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Fender Stage 160 mains buzz. I must be missing something!

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  • Fender Stage 160 mains buzz. I must be missing something!

    Hi, I have a stage 160 which came from another engineer who gave up with it. If you switch it on it has what sounds just like AC mains buzz through the speaker, more buzz than hum if that helps? No fuses blowing, no excessive current draw (Im running through a limiter lamp which is glowing but only very dimly which it sometimes does with a big transformer anyway). No audio coming through, controls make no difference whatsoever. It sounds like its about to blow up but it will happily sit there with nothing overheating if I let it.

    Thought the obvious of main smoothing caps but nope, mains rec diodes all check ok. All low voltage rails measure correct and all channel switching lights etc work ok.

    I know these amps are prone to smoothing caps and cracks around them but there is nothing.

    Only anomaly I can find is the main HT rails are low at around 38 volts when they should be 45 (+ & -). Checked out all six output transistors and all check perfectly ok.
    Board and all soldering is clean and in good condition, no dodgy previous repairs etc.

    There is no DC on the speaker output and about 0.2 vAC which is the buzz.

    Its so pronounced Im sure I must be missing something obvious. Ive attached the schematic. I think!

    Any thoughts appreciated.
    Attached Files

  • #2
    Voltages will run low when you use the bulb, it lowers the main voltage to the amp.

    Your 45v rails should be up to voltage - lose the bulb if we are not blowing fuses. But they also need to be free of ripple. Your 15v rails same, no ripple. Most common source of hum in these amps is cracked solder to the main filters.

    Do you have a STage 160 or a Stage 160DSP?

    Isolate the problem. You have an FX loop - the preamp out jack and power amp in jack. Plug a guitar into the power amp in jack, still hum? Send the preamp out jack signal to some other amp for a listen, got hum?

    Do ANY controls affect the sound of the hum in ANY way?
    Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

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    • #3
      Hi Enzo. Its the DSP version.
      Im not measuring any ripple to speak of on the rails, I think it showed something like 0.002 vac? I figured plugging anything into the power amp in would disconnect the preamp and isolate it to the power amp. I did plug a guitar into the power amp in but the noise was just the same. no audio either. I didnt try the preamp out for audio though.
      Nope, none of the controls do diddly squat to the noise. I'm calling it a buzz rather than a hum because a hum in an amp is just that, a hum. whereas this sounds more of a buzz if that makes sense, kinda sounds like a tattoo gun type of noise through the speaker. Thats what I mean when i say its really pronounced?

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      • #4
        OK, so it is in the power amp.

        Look at the power amp circuit input, C47. Just next to it is the MUTE circuit. Q22 and stuff. Is your buzz signal there? A small negative suply is formed by D40 and C75, TP38. Do you have a smooth voltage there? Is TP39 right?
        Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Enzo View Post
          OK, so it is in the power amp.

          Look at the power amp circuit input, C47. Just next to it is the MUTE circuit. Q22 and stuff. Is your buzz signal there? A small negative suply is formed by D40 and C75, TP38. Do you have a smooth voltage there? Is TP39 right?
          HI. ok measuring at TP38, no, I dont have a smooth voltage. I have around 2.8 VAC (measuring from chassis ground). TP39 doesnt work either, its got zero DC on it with or without a plug in the input. TP38 only measures 14 VDC as opposed to the 22 on the diagram (-ve)

          I'm a bit limited for equipment at the moment as Im attempting to work from home as the wife has had a new knee so Im playing nurse as well. Im also trying to cook but that seems more difficult to master than electronics!!

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          • #6
            Oh Enzo can help you out with the cooking as well. Just ask him about a recipe for his award winning Chili recipe.

            Edit: Just look at this thread derail at the end from tips on fixing amps right into tips on cooking up some food.

            https://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?topic=3899.0
            Last edited by DrGonz78; 05-02-2017, 08:10 PM. Reason: To add proof to my claim!
            When the going gets weird... The weird turn pro!

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            • #7
              Theres a whole lotta beans there!

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