Two Channel Dual Rectifier - Low Level Static Noise

[Francis Llewellyn Andreas]

This noise is only an inconvenience. The normal tube amp noise will drown it out when the master volume is high enough for rehearsal, shows, recording . . . .

I've cleaned all my sockets, ruled out tube issues (with a slight margin of error) and ruled out dirty power/lack of conditioner. a noise gate (ISP Decimator, Boss Noise Suppressor) will not effect this issue. it will do this with all guitars, all cables, and will make the noise with nothing at all plugged into the input. It will make the noise with all different channel configurations, it will make it with the loop engaged or defeated.

my amp tech, whom i've trusted for years, hasn't actually had it on the bench for this particular issue. however, based on the description, he said "you may never find out what it is."

I reiterate that this is merely annoying. it doesn't affect the performance of the amp. i've recorded it and played several shows without this being an issue. it's just something i obsess over. if anyone has any insight I'd appreciate it. i've owned this particular amp for over a decade, and I'm aware that tube amps just make a lot of noise: if it's inaudible in all my various applications, I should just let it go. Also, i will refrain from bumping this post, it's just not that big of a deal.

 

[echoes420]

I have the same problem... even when plugged into my Monster power conditioner.

It seems to be worse on the clean channel though.

 

[domct203]

I've never owned a 2-Channel Dual but my Roadster is very quiet at normal levels. With a gate in the loop it is pretty much silent.

I guess if I listened long enough with nothing plugged in sooner or later I'd hear something :? .

Don't worry too much, it sounds like it's fine.

Dom

 

[tom241]

You may know by a handful the whole sack.

Thsale is a professional, loyal and reliable wow gold supplier online, we pioneered selling cheap wow gold. Welcome to thsale buy world of warcraft gold Buy Cheap WoW Gold, World of Warcraft Gold, Please look here! We are a Great MMORPG company. wow money and wow items,which is very cheap World of Warcraft gold ?All US Server 24.99$/1000G on sell! Cheap wow gold,rs powerleveling,wow power leveling,Buy Cheapest/Safe/Fast WoW US EU Gold Power leveling

-59

 

[iceman]

I just bought a brand new roadster and I noticed that it was fairly noisy even at low levels (when on, but not playing). The reverb didn't work on any channel. I took it back to the shop and the tech fixed the reverb (was a tube) and there was an update for the amp released by Mesa (some resistors etc). I'm picking up the amp tomorrow and am really hoping that the amp comes back quiet. I had a Mark V for a couple of days and it was dead silent, it was really nice, it didn't have the popping during channel switching. I've been playing through an ampeg ss150 for years and it isn't very quite so I appreciate no hiss/noise. The store had two roadsters, the other one looked like it had been demoed quite a bit and was noisy compared to the Mark V as well. So I don't know if this inherent to this amp or there was something wrong with both roadsters at the store (triple rec head I demoed was also hissy). All the reviews I read over on harmony central claim the roadster is a very quite amp. I played through a epi valve junior once that seemed to have the same issue, but I chalked that up to it being a $200 amp.

 

[coppa]

did you play them all with the same guitar?

my solo50 makes more noise with nothing plugged in.
if you plug in a quiet guitar its quiet.

 

[iceman]

I used the same guitar for the roadster I bought and the Mark V I had, esp mk-ii with emgs. The other roadster at the store I played an ltd ec1000 with the same emg in the bridge position. I don't recall the guitar for the triple rec but it was an ltd with emgs. I'm hopeful it was just a preamp tube that was the issue (maybe the same one that caused the reverb issue). Also this noise was with the guitar plugged in with the power in the on position, not standby.

 

[danvortex]

Hi !!!

Would you describe this annoying sound ike a sort of moving/changing wind sound ??? If you have this problem i may have the solution. I had to repair one of my 2 pre-500 wich had this type of sound and it is really hard to resolve if you don't know what to do. I had a thech working on it for about 12 hours and we replaced many parts for nothing, but it is fine now. Please describe a little more the sound it makes just to make sure it is what i think it is.

 

[FJA Mods]

Two things to look at on older 2 channel rectifiers. One is the resistor in the switching power supply R503. That resistor can heat up and burn itself off the circuit board causing problems. I've seen this resistor burnt on several 2 channel rectifiers I've had come thru the shop.
The other problem I just recently found was a bad channel cloning switch. Do your LED's flicker? I found the switch issue by pushing in on the switch and watching the LED's. The springs in the switch wear out and don't provie enough pressure on the contacts to make a good connection. The amp I had here made noises and had volume changes due to the amp switching itself between red and orange settings.
Jerry

 

[Setherial]

Hi !!!

Would you describe this annoying sound ike a sort of moving/changing wind sound ??? If you have this problem i may have the solution. I had to repair one of my 2 pre-500 wich had this type of sound and it is really hard to resolve if you don't know what to do. I had a thech working on it for about 12 hours and we replaced many parts for nothing, but it is fine now. Please describe a little more the sound it makes just to make sure it is what i think it is.

Hi Everyone

Sorry, but I have to "get this old thread out of the grave", because I newly have exactly this same Problem, danvortex has described:

I have the amp (old 2ch dual recto) alone, with no fx (amp, cable, speakers), with or without a guitarcable plugged in, does make this awfully noise. After I swich on the standby, it takes about half a minute, and then this "moving wind like noise" appears. Of course, there is the normal background-hiss, an amp does, but then suddenly this static wind noise appears. Especially in the clean channel you can hear it best, because there is no additional "distortion channel hiss" in that channel. Tried also several settings: Bold, spongy, silicon diodes or rectifier valves, fx loop on or off, knobs turned makes no difference, exept that it changes volume by turning the master volume (gain pot has no effect on it).
I have already tried different tubes, the preamp tubes are all new (mesa 12ax7, v1-3 with the low-noise spax7), and swapped the poweramp tubes with others from a working amp, but no difference.
Otherwise, while playing, this noise is not noticeable, but as soon as there is no note played, it is hearable.

I even looked at the soldering points at the valve sockets and the pcb, but couldn't see any week point.
The only thing I could see, is that the resistor R501 (56ohms 5% ?W, on the main pcb besides the black mass cable soldered onto the pcb) must have heated up a bit, because the capacitor next to it with a white/gray coating () got a little bit brown at the location, where the resistor is, but looks not burnt. The soldering points of this resistor are fine, and no cracks or dark spots on it, at least not visible.
@ FJY Mods: on which pcb and where can I find the R503 to look at? As the writings are under the parts, they are not really well visible. So far I found R 501 and R502...
Also all capacitors look ok, none has blown up like a balloon ;-)

So danvortex, what was the problem with your amps, that made that noise? What has been fixed?

Hope, my english is not too bad so you can understand what I mean.

I have a bit electronic knowlege, but not really as deep as to fix a broken or problematic amp. So, any help is very appreciated.
Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[Gibson07]

Two things to look at on older 2 channel rectifiers. One is the resistor in the switching power supply R503. That resistor can heat up and burn itself off the circuit board causing problems. I've seen this resistor burnt on several 2 channel rectifiers I've had come thru the shop.
The other problem I just recently found was a bad channel cloning switch. Do your LED's flicker? I found the switch issue by pushing in on the switch and watching the LED's. The springs in the switch wear out and don't provie enough pressure on the contacts to make a good connection. The amp I had here made noises and had volume changes due to the amp switching itself between red and orange settings.
Jerry

Jerry

can you please give some more information on the bad channel cloning switch?? I have had an issue with my 3 ch DR where by the red and orange channel LEDS flicker and a buzzing sound comes from the head (not through the speakers). This only happens occasionally and when it does I put it in standby and just wiggle the footswitch cable in the back of the amp and it seems to go away so I just put it down to the footswitch plug in the back of the amp and haven't got around to getting it looked at.

I don’t typically play without the footswitch so don't know if it would occur with it disconnected. What are the suggested fix for this problem? Is it causing any damage to the amp? It is annoying but as it doesn’t happen often I just have not got around to getting it fixed.

Thanks!