Problems with Studio Pre

Don Tonberry · Oct 23, 2016

I bought a Studio preamp a few months ago and have been connecting it to an impulse loader mainly for recording. It has worked fine in the past few months until yesterday when I switched the amp from standby and the output was very low. I have no idea what the problem could be. I checked all of my cables and it wasn't that so I'm guessing it has to be an internal problem.

This happens on either the rhythm or lead channels. Everything else on the amp seems to work from what I could tell aside from the low output. It also had some sound leakage(?) before when it was still working normally. With my impulse loader's output muted I could hear my guitar signal coming through from the Studio pre hardware itself faintly. Could the tubes just be dead? I really want to avoid taking it to a tech since I don't know how much it would cost to repair it

synaesthesia · Oct 23, 2016

You need to take it to a Tech if you have no idea about what is wrong, and without insulting you - if you cannot test if the tubes are good or bad, you should not be messing with this.

vick1000 · Oct 24, 2016

Get at least one good 12AX7 to swap in each position for testing.

Whoopysnorp · Oct 26, 2016

Also, try using the effects send instead of the main outs and see if it does the same thing. The main outs on mine have periodically done a weird thing where their volume fades to almost nothing. Not both of them at once either; they do it individually. Both of them have done it, and I've heard of this happening on Quad Preamps too. The effects send sounds the same and hasn't ever given me any trouble.

Don Tonberry · Oct 29, 2016

I got a 12ax7 to test in each position. No change in output during testing.

Also tried using the effects loop send instead of the main outs. The output was actually lower using the effects loop.