blackstar won't respond to my emails..

[poisondrop]

i have a problem with my HT-40, so i emailed blackstar weeks ago, i told them all the details and they asked for the serial number so emailed them my serial number, i waited for days but they didn't respond, even til now. sigh..

[ht40guy]

yup, sounds familiar......whats the problem? someone here will most probably be able to help. Keep in mind though ANY tampering (including even taking the back off) will void your warranty (if the amp is still under warranty) and Blackstar will undoubtedly say to send to your nearest dealer/service technician.

Cheers
Glenn

[poisondrop]

thanks glenn.

my problem is that, there is an intermittent volume drop/increase in my amp, and popping noise. i don't know if it is the effects loop, caps, resistors, or the tubes.

[ht40guy]

here is a similar thread.....
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2990&p=17919&hilit ... ing#p17919

the gist of this guys problems seemed to be power tubes.....remember, your solution may be totally different and require a service tech to open it. In which case getting into your amp yourself will void the warranty. Just a thought to keep in mind.

A bit more info? how old? are the tubes stock tubes? have you tried replacing cables, playing straight into the amp (no effects between gtr and amp) etc

Also, maybe create another thread under the heading "HT 40 volume drop/popping" will attract more people with suggestions of help than what was originally a complaint about their famous lack of support.

Cheers
Glenn

[thephantum]

there is an intermittent volume drop/increase in my amp, and popping noise.

Those are classic symptoms of failing a power tube (or tubes). Do not continue to power on or play the amp until you have it looked at. If the tube(s) catastrophically fail it could cause damage to the amp itself.

How old is the amp and is it still under warranty?

[poisondrop]

my amp is still under warranty, it's 4 months old. the amp is fine now, i have not experienced any volume drop since the last 2 weeks of using it, but i still experience popping ( usually appears after 30 mins of use ) and yes i tried connecting my guitar straight to my amp with nothing in the fx loop, and it appears to have no volume drop.
do you think if the tubes affect the way the fx loop behaves? like for instance, if i have faulty preamp and powertubes, would it also cause a problem with my fx loop?

[thephantum]

Tubes won't cause an issue with the FX loop...but whatever audible symptoms the tubes are having will be heard in the FX loop.

If you still have popping, the amp needs to go in for repair. Popping is usually caused by arcing, meaning electricity is finding a path to ground that it shouldn't have. Since it only occurs after the amp has gotten hot, it's also heat related.

It's still a strong possibility that it's a bad power tube and the more you play the amp, the higher the risk of that tube shorting out and taking other components with it...making the repair more extensive/expensive.

[ht40guy]

Hi...yes, take note of Phantums advice - he knows his stuff! As it is still under warranty call the shop you bought it from explaining the fault and find out the nearest Blackstar service centre. It may mean not having your amp for a while but if the alternative is possible serious damage, Id take it in. If you leave it until the warranty expires, it may be difficult for a local repairman to deal with all the SMD technology they use, especially without a circuit diagram, that only the registered service centres have. The shop 'may' replace your amp for a totally new one as well.

Let us know how it all goes and what the fault was.

Cheers
Glenn

[poisondrop]

thank you for your response guys. i really appreciate it. i informed the store where i bought the amp, they told me to bring the amp tomorrow so they can further diagnose the problem. seems like i have no other choice.. i'll post for updates. i hope the amp has no serious damage in it.

[poisondrop]

hello everyone. just thought about giving you an update

i just got my amp, the guy working in the store did an extensive diagnostic with my amp and he never spotted any popping sound or volume drops. so i went there in test the amp myself, the problem never appeared. damn these intermittent problems. now i am suspecting that the cause of the volume drops and popping is my power supply in my house. i was also using a voltage regulator at the time when the problem appeared. could it be possible?