X-Can V2 on the fritz

[vilding]

Hi! 
First post here. Found this place when I bought a X-can v2 and X-PSU at a thrift shop yesterday for 20€. It didn't have the cord between the amp and PSU, so I couldn't try it out yesterday. Today I soldered up a cord and turned the units on. Let them sit for a while and it looks fine. When I plugged in the headphones there was a crackling sound on the left channel, and when I tried to play music through it, with volume to zero, the left channel was playing at full blast. Of course I turned it off. And now I'm scratching my head over where to start. Is it the pot, or the rca-jacks? I'm new to this so trying to find my way forward as best I can. 
I was kinda hoping it would work fine and sound ok, so I could just skip to the fun part and mod it after reading a few threads here...   But I want to find out what's wrong with the unit and have a good listen before I do anything to it.

[PinkFloyd]

Mar 9, 2021 20:44:16 GMT vilding said:

Hi! 
First post here. Found this place when I bought a X-can v2 and X-PSU at a thrift shop yesterday for 20€. It didn't have the cord between the amp and PSU, so I couldn't try it out yesterday. Today I soldered up a cord and turned the units on. Let them sit for a while and it looks fine. When I plugged in the headphones there was a crackling sound on the left channel, and when I tried to play music through it, with volume to zero, the left channel was playing at full blast. Of course I turned it off. And now I'm scratching my head over where to start. Is it the pot, or the rca-jacks? I'm new to this so trying to find my way forward as best I can. 
I was kinda hoping it would work fine and sound ok, so I could just skip to the fun part and mod it after reading a few threads here...   But I want to find out what's wrong with the unit and have a good listen before I do anything to it.

Hi Vilding,

Welcome to the forum) Sorry for the delay in replying..... I haven't been too well lately. (not the convids, I went arse over tit on some ice and broke three ribs)

Your description of the problem is very good BUT it could, literally, be one of a hundred things that's wrong with the amp and impossible to diagnose online without actually seeing / testing the amp.

What I CAN say is that the crackling sound is 97% indicative of a failed valve (tube). My "guess" is a new pair of valves is all you need.

Thing is, that's all I can do (without physically seeing the amp) "guess".

You say you "soldered up a cord"....... between the X-PSU and the X-CAN V2? Did you ensure that you soldered + to + and - to -? I think you may have soldered one end of the cord + center pin positive and the other end negative? Check that. With your multimeter (set on continuity setting) probe both 2.1mm plugs...... tip should go to tip and ground should go to ground.

It could be as simple as that Vilding A simple oversight on your part, check that DIY cable

Let me know how you get on with that mate.

Hope this helps

All the best,

Mike.