Jona

Hi everybody, I've recently bought a DSL100 and have noticed that when I switch channels using the footswitch there is a momentary silence before the sound kicks in. It is admittedly very brief, but when you're playing it's very annoying and for me it really spoils an otherwise very nice amp.
I took it to my usual repair man who didn't know how to fix it (!) but surely it can't be an insurmountable problem- other channel changing amps I've owned have not suffered from this fault.
Is this common to the model and is there a solution? Please help- I don't want to have to sell it over a silly problem like this.

Cheers Jona

Ken

Welcome to the world of DSL channel switching! My DSL 50 is the same. If you want to channel switch playing live you have to pick your spots, and you have to be sure the relative volumes are compatible. I agree it's a PITA but I love the amp so much I just deal with it.

If you have a good guitar, you might just use the red channel and turn the volume down on the songs you want to switch on. The DSL series is one of the few amps I've played through that you can actually use the guitar controls without it killing the tone. I use a Les Paul Standard as my main guitar and the Ultra channel with the guitar vol backed off a tad really cleans it up.

Ken

Jona

Thanks Ken but that's not going to work for me, in the band I'm playing with now there are several places where I need to quickly switch back and forth between channels (myspace.com/beattheredlight if you're interested).
Frankly I think Marshall should be ashamed of themselves; it's hardly a cheap amp and yet it has this ridiculous flaw which I've never before encountered with many less expensive amps.
Is there really no way to cure this absurd fault? Anyone??!

Jona

axl2

Luckily I stay on one channel all the time. The quality of Clean isn't as good on the ultra channel but I play more heavy stuff anyways.

Would be nice to be able to use that fender like clean along with the bad ass OD on the ultra side.

__________________
Marshall DSL 100 Head
Marshall AVT 20- Combo
Epiphone Les Paul-Seymour Duncan Pups
Fender Showmaster- Seymour Duncan Pups
Takamine Electric Acoustic
Epiphone Acoustic
Boss GE7
Ibanez DL10 Delay
Ibanez TS-808
Keeley DS-1 Ultra

Ken

Well, if you can't work around the problem, buy another DSL and have an A/B switch and go back and forth. Two stacks are cooler than one anyway! LOL

Okay, seriously, I agree that Marshall's engineers really messed this up. If anyone has a cheap mod to fix it, I'm all ears too.

Ken

Jona

Exactly, isn't that the point of a two channel amp?

Hehe, now there's an idea... Honestly I'm surprised I couldn't find another post about this by searching, considering all the DSL100 talk. Maybe most players don't need instant switching, but it drives me nuts.

Jona

JohnH

This seems to be a feature of all the JCM2000 DSLs and TSLs. Its a particular circuit that 'ducks' the sound to avoid a switching click. There must be a mod to speed it up. But as a workaround, staying on one channel and either using a volume pedal or overdrive pedal can do it. I actually prefer an overdriven green channel than the actual OD channels.

John

__________________
DSL401
8412 cab
Crate Powerblock
1 x 12 Vintage 30 cab
'76 Shergold Masquerader
'93 Les Paul Studio
'83 Roadstar

Mullard Man

That's exactly what it is. It's also there to allow effects/reverb spillover. There was supposedly a mod that could be done to speed the switching up. I've never seen this mod, but someone mentioned that Marshall was aware of this and would only give out the mod to certified Marshall techs.

I have the same problem with my TSL-100, drive me nuts some times.

Leo27

Sooo, if a certified Marshall tech would chime in, we'd appreciate it!

Bassmec

Funny no one has ever complained to me about this particular aspect of the DSL/TSL.
these guys might be interested in looking at this problem or will have an answer:
The Marshall TSL122-JCM2000 Repair/Mods Page

handsandy

I might be a bit late... but my amp tech has found the problem with the switching issue and knows the solution....

jcmjmp

so... what is it?

Fixr1984

Yes do tell

Ken

One thing I've mentioned elswhere: if you buy an aftermarket electronic foot switch (I have a Boss) it really helps. It doesn't eliminate the problem but it does make the switching noticably faster. It was well worth the $30! Every DSL owner should have one.

Ken

Sir Don

I have this problem with my TSL, I've just gotten used to it over time.

__________________
My gear:

2204, 2210, 2555, 9005, 1959, 5005, 4103, 2100, TSL100

www.myspace.com/rockthebosss

eddiegj

My DSL100 does not drop out when switched, I get a load pop instead. It is not an option to switch when playing unless I turn the volume down to zero on my Guitar. I live primarily on the green channel with gain on 10 with boost. I don't miss the switching back and forth, but would like to find out what the problem is.

__________________
Marshall JCM2000 DSL 100
1936 2x12 Cab (V30-G12H)
PRS Custom 24
Kramer Pacer Deluxe

txmack

I can second Ken, I threw away the crappy Marshall fs and use a mesa switch I had laying around through a good cable and have no lag in switching. Now we are not generally playing at super fast tempos, but I do a lot of sudden shifts (fast enough that using the volume knob would take too long).

I think the mechanical quality of the actual switch made a big difference.