PreAmp - anyone experienced one channel initially then other?

[Gmanuk101]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone had experienced the following?

PreAmp all connected up to Power Amp >> Speakers as normal.
Start play a source (any, doesn't matter)
Turn Pre-Amp (passive) volume pot clockwise, ever so slightly
Only right channel comes out, quiet..
Turn slightly further clockwise, both channels now equal.

Is this normal at all? I mean, it's something I can live with, it's just I wondered if this is normal from a PreAmp?

Thanks all
Graeme

[Ali Tait]

Is this coming up from zero volume?

[Stryder5]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone had experienced the following?

PreAmp all connected up to Power Amp >> Speakers as normal.
Start play a source (any, doesn't matter)
Turn Pre-Amp (passive) volume pot clockwise, ever so slightly
Only right channel comes out, quiet..
Turn slightly further clockwise, both channels now equal.

Is this normal at all? I mean, it's something I can live with, it's just I wondered if this is normal from a PreAmp?

Thanks all
Graeme

I wouldn't think its anything like normal, presume you have checked all connections to pre amp and amp to ensure they're all tightly connected.

Could just be dirty tracks on pre amp pot. Turn the power amps off, then rotate the volume control swiftly clockwise and anti-clockwise half a dozen times, if it's dirty tracks may clear. May need to open up and spray with contact cleaner.

All this assumes that it's not a stepped attenuator.

If this doesn't work the pot may be knackered.

Gary

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone had experienced the following?

PreAmp all connected up to Power Amp >> Speakers as normal.
Start play a source (any, doesn't matter)
Turn Pre-Amp (passive) volume pot clockwise, ever so slightly
Only right channel comes out, quiet..
Turn slightly further clockwise, both channels now equal.

Is this normal at all? I mean, it's something I can live with, it's just I wondered if this is normal from a PreAmp?

Thanks all
Graeme

It is a slightly worn track on the potentiometer or volume control, causing a differing of resistance for each channel ,at that
part of the volume control's movement.

Audio signals preferably, should be contact-less with attenuation, as well as contact-less with switching of inputs. :)

[Gmanuk101]

Thanks all... I'll ask the original manufacturer to have a look at it.

[Gmanuk101]

Is this coming up from zero volume?

It is Ali, yes
Set at Zero
Turn clockwise tiny amount, result = right channel only
Turn clockwise another tiny amount, result = both channels

[Gmanuk101]

I wouldn't think its anything like normal, presume you have checked all connections to pre amp and amp to ensure they're all tightly connected.

Could just be dirty tracks on pre amp pot. Turn the power amps off, then rotate the volume control swiftly clockwise and anti-clockwise half a dozen times, if it's dirty tracks may clear. May need to open up and spray with contact cleaner.

All this assumes that it's not a stepped attenuator.

If this doesn't work the pot may be knackered.

Gary
Hi Gary

Yes all connections checked, double checked then a 'paranoid' check for safe measure
Cables swapped, changed, including speaker cables.. even used different speakers...

No, not stepped at all.

Thanks for reply.
G

[Firebottle]

Can be quite common with ordinary potentiometers, it is an imbalance of either the track to track (resistance) or wiper position when at very low settings.

[struth]

yes could be, and probably is pot i'd think, although a low point on one channel might just need a little more juice to get it working. i have had something like that before many years ago... but pot first

[Blackdog]

That's just the characteristic of that particular pot. It's resistance with respect to the wiper is slightly off. You could replace the pot and have that change to the other channel, stay the same or balance both.
It's not unusual to see.

[Gmanuk101]

That's just the characteristic of that particular pot. It's resistance with respect to the wiper is slightly off. You could replace the pot and have that change to the other channel, stay the same or balance both.
It's not unusual to see.


thanks buddy, I'm going to see the manufacturer next week.

[Pharos]

Quad had this problem with a British pot on their 33 pre in the 70s, and then bought I believe Spanish ones which had better tracking, although they looked cheaply made. I've still got the old British one in the loft made by one of the big corporations, Plessey I think who also bought Garrard.

[Lawrence001]

Pretty normal unfortunately half the amps I've had over the years suffer from this.

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