending it in to Bottlehead, but the shipping both ways would probably cost about as much as the actual repair service.

Edit: Added some pics. The focusing on my phone camera is not so good, but the wire is protruding through the terminal hole in both joints.

[Paul Birkeland]

Does your 6080 glow with the amplifier on? 

It is very rare, but I have seen a case or two where the red/black twisted pair going to B7/B8 was able to heat the 12AU7, but not the 6080, due to bad solder joints on the octal socket.

-PB

[Carolus]

Yes, the 6080 glows.