[barpc]

First, the stock Bugle (I constructed a battery powered Bugle Pro) performs way better than it has any right to.  If you were going to market this, I guess you'd have to charge thousands and use unobtanium gold-plated batteries or something to get audiofools attention.  Too bad for them - and great for the rest of us.   So, hats off to Mr. Hagerman - job well done!

Well, after a few beautiful months, I decided to change my battery set-up from using two batteries to double the voltage (always making sure I used well less than 18 volts) to doubling the batteries to give me longer life.

The problem (well, one problem that is, let's not get into the rest!) is that now the left channel suddenly produces much less volume than the right.  On checking the voltages, the positive voltage is maybe half a volt less than the batteries with the switch off.  The negative side starts off at least two volts below the positive side and then rapidly drops down to an unusable voltage.  When I turn the Bugle switch off, the batteries return to the same basically equivalent voltages (8 + volts) for both sides.

I removed the opamps one at a time and only improved things slightly, that is with all of the opamps removed, the negative voltages declined a little more slowly.  When I replaced the opamps, the voltage drop and rapid dissipation began again.

I have checked my soldering and all seems well, even under magnification.  Also, everything worked fine before.  

Sorry for the long post, but you know lawyers. . .

Anyway, any thoughts are appreciated.

Brad

[hagtech]

Are batteries connected to ground anywhere?  Center tap must connect to board ground.  Also, with switch off, should be no power to board.

jh

[barpc]

Thanks, Jim.

Finally found some time to work on this and it was poor soldering of the battery feeds.

Then, in fixing that, broke the ground wire -- couldn't understand the problem!

Found and fixed that, then discovered the right lead from my (primary) tonearm went south.

Where does it end?

Anyway, the Bugle's back and blowing clearly.  Again, thanks for both the suggestion and help - and the wonderful design to begin with.  Am really enjoying some old 78s - like Hindemith conducting his Symphonic Metamorphoses!  (How's that for obscure)  and Toscanini Haydn 99.  Amazing how good these sound.  Now, if I can just manage the energy, the Glyndebourne Mozart Don Giovanni!!!!!!!!

Thanks.

Brad