Bogner Helios*issue*

thewolf49

thewolf49

Member
Got a brand new Helios 100.
I notice when I slam a power cord or hit the strings hard, the volume sometimes instantly drops a tad and then I get a swirling, almost flanger type effect from the sound. Almost like a gate/compressor is being hit, then the flanger effect comes in. Thoughts?
Channel 2, 80s mode.
 
Probably not the issue at all, but I had some weird swirling stuff happening on one of my amps a while back and it was because the power cable wasn’t pressed all the way into the back of the amp. It was only slightly out, so the amp powered up as normal etc, so I didn’t realise what was causing the issue straight away. Once the cable head was pushed in solidly all the way, the issue went away.
 
Jimty said:
Probably not the issue at all, but I had some weird swirling stuff happening on one of my amps a while back and it was because the power cable wasn’t pressed all the way into the back of the amp. It was only slightly out, so the amp powered up as normal etc, so I didn’t realise what was causing the issue straight away. Once the cable head was pushed in solidly all the way, the issue went away.
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Interesting. If that's the case I hope I didn't hurt anything by playing it like that.
 
Are you using any pedals in front?

Reason I ask is that the Koko boost did not like the OD2 channel of the DSL100HR that I had. Sounded great on the clean and OD1, but for some reason that was the only boost pedal that overloaded the front end of OD2 and made it overdrive in a really unpleasing way. Kind of like what you are describing here. Never had that issue with any other amp using the Koko so kind of a weird one off thing.
 
fek said:
Are you using any pedals in front?

Reason I ask is that the Koko boost did not like the OD2 channel of the DSL100HR that I had. Sounded great on the clean and OD1, but for some reason that was the only boost pedal that overloaded the front end of OD2 and made it overdrive in a really unpleasing way. Kind of like what you are describing here. Never had that issue with any other amp using the Koko so kind of a weird one off thing.
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Straight in
 
does it happen on all ch or modes? Not sure what you use, but my actives will kind of do that when the battery is starting to go.
 
I would swap a preamp tube for a " known " working one ..... and work my way down to see if replacing any one pre amp tube helps you out ...

I think every Amp manual I ever read said 90 % of problems are caused by a tube gone bad
 
thewolf49 said:
Channel ii 80s mode. passive pickup
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yeah, I'd try what the others are suggesting, rolling some preamp tubes. Even the top makers these days are having issues with tube quality. If that doesn't do it, I'd probably be sending it back if it's new. Since it's just that ch and mode, I would be concerned it's something in the circuit.
 
Erock said:
yeah, I'd try what the others are suggesting, rolling some preamp tubes. Even the top makers these days are having issues with tube quality. If that doesn't do it, I'd probably be sending it back if it's new. Since it's just that ch and mode, I would be concerned it's something in the circuit.
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Would standard mesa 12ax7s be ok to throw in there?
 
I would try them, it should be fine. I've only heard about avoiding Russian tubes in cathode followers long term.

EDIT: I would follow griff10672's advice, and use one good one to check them one at a time, rather than changing them all.
 
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thewolf49 said:
Got a brand new Helios 100.
I notice when I slam a power cord or hit the strings hard, the volume sometimes instantly drops a tad and then I get a swirling, almost flanger type effect from the sound. Almost like a gate/compressor is being hit, then the flanger effect comes in. Thoughts?
Channel 2, 80s mode.
Click to expand...
Preamp tube. Maybe power tube's? That'll give you volume drop, and weirdness can vary. Sure sounds like a microphonic tube..

Anything in the loop?
 
If it’s 80’s mode only, could it be a funky diode? Found this on TGP. If it’s accurate, I couldn’t tell you.

V1 hot input only
V2 plex input only
V3 Ch 2 cathode follower
V4 effects loop
V5 phase inverter
 
This sounds a little bit like what I experienced with the La Grange pedals. Hit them hard in high gain modes and they weirdly mush out. If they didn’t do that, I would’ve been very happy with them. But the two different ones I had both did it.
 
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