2. amps-preamps
  3. 192979-121025

Air Tight 300B Flame Out

I was listening to my Air Tight 300B amplifier (fed by a Lamm LL2.1 Deluxe preamp and driving Charney Maestro speakers) starting making popping noises through the speakers. By the time I got to the amp to look, the right channel 300B tube was lit up brightly and smoking. Obviously, I turned the amp off right away.

The 300B tubes are the new issue from Western Electric with maybe 100 hours on them.

Any ideas on what may have happened, next steps, and anyone that can service Air Tight on the west coast? The Lamm preamp is a recent addition. Wondering if the preamp somehow caused the problem?

  -GAR

gareents
carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
1,816 posts
 

Sounds like a simple tube failure except smoking?   where was the smoke coming from?   did you put a new tube in and confirm the amp is good?  

Jerry

jond's avatar
jond
5,899 posts
 

Yeah your tube definitely went out that's a bummer luckily WE has a warranty program. And as Jerry says try another tube in that slot to confirm it was the tube not the amp. For Air Tight service try contacting the US importer Axiss:

 

https://axissaudio.com/contact/

allanblissett
162 posts
 

Use a cheaper tube to test, incase the amp is the problem. 

chenry's avatar
chenry
214 posts
 

Red plate, from the sound of it. Is there a failure on your bias board?

ghdprentice
7,254 posts
 

@carlsbad2

+1

Yep, occationally a tube goes out. Hopefully it did not take out a protective resistor... but it may have. That is why they are there. 

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