High Voltages After Headfirst Origin 50 Mod

I will say that I like the fact the pedals I posted above have TONS of effects in them --
and you can use them only as a full pedal board all in one
or you can turn on the models/sims .... but -- you can get a whole rack of pedals (I think the AMpero has around 242 effects
the Line 6 has another 100+

thats a HELL of a lot of pedals ........I think @RVA had around that many before he got the Kemper ;)
lol
 
Hey! I’ve got something like that! I’m gonna be honest here….I have not biased it yet. I’m still struggling with the scope vs meter decision.
(Edit: honestly…always been a meter guy…although I do have a tone generator and a couple of scopes)
;):cheers:;)
Well, Hell! Here's my sort-of experience with biasing with an oscilloscope:
Years ago, and before I got into servicing and modding my own amps, I used to own a Carvin Legacy that I bought used through Ebay. Less than two weeks later, the amp lost volume and sounded terrible. Brought the amp to a well known and local electronic repair technician. He found worn-out power tubes and a couple cold solder joints. The tech made a point of telling me that he set the bias properly using his oscilloscope, and also mentioned that the Carvin factory sets the bias on these amps very cold. Three months later the amp sounded noticeably duller and the power tubes looked very toasty. By this time I had already started to research & learn how to bias amps. One method was the meter with a bias probe tube socket adapter. When I checked the bias of the amp, every power tube was reading over 50mA's... That's over 95% dissipation!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah: Don't need or want an oscilloscope... :flame:
 
Well, Hell! Here's my sort-of experience with biasing with an oscilloscope:
Years ago, and before I got into servicing and modding my own amps, I used to own a Carvin Legacy that I bought used through Ebay. Less than two weeks later, the amp lost volume and sounded terrible. Brought the amp to a well known and local electronic repair technician. He found worn-out power tubes and a couple cold solder joints. The tech made a point of telling me that he set the bias properly using his oscilloscope, and also mentioned that the Carvin factory sets the bias on these amps very cold. Three months later the amp sounded noticeably duller and the power tubes looked very toasty. By this time I had already started to research & learn how to bias amps. One method was the meter with a bias probe tube socket adapter. When I checked the bias of the amp, every power tube was reading over 50mA's... That's over 95% dissipation!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah: Don't need or want an oscilloscope... :flame:
Maybe I will try doing my first bias with a scope…on the Kemper….what could go wrong…:blink:;):cheers:
 
One method was the meter with a bias probe tube socket adapter. When I checked the bias of the amp, every power tube was reading over 50mA's... That's over 95% dissipation!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah: Don't need or want an oscilloscope... :flame:

Greg, I bought a pair of these to use a few months ago. Have only used them once so far on the DSL40.
09A47889-9B1C-409B-B72B-B27C00203E1E.jpeg
 
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Looks like all your tubes are JJ's. The JJ ECC83(S) has a max cathode voltage rating of 180v. Robert's Origin 50 is putting out 196v at V2's pin-3 cathode. So, it looks like the JJ is underspeced by 16v at one of the cathodes of the V2 position. Some of these documented maximum operating limits are on the conservative side. It might be safe and reliable to operate at this level. Hopefully a more knowledgeable person can chime in here.

There are other 12AX7's that have higher cathode operating voltage specs than these JJ's. The Genelex Gold Lion's, Electro Harmonix 7025EH's, and the Russian reissues of the Mullard's, all have a max rating of 200v.

Good information!!!!
 
Greg, I bought a pair of these to use a few months ago. Have only used them once so far on the DSL40.
View attachment 74662
Yup, those bias-checking socket adapters, a meter, and the online bias calculators that are available for all, make it cheap and easy.

And now, here's a sad story...
I trusted this little F'r for many years and it is the coolest gadget for biasing I've ever come across. But one of the socket probes have become untrustworthy, showing false mA readings. Compu-Bias no longer exists. I would have gladly bought a new set of socket/probes.
IMG_2220.JPG

Looks like I'm going to have to get some new bias socket adapters like Don O's and change my routine a bit.
 
Well, Hell! Here's my sort-of experience with biasing with an oscilloscope:
Years ago, and before I got into servicing and modding my own amps, I used to own a Carvin Legacy that I bought used through Ebay. Less than two weeks later, the amp lost volume and sounded terrible. Brought the amp to a well known and local electronic repair technician. He found worn-out power tubes and a couple cold solder joints. The tech made a point of telling me that he set the bias properly using his oscilloscope, and also mentioned that the Carvin factory sets the bias on these amps very cold. Three months later the amp sounded noticeably duller and the power tubes looked very toasty. By this time I had already started to research & learn how to bias amps. One method was the meter with a bias probe tube socket adapter. When I checked the bias of the amp, every power tube was reading over 50mA's... That's over 95% dissipation!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah: Don't need or want an oscilloscope... :flame:
 
Well, Hell! Here's my sort-of experience with biasing with an oscilloscope:
Years ago, and before I got into servicing and modding my own amps, I used to own a Carvin Legacy that I bought used through Ebay. Less than two weeks later, the amp lost volume and sounded terrible. Brought the amp to a well known and local electronic repair technician. He found worn-out power tubes and a couple cold solder joints. The tech made a point of telling me that he set the bias properly using his oscilloscope, and also mentioned that the Carvin factory sets the bias on these amps very cold. Three months later the amp sounded noticeably duller and the power tubes looked very toasty. By this time I had already started to research & learn how to bias amps. One method was the meter with a bias probe tube socket adapter. When I checked the bias of the amp, every power tube was reading over 50mA's... That's over 95% dissipation!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah: Don't need or want an oscilloscope... :flame:
Was this techs name Cheewee? :pound-hand:

Why do you think Mike Soldano uses a scope to bias?
I thought you liked Soldano.
Now you think Soldano is an idiot, because he uses a scope?

Just because one tech doesn't know how to bias an amp...
that doesn't mean that biasing with a scope is all wrong.
It works.

When you learn how to use a scope, it will increase your skill set. By quite a lot.
One of the most valuable tools you can use.

Now I will confirm that Cheewee is a moronic hack....that's a given.
But what you are telling us, doesn't add up to a factual conclusion.
 
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Was this techs name Cheewee? :pound-hand:
Yes sir... :cheers:

Why do you think Mike Soldano uses a scope to bias?
I thought you liked Soldano.
Now you think Soldano is an idiot, because he uses a scope?
Not at all. Mike Soldano is an amp God. But he also knows his own amps. I have confidence that Mike Soldano will know when to use an O-scope or when to use alternative choices. Ivan H's rebuttal on relying on O-scopes is not the first time I've heard of this. If I had the money, space, and knowledge, I would love to have an O-scope.

Now I will confirm that Cheewee is a moronic hack....that's a given.
But what you are telling us, doesn't add up to a factual conclusion.
Nah, Cheewee is cool. He's helped me out very succesfully over the years. I'm sure he knows how to use a scope. But this might be an example where he adjusted the bias with a scope till he saw a smooth wave form, and then said "I'm done". Probably didn't notice the voltages for the bias, or recognized them as being way under biased.
 
Yes sir... :cheers:


Not at all. Mike Soldano is an amp God. But he also knows his own amps. I have confidence that Mike Soldano will know when to use an O-scope or when to use alternative choices. Ivan H's rebuttal on relying on O-scopes is not the first time I've heard of this. If I had the money, space, and knowledge, I would love to have an O-scope.


Nah, Cheewee is cool. He's helped me out very succesfully over the years. I'm sure he knows how to use a scope. But this might be an example where he adjusted the bias with a scope till he saw a smooth wave form, and then said "I'm done". Probably didn't notice the voltages for the bias, or recognized them as being way under biased.
So, it was Cheewee who biased your amp wrong?
????
Or who was it?
It wasn't me I know that much.
 
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