NGD ... Tourmaster head arrived today, and 15% off PSA.

[Flyer91]

My TM4100 amp got here today.
The TM412A cab is coming truck freight, and should be here next week, so for now I'm using the 412 cab from my Mustang half stack.
It has Celestion speakers in it, but I suspect they are like Paris Hilton ...... and Celestion in name only.
Actually they really don't sound too bad at all, but I'll be glad when the TM412A shows up.

In other news, GC recently sent out their Pres. Day sale advertiser and they're offering a 15% off coupon that will run from the 12th through the 16th. So if you don't have it and might be thinking about buying some Egnater gooidies, it might be worth checking around for a copy amongst your musician friends, or just give GC a call and ask for the discount (that's what I did when buying the 4100/412A).

I'm debating over getting the TM412B for my Tourmaster rig, or a Rebel 30 MkII head with a 212x cab.
I'm thinking that I'd prefer the 212x over a stacked set of 112s, because the 212x operates both open or closed back, while the 112s are ported, albeit a lot easier to live with .......
At a delivered price of like .... $1105 with the GC coupon, I can't pass it up!
But I'm thinking .... 'maybe' I could just buy some "passification jewelry" ...... and get 'em all!

 

[Flyer91]

Well the 412A cab arrived today and it is def better than the 412 from my Mustang!
Way more .... well .... everything, but predominantly bottom and clarity across the board.

But ..... I ran into a bit of a snag.

When I very first tried ch 1's contour button it caused the amp to really break up and become garbled, after first pressing it in then releasing it.
No other channel has the issue.
After pushing the contour button a half dozen times or so, the problem went away ... so I passed it off as a dirty/contaminated 'new switch' contact, set the head aside over the weekend and waited for the TM412A to show up today.

But today after connecting the new cab up, it did the exact same thing again ..... and I noticed that ch 4 sucked.
It's like the Rice Crispy Boys were making their debut, and and a lot of intermittent fizz riding the "normal" high gain background static.
Once again ... it all clears up after pushing the ch 1 contour button a few times.

I looked at the diagram for the tube layout, and I see that V5 is the contour buffer for OD channels.
I shine a light and peek through the rear grill and see that V5 is sort'a tilted at a fairly awkward angle.
So I'll call Egnater tomorrow to make sure I won't be voiding my warranty by going in and reseating it.
Not sure if that will fix the issue, but it's worth a shot before I return it.

I actually thought I had it fixed with the repetitive button pushing, but now that I see it only does it after a long, multi-hour power off periods, until it's warmed up and the contour button is pushed several times (which again initiates normal operation) 'and' it only effects chs 1 and 4.
Once the issue has "been cleared", the contour button works like it should .... and ch 4 is just totally freakin' awesome!

I guess it's 'possible' that the button is in fact the culprit, and is somehow inversely temp sensitive, and although most electronic problems do stem from mechanical components failing (then active components and finally passive component ..... unless age is a factor, then passive components take the second seat) but IMHO: .... this a really weird thing for a switch to be doing.

I'm hoping reseating the tube(S) will make the issue go away permanently, because I really don't want to ignore it and then have an out of warranty issue.
On the other hand ...... I hate not being able to duplicate a malfunction so I have a known cause and effect, so I might just return the head before my 30 day window at GC is up.

I'm sorta like ..... "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln ... did you enjoy the show?" ..... about it.
And the answer is "Yeah, the show is awesome!!! ..... but I really don't care for that annoying short term noise ..."

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

Spare yourself the call. You will not be voiding your warranty by reseating a tube.

 

[Flyer91]

Thanks for the reply Len.
I'm inclined to agree with you.
Besides I'm really not having much of luck getting hold of Egnater today.

Contacting them seems to be a bit of the luck of the draw.
I tried calling them a few times early last week but only got VM (admittedly I didn't leave a message tho) but I also used both of their web support contact email options prior to that (with no replies to either at all),

I was looking for some answers to general questions about the amp, speaker dimensions, and impedance auto-sensing (all of which I'm still trying to get answered).
Then on Friday the head showed up without a manual, and when I called they answered right away, provided somewhat confusing info on the speakers that just doesn't jive with the published specs/dimensions, but ... they immediately sent me the manual which arrived yesterday, and I thought was cool!
So I'm having mixed results (read: confidence) with their support/response, and am left feeling that I certainly wouldn't want to be playing Poughkeepsie and have my Egnater go Elvis.

If reseating the tubes doesn't fix it , I'll reluctantly return it to GC for a refund, based more on the spotty support than the amps minor issue or it's performance .... which is everything I want in an amp, and more.
So I'm hoping to get a solid fix by reseating the tubes, and some answers to two simple questions.

Those two questions being .... (most importantly) can the auto-impedance sensing of the 412A/B allow simultaneously using a 412A or B with a 212x driven by a single TM4100 head?
And what are the actual dimensions of the 412X cab itself?
Also ... If the answer is that you 'can' use the 412A/B with a 212X at the same time with a 4100, what do you set the amp's impedance to, and where exactly do you plug into the cabs?

I suspect that this isn't doable, and that the "auto-impedance sensing" is actually just Boolean logic hard wiring via the jacks themselves.
But ...... here's hoping I'm wrong!

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

I can't answer the questions but I can suggest:

Swap out tubes if reseating doesn't do it.

Keep trying to get in touch. They are infamous for being weak in this area but will usually resolve the problem once you get in touch.

Consider exchanging it for another one rather than a refund since you seem to like the amp.

 

[Flyer91]

You're right Len ... reseating (or even replacing) the tubes will not affect the Egnater warranty.
I found confirmation of that under the FAQ section on their website.

So I reseated them all, and no more problem.

I'd be more comfortable if I could make the issue return and go away at will, but I do think the V5 tube sitting in the socket at such an angle was probably not making full contact with all it's pins, and was the culprit.
I'll exercise the amp over the next week and if the issue returns I'll just do as you suggested and get it swapped at the local GC.

Yeah, I really 'do' like the amp and what it brings to my music.
Besides .... I just received a 20% off coupon from GC and they went ahead and made it retroactive to my purchase of the 4100 and 412A (which GC sells for $1999.99 as a package deal) ... so I got them both for $1600 delivered (+ tax in Ca.).

Thanks again for the replies Len!

 

[Dopethrone]

I can't answer the questions but I can suggest:

Swap out tubes if reseating doesn't do it.

Keep trying to get in touch. They are infamous for being weak in this area but will usually resolve the problem once you get in touch.

Consider exchanging it for another one rather than a refund since you seem to like the amp.

this

there's a few threads here on the tourmaster. search around, you will see.. many by my friend "yeti" who was banned last year.

all in all, i'd return this amp and get something different, because if you dont get a good one (and you'll never know til it's bad) you're going to think theyre shit...which, for the most part, the design is great, the tones are great, but the build quality and QC/QA on these is lacking.