So my PS-2A line outs function direct to Logic work fine. It has been used primarily with no speaker hooked up, as a load only and running it to my interface into Logic with IR’s.
Hooked a speaker up to it for the first time in quite awhile and at first it worked fine. With the volume control all the way down there was still some signal, which I thought was strange. Unit was in operate mode. Now there is no output at the speaker at all. Unit is on and in operate, amp speaker out to amp in, speaker cab hooked up to Speaker Out jack. Tubes are lit up, no sound out of the speaker.
Any thoughts?
Thanks, George
Thanks for describing the setup so well, it really helps.
Firstly, the signal that you hear when the volume is on zero is not coming from the speaker, it the coming from the transformers.
If the volume knob has not been turned for a long time it should be build up of oxidation. One way to fix this is to turn the post all the way to the left and right many times.
Otherwise, your power station might need a service. Hopefully someone from Fryette or the community can also give their opinion.
Thanks for the response Dan. The zero-ed volume amp sound was definately coming from the speakers. I know what you are referring to as the “buzzy” loadbox resistor sounds. Using it primarily as the loadbox direct ir method, pretty used to that.
Hmm. So there is no signal to the speaker at all! If you have checked all the stupid things like cables etc. which I am sure you have already done. I cannot think of anything else but getting it serviced.
Yep, tried amp to cab directly with same cable and that works fine. Also tried the line input and no sound. Unit on bypass, there is sound from cab.
When using the line outs and no speaker attached the unit has always been powered up, so the fan is running. Can’t remember if I checked to see it the fan was running….hmm.
The fuse was blown, replaced it and all was well. Later that week using it, sound changed and bass went away. Checking it out, one power tube was glowing cherry red. Popped in a new set and working fine.
With the volume all the way down, should the speaker still have sound? It is loud enough I can record with it.
I’ve noticed the sound from my PS-2 when the volume is all the way down, it was mainly coming from the transformer. This is not something I have encountered before. Is anything connected to the FX loop? What happens if you disconnect that? Otherwise it could be a fault or aging pot, you could try and clean it? Do a few full turns left and then right too and see if that makes a difference.
It is definitely coming from the speaker. It is the normal distored guitar sound. My cab is in another room and mic’d.
There is the normal transformer/ load resistor buzzing while playing in the control room.
It isn’t a big deal or anything, just thought the PS-2 volume control should kill the sound from the speaker.
Sorry I forgot to mention, nothing is hooked to the fx loop. Just amp to amp in…speaker out to cab. XLR out to interface. I have removed the xlr cable to eliminate that.
Tried cleaning the volume potentiometer, still not shutting all the way off on zero. Now it is intermittently jumping up and down in volume. Removed the PS2 from the signal path, just using the amplifier / cab and no issues.
Thanks for coming back with the info. The only other cleaning I would recommend would be tube sockets and jack sockets using solvent cleaner like IPA (isopropyl alcohol). If that does not help then I think you could try replacing the pot?
Finally took the time and cleaned the pots and tube sockets. Played it a bit and did not notice any volume jumping up and down. Now it just sounds very muddy. Even with depth, presence on zero and volume below 9:00 with both switches on flat. Bypass the PS-2 and amp sounds normal.
Maybe bias is way off somehow? It was not muddy before the cleaning.
Do you have any audio clips so we can hear the difference? The cleaning for the pot, which you already did, was just to check if that would help you get better off-ness. The socket cleaning was trying to eliminate an intermittant contact because you mentioned volume jumping.
This is now starting to sound like something else to me. How many hours do you have on the tubes?
Very few on the tubes. Installed them after blowing the fuse earlier. After leaving the PS2 on for half hour on standby, it must have reset the bias. The muddiness is gone.
It still won’t go silent, and after cleaning the pots, they are very loose feeling and are easily moved. It will most likely need all three replaced.
Oh new tubes after the others blew fuses? Sounds good.
This is unusual, I cannot think of a way that tubes make the sound go from being muddy to fine.
I hear a little volume when I play in a quiet room too, like music is playing through a head phone somewhere. This might not be fixable, because it seems to be common.
How did the cleaning go? I was suggesting a few squirts of IPA gentle scrubbing with something like a tooth brush to get any dirty out. Sometimes if using different tubes this can happen as the pins are subtly different widths.
There is always a small amount of volume in the room even with the pots completely turned off. I have seen the same with every Power Station I have used. It is normal. Believe me I asked.
The tube sockets cleaned fine. There is a video Fryette put out about changing tubes. Joe says to power the unit up in standby with the new tubes in and leave it that way for 20 minutes and the unit will set the bias. I did that when I first installed the new tubes. When I removed them to clean the sockets, I may have put them in reversed and the bias was off. I redid the power up unit in standby for 20 mins and it was fine after that.
It is the pots that are now very loose and hard to keep in position after cleaning them. They had resistance as they are turned before. Now they spin very freely. If volume out of the speakers is normal with vol on zero, that’s fine I guess. Will probably need to replace the pots now that they spin so easily. If that makes sense anyway.
and welcome to the community,