Einstein died on me tonight!!

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peepshow

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I haven't had a chance to investigate properly yet, but thought I'd describe what happened in case anyone could save me some time. Just got back from a rehearsal tonight where my Einstein 50 head died on me. I've had it for a few months (bought from a guy on the forum, I think it's about 18 months old) and I've gigged with it quite a lot.
I've never really been that ecstatic with the high gain sounds, although the clean's great. I always thought the amp's distortion was grainy and far too compressed. So, I've been using it with some pedals into the clean channel (channel 1, mode 1) and been happy enough - sounds way better than the amp's distrotion. Anyway, halfway through our set, it started to sound "farty" on the bass, which gradually became more noticeable - a sort of unpleasant distortion, like a blown speaker. We stopped playing and flicked it onto standby while we checked the cables and so on. Next, we got rid of all the pedals and went straight into the amp, which was no better. So, I thought I'd blown a speaker; we tried a different cab. Everything was the same, but it seemed to be ok with clean sounds.
Carried on with the next song and right in the middle it just went silent. I switched off straight away and checked everything again - different guitar, different leads, the whole lot. Switched on again and the lights come on, valves glow etc., but no sound! Actually, there is a sound, but it's incredibly faint, barely audible, like someone sitting next to you listening to an ipod.
It's late now, so I'll have a look tomorrow, but wondered if anyone had any ideas?
 
Im gonna go ahead and assume its a tube related problem.
 
I would replace all the tubes in her. If its 18 months old & used heavily..it may be time. And maybe try a different power tube. the dirty channels on that amp are awesome...far superior than any pedals...u may just have some bad tubes. If you have any real issues you should get with Terry (Duolos) or Peter..they will set u right up & make u happy. :thumbsup:
 
I always thought the amp's distortion was grainy and far too compressed
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This is just WRONG, plain and simple. As Paulie pointed out.....re-tube and re-bias and go from there.
There is no way that this amp is grainy......or compressed for that matter.

Hope the tube changes fixes it for you!
:)
 
Peep, sorry I cant help with your problem but I can tell you that yer wasting that amp if your using the clean channel and a pedal for your distorted tone. The Einstein is hands down one of thee best amps i've owned regarding solid dirt tones. Absolutley check all your tubes. Something DEFINITELY doesnt sound right. Good luck!
 
Please contact Terry (Duolos) at Diezel USA.

Thanks,

Peter
 
Many thanks for the replies.
Since owning the amp, I've tried various different sets of pre- and power valves (three different sets of EL34s, two sets of 6L6s and a set of KT88s), none of which made an appreciable difference. I've settled on a pair of 6L6 power valves (and a variety of preamp valves) as they've given me the most pleasing clean sounds, but whatever I try, there is a harshness and unpleasant, unmusical compression to the high gain sounds which I can't get on with. It simply isn't there when I use pedals into the front of the clean channel. I love everything else about the amp - the superb build quality, the simplicity, the brilliant effects loop and the dual master volumes, which I couldn't live without. It also integrates perfectly into my set-up.
I've always felt that there might be something wrong with the amp, because the EQ controls don't do a lot and the gain range on channel 2 is limited: with the gain down it sounds pretty awful.
However, it's not at all noisy and has always been very reliable, with a great clean sound and lots of volume and punch, so it doesn't behave like an amp which is faulty... until the other night.
As an update to that, I turned the amp on the next morning and everything was fine. No faults whatsoever. It's been fine since then, too. So I don't know what to do now. I have gigs coming up but don't want to risk being let down on stage. I don't know enough about amps to know whether there can be intermittent problems such as this, or if it was something else entirely.
I'd love to get the amp checked over by someone, but I think it would be a lot nearer for me to return the amp to you, Peter, than to get it to Terry at Diezel USA!!
Any more thoughts on this would be most welcome. Thanks again.
PeeP
 
Impossible.. Its gotta be your cab thats the problem. (not the tube problem, but the tone issue) I think the einstein is a lot more loose than the other diezels and is everything BUT grainy. I get perfect eric johnson tones and very warm andy timmons like tone out of my einstein, BUT the cabinet will make a huge difference!!! So far the best sounding one ive tried for it is the Bogner 1X12 ported speaker cab. Its just utterly amazing!
 
Rob, I've tried it with a few cabs - tried everything I could think of - but it never makes a difference. There are no Eric Johnson or Andy Timmons tones in my Einstein! It isn't warm or smooth, it's cold and gritty, even with one of my cabs which is fitted with Eminence Cannabis Rex hemp cone speakers, which are about the warmest speakers I've tried.
There is no shortage of bottom end, so I have to be careful with the Deep control, but there is so much attack and compression on the lower strings when the gain is at 12 o'clock or higher, that it sounds like a cheap distortion pedal. Playing lead is harsh and thin-sounding unless the Prescence is rolled back, when it just sounds dull.
The same setup - guitar, cab, leads and so on - with a decent overdrive pedal into the clean channel sounds so much better. Maybe it's just not the amp for me...
 
I recently purchased a used Einstien from GC, I found the amp online and had it shipped to me, I am also experiencing the exact sound problems, grainy and cold although my amp has not died. The treble, mid and bass controls dont seem very responsive. I first played an Einstien through a Diezel 412 at GC while visiting Las Vegas and absolutely fell in love with it. After only playing it for a few minutes I knew I had found the sound I have been looking for, it was warm, full and sounded awesome. The local GC where I live doesn't carry Diezel so I purchased a Diezel 412 cab from a GC a hour away from where I live and ordered the head on-line as I said before unfortunately this amp doesnt have near the warmth or smoothness as the one I played in Vegas. I have order a couple of sets of tubes after reading some of the posts on these forums, winged C EL-34s, JJE34 and JJ KT-77 and some pre-amp tubes NOS mullard and one other that was recommended off this site. Sorry for the long post Im just trying to get that sound from that first Einy I played.
 
Hey Nivek,
Sorry to hear you're having similar problems. On the subject of the amp dying, since the next day it has worked perfectly! I haven't gigged it again yet, but will do tomorrow night. Needless to say, I'm nervous about it but I have a back-up amp, luckily.
I've tried quite a few different power amp valves (tubes - sorry, I'm in the UK!), including winged C EL34s, JJ EL34s and KT88s, various 6L6s and more preamp valves than I can remember, including NOS Mullards, which sound great in other amps, but nothing makes a noticeable difference.
As you can see from the replies I've had, everyone here is bemused about the problems I have with the sound of the amp, but I don't know what else to do. It simply doesn't sound good.
I'd be really interested to hear what happens when you try some different valves. Good luck!
 
nivek":1fzq6eof said:
I recently purchased a used Einstien from GC, I found the amp online and had it shipped to me, I am also experiencing the exact sound problems, grainy and cold although my amp has not died. The treble, mid and bass controls dont seem very responsive. I first played an Einstien through a Diezel 412 at GC while visiting Las Vegas and absolutely fell in love with it. After only playing it for a few minutes I knew I had found the sound I have been looking for, it was warm, full and sounded awesome. The local GC where I live doesn't carry Diezel so I purchased a Diezel 412 cab from a GC a hour away from where I live and ordered the head on-line as I said before unfortunately this amp doesnt have near the warmth or smoothness as the one I played in Vegas. I have order a couple of sets of tubes after reading some of the posts on these forums, winged C EL-34s, JJE34 and JJ KT-77 and some pre-amp tubes NOS mullard and one other that was recommended off this site. Sorry for the long post Im just trying to get that sound from that first Einy I played.
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PM sent :thumbsup:
 
Hey Peep,
Your post has me concerned, I know the amp I bought was used so I have been assuming some new tubes would have this amp sounding like the magic I herd coming out of the Einstien I played at the GC in Las Vegas, but what your describing minus the amp actually dying sounds exactly what I have been experiencing. You have already tried the exact tubes I am going to be getting this week, hopefully I will get different results. I can tell you unless GC has magic sound rooms the Diezel Einstien I played there sounded far better than anything I have ever played. When I returned home from my trip to Vegas I immediately sold a new Mesa Mark Five in order to buy the Einstien if that tells how impressed I was after playing the Einy! I will post and let you know how the new tubes work. And Terry thanks for the quick response I will touch base with you after I try the new tubes.
 
Hey Nivek,
I fitted a whole new set of preamp tubes last night and I'm afraid nothing changed. Oh well, I didn't really expect it to.
I haven't received any more help with the problems I've had - there doesn't seem to be anyone in the UK like Terry, and although Terry's been really helpful, there's only so much he can do from 5000 miles away! There's a guitar show coming up over here in the next few weeks and I see that Diezel are going to be there. I'm hoping they might have an Einstein at their stand which I can try. I need to know for sure whether there's a problem with mine or if maybe it's just the Diezel/Einstein sound. If it turns out to be a problem, then I guess I'll have to send it back to Peter.
Let me know how you get on.
 
What kind of preamp tubes have you tried?
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So far, I've tried:
JJ ECC83S
Mullard ECC83 NOS
TAD E83CC
Tung Sol ECC803S gold pin
Sylvania and Sovtek branded 12AX7
 
nivek":1skenl35 said:
Hey Peep,
Your post has me concerned, I know the amp I bought was used so I have been assuming some new tubes would have this amp sounding like the magic I herd coming out of the Einstien I played at the GC in Las Vegas, but what your describing minus the amp actually dying sounds exactly what I have been experiencing. You have already tried the exact tubes I am going to be getting this week, hopefully I will get different results. I can tell you unless GC has magic sound rooms the Diezel Einstien I played there sounded far better than anything I have ever played. When I returned home from my trip to Vegas I immediately sold a new Mesa Mark Five in order to buy the Einstien if that tells how impressed I was after playing the Einy! I will post and let you know how the new tubes work. And Terry thanks for the quick response I will touch base with you after I try the new tubes.
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I look forward to talking with you. :thumbsup:
 
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