Loud POP

The staticy sound you hear when you operate the mute switch is most likely dirty contacts. The key there is that the sound goes away after you flip the switch a few times which mechanically cleans the contacts. Try flipping that switch 5-10 times rapidly and see if it does not go away for a significant period of time. If not, try contact cleaner on the mute switch.

Thanks to all for your help. I think I'll get a new set of tubes for the preamp, so that I'll have pretty much new tubes for everything. The pop is not really loud but just startles me for a moment. It only happens once in a while. Again, thanks to you all! BTW shouls I go stock tubes again? 4-6n7 2-Ax7 2-5814 Au7

try disconnecting the preamp and turn on your amplifier. if you still hear the pop, then it's a problem somewhere in the amp. if not, the preamp may be the culprit.

is the pop you hear a single loud pop or is it several? perhaps one of the tubes in the chain (not necessarily the output tubes) is going bad. i know i've had to deal with "spitty" 6SN7's before, but in that instance it was several small pops and never a loud POP.

once you identify which component is making the popping sound, power down and exchange one tube with it's mirrored mate to figure out which tube it is. it's a definite pain the ass, especially since your looking at 8 on/off cycles for just the amplifier alone. perhaps a tube tester is in order for the future. good luck.

I hear a POP thru my left speaker once in a while. Also when I flip up the mute switch I hear static thru the left speaker .... Can anyone tell me if it is the amp or the preamp causing the problem.

Interchange the channels at the preamp output or power amp input, and see if the problem moves to the right side or not. That will tell you which component is at fault. Have the power off while you are changing connections, of course.

Regards,
-- Al

I would start by switching the tubes from one side to the other, one component at a time, to determine, in the fewest number of steps, if the problem is a bad tube. That is always my first suspicion when dealing with tube components, regardless of the age of the tubes.

Hard to say which component it might be. Does the pop occur when you turn the amp on and all other components are off? If not, can you swap out the preamp for another to isolate the problem?

When does the pop happen,after startup(amp)? If so could be the output tubes. Has this just started, I would see if you can isolate the tube and replace it.