Exploding cartridge!

[MVV]

So, the venerable Ortofon Blue has died, I think. Weird though, I heard a couple of loud cracks and lost a channel. Quite a strong smell of cordite.

 

[a.palfreyman]

Weird. Check your phono stage to see if it is kicking out dc to the inputs... That's the only way I can think of that might burn a winding out.

 

[Tony L]

Never heard of that ever. Are you sure it isn’t part of the amp that has died?

 

[a.palfreyman]

Good shout @Tony L. Maybe a wider system check is in order. Could have sha99ed a driver.

 

[James]

If one channel is out, but the other still works, it should be easy to determine whether the cart, phono or amp is faulty by swapping the interconnects L>R and R>L.

 

[MVV]

Never heard of that ever. Are you sure it isn’t part of the amp that has died?

Yes the amp is now flashing 'Protect".

 

[Mynamemynaim]

Yes the amp is now flashing 'Protect".

Is that with the working chanel of the cartridge connected and the non working one disconnected....just trying to isolated if it is a faulty cart making the protection flash?

 

[MVV]

Thanks. It is an amp thing. This will be the third repair so It may be better to get another.