PS-100 sounding dull and loosing volume after some moment

Stage & Studio Power Station PS-100
1

I have the same type thing happening with my PS-100. It usually sounds normal when I switch it on, but after a few minutes it loses power and sound dull. Bad tubes, or something else?

2

Hi @mcdyas

Can you please let me know some information about your PS-100:

  • Purchase location
  • Date
  • Serial number

I’ll try and help you out.

3

I bought this directly from Fryette when they first came out. The serial number is PSL140338

4

So the tubes in there are maybe 10 years old? I would suspect changing the tubes will fix this.

Any matched pair of 6550s is OK,

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5

I’ll give it a try. The unit is old, but has very low hours of usage until recently.

6

I see the argument here and really wish that is the issue, but my device was built in 2025 and have the same issue. Anyway, I will be changing the tubes soon and will let you know.

7

I did not have 6550s so I used KT88s. They barely fit. The original tubes I took out are 6L6. Don’t replace them with 6L6s?

8

I checked the manual currently online. It says only replace the power tubes with 6L6. The text copied above says 6550 or KT88. My unit seems to be a bit louder with the KT88s over the original 6L6 I removed. Is it safe to run it with KT88s? Should I pull them and go back to 6L6 tubes?

9

Do you have a PS-2A @mcdyas? PS-2A uses 2x6L6 and the PS-100 uses 2x6550.

10

PS-1, and it sounded very robust for those few minutes I had the KT88s in it.