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153 Views 3 Replies Latest reply: Feb 21, 2012 5:27 PM by Kneehow RSS
dprubinstein Just Startin'
dprubinstein
2 posts since
Dec 18, 2011
Currently Being Moderated

Feb 18, 2012 2:43 PM

New DT50 212 Running Hot

Gentlemen:

 

I've got a virtually new (December 2011) DT50 212 that might  be running too hot.

 

Now I'm getting old and am a bit out of touch with tube amps, as it's been awhile, so you young whipper-snappers bear with me, but I'm smelling tube or rubber or something after playing for half an hour or so at modest volume, and I'm not sure I should be smelling anything.

 

I'm not cranking the thing up on stage or even in a garage; I'm using a spare room in our home and keep the volume to a dull roar for fear of my wife and neighbors.  It could just be the amp's newness burning off, or maybe its natural, or maybe its nothing.  I don't know, which is why I am writing this.  There's not a lot of ventilation behind the tubes in the DT50.  The amp's backing is practically right up against them.  And I've got the amp perhaps 6 inches from the wall.  The amp's backing gets extremely hot to the touch, too.  Is this right?  Standard tube amp stuff?

 

Also, I am running the DT50 with a POD HD500 via Link 6 hook up with a standard XLR cable, in case this makes a difference.  (Yep, the geezer's got a rig!)

 

Thanks for your assistance.

 

Signed:  David "Worried New Parent of DT50" Rubinstein

Tags: amp, tube, technical_question, dt50
  • sopachrga Just Startin'
    sopachrga
    80 posts since
    Apr 21, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Feb 18, 2012 11:46 PM (in response to dprubinstein)
    Re: New DT50 212 Running Hot

    Hmm, hard to know without being there.

    My DT50 certainly does get hot to touch at the back. Not hot enough to burn, but very warm.

     

    It might pay to have a look at the power amp tubes while it's running and making sure one of them isn't glowing substantially brighter than the other. If so, it could indicate a faulty tube.

    Also make sure that you are plugging your speaker cab in to the correct ouput on your amp. e.g. 16 ohm cab -16 ohm output etc.

     

    My amp is about 6 months old now, but I've never noticed it smelling, I use a Marshall power brake so tend to run the master volume at just over 50%.

  • bartpuglise Just Startin'
    bartpuglise
    104 posts since
    Mar 16, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Feb 19, 2012 3:29 PM (in response to dprubinstein)
    Re: New DT50 212 Running Hot

    I have a DT 50 head with a Avatar 2x12 cab and a Dr Z air brake. I still will sometimes get a slight smell if I'm cranking that bad boy. It does get hot and I think that's normal having owned a few other tube heads . If it is so hot that it burns you than I'd have a tech look at it or look to make sure the tubes are well seated. If and when you change tubes you'll get that new tube smell

  • Kneehow UberGuru
    Kneehow
    6,750 posts since
    Dec 26, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Feb 21, 2012 5:27 PM (in response to dprubinstein)
    Re: New DT50 212 Running Hot

    When I first play-tested a DT50, I remember a burning smell for the first weekend... I ran that amp for probably a total of 12 culmulative hours between a Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.

     

    After a week or two and especially by the first show, I've no longer noticed the burnt smell since.

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