What the hell is wrong with my amp?!

[Blitzie]

I just got a Source Audio Nemesis delay today and when it's plugged into the loop of my Rev G Dual Rectifier, my amp starts making this weird cracking sound after a few minutes.

It only seems to happen with this pedal in the loop. Removing it from the loop while it'd making this noise doesn't help. Nothing makes it stop, aside from shutting the amp off. Even switching it into standby, it comes back after taken off standby. It gets "better" when switched into Vacuum Tube Rectifier mode but doesn't completely go away.

What on Earth is happening here?

Sound in question: https://youtu.be/zQPJ4Fj0h0A

 

[Racerxrated]

Try some contact cleaner and spray the send/return jacks and take a cable and plug/unplug numerous times right as you spray the jacks. They get dirty and will get static like you are describing. This hopefully will work.

 

[sytharnia1560]

have you tried plugging other pedals into the Loop?

 

[8len8]

Crackling is often a sign of bad tubes.

 

[Blitzie]

Try some contact cleaner and spray the send/return jacks and take a cable and plug/unplug numerous times right as you spray the jacks. They get dirty and will get static like you are describing. This hopefully will work.

Appreciate the tip but no dice. Thanks though.

 

[Blitzie]

have you tried plugging other pedals into the Loop?

I have a few other pedals in the loop. No issues with any of them. Only started just now.

 

[Dave L]

Yeah, it´s most likely the tubes. Almost every single amp issue is, for that matter, and it´s probably just a weird coincidence with the Nemesis. First try cleaning the tube sockets and pins for the same reasons and in the same way you cleaned the loop jacks earlier, then try rotating in a fresh tube in one spot at a time. Start with the preamp tubes.

 

[splatter]

Sounds like a cold solder joint in the loop .that particular pedal may have more output and stresses it causing the crackling. I had the same problem with an amp I modded . For mine it was a combination of a cold solder joint and a carbon resistor

 

[Dave L]

Yeah, if the easy stuff doesn´t fix it, it probably needs a bit of surgery.

 

[steve_k]

your loop is parallel. turn the mix all the way up on the pedal and set the loop level midway or so and use the mix pot on the amp to control the FX mix and dry signal level.

 

[Dave L]

I don´t think we´re hearing phase cancellation here, though. That mostly sounds like the bottom disappears and there´s a weird hollow quality to the sound, not really any noise or crackling as such.

 

[Blitzie]

Awesome, thanks guys. I'll roll some tubes and see if that helps.

If not, I'll bring it to a tech and ask him to focus on the loop and try to figure out what's happening.

 

[Blitzie]

Hey guys, quick update.

This sound is occurring even when there is nothing in the loop. I took everything out and it's still doing it. Turning down the volume doesn't change it. Neither does turning it up. I've turned every knob on the amp while it's making this sound and nothing changes it except putting the amp on standby, waiting like 10 seconds and turning it back on. Then it's gone for a while and eventually comes back.

I've tried tapping on the tubes to see if they make any weird sounds but they don't make any sound.

Got any ideas? I can't find any amp techs in Connecticut.

 

[Deanmachine]

Caps ...

 

[Bluplirst]

Hey guys, quick update.

This sound is occurring even when there is nothing in the loop. I took everything out and it's still doing it. Turning down the volume doesn't change it. Neither does turning it up. I've turned every knob on the amp while it's making this sound and nothing changes it except putting the amp on standby, waiting like 10 seconds and turning it back on. Then it's gone for a while and eventually comes back.

I've tried tapping on the tubes to see if they make any weird sounds but they don't make any sound.

Got any ideas? I can't find any amp techs in Connecticut.

Maybe I missed this but you swapped out the tubes right?

 

[cardinal]

Maybe this could help diagnose

http://www.geofex.com/ampdbug/popping.htm

 

[Tonelover]

In idle my amp was making some random static sounds for a while, wasn't constant like that though. It would come and go. The issue disappeared 100% after I replaced the preamp tubes.

 

[Blitzie]

Hey guys, quick update.

This sound is occurring even when there is nothing in the loop. I took everything out and it's still doing it. Turning down the volume doesn't change it. Neither does turning it up. I've turned every knob on the amp while it's making this sound and nothing changes it except putting the amp on standby, waiting like 10 seconds and turning it back on. Then it's gone for a while and eventually comes back.

I've tried tapping on the tubes to see if they make any weird sounds but they don't make any sound.

Got any ideas? I can't find any amp techs in Connecticut.

Maybe I missed this but you swapped out the tubes right?

Not yet. Don't have an extras.

 

[Deleted member 21375]

Cracked solder joint. The amp heating up causes the problem to appear.

 

[Blitzie]

Interesting. Would I just have to look through the whole amp to find that specific place or is there an isolated area it's most likely to be in?