Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Decware Audio Forums
10/20/25 at 01:19:26 



Most recent 50 posts

Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
SE84UFO - 120Hz hum and low power output (Read 10 times)
MS-TAS
Verified Member
**




Posts: 1
SE84UFO - 120Hz hum and low power output
Yesterday at 20:41:44
 
I'm a studio technician working on the amp noted above.  
The amp has a constant 120Hz hum at about 200nW or -58dBV.  The amp also exhibits pretty significant distortion at about 330mW on each channel, significant being visible disruption of the sine wave (not clipping) on the negative half of the waveform.  THD jumps from 1.5% at 200mW to around 10% at 360mW.
Both channels affected.
Frequency response is also poor, -3dB at 20Hz, and 15kHz with steady decline from 1kHz to 15kHz.

I added 200uF of capacitance to the high voltage power supply and the hum dropped 13dB, but no change in power output.

+320VDC going into output transformers
9VDC on cathode of output devices, replaced the capacitor here just in case, no change.

This is definitely in the output stage, signal on the grid is clean far beyond where output distorts and signal on the grid doesn't have the distortion of the output.

What am I missing?

Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
MM
Seasoned Member
****




Posts: 346
Re: SE84UFO - 120Hz hum and low power output
Reply #1 - Yesterday at 22:06:59
 
I’m an amateur when it comes to diagnostics on circuits but if it helps, the zkit schematic is here: https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZKIT1.pdf

The only difference is diode rectification instead of a rectifier tube. It’s a pretty simple circuit so not much room for problems.

Good luck!
Back to top
 
 

Cambridge CXN100, DSR3 Interconnects, SEWE 300b, ZSTYX SC, Lii F15 & W15 in open baffle.
  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print