1176 enigma help w/ distortion

[orangerec]

Hey guys,
I built a Gyraf 1176 with Lundahl x-frms and it worked and sounded awesome...for about two weeks. I followed all the calibration videos and directions and all was well. Suddenly, in the last few days, it started exhibiting a bit of distortion, especially with bass and kick drum. With the attack and release in the fast position it's really noticeable. I changed out the in/out pots, rewired a few leads but can't figure it out. Also  worth mentioning, my meter in the +4 position is acting a little strange, like its moving in the wrong direction. I poked around a little and on transistor Q5, BC107B, if I touch it with my finger it make a popping sound in my monitors, the other transistors don't do this. I did swap it out and nothing changed. I am a newbee, so be gentle with me. I searched around the threads and couldn't find any relating issues to mine. It sounds fine on a snare because I like the character but on anything else it's a bit too distorted. Again, It was amazing about two weeks ago, what could have happened?  Thanks in advance. 

 

[orangerec]

no ideas? :-\

 

[ColinS]

Usual suggestions for this would be check for dry solder joints, check your power supply voltages. If they're low you might be clipping. And check the bias voltages as per the notes on the schematic. Be careful, many a circuit has been blown with a wandering scope/meter probe.

The clicking you get from touching the transistor can is probably static (nothing to worry about on the 1176) or altering impedance or voltages in the circuit, the can on BC107/109s is connected to the base (i think) so touching it will affect the audio passing through it. Touching the other transistors will be changing things, but not noticably. So, the click you get is probably a red-herring as far as your current fault is concerned.

let us know how you get on.

 

[orangerec]

Finally, I replaced both BF245s and all is well.  ;D