Forums - Right channel louder than Left

roggae Seasoned Member Posts: 168	Right channel louder than Left 05/21/17 at 19:49:20 Is this possible? If so, what are the possible causes? Power tubes are fairly new cryotubes and inputs are new too
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Archie

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Re: Right channel louder than Left
Reply #1 - 05/21/17 at 20:06:32

I had some channel imbalance running a ZP3 into a CSP3 into a ZMA. When I asked Steve about it he told me to adjust the balance with the CSP3 (it took about 1/2 a click out of ten). I don't currently have the problem and I suspect it was tube related. I think the 12AX7 tubes in the ZP3 use one half per channel and Steve recommends making sure the halves balance in each tube. You can always swap tubes from the left and right channels to test whether the imbalance follows a specific tube (assuming you haven't' already tried this). FWIW, I didn't find that the input or output tubes of my ZMA were the issue at the time.

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Lon

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Re: Right channel louder than Left
Reply #2 - 05/22/17 at 18:57:07

roggae wrote on 05/21/17 at 19:49:20:

Is this possible? If so, what are the possible causes? Power tubes are fairly new cryotubes and inputs are new too

Like Archie, I have encountered this with tubes. In one instance one rectifier began to give lower output than the other, in another a regulator tube (0A3) did the same, and I've had power tubes that exhibited this before failing (I had some that did this with the low bias setting but not the high!)

So I would swap tubes around from side to side one at a time and see if the imbalance travels to the other side.

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roggae Seasoned Member Posts: 168	Re: Right channel louder than Left Reply #3 - 05/23/17 at 05:23:42 OMG! i have no idea anymore!?!?!?!
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Rivieraranch Seasoned Member Posts: 2146	Re: Right channel louder than Left Reply #4 - 05/25/17 at 03:18:12 It happened to me with the KT66 tubes I had for a few years. You can limp along if you have a balance control, but it seems best to change the power tubes.
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roggae Seasoned Member Posts: 168	Re: Right channel louder than Left Reply #5 - 05/31/17 at 03:48:30 speaking of kt 66s - i'm in the market. what should i look at? i had the gold lion's and i liked those. i still have them, but now they seem dull. is that possible? they only had a couple maybe three years on them...
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Lon

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Re: Right channel louder than Left
Reply #6 - 05/31/17 at 06:29:54

I have tried Tung-Sol, Gold Lion and TAD KT-66 matched quads (in my Mk III, but since we've used some of the same tubes I think you can evaluate how these may sound in your Mk IV). They were all decent. I liked the Tung-Sol least, they had a "forwardness" that I am not fond of. The Gold Lion were very good, their one fault perhaps being a bit too warm with some tube complements I run. The TAD are very good, detailed but a very open midrange and the lower frequencies are strong and yet fast. I've had them for about two years I think, but I alternate them with JJ 6CA7 and Reflektor 6P35-E tubes--I can make either type work, each have a different set of strengths.

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roggae Seasoned Member Posts: 168	Re: Right channel louder than Left Reply #7 - 05/31/17 at 15:10:28 Somewhere along the lines my gold lions became too warm. Is that possible? Is it likely due to the tube compliment? Should I just throw the stock tubes in to see how those power tubes sound before I go shopping for new power tubes? This is why I think a tube tester would be hamdy.
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Lon

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Re: Right channel louder than Left
Reply #8 - 05/31/17 at 15:41:51

It's quite possible the Gold Lions are past their prime if you've used them for three years! I run my stereo a LOT and I get about a year of great use out of a quad of power tubes and after that they are not at their best. Different types show age differently but I find the KT66 to lose top end and get a bit mushy in the bass as they head towards eventual failure. So I suspect that a tube tester would show that it's likely time for a new quad. Putting in the stock tubes would show you something perhaps. But if they're not the same brand and type they may not tell you specifically about those KT66 but can show you what frequencies may be missing with the rest of the tube complement the same. . . .

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safebelayer Seasoned Member Posts: 202	Re: Right channel louder than Left Reply #9 - 05/09/20 at 06:05:45 Roggae, What tubes did you end up buying? How have they held up in your system? It's disappointing to hear that the GL KT66s wear out so quickly. Even for a new reissue, 1-3 years seems awfully short. I know this post is late to the party of this thread, but I'm curious how things have worked out for you.
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