TH30 newbie, need advise.

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sogr744
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TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by sogr744 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:06 pm

Good evening everyone, that's my first post, don't judge too much. :wink:
Last week I've got used TH30 head off an eBay. It my first tube amp, so I'm quite a noob. Previous owner SAID it was serviced couple weeks ago and retubed in 11 months.
Today I took it out of the hardshell to check everything and that's what I found (see pictures in the link bellow).
3 of the power tubes are EH EL84, one is Chinese stock (I guess). All preamp tubes are EH (one is a bit blue) and one is Ei yogoslavia 12ax7.
One of transformers got some slime on it. There's some stains on a main board, and some burn marks on contacts (link bellow)
I'm planing to retubed it myself. To get more out of it.
Should I take it to tech to take a look at the main board or is it normal and nothing dangerous? :roll:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id= ... jVoOTdyN0k

Jondog
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by Jondog » Tue Jun 27, 2017 9:36 pm

Everything on the board looks good. I don't see any burnt contacts (unless I'm missing it) that I would call an issue, just maybe some areas where the board saw heat from soldering and flux melting. Definitely get a matched quad set of power tubes, that one different EL84 will be a mismatch. Not sure if you pulled it out, but the one preamp tube isn't in the socket all the way. The "slime" on the transformer is actually varnish which is part of the construction of a transformer, it's just not a neat job.
Image

fiveightandten
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by fiveightandten » Tue Jun 27, 2017 11:59 pm

Sloppy soldering in that amp, but I wouldn't worry about it. That white residue on the side of the board near the fuse holder is curious. I'd retube the amp and run it.

-Nick
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'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

Les Paul Lover
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by Les Paul Lover » Wed Jun 28, 2017 9:22 am

The 3rd preamp valve form the left isn't seated properly. It looks to be at an angle, and is far too high up.

The board looks good. The burn marks your refer to at the valve sockets soldering points on the pcb are normal.
Ant

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sogr744
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by sogr744 » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:51 pm

Thank you everyone for replies, you calmed me down. :twisted:
I just took that tube out to check it, that's why it's out a but. White residue is easy to clean of but don't know where it came from.
Now I'm looking forward to put new tubes in.
Will use quad matched JJ's in power amp. Haven't decided about preamp ones yet.
What's benefit of having balanced tubes in phase shifter position?

fiveightandten
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by fiveightandten » Wed Jun 28, 2017 9:45 pm

sogr744 wrote:
Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:51 pm
What's benefit of having balanced tubes in phase shifter position?
No benefit, don't bother with it. (Phase *inverter*, or phase *splitter*)
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'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

a.hun
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by a.hun » Thu Jun 29, 2017 3:24 pm

fiveightandten wrote:
Wed Jun 28, 2017 9:45 pm
sogr744 wrote:
Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:51 pm
What's benefit of having balanced tubes in phase shifter position?
No benefit, don't bother with it.
Agreed. The main people who will tend to suggest otherwise are valve suppliers who are trying to get a bit more money, or people who believed them. The arguments may sound convincing but are basically nonsense. See here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55722


Andy.
aNDyH. :wink:

Ever tried to outstare a mirror?

In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!

fiveightandten
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by fiveightandten » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:09 am

a.hun wrote:
Thu Jun 29, 2017 3:24 pm
Agreed. The main people who will tend to suggest otherwise are valve suppliers who are trying to get a bit more money, or people who believed them. The arguments may sound convincing but are basically nonsense. See here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55722

Andy.
Andy, dropping the knowledge. :mrgreen:

Personally, the problem I have with balanced PI tubes is that they don't live up to their claim if the amp itself isn't balanced. If someone *really* wants the tone of a balanced PI and output section, they have to go through the amp and blueprint those parts of the circuit with very closely matched components to even see the theoretical "benefits" of a balanced PI tube. Then the power tubes themselves have to be matched pretty tight. Then, I hope your output transformer primary windings are matched too, or you better order a few OT's and measure those out to get a balanced one. :mrgreen:

-Nick
Image
'71 GRO100 || '96 OR-80 || AD30 || '64 AC-50 || AC-30TBX || Hiwatt DR504 || HI-TONE HT30
LP Standard || LP Studio || LP Custom Lite || Ric 620 || Ric 360 || MIA Tele || SG 61 RI

a.hun
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Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by a.hun » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:04 am

'Perfection' is overrated anyway. Rolls Royce once tried 'perfecting' the old torque converter automatic gearbox they were using by polishing up the blades inside. Even though nobody would ever see them they wanted them beautiful. Trouble was they just didn't work as well - the slightly rough surfaces were actually more efficient at doing the job.

Same with guitar amps. They aren't meant to be 'hi-fi', they are supposed to have some character... :wink:


Andy.
aNDyH. :wink:

Ever tried to outstare a mirror?

In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!

sogr744
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Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:02 pm

Re: TH30 newbie, need advise.

Post by sogr744 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:44 am

a.hun wrote:
Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:04 am
'Perfection' is overrated anyway. Rolls Royce once tried 'perfecting' the old torque converter automatic gearbox they were using by polishing up the blades inside. Even though nobody would ever see them they wanted them beautiful. Trouble was they just didn't work as well - the slightly rough surfaces were actually more efficient at doing the job.

Same with guitar amps. They aren't meant to be 'hi-fi', they are supposed to have some character... :wink:


Andy.
Sounds about right. :lol:

what tubes you'd recommend for warmer clean and tighter dirt channel?

I've got barritone with active SD blackouts, cab is zilla 2x12" 50w with G12M can be closed or open backed.

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