Scrapinger
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- Aug 24, 2009
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A big thanks to those who answered my posts about my Mark IV blowing tubes. I gleened tons of good info and am forever indebted.
Well, I got my Mark IV back from Boogie. The head checks out fine and the issue according to them it was a bad power tube. The original issue I had was that the head blew 2 power tubes within a week of each other. First an EL34 then a 6L6, both Boogie labeled. They did their usual back to front check and all they found was one of the tubes I sent it back with were bad. They put 4 brand new Boogie 6L6's in there, play tested and sent it back to daddy.
I got it back this past Tuesday and put it through it's paces that very day. I ran it loud and long, switching in and out of class A, triode-pentode etc etc and it worked great. There was none of the crackling, popping hissing and hum I had previously noted before the tubes failed.
Just before Boogie said to send it back I had purchased new Tung Sol EL34's and 6L6's to replace the bad tubes. I was afraid to put these in the Mark IV and have them blow too. But after the Boogie 6L6's held during my shakedown cruise I gave them a try. OMFG what a difference in tone. I love the sound of these tubes. The Boogie 6L6's, what ever they are (Russian or Chinese) I am not sure, just have a nasaly, ratty, brash sound. I could not get a warm singing sound. But the Tung's did the trick.
So personal lesson here...I don't like the sound of Boogie tubes and given the fact I had two of them blow in a week and in the first three months of owning the amp had 4 Boogie labeled 12 ax7's go bad as well, I will not be purchasing anymore Boogie tubes.
Well, I got my Mark IV back from Boogie. The head checks out fine and the issue according to them it was a bad power tube. The original issue I had was that the head blew 2 power tubes within a week of each other. First an EL34 then a 6L6, both Boogie labeled. They did their usual back to front check and all they found was one of the tubes I sent it back with were bad. They put 4 brand new Boogie 6L6's in there, play tested and sent it back to daddy.
I got it back this past Tuesday and put it through it's paces that very day. I ran it loud and long, switching in and out of class A, triode-pentode etc etc and it worked great. There was none of the crackling, popping hissing and hum I had previously noted before the tubes failed.
Just before Boogie said to send it back I had purchased new Tung Sol EL34's and 6L6's to replace the bad tubes. I was afraid to put these in the Mark IV and have them blow too. But after the Boogie 6L6's held during my shakedown cruise I gave them a try. OMFG what a difference in tone. I love the sound of these tubes. The Boogie 6L6's, what ever they are (Russian or Chinese) I am not sure, just have a nasaly, ratty, brash sound. I could not get a warm singing sound. But the Tung's did the trick.
So personal lesson here...I don't like the sound of Boogie tubes and given the fact I had two of them blow in a week and in the first three months of owning the amp had 4 Boogie labeled 12 ax7's go bad as well, I will not be purchasing anymore Boogie tubes.