Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:55 pm
Carverfest Tube amp-pulled a fast one on my son, Matt
OK guys, for those of you that attended Carverfest and those that didn't, my son Matt was very excited (as were all of us) about the tube amp build. As some of you may be aware, he was glued to that table for two very full days. Was beside himself when Bob C. gave him a high 5, after checking out his amp as "perfect." 
I asked him to stop by after work and unload the heavy stuff we took to Carverfest, including the Marantz 2270 receiver, Dynaco speakers and tube amps we built. We would use the pre-amp section of the 2270 and the Dynacos' to check out our tube amps we built and make sure nothing rattled loose from the ride home to Florida.
He diligently unloaded everything and was anxious to hear his new build.
I said let's hook up mine first. He made all of the appropriate connections. He fired it up after set-up and hit the lights. We let the tubes start turning orange and hit the play button on the CD player. Viola. Sounded very nice. Listened to a couple of cuts on my new build.
I said OK, let's take mine out of the loop and put your tube amp in for a listen. While he is swapping out tube amps, connecting speakers and interconnects, I secretly turn the balance control all the way over to right channel on the Marantz receiver.
I tell him to turn everything on, I hit the lights, wait for the tubes to glow and hit the play button. Even though the room was dark, I could feel the disappointment on his face as the sound came only from 1 channel.
(I was having a hard time containing myself) Lights come back on and he starts double checking interconnects, speaker connections, tubes, etc. 
Talk about a frown on his face. I am cracking up inside, but still maintaining a straight face. 
Finally I said, a wire must have shook loose from the drive home.
I asked do you want to post pictures of the bottom on the forum and if they can't figure it out, we may have to ship it to Bob Carver? ](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
I told him I was really sorry because I knew the amout of time he spent on the build. I was really having a hard time from busting out laughing.
Long story short, after staring at the dumbfounded look on his face for a few more minutes, I said or you can also check the balance control.
It was a classic moment a Father just had to share.
I asked him to stop by after work and unload the heavy stuff we took to Carverfest, including the Marantz 2270 receiver, Dynaco speakers and tube amps we built. We would use the pre-amp section of the 2270 and the Dynacos' to check out our tube amps we built and make sure nothing rattled loose from the ride home to Florida.
He diligently unloaded everything and was anxious to hear his new build.
I said let's hook up mine first. He made all of the appropriate connections. He fired it up after set-up and hit the lights. We let the tubes start turning orange and hit the play button on the CD player. Viola. Sounded very nice. Listened to a couple of cuts on my new build.I said OK, let's take mine out of the loop and put your tube amp in for a listen. While he is swapping out tube amps, connecting speakers and interconnects, I secretly turn the balance control all the way over to right channel on the Marantz receiver.
I tell him to turn everything on, I hit the lights, wait for the tubes to glow and hit the play button. Even though the room was dark, I could feel the disappointment on his face as the sound came only from 1 channel.
(I was having a hard time containing myself) Lights come back on and he starts double checking interconnects, speaker connections, tubes, etc. Talk about a frown on his face. I am cracking up inside, but still maintaining a straight face. Finally I said, a wire must have shook loose from the drive home.
I asked do you want to post pictures of the bottom on the forum and if they can't figure it out, we may have to ship it to Bob Carver? I told him I was really sorry because I knew the amout of time he spent on the build. I was really having a hard time from busting out laughing. Long story short, after staring at the dumbfounded look on his face for a few more minutes, I said or you can also check the balance control.
It was a classic moment a Father just had to share.
Last edited by Don on Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.
— Thomas Paine
"Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value" Albert Einstein
"Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them". Charlie Reese
"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living." Brad Shurett
RIP Bill D.
— Thomas Paine
"Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value" Albert Einstein
"Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them". Charlie Reese
"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living." Brad Shurett
RIP Bill D.
