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  3. 1078090754

How to Identify which Is the

I recently purchased an all-new stereo system about three months ago. Late Friday night I heard a loud "pop" sound coming out of the left channel. Then, the left channel went totally dead quiet.
I was wondering if someone could help me with a step-by-step logical plan for determining which component is the "bad" or "guilty" party with a dysfunctional left channel. I would think that with changing the speaker cables, interconnects, etc., there must be a good way of determining/isolating which specific component has the problem.
I have high-end tube preamplifier and amplifier. The CD player is a possibility too, since it also has a tube. I wouldn't think it is the speaker, but I suppose that's possible, too.

Thank you!
Steve
bigpowerballs
niravp
55 posts
 
Begin with the source, and switch the left/right interconnects until you figure out which component is the problem.

For example - connect the Right output of your CD player to the Left input on your pre, and connect the Left output of the CD player to the Right input on your pre. If this setup results in a dead right channel, your CDP is to blame.

If, after doing this, you still have a dead Left channel, repeat the procedure for the pre to power connection. If this results in a faulty Right channel, instead of Left, then your preamp is the problem.

If the Left channel is still dead, then switch your speaker cables (ie, connect the Right output of your power amp to your Left speaker). If this move switches the dead channel from Left to Right, then your speaker is busted. (although, in this case I would have someone take a look at the amp to figure out why it ruined the speaker).

I am not too familiar with tubes and don't have any good advice as to isolating the problem if the tubes are at fault. I am sure there is some way you can switch paired tubes from one channel to another... but ask someone else, who knows what he's talking about.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Sounds like you blew a power tube in the left channel of your amp. Look at your power tubes - are the left channel tubes lighted when the amp is on? If not that is your problem and you must replace the left channel tube(s). You might also have to replace the fuse, and if a new tube won't bias, you might have to replace a resistor which quite frequently (in some amps) will go with the power tube.
bigpowerballs OP
34 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. I switched the out connectors to the CDP, per Niravp's suggestion. What I got was a dead right channel, and a very distant left channel (not the volume level the working channel previously had at all).
Newbee, I first tried switching a tube in the preamp for a new (6922) one, since it did not light up. Now everything lights up, but still the problem remains.
I didn't mention that I added a PS Audio P500 power regenerator into my system a few weeks ago. The prior two times I used it it flashed "fault" when first turned on, then was fine when turned off and on again. Could this be causing the problem(s)?
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