It Sucks To Be Right/dsl40cr!

[end user]

Thought about getting one of these but I really love my 100H and 40C. Would a 100H and a 40C together as a trade get me into a new 100HR? I see that GC retail prices for the 100H and 40C vary greatly. I know they generally will give you 50% of what they sell something for so probably not. Private sales around here have been just horrendous. I put my 40c up for 300 dollars mostly as a test and I didn't get a single nibble. It has a G12T-75 in it even and included foot switch.

 

[Woodshed Pilgrim]

I'm not bashing the DSL, I was just grumpy last night. The thought of getting huge Marshall tone for the DSL prices is alluring. In the long run, the higher priced Marshalls have better tone & less problems. The reality is that all tube amps hum, pop, hiss , and need constant attention but it's all worth it !

 

[Sun King]

@stringtree, i'm still reserving judgment on this amp, until after i've had it back from the shop for a while. BUT, i figured this:
If i do sell it for something else, (or more likely, trade it in), it would no longer be under warranty for the NEXT owner. So i felt it my duty either way, to try to get it fixed.

 

[stringtree]

@stringtree, i'm still reserving judgment on this amp, until after i've had it back from the shop for a while. BUT, i figured this:
If i do sell it for something else, (or more likely, trade it in), it would no longer be under warranty for the NEXT owner. So i felt it my duty either way, to try to get it fixed.

I just read what you are going through, and for myself only, thats a lot of bad for a new amp, if I had it.

I am surprised if you bought it new, they would not take it back and give you another new one. Then they send the broken one back and it gets determined if it can be refurbished or not, or just salvaged for parts.

I feel bad that you have to go through this with a new amp. I'm sure you will land on your feet and find great tone in this amp or something else.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

Thanks man! I was a little underwhelmed with the overdrive when I first took it home and plugged it in real quick before work, but I came home and had a chance to crank it and WOW. I finally "get" the tube amp thing. It's so lively and responsive and loud as hell, and unlike my solid state amps I've had, the louder it gets the better it sounds. And the other thing I noticed is that this amp does not hide anything in my playing like my old Blackstar modeler. Maybe it's the responsiveness or just the fact that I actually anjoy this at higher volumes, but I noticed how many mistakes I actually make while playing through the DSL. I don't think I could go back to solid state, it's almost not even the same thing.

That is something all good tube amps do for your playing, and louder does equal better, I know that after getting my dsl40c’s, I heard what I truly sounded like and could also remember that I played with a bit more authoritative pick attack in the past( it had been since 1983 since I had a Marshall tube amp) and I dug in and my playing got better to my ears! Cheers to your new found love of all things Marshall! Mitch

 

[Sun King]

I'm not bashing the DSL, I was just grumpy last night. The thought of getting huge Marshall tone for the DSL prices is alluring. In the long run, the higher priced Marshalls have better tone & less problems. The reality is that all tube amps hum, pop, hiss , and need constant attention but it's all worth it !

Hey there Woodshed, no worries! I hear ya, basically "you get what you pay for." Everything is relative though; I'm sure I'm not the only one on this forum that also has a lot of other interests. I'm probably what you would call an average or intermediate player anyway, and at this stage in my life (late 50's), no one's gonna come knocking on my door to sign me up for a recording contract, I guarantee!

So, as far as my own priorities, spending $700 or $800 on an amp, IS a lot of money! (Please don't look down on me for that! ) I've got far more invested in my other hobbies of photography and motorcycling. For example, one high-quality camera lens can cost as much as a good amp- and I don't know any photographers who can get by with just ONE lens, or even just two or three! The motorcycles are more of what constitutes my "lifestyle" and so there's a lot of time and money tied up there. But, I do enjoy all of these things. "Horses for courses." It'll all work out in the long run, but your advice (and that of others) is much-appreciated!

 

[deke99]

Reviving this old thread as I have a similar issue, except with midi. I saw someone post this same issue as well early in the thread. I'm using a Line 6 HX Effects to midi switch a DSL40CR. The PC change requests can change between the 4 modes of the amp without issue. I've also had success switching the effects loop on and off using CC #13 values 0 and 1. My problem is that I'm supposed to be able to switch between MV 1 and 2 using CC #14 values 0 (MV1) and 1 (MV2). This does not work for me. I'm using the Instant commands to send multiple requests during a snapshot change. I have also tried sending just the CC#14 0/1 request with no other midi messages.

The only way I have found success is to set a footswitch to one of the CC#14 toggle values (2-127). In this instance, I can toggle the values, but the on/off color of the switch depends on the previous state of the MV, so I can't set up a snapshot with that button engaged because engage vs. disengage is not guaranteed to be the same. Does anyone know if the daughter board fix would address this issue?

For now I can kinda live with it and just switch the 4 modes/channels and use an EQ block in the loop to boost solos, but it kinda defeats the purpose of the flexibility of having 2 MV controls.

Thanks!
Derek

 

[ricksconnected]

Derek

 

[Michael Inglis]

Oh, and FWIW, USMC said that mine was they first they had heard of or encountered this problem, but I'm not buyin' it!
Just My $.02,
Gene

Yeah thats total bullshit. I have the DSL100HR and i bought it 2 months after release i have the same serial manufacture date as you with the same trouble and i contacted Marshall within a month of having it and they gave me the fucking run around which was infuriating. Is your still "fixed". If so its worth sending mine in.

 

[Michael Inglis]

Yeah thats total bullshit. I have the DSL100HR and i bought it 2 months after release i have the same serial manufacture date as you with the same trouble and i contacted Marshall within a month of having it and they gave me the fucking run around which was infuriating. Is your still "fixed". If so its worth sending mine in.

Edit: I was also one of the first people to post on here about this issue. And everyone wanted to tell me their amps were fine. They were certainly just morons who hadnt noticed a problem yet. This amp sounds excellent and i love it but I WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM OR MARSHALL WILL. Im not going to live with it much longer.

 

[Michael Inglis]

So, as described earlier, my amp had a problem while using the 6-button footswitch (91016). However, I checked it out a little better, and it also has that FX loop issue. Also the indicator light, for the FX on/off switch, is non-functional.

Called Marshall USA, and the rep said he has heard of this problem, and that "some of those early build-date models" (mine is 12-17) need a firmware update on one of the circuit boards. So the amp is in the shop now. The Marshall guy also told me the exact name of said circuit board, and I remembered it long enough to tell the tech at the service center, but now I forgot! "Old-timer's"! I think it was, "DRB", or something like that. Sound familiar?

Anyway, can't wait to get it back!

I LOVE YOU SIR! I bought my 100HR when they first came out, date on the back is 11-17 yeah 11-17 lol. I was one of the first people to post about this problem but the amp was too new and nobody knew what the hell i was talking about and all thought it was user error probably. Anyways Marshall said to bring it to a service center and when i called the service center they were clueless so i lost hope. I decided to look it up again today and i see that the issue has a fix. Ill be bringing it in to a service center this week. I love this amp, the crunch channel does the JCM800 this so well. Anyways my issues are identical to the ones you guys had with the 40CR. Anyways thanks for posting. Im afraid to ask but is yours still working after the fix?

 

[Michael Inglis]

Got my amp back from the shop this Friday and the foot switch is working better than ever! But then tonight after a few hours of jamming, the amp completely craps out.... maybe its just random. Not sure yet.

I have sound clips. Starting a new thread and I'll link this one to it, as to not derail this thread.

Link if interested.
http://www.marshallforum.com/threads/you-just-died-in-my-arms-tonight-dsl40cr.104108/

I read on youtube a guy had his serviced for the same issue then it died please tell me that was you not another person who got it "fixed just for it to die"?

 

[Michael Inglis]

So got the amp back fx loop problem is history. they replaced a chip/board. Missed that sound on 20 watts. Hopefully it doesn't develop any other issues.

new pcb part M-DFXX-91001 replaces part DFX-60-00-U6.

They also found a defective C32 capacitor. Not sure what this is anyone know?

Id really like to hear if your amp is still ok or if it died shortly after having it fixed? Ive read two reports of the exact fix your referring being the precursor to the amp completely dying. So id love to hear that your amp is still great and that repair solved the problem lol.

 

[Michael Inglis]

You can get that addressed by Marshall, as they have a fix now.
Bring it in.
They will need to replace a daughterboard with a re-flashed firmware on one of the chips.

I had mine done a few months back, no issues since.

Still operating as its supposed to? If so I will be bringing my 11-17 DSL100HR in this week for said repair.

 

[Michael Inglis]

Thought about getting one of these but I really love my 100H and 40C. Would a 100H and a 40C together as a trade get me into a new 100HR? I see that GC retail prices for the 100H and 40C vary greatly. I know they generally will give you 50% of what they sell something for so probably not. Private sales around here have been just horrendous. I put my 40c up for 300 dollars mostly as a test and I didn't get a single nibble. It has a G12T-75 in it even and included foot switch.

EDIT: Also guitar center give you 10% off the cost of a new item if you trade something in to get it. With that you should be able to get the 100HR and have some store credit.

At my local guitar center in fort worth texas i know for sure that would be more than enough. I got my DSL100HR from sweetwater brand new at launch for $749 cause i found a misprint in their catalog. Lol i already had a quote of $850 or $800 and i was happy with it i just had to wait for my next paycheck. The catalog came a day before i got pad and just screwing around i looked up my amp in it and it was listed at $749. Sweetwater was really cool and said yep thats what it says so we will honor it. I would be shocked if you couldnt get a new DSL100HR for a DSL100H and A DSL40C. Let me know how it goes if you try to trade it in or if you already tried. Im really curious now what youd get. A my GC id get the new amp and store credit, i know the guys that work there now really well and i baby my gear but still i dont see why that wouldnt be enough.

 

[mistercoffee1]

Still operating as its supposed to? If so I will be bringing my 11-17 DSL100HR in this week for said repair.

Yes, it is working great, exactly as it supposed to (since the service).

 

[Michael Inglis]

Yes, it is working great, exactly as it supposed to (since the service).

I really appreciate you letting me know. I hate asking the service guys this question so if you dont mind ill ask you. How long did it take until you had it back? Id love to pretend im not impatient and dont care how long it takes but its my main amp lol. Anyways thanks again im really glad yours is working like its supposed to.

 

[ampmadscientist]

Yeah
the bugs seem to center around a programmable logic chip.
This chip controls the channel switching and midi...and every damn other thing.
But when contacted, Marshall USA service continues to evade the explanation.
Yes there is updates for this amp.
But these updates will be done at the service centers.

No, there is nothing you can really do to fix it yourself (so far).
Basically, Marshall made an amp you can't service because of proprietary software. (they locked you out of your own amp)

In the future, there might be a way to copy the programming and re-flash the logic chip. But so far we don't have that ability.

 

[Michael Inglis]

Yeah
the bugs seem to center around a programmable logic chip.
This chip controls the channel switching and midi...and every damn other thing.
But when contacted, Marshall USA service continues to evade the explanation.
Yes there is updates for this amp.
But these updates will be done at the service centers.

No, there is nothing you can really do to fix it yourself (so far).
Basically, Marshall made an amp you can't service because of proprietary software. (they locked you out of your own amp)

In the future, there might be a way to copy the programming and re-flash the logic chip. But so far we don't have that ability.

Excellent info and well put. Yeah i literally couldn't have asked more clearly and told them i know they are aware of exactly whats wrong and to please explain it so i know what to tell my tech. I dont know what i was thinking, of course they arent going to tell me. Its Marshall after all. They are big on Proprietary software and not letting anyone but their certified techs know whats going. Hell even the tech are left in the dark a lot of the time. The one thing i did finally get out of them is that my amp will have a board replaced(wouldnt say which one) or they will have it sent to them so they can reprogram the one thats already in it. I have lots of pictures of the inside of my amp so if anything changes physically ill know but the re programming is more important anyway so I wont know what they did there. Like you said maybe in a few years someone will leak it who knows whats really going on. Hopefully in a few years we can vote for owners rights and no longer be locked out of products we "own".

 

[ampmadscientist]

Excellent info and well put. Yeah i literally couldn't have asked more clearly and told them i know they are aware of exactly whats wrong and to please explain it so i know what to tell my tech. I dont know what i was thinking, of course they arent going to tell me. Its Marshall after all. They are big on Proprietary software and not letting anyone but their certified techs know whats going. Hell even the tech are left in the dark a lot of the time. The one thing i did finally get out of them is that my amp will have a board replaced(wouldnt say which one) or they will have it sent to them so they can reprogram the one thats already in it. I have lots of pictures of the inside of my amp so if anything changes physically ill know but the re programming is more important anyway so I wont know what they did there. Like you said maybe in a few years someone will leak it who knows whats really going on. Hopefully in a few years we can vote for owners rights and no longer be locked out of products we "own".

I don't know if the chip that's in it can be re-programmed.
There may be some defect that causes the program to blow. (causes the chip to lose the programming)
So far everybody who knows is remaining silent.
Sooner or later we will find an answer and a solution (as usual).