[Tuberoller]

I had a guest over tonight who insisted on listening to every amp I have around. I like the guy but he's kinda difficult to please.

Anyway,he wanted to hear a certain amp that I don't happen to like very much and I obliged. I won't name that amp to avoid another crapstorm around here but let's just say this amp uses three 6SN7type tubes. I freely admit that a failure of this nature can happen to any amp and I have experienced such failures on even my beloved Atmashpere and Wheatfield amps and many times on my Fishers. I replaced the tube and all was OK. I'm kinda pissed that one of my nice CBS 5692 brownbase tubes took a dump,especially in this amp but I got a few dozen more so all is not lost.

This tube filled with smoke,shorted and popped. It was fun to watch but the amp never blew it's own internal fuse which kinda worries me. Instead my house breaker blew and the conditioner tripped. Like I said,a new(actually NOS) tube seems to have fixed things. Again,I emphatically state this same type of failure has happened on many amps I've used over the years. I offer no indictment of this amp for the failure of this tube and this is likely just a coincidence.

You can see where the tube shorted and the glass popped right at the top. the pop was not loud and the smoke was just a puff. This failure happened while the amp was in use and had been powered up for a bit.

 

[tiberian]

Quote:

but the amp never blew it's own internal fuse which kinda worries me.

 

[ProParadox]

Tuberollers profile...


Headphone amp inventory:

... "Even some Singlepower junk."

 

[ReasonablyLucid]

Wouldnt the tube have to have leaked air in before it exploded for it to start smoking?

 

[sygyzy]

I have no idea what amp you have but my PPX3 killed two tubes (blew one), in the voltage gain slot. Why did you mention the fuse? Can't an amp blow a tube without blowing the fuse? Is the fuse supposed to be some guaranteed buffer?

Anyway, I am glad I got a good deal on tubes. I am a bit upset but with this being my first tube amp, I just took it with a grain. I don't know any better.

 

[tiberian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sygyzy I have no idea what amp you have but my PPX3 killed two tubes (blew one), in the voltage gain slot. Why did you mention the fuse? Can't an amp blow a tube without blowing the fuse? Is the fuse supposed to be some guaranteed buffer? Anyway, I am glad I got a good deal on tubes. I am a bit upset but with this being my first tube amp, I just took it with a grain. I don't know any better.

well it triggered the house breaker...something must be wrong.

 

[enzoferrari650]

dang. I've never heard of this happening before. I'll be more careful from now on. Were you just using it normally? Did you have it on for a long period of time or something? or did it just blow.

 

[tom hankins]

Were you not equally suprised when the tubes blew in your other amps? Did they have fuses that didnt work? Or is this just a bad tube, or the end of that tubes life?

 

[Tuberoller]

Fuses always popped in the Atmasphere amps(only happened once tho') Fuse popped in Fisher 400. Fuse did not blow in Wheatfield. I'm sure this tube could possibly have been faulty,but it was a low hours NOS tube that had only seen duty in one other amp(an integreted),in the preamp section.

I'm always suprised when a tube blows but typically they don't smoke over like this and break the glass. It was fun to see and like I said,I offer no indictment of this amp for the failure of this tube. I really do think this failure was not the fault of this amp.

 

[cosmopragma]

What no one knew until now is that Singlepower amps have built-in artificial intelligence.
If you don't love them they strike back.

 

[mkmelt]

Old-time electronics guys used to say that all audio/radio equipment worked on the principle of magic smoke. As long as you could keep the smoke trapped, the music would play. If you let the smoke escape from the equipment, the magic is lost and the music stops.

 

[bhd812]

how far did the glass fly?

that would be really fun to be listening at a close range and then get a peice of glass in your skull, then again our ears our protected and I really dont think the glass actually goes that far (atleast I hope not)

 

[chillysalsa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuberoller This tube filled with smoke,shorted and popped.

Strange sequence of events. Considering the pop happened later: was the smoke was created while there was still a seal/vacuum? I mean, how can smoke be created in a vacuum, or without air supply to combust the solid products?

Also, I would have thought the failure would be more 'passive' than that, it's not save for things to create shattered glass when they fail.

Interesting nonetheless...

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProParadox Tuberollers profile... Headphone amp inventory: ... "Even some Singlepower junk."

ouch! that was uncalled for.

It could have been some very oily finger prints that heated up on the glass and caused a crack.
Happens with halogens all the time.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProParadox Tuberollers profile... Headphone amp inventory: ... "Even some Singlepower junk."

What exactly is it that you're getting at with this post?