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Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Sudden 120hz hum and bad ghost/modulation notes on my jtm45 (SOLVED)  (Read 1755 times)

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Offline leftu2

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Morning guys,
I built a ceriatone jtm45 kit last yr. Amp worked perfectly, dead quiet. Yesterday I fire it up and get 120hz hum (checked it to a online tone generator) and get bad ghost notes or a modulation/oscillation type effect on every note played. Every control on the amp works and happens on any of the 4 inputs. I also put this amp on a tube/ss switch using a design from nik at ceriatone. The issue happens in tube or ss rectifier mode. Turning the master volume make no difference in the hum or ghost noting. Nik designed this amp with a 1/2 power switch, the hum gets louder in full power mode.

Things I've tried:

-pulling each preamp tube to see if that isolates the issue (no change)
-swapped the rectifier tube (no change)
-chop-sticked the amp (no change)
-tapped on all the tubes (no change / no abnormal tube glowing )

**I don't have a spare set of KT66s to try at this point**

I would suspect a tube but not sure that would cause the weird ghost note/modulation/oscillation note issue.
Bad filter cap possibly?

Edit: fixed subject... sluckey
« Last Edit: December 23, 2021, 03:10:48 pm by sluckey »

Offline pdf64

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Re: Sudden 120hz hum and bad ghost/modulation notes on my jtm45
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2021, 11:35:04 am »
Yes, most likely suspects are bad reservoir / screen node HT cap, or connections to them.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-in-5-for-charlie This is my step son and his family. He is running 5 marathons in 5 days to support the research into STXBP1, the genetic condition my grandson Charlie has. Please consider supporting him! BBC News feature  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm26llp

Offline leftu2

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Re: Sudden 120hz hum and bad ghost/modulation notes on my jtm45 (SLOVED)
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2021, 02:05:19 pm »
I just wanted to update this. It was the filter cap, installed a new F&T and it's works perfectly.

Offline pdf64

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Re: Sudden 120hz hum and bad ghost/modulation notes on my jtm45 (SLOVED)
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2021, 03:06:35 pm »
Great, thanks for closing that out.
At least you now know what bad HT caps on the power amp sound like  :icon_biggrin:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/5-in-5-for-charlie This is my step son and his family. He is running 5 marathons in 5 days to support the research into STXBP1, the genetic condition my grandson Charlie has. Please consider supporting him! BBC News feature  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm26llp

 


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