Bad audio week

mca · « **on:** 3 Jun 2006, 05:04 pm »

After enjoying my new Wavelength Duetto amp for the past week, the amp decided to go up in smoke on Thursday. The system was not playing, but the amp was left on for the day. When I came home I caught the whiff of burning electrical. The amp was burning hot and the tubes were no longer lit.

I pulled the amp out and immediately got in contact with the previous owner. He says he never had a problem with the amp and feels terrible that it decided to do this right after I bought it. I will be contacting Gordon on Monday to try and get things figured out.

This morning, I decide to get some music back and hook up my Butler 2250 amp. I turn everything on and get fuzz out of the right speaker. Before I can shut it off, it stops and the red fault LED lights up on the right channel. I pull the top on the amp and both fuses are blown on the right side. What other damage has been done I don't know.

So now I wonder, did whatever happen to the Wavelength amp also fry my Modwright preamp? Short of sending everything back to get a checkup, I am afraid to try anything else with the system.

Sometime this hobby really sucks

warnerwh · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 10:06 pm »

Be sure to check the house wiring. I'd even pull out the outlets and make sure the wiring was well intact.

The guy who sent you the amp probably never did have a problem. This reminds me of a couple of years ago when Cheryl sold her car to the neighbor across the street. One week later the crankshaft broke. Her car had been fine before that.

Best of luck getting things sorted out.

Dr. Krull · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 10:40 pm »

Quote from: mca

So now I wonder, did whatever happen to the Wavelength amp also fry my Modwright preamp?

Don't rule out the likely possibility that your preamp caused both of your amps to fail.

-Krull

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jun 2006, 11:50 pm »

You Guys dont take good care of your equipment you expect everything
from a manufacturer and you dont see your misuse of the equipement
leaving something on with certain types of equipment will do harm and not
good whether you like it or not

Regards
ps:always switch off and dont leave equipemnt unattended

Tweaker · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 12:22 am »

Quote from: G Georgopoulos

You Guys dont take good care of your equipment you expect everything
from a manufacturer and you dont see your misuse of the equipement
leaving something on with certain types of equipment will do harm and not
good whether you like it or not

Regards
ps:always switch off and dont leave equipemnt unattended

Yes, that was very helpful. Nothing like a good scolding.
I would also suspect the preamp or house wiring. With two amps going blooey I think that is too much of a coincidence.

warnerwh · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 12:43 am »

G Georgopoulos: I note you're selling audio gear. You should learn how to spell and use punctuation!

What does leaving something on have to do with taking good care of it? I agree that tube gear shouldn't be left unattended but I wouldn't call that "abuse". Do you sell gear that you can't leave on for extended periods? I leave my system on for hours on end on the weekend as little time goes by where I'm not listening to something.

All I expect from a manufacturer is that the gear I buy works as advertised. I don't remember reading that there were limits on the amount of time a piece of gear could be on.

One thing though is that if you don't ever turn a piece of gear on it will probably last alot longer

.

Dr. Krull · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 12:55 am »

Quote from: warnerwh

G Georgopoulos: I note you're selling audio gear. You should learn how to spell and use punctuation!

<snip>

One thing though is that if you don't ever turn a piece of gear on it will probably last alot longer .

Doh.

-Krull

mca · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 01:38 am »

Thanks guys. Not quite sure what to say to GG

A. I always take good care of my equipment. This is the first time I ever left the tube amp on when I have left the house. What would be the difference between that and listening to it for about five hours?

B. I am not blaming any manufacturer or anyone for that matter. Just posted to share my misfortune and try and get some ideas as to what may have happened.

I am going to check the wiring to that dedicated outlet tomorrow. Then start the process of boxing all three pieces up and sending them back to the various factories for checkup and/or repair

Jon L · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 01:38 am »

All it takes is one tube that decides to go postal to fry your gear.

After witnessing one tube 'almost' frying my $8000 amp right in front of my eyes, I NEVER leave tube equipment on when I'm not around.

mca · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 01:41 am »

Quote

After witnessing one tube 'almost' frying my $8000 amp right in front of my eyes, I NEVER leave tube equipment on when I'm not around.

This is my first tube amp, and now I know better!

Steve · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Jun 2006, 01:41 am »

Dear MCA,

Might want to check for DC on the right output jack of the preamp, if DC voltage is present, a cap, or something else has failed in the preamp. If not, then the preamp is most likely ok. (Be careful as there might be alot of voltage present.)

If the right output jack measures zero DC volts, I would suspect the Wavelength damaged the speaker. IF this is the case, the fuses blown indicate the speaker voice coils are probably shorted. In this scenario, the fuses should have protected the Butler amp's right channel.

Hope this helps MCA.

mca · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Jun 2006, 10:37 pm »

Update:

The Butler amp is on it's way back. BK says it looks like it got quite hot and he had to replace several output devices along with all the fuses. Weird thing is that it was only hooked up for a minute or so.

The Wavelength is going through a major rebuild. Most parts inside including the circuit board were fried due to excessive heat. Nick reported that whatever happened to this amp was something out of the ordinary.

The Modwright pre came back from Dan and he reported that there were no problems at all with it

Marbles · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Jun 2006, 12:43 am »

The Modwright pre smoked my Kraft mono 400 amps

I turned the pre off before the amps and that was all she wrote for the amps. Dan was standup and paid for the amp fix

It's been 7 f'ing months and I still don't have the amps back.

It's been one delay after another with Klaus.

djbnh · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Jun 2006, 01:31 am »

Quote from: Marbles on 30 Jun 2006, 12:43 am

...smoked my Kraft mono 400 amps ...
It's been 7 f'ing months and I still don't have the amps back. It's been one delay after another with Klaus.

Ouch re: amps & 7 "f'ing" month wait. Couldn't begin to guess what the issue is w/Klaus or Kraft; maybe the guy is human after all? EDIT: now that I see the size of those caps in the Krafts, it's lucky the whole house didn't go up - those things are bigger than some of the canisters they shoot off on the 4th of July!

Is it possible the thread title should be changed to "Bad audio 30+ weeks"?

mgalusha · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jun 2006, 01:34 am »

Rob, you have PM.

Marbles · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jun 2006, 01:53 am »

Mike, thank you for that VERY generous offer. PM back atcha.

I spoke to Klaus about 20 minutes after my post, and with luck, maybe next week will be the week I get them back....

TjMV3 · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Jul 2006, 07:19 pm »

Oh Man, that sucks so bad! Sorry that happened to you, Mike.

Did you ever figure out what caused this whole sequence of horror, to your gear?

Question. Marbles just got my ears all perked up and knot in my stomach.

When I turn my gear on in the morning, I start with the amp first......let that juice up for about two minutes, then I turn on the Pre Amp and sources. Is that right, or wrong?

When I shut it all down for the night, I turn off the sources first, then the Pre Amp......then the Amp...last.

Is that wrong?

So far I haven't had any problems, nor do I get any thumps in my speakers form powering on.

But could I be doing some damage the way I turn on and shut down my gear?

If I'm doing it wrong, what is the right way?

woodsyi · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Jul 2006, 07:40 pm »

I am not sure about the source since I tend to just leave those powered on all the time. Between preamp and amp, I am pretty sure you turn your preamp first and turn it off last. I was told this by the manufacturer of my preamp who eschews any protective circuitry on the preamp for sonic fidelity. Also leaving any tube amps on for anytime without a load is not suppose to be good. If you have had no problems thus far, you are probably fine with your current routine.

mrmusic · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Jul 2006, 07:41 pm »

Ixnay Tjmv3; That is backwards. Amp goes ON last, and OFF first. That way the upstream components cannot burp or thump into the speakers. You have been lucky so far that all of your components have mute on turn on function. Not all do. Better to develop safe habits than trust your luck. Do I sound like somebody's Mom?

Superphon

TjMV3 · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jul 2006, 03:28 am »

Thanks for the help, guys!

I double-checked with Butler Audio and Jason assured me as long as I wasn't gettting any pops and any sound coming from my speakers, during start up and shut down; then no damage was done to my 2250.

But I am going to take your advise and start doing it the correct way, just to play it safe. Which Jason concured with.

Thanks again!!