Re: JSX Hiss, unwanted noise and tube life issues...
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:32 pm
Thought you guys might be interested in the email I sent Customer Service...
Hi Guys,
My Names *****, I live in Adelaide South Australia... I own a JSX head played and signed by Satch.. I love this thing... However I have been experiencing many issues with it... Power Tube life is very short. 3- 4 months in fact.. Considering the Head never sits on the Quad to help prolong tube life and I only play through the unit for a max. Of 1.5 hours in one sitting per week.. The tubes should be lasting closer to 1 -1.5 years... The amp has been back to Peavey Australia twice and has been sent to a number of Peavey approved amp techs.. Resulting in the same thing...
I get told the valves have had it, the valves get replaced and I get charged (Peavey Aust didn’t charge me the last time.).. I know the valves have had it, what I want to know is why aren’t my tubes lasting..
In addition to this the amp is starting to Hiss pretty bad. Ive purchased a noise reduction unit (in the amps loop), a Furman Power Conditioner to power the amp and a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power Plus 2 to power the pedals, to prevent any ground loops... None of this helps to control the Hiss from the amp.
The Hiss is even apparent through the clean channel, but on the Crunch and Ultra its Hissing like a snake.. So when the Noise Gate opens you get this mix of Hiss/Noise with the amps tone.. Resulting in a fizzy sound coming through on the High mids and above. I have also recently noticed that the amp makes some random crackling and pops from time to time (loud to). At first I thought it was a faulty lead. But then realized it was coming from the amp.
I have been experiencing the tube life and increasing Hiss issues for nearly 2 years now and Ive had enough.. Ive been doing some reading and its possible that the Plate resistor may be faulty, adding Hiss and crackling/pops to the amps signal.. I can also see the solder joints for a number of of pins on Power tube sockets are getting hot. I would imagine that this would also shorten Power Tube Life?
There is only one Amp Tech I trust in Adelaide, and thats Frank from FMAudio. Can I request a copy of the amps schematics so we can work out whats going on here... In addition to this if the amp is not able to be fixed can I please have a replacement. If I contact Peavey Australia they seem to want me to tell them exactly whats wrong with the amp for them to consider replacing the chassis. Im not an amp tech and obviously cant do this.. Not to mention that it seems to be a difficult task for any amp tech to resolve. I know at the time when Frank had my amp he spent a fair bit of time trying to work out whats going on, the other guys.. well, I struggled to a discussion about my experiences.
I seem to treated with scepticism when I explain the issues and experiences.. Peavey Aust said they had a guy with 20 years guitar playing experience play it and he couldn’t fault it??? Put new tubes in the thing and it sounds awesome for about 2 weeks. Having said that Ive been playing Guitar for 30 odd years, owned a number of different tube amps, and have never gone through such a fiasco before...
Im currently recovering from Cancer and all I currently have is my music. I dont need this grief any longer. I need a result one way or another. I am asking for your assistance in this matter. I am looking at dropping my amp of to Frank in the next week or so. Work I want is to fault find, plus a complete re-valve, again... I am going to ask him to replace the Plate resistor regardless.
Also other work to consider, I have been told that the JSX board is rated at 63vdc but the Filter Caps are only rated at 60vdc.. If this is true as the tubes age (in a short time) the tubes draw more current. And in no time at all the Hiss is going to get worse. Its been recommended that 100vdc caps be put in place as this silences the amp at all gain stages and levels. Can you please advise if you feel this may be a contributing factor, or if the Caps might be faulty and contributing to the Hiss...
If the issue cant be resolved can you please give authorization to swap my chassie out for a new item, and have Frank set it up with my tubes of choice. I want to keep the Heads case as its signed by Joe Satriani. My contact at Peavey Australia has been Bosco... This has been a long ordeal and I need it to end ASAP.
Id like to thank you for you assistance in advance. Look forward to your timely response.
Kind Regards,
(My Name)
Hi Guys,
My Names *****, I live in Adelaide South Australia... I own a JSX head played and signed by Satch.. I love this thing... However I have been experiencing many issues with it... Power Tube life is very short. 3- 4 months in fact.. Considering the Head never sits on the Quad to help prolong tube life and I only play through the unit for a max. Of 1.5 hours in one sitting per week.. The tubes should be lasting closer to 1 -1.5 years... The amp has been back to Peavey Australia twice and has been sent to a number of Peavey approved amp techs.. Resulting in the same thing...
I get told the valves have had it, the valves get replaced and I get charged (Peavey Aust didn’t charge me the last time.).. I know the valves have had it, what I want to know is why aren’t my tubes lasting..
In addition to this the amp is starting to Hiss pretty bad. Ive purchased a noise reduction unit (in the amps loop), a Furman Power Conditioner to power the amp and a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power Plus 2 to power the pedals, to prevent any ground loops... None of this helps to control the Hiss from the amp.
The Hiss is even apparent through the clean channel, but on the Crunch and Ultra its Hissing like a snake.. So when the Noise Gate opens you get this mix of Hiss/Noise with the amps tone.. Resulting in a fizzy sound coming through on the High mids and above. I have also recently noticed that the amp makes some random crackling and pops from time to time (loud to). At first I thought it was a faulty lead. But then realized it was coming from the amp.
I have been experiencing the tube life and increasing Hiss issues for nearly 2 years now and Ive had enough.. Ive been doing some reading and its possible that the Plate resistor may be faulty, adding Hiss and crackling/pops to the amps signal.. I can also see the solder joints for a number of of pins on Power tube sockets are getting hot. I would imagine that this would also shorten Power Tube Life?
There is only one Amp Tech I trust in Adelaide, and thats Frank from FMAudio. Can I request a copy of the amps schematics so we can work out whats going on here... In addition to this if the amp is not able to be fixed can I please have a replacement. If I contact Peavey Australia they seem to want me to tell them exactly whats wrong with the amp for them to consider replacing the chassis. Im not an amp tech and obviously cant do this.. Not to mention that it seems to be a difficult task for any amp tech to resolve. I know at the time when Frank had my amp he spent a fair bit of time trying to work out whats going on, the other guys.. well, I struggled to a discussion about my experiences.
I seem to treated with scepticism when I explain the issues and experiences.. Peavey Aust said they had a guy with 20 years guitar playing experience play it and he couldn’t fault it??? Put new tubes in the thing and it sounds awesome for about 2 weeks. Having said that Ive been playing Guitar for 30 odd years, owned a number of different tube amps, and have never gone through such a fiasco before...
Im currently recovering from Cancer and all I currently have is my music. I dont need this grief any longer. I need a result one way or another. I am asking for your assistance in this matter. I am looking at dropping my amp of to Frank in the next week or so. Work I want is to fault find, plus a complete re-valve, again... I am going to ask him to replace the Plate resistor regardless.
Also other work to consider, I have been told that the JSX board is rated at 63vdc but the Filter Caps are only rated at 60vdc.. If this is true as the tubes age (in a short time) the tubes draw more current. And in no time at all the Hiss is going to get worse. Its been recommended that 100vdc caps be put in place as this silences the amp at all gain stages and levels. Can you please advise if you feel this may be a contributing factor, or if the Caps might be faulty and contributing to the Hiss...
If the issue cant be resolved can you please give authorization to swap my chassie out for a new item, and have Frank set it up with my tubes of choice. I want to keep the Heads case as its signed by Joe Satriani. My contact at Peavey Australia has been Bosco... This has been a long ordeal and I need it to end ASAP.
Id like to thank you for you assistance in advance. Look forward to your timely response.
Kind Regards,
(My Name)