Help guys!....My Origin 20c just went dead...

[OneOcean]

The powerscaling in the Origin 20 doesn't affect the preamp valves, as far as I'm aware, so I don't see a direct connection. Anytime you switch the HT voltages I can image a little spike here and there though. I'd have to check the schematic to confirm that, though.

How about testing the valves one by one? Run through them all in V1, for example. If one sticks out either keep it in there (positive) or throw it away if found to be defective. As @Jethro Rocker and @fitz288 and @speyfly outlined: you really want to narrow this down.

It is counter-intuitive but when running in medium or low power modes, the preamp tube plate voltages are increased due to less power draw on the power tubes. These plate voltage increases are all well within a 12AX7's (ECC83) normal operating range so should not lead to any type of failures. It should increase preamp gain in the lower power modes which may be beneficial to players looking for more dirt at lower volumes, though it will be of a different quality than power amp distortion.

 

[PelliX]

It is counter-intuitive but when running in medium or low power modes, the preamp tube plate voltages are increased due to less power draw on the power tubes. These plate voltage increases are all well within a 12AX7's (ECC83) normal operating range so should not lead to any type of failures. It should increase preamp gain in the lower power modes which may be beneficial to players looking for more dirt at lower volumes, though it will be of a different quality than power amp distortion.

Hmmm, I didn't know that. Makes sense, I guess.

 

[Ufoscorpion]

Wouldn’t worry about it personally, probably just a got a dodgy couple of valves , it happens.

 

[Cal Nevari]

If it's a tube it could be any of them. Having extra tubes to test with is very important to tube amp owners. That way you know if it's an easy fix or has to go to the repair shop.

A follow up question: how often should one change tubes? I play my DSL40CR once a week at rehearsal (moderate) volume and my Origin 20C once every one to two months at gig (louder) volume. Thanks.

 

[fitz]

A follow up question: how often should one change tubes? I play my DSL40CR once a week at rehearsal (moderate) volume and my Origin 20C once every one to two months at gig (louder) volume. Thanks.

There is no set time frame for tube life.
Minutes to years - somewhere in there...
If they are working, and you're not trying to go down the rabbit hole of tube tone, let them be until something sounds funky or you got no sound.
Always a good idea to have some spares.
I usually buy new tubes for either new or new to me amps, and keep the ones that came with as spares.

 

[Cal Nevari]

There is no set time frame for tube life.
Minutes to years - somewhere in there...
If they are working, and you're not trying to go down the rabbit hole of tube tone, let them be until something sounds funky or you got no sound.
Always a good idea to have some spares.
I usually buy new tubes for either new or new to me amps, and keep the ones that came with as spares.

Great advice. Thanks!

 

[fitz]

Great advice. Thanks!

Forgot to mention... - worst (sounding) tubes I've ever had are the stock Marshall tubes.
If you're still running on those, get new tubes ASAP!
Stock Marshall tubes are for emergency use only.

 

[Cal Nevari]

Forgot to mention... - worst (sounding) tubes I've ever had are the stock Marshall tubes.
If you're still running on those, get new tubes ASAP!
Stock Marshall tubes are for emergency use only.

Lol! I’ll get right on it! Btw, where do you guys buy tubes?

 

[Tatzmann]

Rule of thumb #1

Change preamptubes as much as underpants.
(Or was it the other way around?)

#2

Don't buy your underpants at the same store you
buy your preamptubes at. Especially not if one of
the aforementioned goods is offered as "new old stock"
or "vintage"!

 

[fitz]

Lol! I’ll get right on it! Btw, where do you guys buy tubes?

Usually Tubes and More (Amplified Parts / Antique Electronic Supply / CE Distribution - all the same company), or Reverb.
Just got a great deal on a pair of new JJ KT-77's from Ruby Tubes on Reverb.

 

[Cal Nevari]

Usually Tubes and More (Amplified Parts / Antique Electronic Supply / CE Distribution - all the same company), or Reverb.
Just got a great deal on a pair of new JJ KT-77's from Ruby Tubes on Reverb.

Great! Thanks.

 

[Cal Nevari]

Usually Tubes and More (Amplified Parts / Antique Electronic Supply / CE Distribution - all the same company), or Reverb.
Just got a great deal on a pair of new JJ KT-77's from Ruby Tubes on Reverb.

Follow up questions on tubes: for the preamp ones, are regular pins okay or should one opt for gold? And for the power amp ones, what is the difference between an apex matched pair and an apex burned in matched pair? All JJ Electronics. Thanks!

 

[fitz]

Follow up questions on tubes: for the preamp ones, are regular pins okay or should one opt for gold? And for the power amp ones, what is the difference between an apex matched pair and an apex burned in matched pair? All JJ Electronics. Thanks!

Gold pins = unicorn farts.
Matched pairs are nice if you have to manually bias.
Burned in is kinda the same, you don't have to wait as long to get a stable reading.
But if you're talking about a cathode biased amp like the O20H, I'd just buy 2 if they are less expensive than the pairs sprinkled in pixie dust.

Edit: if it's only a couple of bucks difference, the matched and/ or burned in will at least have had someone light them up and verify they function after leaving the factory.

 

[Cal Nevari]

Gold pins = unicorn farts.
Matched pairs are nice if you have to manually bias.
Burned in is kinda the same, you don't have to wait as long to get a stable reading.
But if you're talking about a cathode biased amp like the O20H, I'd just buy 2 if they are less expensive than the pairs sprinkled in pixie dust.

Edit: if it's only a couple of bucks difference, the matched and/ or burned in will at least have had someone light them up and verify they function after leaving the factory.

Got it! Thanks. So no gold pins but matched pairs are okay. Burned in pair only $3 more, so I’ll go for it.