Check out my YouTube video and help me diagnose my problem!

[aly44]

I awoke this morning, plugged in, and was greeted to strange channel switching volume fadeouts. Anyone know why?

Also, when I engage the reverb, everything is fine.

Thanks. I am baffled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbmK2WbeSY

 

[Elpelotero]

probably a tube issue I would think. Tap them with pencils one by one until the culprit screams out bloody murder through the speakers.

 

[echoes420]

I am sorry to tell you this... but that is actually normal. That is what is known as the Roadster "lag" if you will. The only way around it is to keep the reverb engaged at all times.

 

[aly44]

Thanks for trying to help, but I know what the Roadster lag sounds like. It is really only apparant when the reverb is on and you change channels. It doesn't cut the whole signal out and fades the volume to nothing for 2 seconds. There is just a delay going to the next channel, but the volume doesn't cut out as is shown in the video.

I have never had an issue like this, as I am sure all of you have never had.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Actually man, I believe that to be the Roadster 'reverb lag'...I think echoes has it right.

Did the tone of the channels change at all? If not, it's not going to be a preamp tube IMO. Can't hurt to do some musical tubes to check though....

It really depends on the Roadster I find....my Roadster has NO lag, no matter the reverb setting.

Best of luck...test tubes, and if you can't figure it out, take it to a tech.

Eric

 

[94Tremoverb]

Does the problem have anything to do with your girlfriend wandering in front of the speakers to water the plants?




Being serious... sorry, I don't know much about the Roadster (there's no clue in the title or the first post, or I might not have even read the thread) but what you have is not a tube problem, reverb tank problem, or anything you can fix yourself, unless you're a tech. It sounds like something in the switching mute circuit - which is designed to momentarily mute the amp when the relays switch and is what causes the normal short delay, to stop it making a loud pop instead - has gone out of spec and now the delay is much longer than it should be. I have a friend with a Rectoverb that did something similar and it needed a cap changed in the muting circuit. Part of the muting circuit in the Rectoverb also works the reverb (to stop a distorted reverb 'bloom' after you switch back to the clean channel), so having the reverb engaged may affect this, and it's probably similar in the Roadster.

 

[echoes420]

While your lag is a bit more pronounced, it is still the same thing I hear on my Roadster if the reverb isn't engaged.

Besides... you already have the solution to your problem according to your video.


You have to realize that the Roadster is like a super computer of an amp. The logistics of a 4 channel amp with multi-watt switching and rectification options are mind boggling. There are just GOING to be small "issues" with amps of this caliber. Talk to anyone who owns one of those Diezel 4 channel amps... they have the same types of "issues" and then some... difference being, there don't seem to be any quick fixes for those... so I feel Mesa is still ahead of the game.

 

[aly44]

IBANEZ4LIFE: I too have a Roadster that didn't have the lag problem until now. That is why I am shocked. I am not a weekend warrior per se. I have played my amp at some of the biggest venues in New England. She has never had this issue in the past, which is why I am concerned.

TREMOVERB94: I think you may be right. I am going to take it to a tech.

EVERYONE: I spent an annoying two hours playing the tube switching game and trying different modes. The amp works fine now, as it was. It did momentarily revert back to that weird 2 second delay thing, then stopped. It should be noted that I also had the reverb tank switched out recently by a certified Mesa Tech. The reverb stopped and I guess the tank was bad. This was actually just two weeks ago. Looking back at that experience, I must say that I didn't actually feel like he was the most competent guy (not to judge, but embarrassingly a bill collector came by while I was present, which was a bit sad) in the world. It was uncomfortable to say the least and left me with a bad impression. Now I am wondering if his financial woes are also a reflection of his work as a tech. Perhaps he installed the tank wrong. Or something worse! I just don't know what to think. I want my Roadster to work as it once did!

Also, while I didn't find a bad tube, I should note that the weird lag is gone. Now, I am seeming to have difficulty with channel 2, as it has a terrible hum present when I engage the reverb. Without the reverb the channel is dead silent, even at loud volumes. Engage it, and it is noisy no matter what the reverb is set at. All the other channels are pretty silent with the reverb engaged, even at full blast. Channel 2, in any mode and any setting is painfully noisy. I don't quite know what to make of this, as I changed all the tubes. I know it wasn't a tube problem, because after taking a break from the amp, everything returned to normal for a bit, then proceeded to act crazy again. That is when I played the "guess which tube" game.

Maybe the delay thing was a fluke?

Thank you all for taking the time. Please continue to do so as you are all educating me on points of view that I wasn't aware of.

 

[plapnab]

Not to change the subject. But, I'm having kind of a similar problem with my three channel dual rectifier. However, my issue is with the red channel on my footswitch. Starting a couple weeks ago I have had this issue where I have to press the button on the foot pedal a couple times to get it to go to that channel. Everything else works fine. I figured it was just the switch going bad. So, I ordered a replacement from Mesa which will be here tomorrow. However, after seeing your video and reading the responses It's making me think that it could be a similar issue. Anyone have an opinion? :?:

 

[aly44]

Yes. I just did extensive research throughout past posts on this board and found the following:

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16839&hilit=+Roadster+Lag+volume+swell

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=27117&hilit=+Roadster+Lag+volume+swell

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=35474&p=255383&hilit=+Roadster+Lag+volume+swell#p255383

On one of these, a person who commented on this thread, actually commented on the other thread. Clearly, this is a documented issue with the Roadster, and who knows, maybe your amp too. All I can say is, I'm totally annoyed. I have had too many issues and too many trips to tech since buying this amp. My fiance and I researched the crap out of amps before I invested $2200 in the Roadster head. The price I've paid in gas and tubes is ridiculous. I just want this thing to work as it should. My only resort now is to send mine to Mesa direct and deal with the fact that I'll be ampless for a bit.

 

[TFridgen]

Where are you located? Maybe someone located near you can suggest a good amp tech.

 

[TFridgen]

Also, check out posts by a guy named budlovesaly. If I recall correctly, he was having the same sort of problems with his Roadster, except for that douche was trying to pawn his faulty Roadster off to me in a trade. Said it was flawless but was posting questions asking how to fix his hum/switching problems. Idiot.

 

[aly44]

Cool. Thanks for the heads up. I tried using the search to find her links, but couldn't. Could you send me the links?

 

[TFridgen]

Just type budlovesaly in the search for author. Do you have another name on here 'civicbud'?

 

[Heritage Softail]

budlovesaly, aly44, much talk of fiance, similar trouble with a Roadster, and Aly - an uncommon name...... is there a connection?

Just curious... :mrgreen:

 

[TFridgen]

budlovesaly, aly44, much talk of fiance, similar trouble with a Roadster, and Aly - an uncommon name...... is there a connection?

Just curious... :mrgreen:

NAHH!! Couldn't be! civicbud and budlovesaly had complained of the same issues on this board at diffrent times. There was a civicbud on the Marshall amp forum trying to unload a 'flawless' 2009 Roadster head. When you go to the youtube video on this link the person who put up the video is civicbud. When I called out budlovesaly in one of his threads for trying to trade me his faulty Roadster, civicbud deleted the posts that I had made. And now there is aly44 who has the exact same problems as the aforementioned. Coincidence... I think not.