ModWright Modified Transporter - The Wave of the Future!

ted_b · « **Reply #100 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 08:07 pm »

Are you going direct to amp? What is volume set at (make sure it's down!!!!)? What cables? Is unit on (front button) or just tubes powered up?

rydenfan · « **Reply #101 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 08:14 pm »

The unit is powered on, the tubes are powered on, and the volume is turned down to -40

I tried both balanced and unbalanced I get no sound and only a large hum

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #102 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 08:29 pm »

Geeze!! I would think Modwrigt tested it before they sent it to you. Very sorry to hear about this problem. I'm sure Modwright will make it good.

Cheers
Charlie

woodsyi · « **Reply #103 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 08:30 pm »

Is it networked? Are you playing a song? Just checking.

rydenfan · « **Reply #104 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 08:39 pm »

It is networked and playing. I can see the song title across the front and the time remaining.

Dan does a lengthy test before sending it out, so that is not a concern on my end.

It is so odd though! I cannot get anything via balanced or unbalanced outputs, only a large hum. At this point it could be the transporter or my Amp, who knows? But I would be surprised if my amp died suddenly after not being used for two weeks waiting on the Transporter.

woodsyi · « **Reply #105 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 09:05 pm »

I don't know. Just to be sure, disconnect everything and reconnect step by step. Output impedance on MW Transporter is 110 ohms and the input impedance on your Cary amp is 44k for SE and 91k for Balanced. There shouldn't be a problem. You mentioned the output tubes weren't glowing. Do you have backups to try?

ted_b · « **Reply #106 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 09:26 pm »

I've been going over this with him via phone. I'm stumped. And his Analog VU meters aren't moving, which would tell me it's a network thing. Why it hums AS SOON as the tube power switch is ativated, though, means it's not Slimerver, cuz those tubes have a 45 second mute delay. Softsqueeze is playing fine.

We're gonna try going in via digital ins (i.e does it work as a DAC?). His amp is not the issue...he brought out an old receiver and hooked it up with the same hum as output.

rydenfan · « **Reply #107 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 09:46 pm »

Well, unfortunately is does seem like the issue is the Transporter. Running it as a DAC produced the same results. I ran my cd player to it via coax and had the same hum with no audio. Removing the Transporter from the equation and running the cd player directly to the little receiver gave sound. Such is life I guess

Bigfish · « **Reply #108 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 09:52 pm »

Quote from: rydenfan on 22 Feb 2008, 08:39 pm

It is networked and playing. I can see the song title across the front and the time remaining.

Dan does a lengthy test before sending it out, so that is not a concern on my end.

It is so odd though! I cannot get anything via balanced or unbalanced outputs, only a large hum. At this point it could be the transporter or my Amp, who knows? But I would be surprised if my amp died suddenly after not being used for two weeks waiting on the Transporter.

Recently, I came home after 4 days of travel and turned-on my Candela tube preamp. After the warm-up period I only received a hum in the right speaker and the hum would increase or decrease with volume control on the preamp. I talked with AlexG and he could hear the hum over the phone so he recommended I ship the unit back to him. All he could discover wrong was dirty tube pins and possibly poor connection of the tube pins in the sockets. He cleaned the tube pins with deoxit and applied some contact enhancer to the pins and the hum was gone.

I am just relaying this story to make certain you don't have a tube connection issue.

Good Luck,

Ken

rydenfan · « **Reply #109 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 09:56 pm »

Thanks for the advice. I have already swapped out the rectifier tube and both signal tubes and I have the same result.

rydenfan · « **Reply #110 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 03:08 am »

My best guess is that somehow the analog stage got damaged during shipping. It is unfortunate, but these things happen.

Ted, I just want to publicly thank you for all of your help today. I guess when something stumps both of us, we know something is wrong

Srajan Ebaen · « **Reply #111 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 12:01 pm »

Page 3 of the 6moons preview just went live.

I had no sound either even as a DAC - until I figured out that, duh, the Transporter needs to be told to 'play' even if the desired input has been selected and shows in the display. After learning a few new swear words and suspecting the digital interconnect, amp and disc spinner, it turned out to be as simple as hitting 'play' on the Transporter to active the input already selected...

I'm not saying your issue is that - just that it took me 15 minutes to figure out why I had no sound...

woodsyi · « **Reply #112 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 01:37 pm »

This could be it. Ted stated that your Vu-meter was not working. Perhaps the song was selected and information was scrolling but it wasn't playing because you didn't hit play?

ted_b · « **Reply #113 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 02:14 pm »

He said the time-left counter was moving, and he had music via Softsqueeze.

rydenfan · « **Reply #114 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 02:30 pm »

I spoke with Dan via email last night and he has confirmed something is wrong with the tube analog stage. I would like to note just how professional Dan is; he is on vacation with his wife in Mexico and still responded to my email. A true class act.

I will taking the cover off and sending some pics to his tech today. If we cannot troubleshoot it from there then the piece will be returned to Dan to be fixed. I do hope we can fix it as I am dying to try it out!

woodsyi · « **Reply #115 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 02:34 pm »

Dagummit!

I would still disconnect all the components apart including the tubes and start all over just in case I overlooked something before sending the unit back to Dan. I am sure you guys both covered all bases but you never know.

Good of you Ted to help him out on the phone and all. I am vicariously frustrated.

ted_b · « **Reply #116 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 02:52 pm »

Quote from: rydenfan on 23 Feb 2008, 02:30 pm

I spoke with Dan via email last night and he has confirmed something is wrong with the tube analog stage. I would like to note just how professional Dan is; he is on vacation with his wife in Mexico and still responded to my email. A true class act.

I will taking the cover off and sending some pics to his tech today. If we cannot troubleshoot it from there then the piece will be returned to Dan to be fixed. I do hope we can fix it as I am dying to try it out!

Although in hindsight maybe it was unfair to Dan and Modwright to air these troubleshooting issues realtime on his own forum, I can only think that it is a positive feedback loop. Everyone knows three things: 1) stuff gets damaged in shipment (aka "Sh$t happens"); 2) the music server and transport paradigm is relatively new to us, and troubleshooting the whole signal path is healthy to help understand the touch points and possible gremlins; 3) Dan is a class act, and becoming his customer is a very good thing!

woodsyi · « **Reply #117 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 03:04 pm »

Not blaming Dan. Shit does happen with the gorillas who handle these shipments. Dan was good with my repairs and upgrades and gave me discount on upgrades to account for troubles.

I am just venting my vicarious frustration because I empathize with rydenfan who was so excited with a new toy only to find it not working....

mr_bill · « **Reply #118 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 03:27 pm »

Quote from: Srajan Ebaen on 23 Feb 2008, 12:01 pm

Page 3 of the 6moons preview just went live.

Srajean,
I had no sound either even as a DAC - until I figured out that, duh, the Transporter needs to be told to 'play' even if the desired input has been selected and shows in the display. After learning a few new swear words and suspecting the digital interconnect, amp and disc spinner, it turned out to be as simple as hitting 'play' on the Transporter to active the input already selected...

I'm not saying your issue is that - just that it took me 15 minutes to figure out why I had no sound...

I've read page 3 and thanks for your coverage.
You've made an assumption that the digital volume control is not an option if you want to maintain resolution. It goes a bit deeper than that.
I believe this should be researched further in the context of what the digital volume control actually does (especially starting with the potential of 24 bit resolution) and the option of going direct to amp and the positive trade off of eliminating a component (preamp) direct to amp, and potential degradation of the extra component (preamp) in the signal path.
You may be surprised.
Granted this is feasible if you don't need to do much input switching but in an all digital system it is definitely a strong alternative.
Thanks,
Bill

Philistine · « **Reply #119 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 03:35 pm »

I've been out of town the last few days in Vegas, a business trip with a great excuse to see the Blue Man Group

But did want to share my initial mistakes with the RCA's on my TP for future owners - Dan deactivates the stock RCA's and adds an upgraded pair, the top pair are the upgraded pair. When I tried the bottom pair I got the characteristic hum. Also, both from my own experience and the Slim Devices forum, the majority of SB/TP issues are network related - and they can be frustrating to fix.