I broke my amp…

[László]

I hate it when I'm my own worst enemy and screw up my gear. It happens!
I particularly don't like when it happens to me.

I feel for ya. Hope it's all straightened out in short order!

 

[Frodebro]

Something I have been doing for decades is using colored electrical tape to make sure I’m plugging things in where they are supposed to go. My old MosValve that I ran back in the 90s still has red tape next to the speaker outputs and yellow tape next to the line inputs. I also do something similar with my FM9 and HX Stomp to make 4CM hookup fast and easy, with corresponding colors on the amps I run with the modelers (yellow to amp input, blue to amp loop send, red to amp loop return).

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Something I have been doing for decades is using colored electrical tape to make sure I’m plugging things in where they are supposed to go. My old MosValve that I ran back in the 90s still has red tape next to the speaker outputs and yellow tape next to the line inputs. I also do something similar with my FM9 and HX Stomp to make 4CM hookup fast and easy, with corresponding colors on the amps I run with the modelers (yellow to amp input, blue to amp loop send, red to amp loop return).

Yeah man. Color code everything. I use colored tape on my amps and pedals and flat out paint my cable plugs. Life saver when you need to set up fast and in poorly lit stages.

 

[metropolis_4]

Something I have been doing for decades is using colored electrical tape to make sure I’m plugging things in where they are supposed to go. My old MosValve that I ran back in the 90s still has red tape next to the speaker outputs and yellow tape next to the line inputs. I also do something similar with my FM9 and HX Stomp to make 4CM hookup fast and easy, with corresponding colors on the amps I run with the modelers (yellow to amp input, blue to amp loop send, red to amp loop return).

That’s a really good idea! I’m going to do that

 

[metropolis_4]

I think the amp is OK… after tonight I’m attributing this whole thing to dirty power and gremlins in the system at the venue.

The noise wasn’t there at home, it was there again at sound check, but then it was intermittent and seemed to depend on what lighting was on.

Refund on the way for the Mullard rectifier and I ordered a JJ GZ34 from Eurotubes for a backup.

 

[HotRats]

Good to know that everything is fine.

I really felt for you and the /13 when I read the first post.

 

[Byrdman]

Something I have been doing for decades is using colored electrical tape to make sure I’m plugging things in where they are supposed to go. My old MosValve that I ran back in the 90s still has red tape next to the speaker outputs and yellow tape next to the line inputs. I also do something similar with my FM9 and HX Stomp to make 4CM hookup fast and easy, with corresponding colors on the amps I run with the modelers (yellow to amp input, blue to amp loop send, red to amp loop return).

Yeah man. Color code everything. I use colored tape on my amps and pedals and flat out paint my cable plugs. Life saver when you need to set up fast and in poorly lit stages.

Great idea guys, thanks!!

 

[Frodebro]

That’s a really good idea! I’m going to do that

I forgot to mention that I have color coded cables as well as the jacks on both my amps and processors. It makes setup an absolute breeze.

 

[Johnh]

Hi guys, Im JohnH. Sorry to hear about that scare but it seems its ok. But I thought I'd comment on what the amp probably saw through the JohnH attenuator when plugged in that way.

Im assuming it's an 8 Ohm attenuator. The impedance seen by a speaker plugged into the 8 Ohm output is around 18 Ohm in normal use. So if the amp was plugged in there then that is what it would see. But there was also a speaker in the 16 Ohm attenuator output. The path between thkse two outputs is 10 Ohm. So if the speaker was 16 Ohm then that's another 26 Ohm in parallel. 26 in parallel with 18 is 10.6 Ohm. Quite safe for the amp. If it was an 8 Ohm speaker instead, then the amp saw 9 Ohm, which is all good.

So unless there's something other issue involved, I can't see that any damage would be expected.

But colour coding is a great idea. I like the nut on the attenuator input jack to be a different colour.

 

[Frodebro]

But colour coding is a great idea. I like the nut on the attenuator input jack to be a different colour.

This place is full of off-colored nuts.

 

[metropolis_4]

Hi guys, Im JohnH. Sorry to hear about that scare but it seems its ok. But I thought I'd comment on what the amp probably saw through the JohnH attenuator when plugged in that way.

Im assuming it's an 8 Ohm attenuator. The impedance seen by a speaker plugged into the 8 Ohm output is around 18 Ohm in normal use. So if the amp was plugged in there then that is what it would see. But there was also a speaker in the 16 Ohm attenuator output. The path between thkse two outputs is 10 Ohm. So if the speaker was 16 Ohm then that's another 26 Ohm in parallel. 26 in parallel with 18 is 10.6 Ohm. Quite safe for the amp. If it was an 8 Ohm speaker instead, then the amp saw 9 Ohm, which is all good.

So unless there's something other issue involved, I can't see that any damage would be expected.

But colour coding is a great idea. I like the nut on the attenuator input jack to be a different colour.

Thank you for that info! I was using the 16ohm attenuator with the 16ohm output from my amp accidentally going to the 8ohm output while I had a 16ohm speaker connected to the 16ohm output. Out of curiosity what do the numbers look like for that scenario?

By the way, this attenuator has been a game changer for me. It made it possible for me to go back to tube amps and I’ve never been happier. Thank you!

 

[Johnh]

Thank you for that info! I was using the 16ohm attenuator with the 16ohm output from my amp accidentally going to the 8ohm output while I had a 16ohm speaker connected to the 16ohm output. Out of curiosity what do the numbers look like for that scenario?

By the way, this attenuator has been a game changer for me. It made it possible for me to go back to tube amps and I’ve never been happier. Thank you!

hi @metropolis_4

Ok then in that scenario, the 8 Ohm output of the 16 Ohm attenuator has an output impedance of about 19 Ohms, and with a 16 speaker plugged to the 16 Output, the amp probably saw about 9 Ohms. Unlikely to cause damage.

Apart from that hiccup, Im glad the JohnH has been doing a good job!