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Epi Valve Senior noise


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Ok, I'm enjoying my new Valve Senior very much, but I'm noticing it is a noisy amp. I have limited experience with tube amps (this is the first one I've owned) and so I don't really know how much noise is normal. I've noticed the noise varies depending on the room (I assume due to different electricity supply etc) but even in the least noise-inducing locations it's still noisy. The noise I get is essentially of two sorts - scratchiness and mild popping (reminds my of how my parents old record player used to sound, perhaps not surprisingly), and feedback (not due to the guitar, and not screechingly loud).

 

These effects are audible when there isn't even a lead plugged into the amp. They are not volume dependant, so the noise gets easily drowned out as the volume increases - you can't really hear anything other than buttery tube goodness when the volume goes up, but when I'm not playing the noise is clear and annoying. All the controls of the amp work properly and all the tubes light up and funtion as they should so it doesn't seem like there's anything actaully wrong with the amp; it's just noisy.

 

I know with tube 'technology' that I should expect a degree of noisiness due to interference etc, but how much noise is normal? At what point do I take it back to the shop to get it checked? I didn't notice the noise so much in the shop, probably because there were other amps etc being played in the shop and because I was all caught up in the excitement and lovestruck gazing at my new Wildkat [love]. Thoughts? Suggestions? Input?

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I'm not the answer guy to resolve your problems amp wise.....Some starter thoughts....The Epi Jr came out first, and had noise problems...

 

They resolved the issue by changing the transformer type.....The Senior Valves should be O.K....Brian on the Epi Lounge owns one, you might

 

ask him as well.....P-90s through a tube amp WILL have some hum....I resolved the problem by getting used to it...[scared] :unsure: [crying] ......Also, while

 

recording home demos, I use both P-90s on at the same time, which cancels out the hum...In "pro" recording I do, the engineer simply eq's

 

out the hum....Some hints; Use a high quality speaker cable and guitar cable....Use an outlet that isn't also used for computers and/or floresent

 

lights....Pick up a real "power conditioner" made for music applications, one that regulates the incoming voltage, and pre-filters out ac hum.......

 

Keep any power cords and guitar type cable away from each other........That's a small start for you....I own about 12 tube amps..........................

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

You mention noise, pops, and "feedback" even when the guitar isn't plugged in......Classic signs of worn out tubes.....Your amp (I think) has

 

one pre-amp tube and one power tube......They most likely need replacing......I can help you find forum links to help you with that....................

 

THAT should resolve your main "noise" issues.............Damian...........

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I am not familiar with that amp.

 

For any tube amp, popping noises are NOT normal, and ain't something thats good. Feedback could be a microphonic tube.

 

Basic rule of thumb with ALL tube amps is always check the tubes first. A lot of current made 12ax7's just plain suck, and in some positions in many amps ARE noisy.

 

Good idea to have some extra tubes, as well as a few differents brands so you can try them out to see what the amp likes better. Basically, if changing tubes (if even temporary) doesn't make the issues go away (usually it does), you need to have it serviced OR return the dang thing.

 

Tube amps are NOT supposed to have issues or noise or any other thing wrong with them because the are tube amps. A good tube amp operates at least as well as any amp in all areas, including noise, hum, etc.

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The amp has 2 12ax7 tubes in the preamp and 4 6v6 tubes in the power stage and it's brand new (though who knows how long it was sitting in the shop, given that they've been discontinued for quite some time). The popping I mentioned is a slight popping sound; overall it's like an old stereo playing vinyl though a bit louder, quite noticeable. I have a friend with a Matchless amp and I played around with it today - no sound at all out of it until you crank the volume, and even then it's only a slight hum so nothing like the noise in my Valve Senior. Admittedly the Matchless is five times the price so you'd expect more, but still. The place I bought the amp happens to be the service centre for Epi and Orange in Sydney so that should help.

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Sorry, I got the numbers around the wrong way. It's 2 6V6s and 4 12AX7s. It is definitely 6 tubes altogether, you can see them. I have noticed on a couple of the sites around the net that they're described as having 3 12AX7s but most sites mention 4 12AX7s.

 

Sites mentioning 4 12AX7s:

http://www.getprice.com.au/Epiphone-Valve-Senior-Combo-Gpnc_444--43273850.htm

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ValveSrHD/

 

One mentioning 3 12AX7s:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/epiphone-valve-senior-20w-guitar-amp-head

 

Mine certainly has 4 - maybe there was a change somewhere along the way? Or could it just be that the head has 3 and the combo has 4? But then why would that be the case?

 

Anyway, apart from that, if the tubes are hardly used (the amp wasn't even floor stock) is it likely to be a tube problem? That would be good I suppose cos it's easily fixed, but it would mean the tubes don't last long at all.

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Sorry, I got the numbers around the wrong way. It's 2 6V6s and 4 12AX7s. It is definitely 6 tubes altogether, you can see them. I have noticed on a couple of the sites around the net that they're described as having 3 12AX7s but most sites mention 4 12AX7s.

 

Sites mentioning 4 12AX7s:

http://www.getprice.com.au/Epiphone-Valve-Senior-Combo-Gpnc_444--43273850.htm

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ValveSrHD/

 

One mentioning 3 12AX7s:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/epiphone-valve-senior-20w-guitar-amp-head

 

Mine certainly has 4 - maybe there was a change somewhere along the way? Or could it just be that the head has 3 and the combo has 4? But then why would that be the case?

 

Anyway, apart from that, if the tubes are hardly used (the amp wasn't even floor stock) is it likely to be a tube problem? That would be good I suppose cos it's easily fixed, but it would mean the tubes don't last long at all.

2 reasons:

 

The tubes often shipped with lower cost (and many higher cost) amps suck....so it is NOT uncommon to get questionable or bad tubes right out of the box.

 

The other reason to check the tubes, is that 90% of the time a tube amp has issues, it will be one of the tubes. So that should be always the first thing to check. It will save a lot of hassle to get into that habit, both in sending it in for repair OR when buying new, or even trying new.

 

If you don't have any spare tubes, take it to a repair place or the place you bought it and have them try some (a repair place would do this first anyway).

 

Another option would be if you have another tube amp, you could "borrow" some tubes from that amp just to see if the problem goes away.

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, time for the update. I took the amp back over the weekend, having checked that the amp technician would be on site. He looked at it straight away, heard the noise (high-pitched feedback-type sound) and described it simply as a "noisy" tube. I'd heard that expression before, but didn't know what it meant. Within about 20mins he had the tube out and swapped (one of the preamp tubes) and the amp was suddenly quiet as a mouse. Even with the gain and master both turned up to 10, all good.

 

The nicest part was that the closest guitar to hand was a Gibson 330 they gave me to play through it to make sure I was happy and it all sounded as it should. The 330 was super-sweet, and the Valve Senior was completely restored to its former, buttery smooth glory. Excellent service, beautiful amp. I'm a happy chappie!

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