TSL100valves are flickering and are flaching a blue colour..

_indica_ · Newbie Alert Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

I've got a Marshall TSL100 head, its making a ticking noise, you can hear it even when not pluged into a cab if you put your head by the back and also the power amp valves are flickering and are flaching a blue colour, when pluged into a cab you can hear the ticking through the cab too. I havn't had a valve amp before so i'm not sure if this is what happens when a valve packs in or is it more serious?

Help!?

Cheers. Jon.

Goes_To_Eleven · Hamster Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 87 Location: CT, USA

Blue glow is perfectly normal with tubes, as is flashing anf flickering. The ticking could be a capacitor or other electronic problem. One big problem with what you said: NEVER POWER YOUR TUBE HEAD UP WHEN IT ISN'T CONNECTED TO A CABINET!!!!

That is the Golden Rule of tube amps, and not following it is the fastest way to torch your output transformer and do serious damage to other components in your amp. I advise taking your head to your local tech and have him check it out.