Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
Keep the tubes that come with it for test purposes, esp. if you replace caps.
Listen to those tubes first though, it's a baseline, then move on, i.e. ship the unit back or replace them (the move to prepare for).
Needful things to get your reward:
Replace the interstage caps with 0.47uF; Mundorf supreme's will allow you to put the cover back on (retain shielding), got mine here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/0-47-uf-1000VDC-MUNDORF-M-CAP-Supreme-Capacitor-0-47-uf-600-VDC-for-Audio/192319064599?hash=item2cc71c0a17%3Ag%3AH4QAAOSw2s1Uz5Na&_sacat=0&_nkw=mundorf+0.47uf&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0
I also replaced the cathode caps with 1000uF Elna SIMIC II's: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/elna-america/RFS-25V102MJ8-5/604-1059-ND/970220
The CBS (Hytron) 6V6GT's are the best I have used in the 1502A, a very open stage: https://www.ebay.com/itm/CBS-6V6-GT-NOS-MATCH-PAIR-1950s-5E3-ORIGINAL-BADBOY-RAUNCHY-OVERDRIVE-C05/223058149948?hash=item33ef4d423c%3Ag%3A9m0AAOSwKGpa53Rg&_sacat=0&_nkw=6v6gt+nos+pair&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.A0.H0.X6v6gt+nos+pair.TRS1&LH_TitleDesc=0
Preamp tube,, many choices,,, mine now goes between a 12BH7A or an E80CC: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NIB-1962-Vintage-Amperex-E80CC-6085-GOLD-Premium-TESTED-STRONG-96-96-NEW-NOS/332689683988?hash=item4d75d9b614%3Ag%3AgCkAAOSw9gRaNS6u&_sop=16&_sacat=0&_nkw=E80CC+NOS&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0%7C0
Thread fyi: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/any-opinions-reviews-on-gemtune-appj-pa1502a.780178/
I really love the look of this thing too!
To answer your other question; if you are willing to upgrade this 1502A with the caps and put some nice NOS tubes in it, it's worth it I feel. You will have a nice SET that will now work better with some cans than your OTL, and you can play around. Why you see it noted (elsewhere) that it has Japanese Z11 steel transformers, it matters, still a budget amp,, that I may never part with... would gift first.
I sometimes carpool with a fellow who now heads an audio R&D department, who also ran the soundboard for the Dead at one point. We got to talking about transformers, Tango, Tamura et al. and how critical the material/orientation is to the end result, shit goes deep, like Tamahagane... The C-Core amorphous transformers look interesting to me, such as Audio Note uses,, or the Lundahl's with silver wire winding,,, just takes money.