ScottieB
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2007
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Hi all.
I've been using my modest combo of an Audio-GD Compass (as my DAC via coax) and a little Dot MKIII tube amp very happily for a few years now. Everything is out of warranty...
The Compass knobs (both input and volume) had been acting up a bit lately, some static and imbalance that would be solved by light tapping in the offending knob, but it worked ok.
But today, I had no audio from my right channel.
First I tried swapping tubes in many different combos (old/new power and driver tubes, swapping left and right, etc), but same problem. Right side gone. Here's where it gets interesting though... I also tried using the compass as the dac and amp, and same problem, no audio on the right side. So I figured the Compass was the problem, which based on the input selector problem, made sense.
So then I busted out my old Zero DAC/Amp. And it works perfectly. Both channels, true stereo. So then I tried the Zero as DAC to the MKIII, and again, right channel is out! Next I swapped out the cables from the DAC to the Amp... still right channel is out. I tried swapping tubes again, and this time I saw a bit of smoke and smelled the burning plastic smell... not good. The tubes all lit up still, and the left channel is fine, but the right... nothing.
So... both my Compass and MKIII seem to have lost their right channel... separately but at the same time?!? My Zero DAC/amp is fine, but when sent to the MKIII I lose the right channel. Compass also gets no right channel, as DAC or DAC+Amp.
What can I do? I'm well out of warranty on both items. I'd rather not spend a lot... I'd rather just try something new if I need to spend a good amount of money... I also have all these tubes. Are there other amps that use the same tubes as the LD MKIII?
What a sad sad day!
I've been using my modest combo of an Audio-GD Compass (as my DAC via coax) and a little Dot MKIII tube amp very happily for a few years now. Everything is out of warranty...
The Compass knobs (both input and volume) had been acting up a bit lately, some static and imbalance that would be solved by light tapping in the offending knob, but it worked ok.
But today, I had no audio from my right channel.
First I tried swapping tubes in many different combos (old/new power and driver tubes, swapping left and right, etc), but same problem. Right side gone. Here's where it gets interesting though... I also tried using the compass as the dac and amp, and same problem, no audio on the right side. So I figured the Compass was the problem, which based on the input selector problem, made sense.
So then I busted out my old Zero DAC/Amp. And it works perfectly. Both channels, true stereo. So then I tried the Zero as DAC to the MKIII, and again, right channel is out! Next I swapped out the cables from the DAC to the Amp... still right channel is out. I tried swapping tubes again, and this time I saw a bit of smoke and smelled the burning plastic smell... not good. The tubes all lit up still, and the left channel is fine, but the right... nothing.
So... both my Compass and MKIII seem to have lost their right channel... separately but at the same time?!? My Zero DAC/amp is fine, but when sent to the MKIII I lose the right channel. Compass also gets no right channel, as DAC or DAC+Amp.
What can I do? I'm well out of warranty on both items. I'd rather not spend a lot... I'd rather just try something new if I need to spend a good amount of money... I also have all these tubes. Are there other amps that use the same tubes as the LD MKIII?
What a sad sad day!
