How Many Amps Should A Marantz 8b Draw

Hi!
I have a cute stock Marantz 8B. I'd like to monitor the current flow during a Variac bring-up session. How much current is normal and correct for this amp while it is idling = no music played. We presume the voltage is 117V. The tubes are iv ten 6CA7 / two 10 6CG7 / two x 6BH6

TIA
Freddy

Delight register to disable this ad.
IME, they idle at or around ane amp, maybe a bit less.
For a rule of thumb, I accept the fuse value, separate it past 3 or 4, and that should be the ballpark of idle current in a tube amp. If it'due south much more than than that (especially over half the fuse value), I commencement looking for stuff drawing excessive current...

Regards,
Gordon.
HuuH - my amp has displayed a current menstruation at 1,5A - 1,6A (8B fuse value is 2,5A). I'grand in Europe (230V) and utilize a step-downwardly trafo to 117V. The trafo which is rated at 10A is giving a sligt hum when the 8B is on despite information technology'due south much higher rating..
Is there anything wrong here?

regards
Freddy
After thinking a bit more, 1.v amps may be normal enough, at 117v. Those amps are closer to Course A than many... which means they idle pretty "hot" compared to some.
Have you checked the bias of the output tubes, to see if it's normal (ie, not too high)?

Regards,
Gordon.
The merely checking I did was to find the the amp's behaviour, which seems pretty normal all in all. The bias checking I did on the meter shows that the bias is "expressionless on", simply is that a trustworthy indicator? - I mean this bias meter tin can exist adapted to show the "expressionless on" condition. The mains trafo gets warm - but non too much (still very touchable) - no tubes are redplating. The amp is untouched (stock) and my concern is generally about coupling caps + filter caps.
The amp is my "amp for life", therefore I'm maybe too concerned, but it has an age - equally we all know and some components may need attention at some signal.
On the back of the amp is written 175-230W powerconsumption and some people are adept in this calculation. So if the amp - run at 117V - has a current flow at 1,5A - will the fit the 175W?? Or am I taking the wrong path?

Kind regards
Freddy

Please register to disable this ad.
If you have non done and so all ready, wait over the ability cord carefully. The string on my eight (albeit a prior series) had some cracks and needed replacing when I got information technology. Bending the cord hard caused the insulation to fissure correct off. I don't know if the cords are the same on 8b'south or if I just had a bad cord to brainstorm with.
By looking at the powercord I tin't detect any cracking or else that should cause concern it notwithstanding feels flexible and rubberlike. It is the original powercord.
regards
Freddy
I inherited one that had probably sat in a basement for 10-15 years before I put it to work again. I brought information technology upwardly on a variac to nearly threescore volts from the mains power and allow it sit there for almost two hours. No fume? Brought it upward to 90 then on. It all works surprisingly well despite how terrible it looks. Since then I've most of the small electrolytics, and and working on the bias power supply. Some folks regard this to be sacrilege, but it shouldn't event the audio much. No parts in the signal path take been replaced. Those Sprauges are pretty tough it seems and may exist fine for a long while.
I recall mine consumes well-nigh 180 watts. Definitely less than 200.