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1255 Views 36 Replies Latest reply: Apr 9, 2013 8:06 PM by thegwoe RSS
whiteop Just Startin'
whiteop
415 posts since
Dec 5, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 18, 2011 7:13 PM

DT-50 won't power on

Today I flipped the "ON" switch on my DT-50. Nothing. No red light, hum, just nothing so I checked the power supply and the fuse. Everything is okay. Still couldn't get th amp t power on. Plugged my pedalboard into the powerstrip and it came on no problem. Same with another amp which worked fine through h same power strip so it obviosly means something  wrong with my DT-50. I bought an extended warranty with GC but just wonder if anyone else has experienced this?

  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
    Nick_Mattocks
    9,065 posts since
    Mar 26, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 19, 2011 12:54 AM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Which fuse was that you checked?  There's a non-obvious one in the IEC mains socket itself

  • StudioTM Just Startin'
    StudioTM
    135 posts since
    Jan 30, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 21, 2011 1:23 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    I experienced exactly the same with my DT50 212. I sent it to the Norwgian distributor for service 4 weeks ago,

    and I have yet to receive it in return. I have not talked to them, but since it takes so long time I suspect that they are waiting for any amplifier section to be replaced. I will call them tomorrow. I will update you if they can explain tha defect.

     

    Br

    Thor

  • Rowbi Expert Line 6 User
    Rowbi
    7,745 posts since
    Nov 25, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 22, 2011 7:39 AM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Nick was right, it can sometimes be a tube failed, or a power surge... tube amps do sometimes have these issues from any tube amp manufacturer, so if I'm gigging I ALWAYS carry spare fuses, as putting in a new one after a surge can mean the gig continues... once it pops 2 fuses then that's time to say there's actually a problem and get it serviced...

     

    let us all know how you both get on with your issues, and when you get the maps back, etc.

     

    Rowbi

  • RPascarella Just Startin'
    RPascarella
    30 posts since
    Feb 19, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Sep 27, 2012 8:49 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Arg!  I found this thread after my amp just went out.  Same symptoms, the AC fuse is blown.  The amp is 13 months old, so it is just out of warranty.  I opened it up and measured the primary and secondary sides of the power transformer, and both sides measure less than 2 ohms.  In fact, the secondary side is pretty much less than 1 ohm.  Sounds like I've got the same transformer problem as you guys.  The vendor is Chuang Meei with the following markings:

     

    11-30-0044

    C540000-07341G

    CMP 071413-1

    Chuang Meei 1035

    Made in Taiwan

     

    I wonder if there's a common date code that we're all suffering from.  I'm curious how much this will cost me to get repaired.  Did any of you fall outside the warranty period and have to pay?

     

    What sucks is this thing is so easy to replace, I want to do it myself (I'm an electrical engineer with tons of amp repair history), but there's probably no chance of getting ahold of a new part.  Any suggestions here?

     

    Thanks,

    Randy

  • whiteop Just Startin'
    whiteop
    415 posts since
    Dec 5, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 7, 2012 7:53 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    GUESS WHAT? My DT-50 died again for the SECOND time and I will have to send it in for repair AGAIN. I think I may have just gotten a bad unit but it seems that there are a lot of DT-25's and 50's dying lately. The lights come on, the tubes are lit, but no sound when you plug in. I bought an extended warranty from GC and I'm going to push for a new unit since it seems this unit is bad. I'm very disappointed with this amp so far as to reliability. I have Fender and Rivera amps that I have NEVER had to service that are going on 20 years with the exception of changing out the tubes and rebiasing them. I tried replacing the tubes with some spares I had but no change.

     

    If they don't offer to replace the amp I am going to find every DT-50 / DT-25 post that refers to them dying online, compile them, then make posts to as many popular music forums as I can. It will all be the truth so no libel or slander involved.

    • arcticman Just Startin'
      arcticman
      114 posts since
      Feb 6, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Oct 7, 2012 11:19 PM (in response to whiteop)
      Re: DT-50 won't power on

      I haven’t posted here for quite some time but I have been monitoring the forums to keep up with the latest news and updates.


       

      I have been reluctant to post my experience with the DT50 I purchased nearly 2 years ago for fear of being labeled a hater. But after seeing post after post of defective DT50s and DT25s and now seeing whiteop having yet again a dead DT50 I thought I would share my story.

       

      First a little background... I live in a very rural area...  more than 100 miles from the nearest L6 dealer. I bought the amp on-line from Musician’s Friend with their extended warranty. When the amp failed I called MF and explained my situation. The first person I spoke with at MF told me since the amp was still under the L6 one  year warranty period I would need to take it to a L6 service center for repair (after the 1st year the MF warranty would take effect). When I explained how far the nearest L6 dealer was away from me the MF rep offered to check and see if they could have it shipped to one of their L6 service centers.


       

      A manager from MF called me back to arrange the shipping... when she learned the amp was a DT50 and confirmed the weight she paused... then asked,  “would you accept a full refund instead of returning the amp?”  Needless to say I was very surprised by the offer. (at this time there had already been quite a few posts on the forum describing similar problems with DT50s.) I thought for a split second in disbelief and answered... yes I’ll take a full refund but what should I do with the amp? The MF rep replied “keep it”.


       

      Now I admit this is very anecdotal evidence... but I believe when MF calculated how much it  was going to cost them to ship the amp back and forth to their service center... based on their past experiences with DT50s...  refunding all my money (and allowing me to keep the amp for free) was a more cost effective solution. I suspect they may have had several returns of defective DT50s and believed it was too expensive for them to fulfill the 3 year MF warranty I purchased and to possibly eat the costs of repeated repairs.


       

      Again... this is anecdotal and speculative... but there does seem to be a disproportional amount of defective DTXXs appearing on this forum compared to other amp manufacturers website forums. Enough so that I’m convinced I made the right decision to get rid of the DT50 and go with another manufacturer. One that’s confident enough in their products to offer a 5 year warranty.

       

      I eventually got the defective DT50 to a Line 6 dealer and sold it to them for $650.00.  I had my DT50 for 11 ½ months before it failed... it had the same problem many here have experienced... a bad power transformer. It also had the intermittent popping and cracking noises others have described. I don't know if the bad PT was related to the noise or not.


       

      Musician’s Friend did indeed give me a full refund. They have always taken great care of me... one of the very best vendors I have ever dealt with. Line 6 is a fine company but they could learn a lot from MF when it comes to customer service.

  • skrywulak Just Startin'
    skrywulak
    1 posts since
    Dec 6, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Nov 16, 2012 7:58 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Here in Canada, had this amp only a few months with very little use.  Turned it on today and minimal sound, followed by a loud squeal and then nothing.  I bet it is the power transformer.  If Line 6 is going to get their act together, they had better start replaceing the transformer with a better one that will not fail.

    • RPascarella Just Startin'
      RPascarella
      30 posts since
      Feb 19, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Nov 25, 2012 10:03 AM (in response to skrywulak)
      Re: DT-50 won't power on

      Got my amp back a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to take a look at the new power transformer.  Turns out it is exactly the same brand and model (naturally), but the date code is 1123 (original date code from my post above was 1035).  I suspect this is the YYWW format, so it would be the 23rd week of 2011.  Would be interesting to see of others with bad power transformers fall into the 1035 (35th week of 2010) range.

       

      I have to admit, I'm a bit worried about the lifetime of this new one...

       

      And BTW, if you have any lights or sounds or anything, it probably isn't the power transformer.  If the power transformer goes, you'll likely take out a circuit breaker.

  • jeffwatt Just Startin'
    jeffwatt
    31 posts since
    Jan 29, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Feb 14, 2013 10:53 AM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    IEC fuse (5A) blew on me this week, and a replacement blew immediately, too. Fortunately, I've still got a month left on the warranty... makes me wonder if it's this power transformer issue.

     

    UPDATE: Sure enough, it was the power transformer.

     

    Message was edited by: JeffWatt

  • mikey7 Just Startin'
    mikey7
    18 posts since
    Jul 27, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 22, 2012 9:04 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    It looks like I'm joining this club too.ARGHHH! I'm out of warranty by almost a year. Out of the blue, the IEC fuse (5A), in my DT 50 2X12, blew last night. Purchased replacements today and blew 2 more in short order each time I flipped on the power switch. I'll talk to Line 6 Monday and see what they say. I live in northern Idaho, and I'm not thrilled about shipping this amp for service. Does anyone have an idea of what it may cost for Line 6 to replace the Power Transformer?

  • hzpyzs Just Startin'
    hzpyzs
    27 posts since
    Apr 17, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 31, 2013 9:32 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Seems I have had the same issue. Everything was fine, amp was on, playing along, fizzing/crackling, volume fades out, amp off, no lights,  won't power on. F !! This is why I gave up on the Fender Mustang, They had power supply issues on the 100watt versions ..... Out of warranty.   Service center is close. God I hope L6 has addressed this with a better part, I was hoping to have this amp for a long time. It was a good value I felt, but if it can't be counted on, then it ain't Scottish.

  • geppert Just Startin'
    geppert
    188 posts since
    Nov 8, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 3, 2013 8:50 AM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Interesting thread. I have a DT25 head/cab and "so far" no problemos. I do however use an AVR .... which has become religion for me. I also have a SV212 which I was "thinking of selling" however, after reading so many posts about these DT Xformers going south, I am going to keep the SV as a backup.

     

    Having said all this .... I still think this is a killer amp ... but then, what good is a killer amp if it keeps breaking down?

     

    Skryulak ... I am here in Canader also .... curious ... how did you make out with your repair?

    • whiteop Just Startin'
      whiteop
      415 posts since
      Dec 5, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Mar 3, 2013 3:20 PM (in response to geppert)
      Re: DT-50 won't power on

      Received my amp back from repair this Saturday after it's 3rd repair from a blown transformer. Plugged it in and it worked Saturday night and played it for about 30 mins. Tried to turn it on and it was DEAD this morning. Wouldn't power on. Went own the standard list; checked power cord to see if plugged in, all tubes glowing, speaker plugged in, the regular; completely dead again; looks like ANOTHER BLOWN TRANSFORMER. This will make the 4th time. Mind you I am powering up and down using the Standby switch and also have played a Fender and Rivera amp on the same circuit for 6 years without ANY problems whatsoever. No doubt it's the amp. To top it off I received the amp back from repair with one of the screws on top just about halfway unscrewed and evidence that the screws had all been tightened by a drill because part of the paint was chipped off AND there was a dint on the front facing of the amp that wasn't there before as though the amp fell over and struck the edge of his desk while he was working on it.

      I have never ever had so many problems with another amp.

       

      My advice: if you buy the DT-50 be prepared for it to eventually be a $1300 - $1400 paperweight because they are replacing the power transformers with the very same power transformers that blew in the first place. An extended warranty will only carry you so far but in the end your amp will be useless. I am very disappointed in this amp and am going to voice my experience with upper management at GC to see if they will discontinue carrying it.

    • jeffwatt Just Startin'
      jeffwatt
      31 posts since
      Jan 29, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Mar 3, 2013 3:57 PM (in response to geppert)
      Re: DT-50 won't power on

      I also live in Canada and am dealing with the notorious blown transformer issue. You'd better hope that your Line 6 gear doesn't fail right now, because Line 6 is in the middle of changing distributors/service centres in Canada... which has caused my local store no end of headaches in trying to get my DT50 serviced. Believe it or not, YORKVILLE is now trying to fix it!!! What a mess.

      • whiteop Just Startin'
        whiteop
        415 posts since
        Dec 5, 2009
        Currently Being Moderated
        Mar 3, 2013 4:05 PM (in response to jeffwatt)
        Re: DT-50 won't power on

        Well the DT series of amps have proven problems and they are not repairing them properly. I see lawsuits from several angles arising from it if they don't fix the problem; a lawsuit is just one call away and when the cause is justified it can get ugly; very ugly from a PR perspective. I hope they do the right thing otherwise sales might get affected.

        • jeffwatt Just Startin'
          jeffwatt
          31 posts since
          Jan 29, 2007
          Currently Being Moderated
          Mar 3, 2013 4:14 PM (in response to whiteop)
          Re: DT-50 won't power on

          I wonder if Yorkville will replace the transformer with one from a different manufacturer? That would be interesting...

           

          So sorry that you've ended up with the worst case scenario, whiteop. Four blown transformers is ridiculous and a real horror story for present and potential DT owners. I really hope Line 6 is paying attention--this is an opportunity for them to act decisively and emerge the heroes... or, at least, save some face...

  • vpuchek Just Startin'
    vpuchek
    1 posts since
    Nov 19, 2012
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 18, 2013 3:00 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Did the one thing you’re not supposed to!

     

    DT50 Head

    I ran both 8ohm outs(16ohm L/R) going into two 8 ohm cabs. Forgot that I had to send the 4 ohm (8 ohm L/R) outputs to the cabs and I burned something out. If I understand correctly, that lower ohms on the speakers draw more power from the amp, and if I have lets way 16ohm outputs going into 8 ohm speakers that will cause damage. I’m guessing my stupid mistake burned out the output transformer. Does anyone have any information on replacement parts and their cost for the DT50 head? Or any other useful info for the future.

  • thegwoe Just Startin'
    thegwoe
    Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 9, 2013 8:06 PM (in response to whiteop)
    Re: DT-50 won't power on

    Alas my DT50 has the problem where voicing 1 and 3 have completely dissapeared while 2 & 4 are fine.  Does anyone have a schematic for this amp they could send me?

    I live in the wilderness and while I have a great liscensed tech nearby who can fix anything, the freight to the nearest Line6 service center will kill me on costs. 

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