Mesa Tube Amp - Fizzy Notes?

[AlexL]

My Mesa Express amp has been acting up a bit...

Certain notes seem to sound electrically "fizzy" or "crackly". Not string buzz, but rather like electical crackling coming through the speakers.

Could this be a bad preamp tube?

Also, after I have played it for a while and then turn it off, every 5 - 10 seconds the power tubes make a "tink" sound as it cools down. I have never heard that before in an amp.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

- E.

[black cherry]

Hi, I have a Boogie amp too.

Have you noticed any other symptoms? Like your tone or volume changing when you are playing?

It may be your home electricity supply, do you often get blown fuses or dimmed lights? It may be unstable mains or a problem socket. Have you tried plugging into another mains socket?

It may be the tubes, usually power tubes go first so maybe try changing them? You may want to try changing them anyway as I prefer Svetlana tubes to the Boogie 6L6s as I prefer the tone.

I too have noticed the 'tinking' sound as the power tubes cool down. I think it may just be the power tubes contracting as they cool. Been happening for years and my amp hasn't blown up yet! Once again, try changing the power tubes and see if things get better.

Best of luck!

[slayer]

I am not sure of the fizzy or crackling, but the tink noise of the power tubes is normal with many tubes, no problems there bro I think one of my pre-amp tubes is microphonic on my amp, but not sure either. I will replace them 1 at a time to see what is up!! Good luck man

Jack

[ADR]

Ive owned plenty of Boogies and sounds like maybe a tube is going (look at them and see if 1 is glowing any brighter than the other ones) may have to swap one for another, also may just want to try using another outlet.As stated voltage plays a big roll in its sound/noise. .sometimes noise in the lines will transmit into the amp and the amp just amplifies that "noise."
Worse comes to worse,call them.I always did and they would help me troubleshoot over the phone. My last Boogie would "fart" after powering off,they explained about how the tubes and transformer store power and when shutting down sometimes it transmits thru the speaker (NORMAL).
Goodluck.
~Andy

[AlexL]

Thanks, guys.

The history here is I ended up returning my previous Mesa Express at GC today for this one. Th elast one had some seriously rattly output tubes, and one of the preamp tubes was funky. They swapped it out for this one, and I got it home and noticed the fizzies.

I own another tube amp, and have not noticed this problem with that amp, and didn't notice it on my previous express.

I really like this amp; it just seems like Mesa has some issues with actually getting 7 tubes to work correctly. I'll go buy a new preamp tube out of my own pocket, and see if that's the problem. After that, I'll try a new set of OP tubes.

They guys at GC were great; I actually had the amp for two months, and they let me swap it out no problem. Hats of to GC in Edina, Sloan and Adam are the best.

- E.

[beachjammer]

I have a Mesa Rectoverb and an Express 5:25. I have the "tink" noise on both amps when the tubes cool down. Sounds like a preamp tube is your other problem. I love my Express amp! It's well worth just buying another tube and keeping the amp.