EVH 5150 III (50w) sounds like the speakers are blown on the blue channel

[Ensi]

So my friend just got his used and century old Mesa OS that we first plugged into my EVH 5153 50w. Here we noticed some weird shit going on with the blue channel, sounds almost like the speakers are blown.

My friend of course flipped his shit thinking his precious Mesa OS was fucked, but the same thing happened on my HB 2x12 V30.

Here are some clips. Sorry for the noise. Don't have any easily accessible grounded sockets available:

5153 Blue Channel Edwards LP (Duncan Distortion)

5153 Red Channel Edwards LP (Duncan Distortion)

5153 Blue Channel Jackson RR (EMG 81)


Each clip is using my HB 212. First part is without my OD808 then second part is with it on. As you can hear it's slightly less noticeable with it on, and way less noticeable with my Jackson RR (EMG 81, Alder body). It didn't happen when we tried it with my friends Earforce Two.

What the fuck is going on? Red channel also sounds completely fine with no problems. I'm guessing it's something with bass but you guys know so much more than I do.

 

[sevchenko]

That's just how that channel sounds. It's not meant to be a brutal high gain channel. That's what the red channel is for. The blue channel is for mid gain classic rock kinda stuff. Although as you've pointed out it can do metal with the help of a tube screamer. The reason why it's less noticeable with emg's and/or with the tube screamer on is because those two things cut low end coming from the guitar. That's why they're so popular with metal players. It enables you to dial in a tighter tone. Both your amp and your speakers are fine.

 

[Ensi]

That's just how that channel sounds. It's not meant to be a brutal high gain channel. That's what the red channel is for. The blue channel is for mid gain classic rock kinda stuff. Although as you've pointed out it can do metal with the help of a tube screamer. The reason why it's less noticeable with emg's and/or with the tube screamer on is because those two things cut low end coming from the guitar. That's why they're so popular with metal players. It enables you to dial in a tighter tone. Both your amp and your speakers are fine.

I hardly think it should sound like a speaker is broken.

Going to wait and see if anyone else has any inputs, not throwing your post out the window quite yet.

 

[sevchenko]

Doesn't sound like a speaker is broken at all. It just sounds overly flubby. If your speaker was broken you'd know it.

 

[osum]

I hardly think it should sound like a speaker is broken.

Going to wait and see if anyone else has any inputs, not throwing your post out the window quite yet.

I own a 5153 50W too. It rather sounds like a bit weird setting or mic position? Dunno, the sound itself seems normal, it's just really sounds a bit "blown up", but I don't think it's the amps fault. The Blue channel is a usually a bit more bassy.

 

[TRUIE]

Did that happen after some playing time or immediately ?
I've heard of this problem on a french forum, the guy speak about a "pumping" dirty effect, after some playing time, on canal2, when the gain is more than half.
Another user joined the thread, and had the same problem.

They send back the heads to Fender, who changed all the tubes and everything was OK.
So it looks like a problem with the stock tubes.
Try to contact Fender

For the ones who understand french, here is the thred I speak about :
http://fr.audiofanzine.com/tete-ampli-guitare/evh/5150-iii-50-watt-head/forums/t.496292,petits-problemes-sur-ma-evh-5150-iii-50w.html

 

[Derpsicle]

Did that happen after some playing time or immediately ?
I've heard of this problem on a french forum, the guy speak about a "pumping" dirty effect, after some playing time, on canal2, when the gain is more than half.
Another user joined the thread, and had the same problem.

They send back the heads to Fender, who changed all the tubes and everything was OK.
So it looks like a problem with the stock tubes.
Try to contact Fender

Yeah, that sounds just like the problem (I was there).
It's like the bass pumps like mad and chokes the notes, I still find it weird that a guitar with less bass or a tubescreamer in front almost cured the problem.
Fukken tubes... how do they work?

 

[Ensi]

Did that happen after some playing time or immediately ?
I've heard of this problem on a french forum, the guy speak about a "pumping" dirty effect, after some playing time, on canal2, when the gain is more than half.
Another user joined the thread, and had the same problem.

They send back the heads to Fender, who changed all the tubes and everything was OK.
So it looks like a problem with the stock tubes.
Try to contact Fender

For the ones who understand french, here is the thred I speak about :
http://fr.audiofanzine.com/tete-ampli-guitare/evh/5150-iii-50-watt-head/forums/t.496292,petits-problemes-sur-ma-evh-5150-iii-50w.html

Awww shiii, don't wanna wait 8 months for it to get sent back

I'll contact Thomann first and hear what they have to say. Weird though that the issue is non-existant with a TS or on the Red channel.

EDIT: Didn't notice it untill recently, so "after some time".

 

[Brandon E.]

Yeah that doesn't sound totally normal, just swap out the preamp tubes and see what happens. Where did you have the gain set? The blue channel is pretty much unusable when you bring the gain past like 3 if I remember right.

 

[Lowberg]

Im surprised how different it sounds with the maxon on,

Sounds like total shit with it off and pretty normal with it on. Sure it isn't the pedal thats funked up? I had a screwed up OD pedal once that got stuck in like "half" mode or something and sounded pretty ass too.


If it was a tube problem would it really sound that much better with an OD? Sounds fishy to me.

Weird.

 

[Brandon E.]

It's also possible that that channel with those settings just actually sounds like that. It would be far from the strangest thing.

 

[Ensi]

Yeah that doesn't sound totally normal, just swap out the preamp tubes and see what happens. Where did you have the gain set? The blue channel is pretty much unusable when you bring the gain past like 3 if I remember right.

At around 3 o' clock, so basically maxed. I'll try lower gains.

I'd change the tubes but I think it will rustle the warranty. I'm gonna wait for a reply from Thomann and see what to do from there. I started out using the blue channel a lot but then I just digged the red channel better, maybe the problem occured then haha.

Red channel is pretty sweet though!

Im surprised how different it sounds with the maxon on,

Sounds like total shit with it off and pretty normal with it on. Sure it isn't the pedal thats funked up? I had a screwed up OD pedal once that got stuck in like "half" mode or something and sounded pretty ass too.


If it was a tube problem would it really sound that much better with an OD? Sounds fishy to me.

Weird.

I honestly have no idea. Only thing I can come up with is that the low-end is choking the amp or something, and as we all know a TS tightens up the low-end.

It's also possible that that channel with those settings just actually sounds like that. It would be far from the strangest thing.

Then it would be a pretty terrible channel.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I definitely hear what you mean, wow. When I'm screwing around with circuit designs and I run into this sort of sound, it usually means something is misbiased. I'd think it were either a bad tube or a flawed design on one of the stages. Pray it's tubes. I think that amp is like the first amp to use three channels of completely isolated tube paths, so it's not out of the question for one channel to sound like shit while the others are fine if one of the tubes go.

 

[Ensi]

I definitely hear what you mean, wow. When I'm screwing around with circuit designs and I run into this sort of sound, it usually means something is misbiased. I'd think it were either a bad tube or a flawed design on one of the stages. Pray it's tubes. I think that amp is like the first amp to use three channels of completely isolated tube paths, so it's not out of the question for one channel to sound like shit while the others are fine if one of the tubes go.

Hmm, thanks for the post. I'm quite new to this but let me ask.. If so, why does the tubescreamer fix the problem?

 

[JakeAC5253]

Hmm, thanks for the post. I'm quite new to this but let me ask.. If so, why does the tubescreamer fix the problem?

Hook up your guitar to OD808 to DI box and record that. Then hook guitar straight to DI box, note the difference. Actually it sounds like it might be a problem native to the bypass circuit in the pedal, I've had that happen before. Maybe the Red channel just doesn't show the problem as easily.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Those clips (actually listened only to the Jackson) sounds like the front stages are being pumped with high amounts of low end gain. This could either be by design OR a cathode bypass cap went out, most likely in V1a or V1b. This is also why a TS remedies this, as it does reduce low end going into the amp.

If I could get my hands on a schematic I would be able to tell you if its just the way the amp was designed. It is the 50W which means there will most likely be difference from the 120W variety and maybe they intended it as a more sludge 60s/70's sound.

 

[SwambA]

There is something wrong for sure, I have the amp and it doesn't sound like that at all. Go on this forum
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1052359&page=41

And talk to hkaplan131 (Howard Kaplan Fender EVH Engineering) he is awesome! He Skyped me, had me do a bunch of test, found the problem I was having, set up an exchange at a locale authorized fender repair shop and sent me out a head from his office in 2 days! I had a new head in 4 working days! GREAT GUY!

 

[Ensi]

Those clips (actually listened only to the Jackson) sounds like the front stages are being pumped with high amounts of low end gain. This could either be by design OR a cathode bypass cap went out, most likely in V1a or V1b. This is also why a TS remedies this, as it does reduce low end going into the amp.

If I could get my hands on a schematic I would be able to tell you if its just the way the amp was designed. It is the 50W which means there will most likely be difference from the 120W variety and maybe they intended it as a more sludge 60s/70's sound.

I see, thanks for the response and info. If I had the schematics i'd post them

I guess I can't change a bypass cap myself so if that's the case I have to send it in.

There is something wrong for sure, I have the amp and it doesn't sound like that at all. Go on this forum
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1052359&page=41

And talk to hkaplan131 (Howard Kaplan Fender EVH Engineering) he is awesome! He Skyped me, had me do a bunch of test, found the problem I was having, set up an exchange at a locale authorized fender repair shop and sent me out a head from his office in 2 days! I had a new head in 4 working days! GREAT GUY!

Thanks! I sent the guy a message, hopefully he'll know what the issue is.

I also contacted Thomann and they just forwarded it to "experts", so i'll see what they have to say as well.

Thanks again you guys, really appreciate all the help! If I do have to send it in at least I have an Earforce Two I could play around with

 

[SwambA]

Howard Kaplan is the head Engineering/designer on the EVH project for Fender, he worked side by side Eddie on both the 100watt and 50watt. He is the person you want to diagnose this.

 

[Ensi]

Howard Kaplan is the head Engineering/designer on the EVH project for Fender, he worked side by side Eddie on both the 100watt and 50watt. He is the person you want to diagnose this.

Oh haha, awesome! Already exchanging emails with him and hopefully this will be sorted out soon