2. amps-preamps
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Experiencing speaker imbalance, while amp headphone output is fine. Any ideas?

Hi all. Purchased a brand new Audio Research i/50 integrated amp a few weeks ago. Sounded fantastic straight out of the box. Left town for a week, came back and the left channel is now sounding substantially louder than the right. I have Vandersteen VLR CT’s paired with it.

The amp also has a built-in headphone amp. I’ve checked that, and the L/R balance is perfect.

Does anyone have a clue here what could be happening?

Thanks so much for everyone’s time.

128x128gnarmite
chayro
2,933 posts
 

Please call your ARC dealer.  I see so many threads here about new equipment where the OP never mentioned contacting the dealer. Why?  I would not contact the company first.  When a company sells through dealers, part of the margin is to field the customer service calls.  

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 

even well tested tubes, shipped, handled, packed/unpacked, can sometimes suffer from a version of infant mortality

op - wish you good luck, arc should and will take care of you

gnarmite's avatar
gnarmite OP
9 posts
 

Please call your ARC dealer.

Thanks. I did first thing this morning!

even well tested tubes, shipped, handled, packed/unpacked, can sometimes suffer from a version of infant mortality

You were right on the money. Turned out it was just a bad tube that lived only 3 weeks. Replaced today and all is well.

Thanks so much everyone for the replies and help!

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

Swap the speaker cables left to right. At the amp.

carlsbad's avatar
carlsbad
1,551 posts
 

Tubes are a consumable.  If that doesn't set well with you, solid state was invented for guys like that.

 

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