problem: premier 11, blinking lights and sounds in sync

[bilgewater]

Hey CJ folks,
I've had a CJ premier 11 tube amp, with a CJ pv10 preamp working for a year now. Just today, something new and ominous started. When I turned on the amp and preamp and cd player, the power amp's tube started blinking two at a time and they sent out a synced low noise to the speakers. The speaker sound (low mid-range) and the duration of the blink are all synced. I unplugged everything, and tried it all again. Same result.

Any guesses? Tubes? cables? Power? Other?

I bought the amp a year ago (obviously used) and it's been peachy. I had the preamp serviced less than a year ago by one of the most highly recommended folks around (hint: in Virginia).

Any good suggestions on things to try would be SO welcome. The amp is a beast at 55 lbs and its box is ridiculously huge and cumbersome. Mailing it off for servicing would be huge hassle. I'd rather replace tubes, if that's what we're talking about...

[admin]

You may want to try:

1) Opening up the unit for a good visual inspection to see if any component looks burned out or damaged.

2) Swap tubes to see if it is tube issue.

3) Grab the schematics file and start testing components. You can maybe get lucky and narrow down a single component problem. Since you describe the problem happening in both channels, I would look at components that are involved in both (starting with power supply).

Let us know what turns up. Best wishes.

[bilgewater]

Thanks for these tips. I will try all the easy things first I am apprehensive about opening the amp up and testing things. Never done that, and I don't know if that's safe to do.

By the way, the blinking of the lights on the amp and the synchronized pulsing sounds through the speakers only happens when the preamp (CJ pv10) is plugged into it. That is, when I just plug in the power amp there's no problem. So there's something new about the relationship between the preamp and the amp. This all happened instantly. It begins as soon as both units are a little warmed up (within 3 minutes).

I don't think I have another preamp to switch out for the pv10, although I do have a LINN KLassik integrated amp. But perhaps it's VERBOTEN to plug an integrated amp into a power amp for testing purposes.

[admin]

Amps can have dangerously high voltage so be careful. I would first do a good visual inspection with the unit unplugged. If it's connected to power, I would wear some gloves and long sleeves while working on it just to be safe.

If you think it's a combination of the preamp/amp, you can always get a 3.5 mm to RCA plug connector for like $3 and try running the amp with a portable mp3 player (if you don't have another preamp around).

[bilgewater]

Thanks for the tips. Well, it's the preamp (pv10) that's the problem. I tried a different preamp into the Premier 11 power amp and NO problems. Why would the bias adjust lights on the power amp blink slowly and emit a strange blurping sound to the speakers with the pv10 plugged in. Hmm. I opened it up and didn't see anything obviously scorched etc. I don't know how to test the tubes (don't have spares on hand right now). I guess the big question is whether this genre of problem is/could-be tube-related or more generally electrical or other.
Thanks again to anyone with a clue. I have a call in with Bill Thalmann, ace CJ repair guru.

[admin]

You could try swapping some of the identical tubes in the PV10, to see if anything changes. If there is a change in behavior, it most likely is a tube problem. You may want to buy a really cheap set of tubes for testing purposes only, it's a small investment that could save you big money if you have to send in the unit just to switch a tube out.

[bilgewater]

Yes, thanks. I have ordered a set of replacement tubes I will need them anyway in the future that said, the tubes all look good. No clouds....