2. amps-preamps
  3. 177110-5705

Tube or Amp Problem? Please help.

I have a Melody El34 Integrated Amp that I use with 2 pairs of Shuguang Treasure 6CA7-z. Last week I was listening to music when everything went all horrible sounding and one of the tubes lit up like blue fireworks. I turned off the amp and looked at it the next day. To my, admittedly untrained eye, the tube looks fine but when I checked the bias it was at .32 (the amp says to set to .40) so I tried to set it to .40 but it would only go to .34. All of the other tubes I can set to .40. I have never had this issue with this amp. Is it the tube or did something happen to the amp? If it's just the tube will it be ok to have one set to .34 and the other .4 or should I set both tubes to .34, all 4? I would buy a new pair but they were expensive and on top of that don't seem to be offered anymore.

jkontuly

Showing 1 response by blackdoghifi

blackdoghifi's avatar
blackdoghifi
45 posts
 

If it lit up like "blue fireworks" that tube is probably fried. I would not be using it.

There's also a possibility that a resistor is burnt as well in the amp, but since you can get some bias, that isn't likely.

Take one of your other tubes and try it in the socket where the tube failed. Does it bias?

 

 

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