Coytee Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Is this the world I've walked into? bought a new Jolida and within 3 weeks one of the tubes blew on me. No problem, Jolida replaced the tube. On installing the new tube, I noticed & remembered that I could NOT bias one of them up to 50 even with the knob turned full bias. Jolida said tube was bad & said they'd send another. they DID send another tube, but got mixed signals and ALSO sent an entire new AMP. I swapped out the amp, kept the new tubes. In the meantime, I'd ordered a full compliment from tube supply (I forget name) anyways, and bought KT90's. So far on the "old" amp, I had 1 tube cherry out and another (according to Jolida) as a matter of time. Now I have an entirely NEW amp by happenstance, install the KT90's and what happens last night but one of the tubes flares up, blows the fuse. I replaced the fuse and it "seems" to work just fine but I'm a bit nervous about the tube that flared up. In total fairness, the tube DID flare up during some loud music, but my gut feeling says it wasn't clipping (to be brutally honest here, I don't know if I even know what clipping sounds like, so if it's OBVIOUS as to it's sound, then I've NEVER heard it) Anyway, I COULD have concluded that maybe I had a buggy amp to have 3 tubes die on me, but again, 2 were on old amp, and this is on new amp. Are tubes just this finickey? Is it just my wonderful luck? Would I be better off getting a BIGGER amp for cranking? (idea is, it stresses the tubes less perhaps) I'm perplexed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgeraci Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 My guess is that this particular amp may not be that reliable, especially for cranking. But, its not that way for most tube amps. Before I journeyed into tubes about a year ago, I recalled some posts from Jolida owners who were having some difficulties with their amps. Sorry, but I do not remember the specific nature of the problems or the models involved. Before you continue to get frustrated with this tubes thing, do some in-depth research on the web and various forums about this amp - see if others have had some similar problems. My Jolida tubed CD player has been very reliable, but I cannot speak to their tube amps. Generally, blowing tubes is not a problem with amps. Most tubes last a long time. My personal experience is with three tube amps, two Dynacos and one Marantz. Lots of loud music, but no tube problems to date. Good luck and keep us posted. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Just for the heck of it, check your line voltage. If it is above 120vac you may be a good candidate for an isotap. Most folks just assume that the local power and light company is sending them the right juice. NOT! DR BILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Let me get this straight you have had trouble with 2 brand new Jolida amps ? With the Jolida amps being brand new you should not require a Isotap they should run fine even at 130 VAC . Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch Employees Trey Cannon Posted January 29, 2005 Klipsch Employees Share Posted January 29, 2005 just in the case that Craig looks at this..... buy a SS amp and you will not have this problem..... SS rules....unless your like craig and can't hear the difference anyway. just pickin at u...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Trey is absolutely correct if you buy a SS amp it will never break since you will never use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Wonder if you have some bad coupling caps. Film caps may be 'self healing' as far as shorts go, but the tube may have expired in the mean time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 by checking the line voltage, I presume you mean at the plug? Hadn't thought of that. Though because of where I live (out in country on dead end road in middle of NOWHERE) I'm sure we sort of get the "what's left over" after everyone else gets the good stuff lol. Point being, it's probably erratic than static. We're first to lose power, last for it to be reinstated, only 5 houses out here on a peninsula of perhaps 1,000 acers (just a guess) Anyways, I'll check the wall plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 What peninsula are you on in TN? Sheesh, probably that TVA power all along. We lived in the country in Wisconsin, and every moring the lights would start getting bright at about 6:25. At 6:30 the lights started getting dimmer. I figured the utility (electric co-op), woas cranking up the power for all the milking machines at the local dairies. Light bulbs didn't last too long there. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogman Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 ---------------- On 1/29/2005 7:59:13 AM Coytee wrote: Is this the world I've walked into? bought a new Jolida and within 3 weeks one of the tubes blew on me. No problem, Jolida replaced the tube. On installing the new tube, I noticed & remembered that I could NOT bias one of them up to 50 even with the knob turned full bias. Jolida said tube was bad & said they'd send another. they DID send another tube, but got mixed signals and ALSO sent an entire new AMP. I swapped out the amp, kept the new tubes. In the meantime, I'd ordered a full compliment from tube supply (I forget name) anyways, and bought KT90's. So far on the "old" amp, I had 1 tube cherry out and another (according to Jolida) as a matter of time. Now I have an entirely NEW amp by happenstance, install the KT90's and what happens last night but one of the tubes flares up, blows the fuse. I replaced the fuse and it "seems" to work just fine but I'm a bit nervous about the tube that flared up. In total fairness, the tube DID flare up during some loud music, but my gut feeling says it wasn't clipping (to be brutally honest here, I don't know if I even know what clipping sounds like, so if it's OBVIOUS as to it's sound, then I've NEVER heard it) Anyway, I COULD have concluded that maybe I had a buggy amp to have 3 tubes die on me, but again, 2 were on old amp, and this is on new amp. Are tubes just this finickey? Is it just my wonderful luck? Would I be better off getting a BIGGER amp for cranking? (idea is, it stresses the tubes less perhaps) I'm perplexed ---------------- Hello, Sorry to hear about your problem. I may have a similar story to share. The tubes which are giving you the problems aren't by chance JJ KT88s? If so, I may have some insight. I KNOW how you feel, Analogman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Come on Analogman, spill the beans on these tubes. Are they badly made? Anyway, such a scenario would be discouraging to anyone. But a good amp with good tubes should rarely have problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogman Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 ---------------- On 1/29/2005 1:40:39 PM Parrot wrote: Come on Analogman, spill the beans on these tubes. Are they badly made? Anyway, such a scenario would be discouraging to anyone. But a good amp with good tubes should rarely have problems. ---------------- Not really, just a little mold 'n' dirt! Where're we goin'? Analogman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analogman Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Parrot, I thought you KNEW that I reside in the rarefied atmosphere of Analogland, with surprises around every corner and every day an adventure! Firein' up the JJs, Analogman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 The only problem that I have encountered with my Jolida 302B is with the tube sockets. Twice, like you they lost contact on the grid and ran away. I caught it the first time the second fried the tube. My fix was to install some octal sockets from a '60s vintage Sansui amp and have had no problem since. The Chinese make a lot of things well but have yet to master the art of tight connections to tube pins. Coytee, you should not have to put up with this stuff. It is NOT normal for tube amps to blow tubes. Go to your dealer and insist that he replace the defective sockets preferably with old ones. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 ---------------- Coytee, you should not have to put up with this stuff. It is NOT normal for tube amps to blow tubes. Go to your dealer and insist that he replace the defective sockets preferably with old ones. Rick ---------------- Had this happened to the same unit, I'd tend to think something is defective. Since I swapped out units already, my gut says those odds aren't quite as high (though it's certainly still possible) The "new" tube that nuked on me was an Electro Harmonix (sp?) KT90 as opposed to an 88 or the JJ. As far as where in TN, I'm just outside of Knoxville. I live in Greenback which is a place that you can't get to unless you first travel through Maryville or Lenoir city Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgeraci Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 I can vouch for the Electro-Harmonix KT90s. Even since Dr. Bill's thread on them, I've been running them in my Mark IIIs, pushing the decibel limits. No problems to date. Nice performing tubes - especially for the money. Your problem may lie elsewhere. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 That is a beautiful part of Tennessee (a lot of it is nice ). I was curious, as I live just south of Chattanooga into Georgia, having gotten out of the city in '93. Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 ---------------- On 1/29/2005 12:31:32 PM Coytee wrote: Only 5 houses out here on a peninsula of perhaps 1,000 acers (just a guess) Anyways, I'll check the wall plug. ---------------- That could be the worse case. On long runs, some power companies will jack up the voltage to compensate for line loss. It wont cost much to measure it. DR BILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 ---------------- On 1/30/2005 4:41:55 PM Marvel wrote: That is a beautiful part of Tennessee (a lot of it is nice ). I was curious, as I live just south of Chattanooga into Georgia, having gotten out of the city in '93. Marvel ---------------- Howdy semi-neighbor If you ever got up this way and heard of Tellico Village (retirement community on Tellico Lake), well... that's not where I live I happen to live opposite of the village on Tellico Lake. Ya, Pops in law owned like 1,500 acres out here, TVA came along & when they decided they needed everyone's land, took all but about 250. That's the "bad" part. the GOOD part is, "we" are the peninusla. There are two large coves and they border 'the farm' where I live. Other than TVA who owns the literal lake front ground, pops in law owns the entire peninsula. Though I came out here kicking & screaming (city boy moves to east of BF egypt kind of thing) I must admit I now love it. The fact that development has now started on OUR side of the lake and is but 2 land owners away from knocking on our door is interesting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.