cbrillow

In another part of the forum, there's a topic 'Is Variax dead?' This question could easily be asked in reference to the Amplifi series. Although you might be able to purchase one 'New', the interest even here in this sub-board is virtually nil, and look at how long it's been before anything has been contributed by Line 6 in the way of presets, videos or firmware updates. (Thank goodness for the latter -- firmware updates can be hazardous to your amp's health...)

I won't mention the name or manufacturer, but there is a 'new kid on the block'  -- a very AMPLIFI-like modeling ampliifier, with thousands of tones, effects and bluetooth capability, that is just now being developed and delivered, with an order backlog of weeks... I got into the AMPLIFI when it was a mature, soon-to-be-abandoned product. The newer device is on the opposite end of that spectrum, and there's hope that it may deliver where Line 6 has let us down. 

On the minus side, it looks like the new device has made similar omissions that plagued the Amplifi series -- no line output, and no foot control for switching presets. Yes, Amplifi did rectify that, eventually, but at a pretty significant cost.

I'm still waiting for my new amp, ordered 11/23/2019. Just wondered if others who are disenchanted with their orphaned Amplifi amps are considering checking out the something different...

"If you're accustomed to coaxing myfedloan controlled feedback on a 'conventional' amp"...

How in the heck did this link wind up in a message quote from my previous reply? Obviously, it wasn't accurately quoting what  what I wrote... 

Forum bug or intentional???

Just a guess, but it sounds to me like there's something wrong in the 'guitar amp' section, or maybe even the 12" speaker has blown, either of which may have been caused by overuse of the bass with it. The speaker would be easy enough to test with a 1.5v battery, which would show you excursion of the cone, if the voice coil is intact.

I believe you're hearing the reverb portion of the signal because most of the effects come from the full-range speakers, not the powerful guitar amp section. Note that I'm not an expert, and this is just speculation. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong!

Works fine with my iPad 6 9.7" running iPadOS 13.3.

I've been very satisfied with my G10, although I'm only a casual user. I have played a couple of gigs with it and had no problems. It sounds great, IMO, and the range is suitable for my needs. Hope yours also works to your satisfaction.

If you can, I'd recommend returning if for exchange. If it's a new product, it should be considered defective and replaceable. The retailer should accommodate that. I don't think you should have to file a warranty claim against Line 6, if it was this way out-of-the-box. (Just layman's opinion, not a legal one...) 

I have read that it's recommended to leave the transmitter in the receiver and connected to power when not in use. If someone chimes in with different information, I'll try to find and cite the source where I read this. 

Good luck! And be careful with that micro-usb connector -- have you read any threads on that yet?

This isn't a fluke -- it happens regularly. Firmware updates on these things is a very risky proposition, even if your are very computer literate. The forum is filled with complaints just like yours. I strongly suggest that you call Line 6 after the holidays and ask to speak to a tech about this. You probably won't get an answer from them on the forum, which is mostly peer support. 

They will tell you: 'Try a different USB port. If you're using a desktop, connect the cable to a USB port on the back. (It's connected directly to the mobo...)  Do not connect to a USB hub. Try a different USB cable. Try another computer."

And even if you do it with the tech on the line monitoring your progress, it can still fail, requiring you to send it to Line 6 for repair. If yours is a recent purchase, take it back to the store where you got it. If still under warranty, but not returnable, hold Line 6's feet to the fire.  

FYI, I have 3 Amplifi devices: FX100, Amplifi 30 and Amplifi 150. I had no problem updating the FX100 and the 30. The 150 failed and I had to spend over $100 to send it in to have it fixed 'for free.' When I got it back, they didn't even send a report about what work had been done. I had to ask. They said 'updated firmware.' Well, duh! What do you think I was trying to do, with the guidance of a tech on the phone, with my different USB ports, cables and 4 different computers? 

In case you haven't noticed, support for the Ampifi series is all-but dead. They haven't announced that it's officially considered 'abandon-ware', but there have been no updates or bug fixes for a very long time. If they still sell these things new, it's probably because they have a lot of new-old-stock to get rid of. I'd be very surprised to learn that they're still being manufactured.

I've ordered a  product from another manufacturer, who has come out with an amp very similar to the Amplifi series. The difference is, this one will be on the front end of its life cycle, instead of a dead-end, poorly-supported piece of tech from Line 6.

Good thing you love the X3 Live sounds, as I believe that those are the sounds on which the Amplifi series were based. That's the good news...

I seriously doubt that you're going to be able to make use of the X3 as a footswitch for the Amplifi 75, and also doubt the compatibility of the patch/preset files with the equivalent Amplifi files, despite the fact that they're based upon the same modeling.

My guess is the best option is to find a nice clean amplifier model in the Amplifi 75, simply use it as a guitar amp, with your Pod X3 doing the heavy lifting with tones & effects.

Good luck!

Can't say that this is something I'd be inclined to do, but good luck! And I applaud your pledge to provide an update to your project. It could be useful for someone with similar thoughts.

This is, unfortunately, an all-too frequent occurrence with the Amplifi series amps. Since your unit is brand-new, Line 6 would almost certainly offer a no-cost solution if you contacted them about it.  But it would inconvenience you, at minimum. 

You're in the driver's seat -- good luck in whatever you choose to do!

The FBV Shortboard MKII is simply a foot controller that's made to work with Line 6 devices, such as the Amplifi series which have amplifiers and effects built into them. It does not have any effects built into it -- it merely allows you to select effects and amplifier settings that are built into whatever device it's connected to. It's an expensive, glorified footswitch, nothing more.

Glad you figured it out and shared it for the benefit of others who read this thread in search of resolution to this misunderstanding of how this function works.

@shedhand
 

First of all, this is a very well-written post, documenting your problem, the steps you’ve take to try to resolve it, and your expectations. Well done! 
 

It sounds like you’ve had pretty good luck and a satisfying experience with your amp to this point, which is more than most of the contributors to this thread can say. But there’s no denying it, it sucks when this happens, no matter when it occurs.

My gut reaction is that the failure you’ve suffered, while certainly not unique, is one that happens less frequently than the one that seems to hit most of us: the inability to update firmware, resulting in a bricked device that does nothing. To my mind, it sounds like yours has a actual hardware issue that will require repair.

Many of us other users have found ourselves in a different situation, where there’s nothing wrong with the hardware, yet it will not allow a factory reset or reloading of the firmware, despite satisfying all the requirements and correctly performing the steps to accomplish this. Hardware failure is inevitable, and many types of products exhibit similar failures to the extent that they appear to have design flaws, but these rarely reach the class action lawsuit arena. 
 

I had to send mine across the country at my expense to have them reload the firmware, which I had tried unsuccessfully to do, even with a Line 6 tech monitoring my actions via telephone as I did it. I’m very tech-savvy and tried it with several different machines, all of them up-to-date with OS, drivers and security patches. It’s ridiculous that a device that’s intended to be updatable by an end user can be so finicky that it has to be returned to the factory for a simple firmware update. Supposedly, mine didn’t suffer a hardware failure. Those, I can understand...

Good luck to you in obtaining a resolution you can live with.

On 10/5/2019 at 10:20 AM, cchristo said:

I just started the remediation process with Sweetwater today, so we'll see where all of this ends up.

Sounds like you may have purchased a *New* device, which is good -- much easier to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion with new equipment.

And it's also good that you're calmly initiating this with Sweetwater, whom I've found to be very reputable and accommodating. Line 6 would also cover you under warranty, but going through Sweetwater will probably afford you more flexibility, especially if your choice is to run away to something that may be less technologically-engaging, but more reliable than the Amplifi series.

Good luck!

18 hours ago, the_gitarist said:

 Hello man, is there any chances should i update latest software with android, not computer?

You may not have noticed that you're referencing a post from 2014.

I would do some investigation before trying to update your Amplifi device. Although it doesn't happen to everyone,  there are plenty of instances of failed Amplifi updates bricking the hardware. You'll find a lot of complaints about that on the forum. It happened to me despite the fact that I am very experienced and knowledgeable with computer hardware, and even attempted the procedure while talking with a Line 6 tech on the phone monitoring my every step. Line 6 eventually covered the cost of repairs, but it set me back over $100 to send it to California.

When it returned, it worked, but there was no report on what was done to fix it. I inquired and was told that the firmware was reloaded. Well, duh -- what do you think I was trying to do on the phone with the Line 6 tech? 

I'd suggest first attempting to verify the version of your Amplifi firmware, which can be done non-destructively. There have been few updates, and none for well over a year. If you are running an outdated version that is currently working, or you don't absolutely need to try to update, don't press your luck.

I'm quite certain that psarkissian has mentioned that there's been at least one revision to the 59's circuitry, but that it was minor and doesn't really qualify it to be a 'new, improved' product. He'll probably jump in and confirm or correct me, as necessary...

I like most of the things about my '59 except selecting models with that screwy 3-way toggle switch and pushbutton knob arrangement. I 'grew up' with a Variax 500 that had the 5-way switch -- like a Strat -- and just can't remember where the models are with the newer switching system. I almost wish I'd bought a JTV-69 instead.

Other things to look out for might be the poor illumination of the model select switch and battery life. It can be hard to see what model you have selected, especially in daylight or onstage.  If you buy an older JTV, expect battery problems and a $50 expense for a new one. I know you are planning to power it from HD500X, but there are times when you just want to plug it in and go. If you don't have battery power, you're stuck using the mag pickups. (which I like, by the way...)

Good luck -- hope you find one that you like...

Thanks -- that's what I was guessing you used...

A little description would be nice!

Is that a regulator board you've added? Maybe a 9Vdc input to 5Vdc device?

On 9/20/2019 at 7:03 AM, larslengberg said:

 

Thought I might just add my mod picture too. I found a really tiny (like 10.000 times smaller that jmod757's beast! :D ) switch regulator board, that still does 1.5 A. 

 

Nice job -- thanks for your contribution!

Ok, good information...

Some more questions:

• Is this a newly-acquired device? 
• Bought as new or used?
• Have you registered it with Line 6?
• Was it working ok prior to this?

You might have better luck talking to them on the phone rather than waiting for a response to your ticket. The problem with tickets is, they'll make a suggestion or ask for more information, which can really string things out. I've been able to have a tech on the phone, so we can exchange real-time Q & A, and was able to perform checks while he waited for the results. If you've registered your FX100, you might get a quicker response this way.

Offhand, I don't have a suggestion that goes beyond what you've already tried.

Hope Line 6 have been able to assist you!

Your message is a bit unclear -- did this failure occur after you updated to 2.60.0, or did you do the update in an attempt to correct the problem?

If you're finished 'playing out' and are going to be playing primarily in your basement or room, consider the Amplifi 30. Really! It's surprisingly loud and it sounds pretty darned good, IMO. It's also pretty easy to adapt it to battery power, so it'd be suitable for playing in the park, where there's no AC power.

I have 30, a 150 and the FX100, and find the 30 the most useful. I also use backing tracks from karaoke-version.com and some I've made myself. It works fine for the occasional open mic show and I can carry the entire setup in an Igloo cooler

I would question what prompted you to conclude that it 'doesn't work with Android.' ??

I have an Amplifi 30 and an Amplifi 150. They both work with the remote app on my Android phone, which is a 4-year old Nexus 6, and with my 6th generation 9.7" iPad.

I also use them with a laptop, using the computer's built-in Bluetooth to play backing tracks on the amps. I have no problems with Bluetooth disconnections. 

I have other doubts about the Amplifi series, notably the frequent difficulties that can arise out of updating the firmware, but that's probably a moot point, because we're not likely to see any firmware updates, anyway...

Thanks for passing along this information, rx7carl -- maybe it'll help someone one of these days! (Maybe even me -- I haven't put any effort into getting Line 6 Edit working with my Windows 10 system yet...)

40 minutes ago, fflbrgst said:

Note that the 30 does not have multiple banks.

Thanks for enlightening me on this! 

Here's hoping that the original poster has had his (or her) question adequately answered!