Mod 50 sounds like it may explode!

[richedie]

The past day I started to notice my Mod 50 will hum and then slowly get louder and louder till a huge crack! I was in the other room while I let the amp warm up for a few minutes...then i hear this humming sound, getting louder and louder and louder till I walk in the room and notice it is my rig. I go over to shut it off but before Icould reach the amp, CRACK, sounded like a gun going off. Turned it off, then back on and it was fine.

I go to play ano hour later and forgot all about that,then the humming starts again, but this time doesn't give me much time before it pops again! Could this be something in our electrical wiring? This is unusual. My amp is plugged into a Furman power conditioner.

 

[guitarslinger]

sounds like a bad power tube to me

 

[jmgman69]

sounds like a bad power tube to me

My first thought!Only because it is rich tho,He eats power tubes for breakfast

 

[3 Mile Stone]

I've had a similar experience. No hum, just a loud POP! Occasionally it will make that sound when I hit the power switch to turn the amp off too. I have blown tubes once shortly after that happened. Other times nothing.

 

[richedie]

Yes, very strange. I have also had the loud pops turning it off. Just today, for the first time, I had the humming before the pops. The one pop was on its own, I never touched the power. Damn, these are my go to Winged C EL34s. Looks like I'll be ordering those Tung Sols sooner than expected if these go.

 

[muudrock]

Rich, It is a power tube. I've had that very thing twice and both times it was a tube going ballistic. Amp started humming, very low to no output. Looked around back and one of the tubes is bright orangey red. Pops when you hit standby or power off too. 3-2-1 pop!

Swap out your tube(s) and you should be good.

 

[Valtiel]

Yup, like Jeff has been sayin, new production EL34's have been pretty shitty for awhile. I would get those out ASAP before you blow something more than just a tube.

 

[richedie]

This really stinks! I am an EL34 guy, 100%! So now what....
Maybe the Tung Sol EL-34s are better. It must just be how the Eggie amps work with EL34s. I have friends been using EL34s for ages with no issues.

The TS 5881s don't have enough sag or mids for me. Maybe JJ KT77s or E34Ls. Maybe those 6550s I know Eric loves.

 

[Valtiel]

This really stinks! I am an EL34 guy, 100%! So now what....
Maybe the Tung Sol EL-34s are better. It must just be how the Eggie amps work with EL34s. I have friends been using EL34s for ages with no issues.

The TS 5881s don't have enough sag or mids for me. Maybe JJ KT77s or E34Ls. Maybe those 6550s I know Eric loves.

Im still going to maintain my opinion that you would be much much better off lower wattage speakers. I really really feel that you barking up the wrong tree with turning to different power tubes to solve your problem. The adjectives you use (smooth, sag, fat, mids ect...) are the same kinds of things I like and that are found in spades with most lower wattage speakers, definitely more so than higher wattage ones. My guess is that by using EL34's you are adding those characteristics because your speakers lack them. I would bet that by using something like G12M's or G12-65's or even V30's you would be able to have those qualities in your sound without having to struggle with unreliable EL34's.

 

[richedie]

Good points! However, even at high volumes, I still have always enjoyed EL34s most. Keep in mind I jam with guys using Marshalls, with the same EL34s for the past 2 years and look at me puzzled, when I tell them I keep blowing EL34s. As much as I love the Mod 50, I just don't think it plays nice with EL34s.

My Ear Candy Sugar Cones are 100 watts but advertised to sound fantastic at any volume. Stinks to think I spent $250 a piece on these. This is in my larger Buzzbomb cabinet so maybe I could use this for louder play. and use my other smaller Boa cab for home use and lower volume play. This one has an Ear Candy Green Machine(125 wats) and an Ear Candy Clone(70 watts) Heck, two Clones may be good for home use and low volume playing.

You aren't the first to recommend those Celestions G12M's or G12-65's. I don't see the G12-65's on Celestion's site but I know Eric loves these! He is checking out the G12K-100 as they are supposed to have some of the muscularity of the 75 watt celestions.

Don't forget Neodymium magntes, some of the Celestions look like they may be nice with those.

 

[Gino]

This is how I read the last two posts...

Here's a new and logical way to approach the problem you seem to keep having...

Good points! However, I'm going to discount this fresh view and continue to think what I think based on circumstantial, rather than empirical, evidence!

 

[Valtiel]

Good points! However, even at high volumes, I still have always enjoyed EL34s most. Keep in mind I jam with guys using Marshalls, with the same EL34s for the past 2 years and look at me puzzled, when I tell them I keep blowing EL34s. As much as I love the Mod 50, I just don't think it plays nice with EL34s.

My Ear Candy Sugar Cones are 100 watts but advertised to sound fantastic at any volume. Stinks to think I spent $250 a piece on these. This is in my larger Buzzbomb cabinet so maybe I could use this for louder play. and use my other smaller Boa cab for home use and lower volume play. This one has an Ear Candy Green Machine(125 wats) and an Ear Candy Clone(70 watts) Heck, two Clones may be good for home use and low volume playing.

You aren't the first to recommend those Celestions G12M's or G12-65's. I don't see the G12-65's on Celestion's site but I know Eric loves these! He is checking out the G12K-100 as they are supposed to have some of the muscularity of the 75 watt celestions.

Don't forget Neodymium magntes, some of the Celestions look like they may be nice with those.

The G12-65's are under the Heritage category, they arent with the rest of the Celestions. Personally, I think the descriptions of those speakers you have from the their website are some of the most ridiculous snake oil ive ever heard. He says every single one of his own speakers have "self adapting capability" and that they "sound great with everything from 12-string to detuned metal 7 strings". It sounds like science fiction to me, which is backed up by the fact that if they were so great, everyone would be using them.

Im only saying this because I think you need to take into account that maybe your speakers are the problem. In the words of Paul Reed Smith himself, everything affects everything. I know for a fact that the Green Machine is based off of the Eminence Wizard, which is a clone of a Celestion G12H, a speaker with a huge dip in the mids, something that I would think is the opposite of what you are after.

 

[richedie]

Good call guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

I blew an EL34 in my Mod 50. The manual says to use 400 or 315ma fuses but the amp itself, right on the back states to use 250ma fuses. Needless to say, I bought 250ma/250v fuses. Is this OK?

Thanks Valtiel!

Honestly, I am an EL34 guy at heart, definitely.

I have used lots of lower wattage speakers in my time(20+ years) and do like low wattage speakers but I really do like the Sugar Cones a lot. I have heard them from the audiences perspective as well and was blown away, but I don't know if they were worth the cost. I like them lots more than V30s. I am not a fan of Celestion 75 watters, but never tried the Heritage model you mentioned. I have used various Eminence models of various ratings too. I will look for those speakers bro and also was considering the K-010 and Centuries! They are a little higher output but I know Eric will have some soon so can't wait for the report.

Back to the Ear Candy speakers. I love his Clones or 70 watt speakers. Those are really nice.

Thanks!
Rich

 

[jmgman69]

Rich,you need a REBEL

 

[Buckeyedog]

Rich, don't know if you'd be interested but I have the Emi tonkerlite in my Eggie 112 and it sounds great. I'm really loving it. Nice tight bass, not too harsh, nice upper mids. Pretty neutral with a british hint. Allows all the modules to sound different.

 

[richedie]

Can't afford a Rebel with the kids starting school...but I hear ya!

I still don't get this fuse thing. The manual says to use 400 or 315ma fuses but on the amp, it states to use 250ma fuses. I bought 250ma/250v fuses because it says it on the amp and a friend of mine uses these in his Randall modular head.

Guess I'll use he 250s for now since it says it on the amp.

 

[richedie]

Bruce emailed me! Said the 250s are fine till I can get the higher rated ones. Maybe I'll look for the 400s rather than the 315s. He said the 250s can blow at high volumes with EL34s so maybe I'll jut try to find another type of tube for this head.

 

[richedie]

Good points! However, even at high volumes, I still have always enjoyed EL34s most. Keep in mind I jam with guys using Marshalls, with the same EL34s for the past 2 years and look at me puzzled, when I tell them I keep blowing EL34s. As much as I love the Mod 50, I just don't think it plays nice with EL34s.

My Ear Candy Sugar Cones are 100 watts but advertised to sound fantastic at any volume. Stinks to think I spent $250 a piece on these. This is in my larger Buzzbomb cabinet so maybe I could use this for louder play. and use my other smaller Boa cab for home use and lower volume play. This one has an Ear Candy Green Machine(125 wats) and an Ear Candy Clone(70 watts) Heck, two Clones may be good for home use and low volume playing.

You aren't the first to recommend those Celestions G12M's or G12-65's. I don't see the G12-65's on Celestion's site but I know Eric loves these! He is checking out the G12K-100 as they are supposed to have some of the muscularity of the 75 watt celestions.

Don't forget Neodymium magntes, some of the Celestions look like they may be nice with those.

The G12-65's are under the Heritage category, they arent with the rest of the Celestions. Personally, I think the descriptions of those speakers you have from the their website are some of the most ridiculous snake oil ive ever heard. He says every single one of his own speakers have "self adapting capability" and that they "sound great with everything from 12-string to detuned metal 7 strings". It sounds like science fiction to me, which is backed up by the fact that if they were so great, everyone would be using them.

Im only saying this because I think you need to take into account that maybe your speakers are the problem. In the words of Paul Reed Smith himself, everything affects everything. I know for a fact that the Green Machine is based off of the Eminence Wizard, which is a clone of a Celestion G12H, a speaker with a huge dip in the mids, something that I would think is the opposite of what you are after.

Keep in mind I have used the Wizard, the Tonker and the Swamp Thang. No comparison - I think the Green Machines kills any of those. I just like Ear Candy speakers. What can I say.

I emailed a real tech head buddy of mine in Jersey who used to use a lot of Eminence speakers. I know he uses some Jensen, Webers, a Tone Tubby and some Ear Candy speakers now.

I don't have a Wizard now to compare but this is what he emailed me..."the wizards frame is horrible, it has a 1.5 inch zurrette dust cap, the gm has a 3 inch cloth cap...
GM mag weighs 9 more ounces and I don't believe any of the GM is made in asia...
the gm has nice full liquid mids and the wiz has screaming out of control way over rated DB wise mids."

I found this on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGBv7OzMsUc

 

[Guitardo]

I had the same problem....weird hummmmmmsss, popping noises, snaps, crackles, pops, etc...... not the tubes, not the speakers nor the guitar......the problem?????:
Crappy Egnater Chinese made amp.....no mistake....tried 2 of them.
What solved the problem eventually?????? Took the amps back to Guitar Center and continued playing my Mesa, Rivera and Sewell amps....problem solved! Try it and see if it works for you too.

Buy an Egnater and always take it back!

 

[marvcus]

I had the same problem....weird hummmmmmsss, popping noises, snaps, crackles, pops, etc...... not the tubes, not the speakers nor the guitar......the problem?????:
Crappy Egnater Chinese made amp.....no mistake....tried 2 of them.
What solved the problem eventually?????? Took the amps back to Guitar Center and continued playing my Mesa, Rivera and Sewell amps....problem solved! Try it and see if it works for you too.

Buy an Egnater and always take it back!

I know Doug Sewell and respect him tons. He has always been nothing but nice to me (when I was working in guitars). But, respectfully, there was nothing I could do with his Wampus Cat that I couldn't do with a Peavey Classic 30.

I'm glad you are sticking with your Mesas, Riveras & Sewells. Here are the links to those particular forums:

http://forum.grailtone.com/

http://www.riverainfo.com/index.php?opt ... at&catid=1

http://www.prsforums.com/

I'm sure they would LOVE to have you as a member at each of these forums. Seeing that you disdain Egnater, it would understandably be a complete waste of your time to post on this forum with us "TOOLZzzzz." Take care and best of luck--don't let the door hit you on the way out.