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Post subject: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 2:36 pm
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I purchased the supersonic 100 amp with matching 412 cab last year and have been having issues with it for several months now. Since I bought it used, it wasn't under warranty, so any repair I may need will have to be paid out of pocket.

Whenever I turn it on, the 4 lights on the automatic bias designated for each tube don't light up at all, only the normal/warm/cool ones do. Whenever I reset the bias (hold the up/down arrow when I power it on) the lights all light up different colors then all turn to and stay on orange. I'm unable to change the cool/normal/warm settings with the arrows. Whenever I push one, it lights up but then immediately goes back to normal whenever I let go of the button.

I can only get a normal sound on it when I play on the 100w setting on the high gain channel. If I try to go down to the 25w setting or change it to either of the channels it has strange popping/fizzing sound and cuts out whenever I play softly. On the 100w setting in the clean channel it pops and fizzes in and out, and when I turn up the volume it distorts a lot (even if it's just half way up). If I run the clean channel through an overdrive pedal it also sounds fine. Also if I'm on the gain channel and I turn the volume down on my guitar it still sounds normal and doesn't fizz out..

From what I've read it seems like a faulty automatic bias but there really isn't a lot of helpful links out there to really pin down the problem. It worked fine when I first got it and sounds amazing so I'm willing to pay to fix it but this is quite frustrating and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 3:17 pm
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Who did you buy the amp from? Fender amps have a 5-year transferrable warranty. But you need to have gotten the original receipt from the original owner signed over to you. If you did not and are unable to get it now, I am afraid you are stuck with any repair bills.

With regard to the SS 100 Auto-Bias control, that circuit is controlled by a microprocessor. The Auto-Bias circuit is shown on pages 4 and 5 of the schematic:

http://support.fender.com/schematics/gu ... _Rev-B.pdf

Unless you can find someone knowledgeable in microprocessor systems you are out of luck. You may be able to buy the parts from Fender and do a "shotgun" repair (throw parts at it until the problem is fixed), but I do not know what Fender's policy is on selling such parts. You can try finding an authorized Fender electronic repair center. You might get lucky and find someone who can fix the amp.

http://www.fender.com/dealers/service-centers/

Although the technology is cool, I would never buy an amp with such circuitry for the exact reason as the problem you are experiencing now: without a warranty or a knowledgeable technician, you are now stuck with a worthless pile of parts.

Sorry you have this problem. I wish you luck.

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:15 pm
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I'm thinking of ripping everything out and just rewiring it to bypass it completely. I still have the receipt still. I got it from a place called skips music back in California and got it for way cheaper than buying a new one. Really all I want is a proper diagnostic so I know where to start. I can do anything that a repair center can do unless it's something specific that only a fender retailer would need to provide. In that case I'd have to send it in.

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-MXR Micro Chorus
-ARIA AD10 Vintage Analog Delay
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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:27 pm
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Have you looked inside the amp at the PCBs? You might think twice about ripping it up once you do. I've given you the best advice I can. Good luck.

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:53 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
Have you looked inside the amp at the PCBs? You might think twice about ripping it up once you do. I've given you the best advice I can. Good luck.


+1

The SS amps, in particular the auto-biasing 100, are pretty complex beasts. If you're comfortable working with both IC and tube sub-circuits you *might* have half a chance.

If it's Skip's Music on Auburn Blvd in Sacramento, they are an authorized Fender dealer and service center. I know they have a competent amp tech on staff.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 6:01 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
bluesky636 wrote:
Have you looked inside the amp at the PCBs? You might think twice about ripping it up once you do. I've given you the best advice I can. Good luck.




If it's Skip's Music on Auburn Blvd in Sacramento, they are an authorized Fender dealer and service center. I know they have a competent amp tech on staff.

Arjay


actually won't help out a whole lot now that I live in Pittsburgh. it honestly doesn't seem like a very big problem, the only thing is knowing what specifically is going wrong.

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-Gibson Les Paul Traditional (Chicago Blue)
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-Fender Supersonic 100H/412 cabinet
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-MXR Super Badass
-MXR Micro Chorus
-ARIA AD10 Vintage Analog Delay
-Dunlop Original Crybaby Wah


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 9:11 pm
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ThePersonWhoIsSane wrote:
...Really all I want is a proper diagnostic so I know where to start. I can do anything that a repair center can do...


A "proper diagnostic" is what a repair center should be able to do, but is nearly impossible over the internet. You were given a link to the schematics, can you read the schematics and use a meter? There are lots of test points listed on the schematic.

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 10:29 pm
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ThePersonWhoIsSane wrote:
actually won't help out a whole lot now that I live in Pittsburgh. it honestly doesn't seem like a very big problem, the only thing is knowing what specifically is going wrong.


Like I said, the Auto-Bias is controlled by a microprocessor. I don't know a thing about troubleshooting a microprocessor. I doubt many people here do either. Maybe you need to find a computer/DSP engineer to help you.

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 10:44 am
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Hi ThePersonWhoIsSane,
I suggest staying sane.......get it to a service center, in all likelihood we will cover it provided it's within the 5 year period and isn't damaged etc.
If the auto-bias is acting up its probably a pretty easy and painless fix.

http://www.fender.com/dealers/service-centers/

All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 5:28 pm
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Alright, I found a fender tech in pittsburgh. I just wanted to see if anyone else had a similar problem and what they had to do. When I get it all figured out and fixed I'll post it and see if it can help anyone else out.

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-MXR Super Badass
-MXR Micro Chorus
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-Dunlop Original Crybaby Wah


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 6:49 am
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hi guys ... yes i have the warranty still .. i am sending her back to where i brought the amp ....
i wont ever do repairs or mods myself ... i only play the thing i don't know much else other than that and how to keep it clean
thanks for your advice just the same


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:25 pm
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Can I ask, can the 6L6 tubes be replaced with 6V6 tubes, without having to mod the amp?
I know they are lower power, but I wanted to try how it sounds with the 6V6.
I figured I would ask before frying the amp.


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 3:45 am
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You need to re-bias the amp to appropriate idle output wattage. This includes taking into account plate voltage, as well as idle current.

Max 6V6GT idle dissipation is around 12 watts per tube. Set your amp (push-pull, Class AB1) to around 8 watts per tube (around 66% max).


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 10:14 pm
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ThePersonWhoIsSane wrote:
I'm thinking of ripping everything out and just rewiring it to bypass it completely. I still have the receipt still. I got it from a place called skips music back in California and got it for way cheaper than buying a new one. Really all I want is a proper diagnostic so I know where to start. I can do anything that a repair center can do unless it's something specific that only a fender retailer would need to provide. In that case I'd have to send it in.


If you are knowledgeable, you might ask an amp tech in your area to fix it this time, but ask him to give you the spare parts and mark on a schematic where he pulled the parts from, and keep the old parts to tinker with. I don't know if fender will sell you the cpu board for the bias circuit.

You could bypass the circuit and add the Orange divo unit, which auto bias power tubes, and can reconfigure itself with software to say plug in 6V6 instead, the unit is really nice and would keep your amp going.


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Post subject: Re: Supersonic 100H Problem
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 10:48 pm
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agdtec wrote:
You could bypass the circuit and add the Orange divo unit, which auto bias power tubes, and can reconfigure itself with software to say plug in 6V6 instead, the unit is really nice and would keep your amp going.


But of course!

Spend thousands on a brand-new amp, then spend hundreds more on some nebulous mod kit in a "Hail Mary" attempt to make it play the way it was supposed to in the first place.

Makes perfect sense to me......

:roll: :roll: :roll:

Arjay

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