Cary SLI-80: Thunk in Right Channel, then Dead


I recently bought a Cary SLI-80 on A'gon and been having a fine time with it tube-rolling and auditioning CD players to match it to. But, just tonight, I heard a "thunk" or lower mid-range "pop" and the right channel went dead. I tested this with headphones, and it's definitely the amp and not the speakers, as there was no right channel in the headphones either.

However, after a few minutes checking all the wires and connections on the back of the amp and on the speaker, I fired the amp up again. The right channel was still silent for a few minutes then miraculously came on all of a sudden. It played fine this way for about 35 minutes, then the same "thunk" or lower midrange "pop" came through the right channel, whereupon the channel again went silent.

I shut the amp down, as I didn't know what else to do except write the former owner and a few audiophile friends whether they'd had any experience with this phenomenon.

Finally, I turned the amp on again for a third time, and the right channel played fine from start-up. I don't know how long it will do so, however, and I'm worried I might damage something further if I kept playing it.

It seems to me something is "shorting" from inside the amp, but all the tubes still glow. I assume the fuse would blow on a full-scale short. Could it be something as simple as a loose wire or poor soldering job?

How can I address this? Advice anyone?
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Showing 1 response by danlib1

Tommorrow I would call Cary in the AM. Phenomenal customer service and can troubleshoot may things over the phone with you.