... Help, amp troubles.

... and just to add to the never ending trail of joy that my life has become, my Fender champ 600 reissue erupted in a fit of pops and farts this morning. I had been playing my acoustic electric through it this morning, quietly and no issues. Left it to cool down before I turned it off, whilst on the phone large pop's and farts started coming from it (thought at first the castors on my chair had run over some bubble wrap...). Turned amp off, turned it back on again whilst looking inside, nothing glaringly obvious: any ideas folks ?
Valves are a new JJ 6V6 and an old Telefunken 12ax7. Easy enough to swap around the valves, so that will be my first step. Any help appreciated.

Cheers, Ian

Need I suggest our own Cap'njuan for consultation? Possibly even Coastie, assuming you guys worked out that little question about who gets the vinyl? :lol:

adorshki said:

Need I suggest our own Cap'njuan for consultation? Possibly even Coastie, assuming you guys worked out that little question about who gets the vinyl? :lol:

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Juan's the one. I'm no good at diagnostics but, will admit to being agnostic !

Besides, Ian wouldn't part with his Ferlin Husky albums.

coastie99 said:

adorshki said:

Need I suggest our own Cap'njuan for consultation? Possibly even Coastie, assuming you guys worked out that little question about who gets the vinyl? :lol:

Click to expand...

Juan's the one. I'm no good at diagnostics but, will admit to being agnostic !
Besides, Ian wouldn't part with his Ferlin Husky albums.

Click to expand...

Not even for an Eddie Arnold?

adorshki said:

Not even for an Eddie Arnold?

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I very graciously offered Ian an extremely rare Eddie Albert / Eva Gabor album, but he hasn't responded. Album features three good looking voices on back up vocals. Or was that The Petticoat Junction Hits ?

So long ago !

Hi Ian; so, when turned it back on, it didn't misbehave? I went to see an orthopedist once:
Juan: "You know Doctor, when I do this, it hurts pretty bad"
Doctor: "Well ... don't do it anymore"

Sure, swap the tubes out ... one then the other but if the intermittent didn't recur when you turned the amp back on, you'll have to wait until it does for the swapping to be meaningful. I thought maybe dirty tube pins/sockets or a socket that needed retensioning but that's usually more of a 'fried bacon'/crackly/staticy sound ... not so much pops.

If known-good tubes and clean sockets don't do it, you may have the most annoying of problems; an intermittent that, arguably, could be anything. Otherwise the only suggestion I have is that if it does it again, give it a good scolding. Sorry, not very helpful I know.

I think we have come to the conclusion that my LP collection wouldnt fit in with the decor at Chez coastie, and would totally stuff up the feng shui.... :lol:

The amp is currently sitting in the corner and is only allowed out to play if it promises to behave itself. (in other words when I am feeling so enthused, I'll take it to bits, revalve and troubleshoot.... :roll: )

Thanks folks.

All sorted thanks folks. Turned out the 6v6 was loose in it's collar. Duly tightened it's better now. I knew there was a reason why Audio Research, Conrad Johnson et al didnt invert their power tubes (although VTL swear by running the small signal tubes horizontally...)

Cheers, Ian