Mini Rec Crackling, hissing and popping :(

[Si.]

I appear to have developed a fault in my Mini Rectifier. Just started this afternoon but I'm intermittently getting a cracking, hissing and popping sound from it. It happens with no guitar plugged in and also seems to do it with the Master volume on 0.

It's not there all the time, seems to be intermittent and in general starts a few mins after the amp had been taken off standby, but it comes and goes.

I assume it's a valve somewhere but is this likely to be a Preamp or Poweramp valve?

Thanks.

 

[imc2111]

Post a video with audio, that would help everyone.

 

[Addictedtokaos]

Im still new to all this tube amp stuff and get schooled all the time by the vets, but my guess is powertube.

El84s are dirt cheap, just pick up a match set for $20 and pop them in to see if the problem goes away. Its good to have a spare on hand anyways.

I know with the bigger recs you can plug your guitar into the fx return and that allows the signal to bypass a good portion of the preamp to make it easier to find the issue, not sure if that is possible with the mini.

 

[Si.]

Well.. practice last night didn't go as planned.

About 45 mins into band practice I got a big loss in volume and gain, followed 2- mins later with a high pitched screaming from the amp. cycling the power made no difference so I swapped to using a spare at the rehearsal room.. just before we packed up I plugged the Mini back in and all was working again, so I assume the fault must occur then the valves heat up.

I fired it back up again this morning and left it for 2 hours and the fault hasn't returned so diagnostics are difficult. For now I've replaced V1 and V4 with new tubes (someone suggested it's likely the phase inverter tube hence changing V4), Iv'e not replaced any power tubes yet, I do have spares but there crap no-name chinese EL84s taken from a Jet City.

An email from Mesa Support in the UK said it was likely a Pre-Amp tube so I'm concentrating on that at the moment, but I will get a full set of good quality valves ordered.

I know with the bigger recs you can plug your guitar into the fx return and that allows the signal to bypass a good portion of the preamp to make it easier to find the issue, not sure if that is possible with the mini.

I didn't try that but the hissing and popping was happening with no guitar plugged in at all and both volumes on 0.

 

[elvis]

Bummer.

You should always have a full set of tubes on hand, as well as a plan for how to change all of them out quickly. It's cheaper to tube-roll, but you don't have time at practice or on the gig. This is why many of us bring a spare amp with us. It's a pain, but tube amps are NOT reliable.

Even a junky digital modeler is better than nothing when the amp won't work.

 

[Si.]

I've got multiple heads and always bring 2 to a gig but usually don't bother for a practice.

 

[cheameup]

when I first got my dual I had some popping and crackling issues after 6 months or so .

was planning to swap pre tubes anyway for fun and when I did it went away . I havent heard it since

 

[Si.]

I fitted 2 new Pre-Amp tubes yesterday (V1 and 4) and after a few hours of messing about i can't get the fault to come back so hopefully all is good..

On a plus side, the new valves have totally changed the amps sound, it sounds huge now unlike before so I assume the faulty valve was having an impactt on the tone.

\m/

 

[MrSmitty]

I fitted 2 new Pre-Amp tubes yesterday (V1 and 4) and after a few hours of messing about i can't get the fault to come back so hopefully all is good..
\m/

Have you had anymore issues with the amp after replacing the pre amp tubes? I too have been experiencing the "hissing, crackling-popping" noises...

 

[Si.]

None, seems like it was just a faulty pre-amp tube. after replacing the 2 I've had no problems.

 

[playsguitars]

I was showing off my new Dark Terror about a year ago to my cousin. He promptly went out and bought one. He was experiencing much the same as you were. Told him it was tubes. He finally got around to "taking it in" and they replaced some pre tubes and all is well. Most issues like that boil down to faulty tubes, and YES, they can be bad out of the box as he's proven!