5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WTF!!

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blaise.brown.7967

New member
I pulled all the tubes both preamp & power!! They all look good. I'm hoping nothing major is breaking down here. Any suggestions, anyone?? Please don't tell me to ship it back for repairs!! I'm going broke paying for this M.F.!! It's a MARSHALL DSL100H for anyone who wants to know. Thankyou for your time &patience!!

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Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

P.S. This unit will not operate with the standby switch off or in play mode. Is this normal??

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Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

First, where did you buy it from? Have you checked the warranty info that came with the purchase? Here is what I found from Marshall
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

Is the "crackle" that your hearing coming from the chassis itself (either while running or after it's been turned off) or through the cabinet?
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

"Uncle Owen!!!"

"This R2 Unit has a bad motivator!!!"

~Luke Skywalker '77
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

I can sympathize with the frustrations of an amp that doesn't work.

BUT...if it was bought new and you're still paying on it, heck yeah I'd look into options for sending it back to where it came for replacement or repair (on their dollar). That's about the only benefit you can reap from buying something new - the warranty safety net!
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

More details please. Also, what do you mean by "P.S. This unit will not operate with the standby switch off or in play mode. Is this normal??"

The amp only operates one way, I am confused.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

blaise.brown.7967 said:
P.S. This unit will not operate with the standby switch off or in play mode. Is this normal??

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Click to expand...

Kamanda~SD said:
More details please. Also, what do you mean by "P.S. This unit will not operate with the standby switch off or in play mode. Is this normal??"

The amp only operates one way, I am confused.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly, Standby keeps the tubes hot without the main circuit being turned on...you don't just start playing into a tube amp as soon as you turn it on and you don't just shut it all down when you are done.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

I had a simular problem with my DSL first the static then it went dead. It was the component that brings the power to the tubes. My tech said he sees them all the time because they changed the design in the JCM 2000 and the component doesn't have enough clearence. It heats up and cools down as you use the amp. This causes the solder joints to come loose. He replaced mine with the the same one they use in the JCM800 series. No problems since. I can't remember the name of the component but it is a tiny little ting that looks like a chip near the tubes. I can give him a call and find out for you if need be but personally I would be sending it back to MF.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

From what the OP has described it could be a bad cable... Just yanking the tubes wont tell you anything.

The reality check is that sometimes electronics just go bad... its just the way the cookie crumbles. But instead of whining and moaning be proactive and try to figure out exactly what it is. Have you tried different guitars and cables? Tried changing the power outlet? Crackling many times is a sign of dirt... is the amp in a room with a lot of dust? Does it only do it at certain volumes? On certain channels? Does it crackle when you turn the knobs? Does it crackle without a guitar plugged in?

Help us to help you.

Btw this early in the game it should still be under warranty (either take it back to the dealer if you purchased it online they should send out a call tag for it) unless it is tubes (but i dont get that feeling but you never know) If it is the tubes i have to say "Welcome! to life with modern manufactured tubes!"

Side note... I get it not everyone is rolling in cash but if things are so tight that you cant afford shipping you might do well avoid tube amps until your situation improves.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

Warranty repair.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

Securb said:
I had a simular problem with my DSL first the static then it went dead. It was the component that brings the power to the tubes. My tech said he sees them all the time because they changed the design in the JCM 2000 and the component doesn't have enough clearence. It heats up and cools down as you use the amp. This causes the solder joints to come loose. He replaced mine with the the same one they use in the JCM800 series. No problems since. I can't remember the name of the component but it is a tiny little ting that looks like a chip near the tubes. I can give him a call and find out for you if need be but personally I would be sending it back to MF.
Click to expand...

Yours is an older one isnt it? From the original 2000 run not the reissues? Thats odd because that problem was pretty much cofined to TSL's in that run.

Was the bias drifting on yours? Was it the screen grid plate?

The bias supply is different in the reissues but I have no idea if its trouble free.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

Thanks all !! Zzounds will be getting a call soon!! By the way I'm ADDICTED to that tubed sound won't be giving up on it soon!!
I've changed cables on it to no avail.Also switched electrical outlets, no difference .

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Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

blaise.brown.7967 said:
Thanks all !! Zzounds will be getting a call soon!! By the way I'm ADDICTED to that tubed sound won't be giving up on it soon!!
I've changed cables on it to no avail.Also switched electrical outlets, no difference .

Sent from my LGMS395 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Definitely see what Zzounds has to say. Glad you are not giving up on tube amps, they can be finicky but they are amazing in my book! Best of luck!
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

First rule of tube amp issues......try new tubes.
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

Edgecrusher said:
Yours is an older one isnt it? From the original 2000 run not the reissues? Thats odd because that problem was pretty much cofined to TSL's in that run.

Was the bias drifting on yours? Was it the screen grid plate?

The bias supply is different in the reissues but I have no idea if its trouble free.
Click to expand...

Yep mine is older. I would get the noise even when the cables were unplugged. I didn't check the bias but I did put in a fresh set of Mullards and that didn't solve the problem. Shortly afterwards the amp went silent. The screen grid plate does sound familiar, I am seeing Tom next week when I pick up my buddy's JCM600 combo. I will ask him then. At the end of the day it was a cheap fix around $100
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

I'm thinking the effects jacks

try taking a short patch cable and jumping send to return
and see what happens
 
Re: 5 months of payments and already I'm experiencing crackle and volume swelling!!WT

blaise.brown.7967 said:
I pulled all the tubes both preamp & power!! They all look good.
Click to expand...
Looking at a tube tells you little or nothing unless your eyesight is good enough to detect the movement of electrons through a plate of steel.
You need to replace the tubes with known good ones to eliminate the tubes as the cause of the problem.
99% of the time, its the tubes in tube amps that are causing the problems.
Tubes are a consumable item, like photocopy fluid, pencil lead, light globes and car tyres. They also have the potential to die on their first day out of the box.
As such, it it always worth having a spare set for gigs, or any time when your amp is giving you trouble.
Buy a full, fresh set of tubes and see how you go. If it does turn out that the tubes are not your problem, then you will have a spare set for gigs etc and for the inevitable time in the not too distant future when they need replacing anyway. If it turns out it is not your tubes, then its time for a visit to the tech.

Also...it wont hurt to get a can of contact cleaner and clean all the jacks by spraying them and inserting the leads in and out a couple times. Make sure you let the jacks dry before you switch the amp on.

The screen grid resistor problem is a possibility. That is something that can happen on any amp, but it is often more common on modern amps. However, don't go looking in there until you are absolutely positive that it is not just your old tubes wearing out. The screen grid resistors may or may not be the issue. As always the most likely culprit is the tubes.

The last small thing...
is the speaker lead definitely a speaker lead and not just a guitar lead?
 
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