Egnater IE-4 issue- Need some advice.

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcgyver
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mcgyver

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Hi , I have a Egnater IE-4 that I bought used and had for a couple of weeks.
I am new to this preamp and have an issue that I am not sure if it is a problem with the unit or just how the unit is.
On channel 4 I get a howling sound when I stop playing and the input gain is set to full. I have to reduce the gain for it to stop.
The output gain on the back of the unit is set all the way up. I did try and reduce that a bit. But unless I reduce the input gain on channel 4 it just howls like crazy. I guess my question is. Shouldn't I be able to run the gain on 10 on channel 4 without the howl? I already replaced all the tubes in an attempt to resolve this. I did just use 7 12ax7s I had laying around, so they weren't new. But I think they all worked ok. Same issue.I can't raise the gain on channel 4 past 2 o'clock. Maybe this unit has an issue? Please anyone help? or maybe the Egnater people could lend some advice?
Lastly my signal chain is---- Egnater IE-4 ----- DMC- GCX unit---- TC G-force------BBE 442--------Mesa 20/20 Power amp

Thank you
Jamie
 
It doesn't really surprise me too much that it howls all the way up. Channel 4 has a lot of useable gain available before reaching the point where it's dimed. It really depends on a lot of things, like how loud you are running over all at the point where the feedback begins. How is the master volume set, the over all preamp master volume, power amp volume and the most important factor of all ... can you pickups handle that kind of gain and volume? Why don't you try setting it where you like the sound and then see where that is going? Most amps I've played will howl at full gain at very high volume, especially with microphonic pickups in the guitar.
 
Judging from your forum name, can't you just get a paper clip, some chewing gum, a kleenex , a bottle cap and fix it up? :D :D :D :lol: :LOL:

Sorry, I had to. man, that shows my age too!

Seriously, I would still suspect a preamp tube first.
Are you using passive pickups or active? High output or low-med output?
Try this..
Turn on and warm up the preamp. Turn up the gain on Ch 4 with nothing plugged into the input of the preamp. With the volume(s) up, gently tap on each tube with something like a little screwdriver or similar. If one of the tubes starts howling, you have found your culprit. If not, I would look at the signal chain before the amp input.
It's a process of isolating the problem on section at a time.
 
Assuming you replaced with good preamp tubes,

Try a different pickup.

If that doesn't work, try a different guitar.
 
The responses have me wondering. It does this with the guitar plugged in or just on it's own?
 
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