Quote:
Originally Posted by wolf1419
I have a Marshall Mode Four MF350 that is similar technology(tube/hybrid) and I have a quick "pop/crack/thump"(spike) sound on powerup(no standby like tube amps), and I can't even figure that out. Marshall support hasn't been able to help. I have 2 of these and they both do it, but it's sometimes softer, sometimes harder sounding. Other than this the amps are excellent sounding-many tones can be tweaked from this beast. Do you have any clues on the spike, or is it just a solid state thing??  |
Hey wolf, apparently, the popping is an inherent problem in solid-state amps. The problem is that when you first start the amps, capacitors in the circuitry are in a discharged state, and they pop when power is applied to them. I tried two solid-state Yorkville Sound amps I own, and they both pop, albeit not too loudly, until they have been on for maybe 20 or 30 seconds, then you can turn them on, and since the caps are then fully charged, they don't pop. My Marshall AVT50 amp, on the other hand, has a power module (the main amplifier chip, which is connected directly to the speaker), that has a built-in standy feature, which delays output for a few seconds when it is powered up, so that the amp's capacitors don't pop audibly (great feature). Tube amps don't have this problem, because the power tubes don't amplify until they are heated up, during which time you are on standby anyways, so you don't ever hear any pop. Most amps with a solid state power amp come on right away, and therefore pop. Nothing much you can do about it. Do you like my explanation?
PETER THE TONE DOCTOR