Line 6 DT25

[stevevnicks]

I keep thinking about getting an DT25 to pair with my HD500, the thing that's been stopping me is I read its known for blowing transformers

 

how true this is I don't know for sure ? although I was wondering if I got an DT25 and added active air cooling to the transformers would it help prolong there life ?

 

I have modded my AC30 adding Active air coolers (case Fans) next to the Transformers which also helps with the hot air circulation around the cab and internal electronics.

 

the end result is the amp runs around half the internal case temp, which has to be a good thing for electronics at the least.

 

so I was wondering if this could help with the DT25 transformers ?

 

here's what I did with the Vox AC30CC2

 

the next thing I will add is an home made heat diffuser (small  3" x 3" aluminium plate with holes drilled in it) and place it between the Power tube that's close to the right hand side transformer to reduce the hot spot being radiated from that particular PT on the transformer.

 

its all these small changes that will help with the longevity/reliability of the electronics.

[radatats]

I think the problem was with DT50's, not so much the DT25.  I have a DT25 Head and it has worked flawlessly other than the occasional need to reflash the firmware...

[stevevnicks]

ah ok,

 

its the DT25 combo I'm thinking of buying ....

 

I have 5 Amps already :/

 

although I will be having a clear out and keep a couple, maybe three of them, like the AC30, Peavey VK MKII 100 watt head and more than likely the Orange Crush 35RT.

 

 How ever i just cant help thinking the DT25 would be a nice addition, I could possibly sell the Crush 35RT, although its such a nice sound for an Analogue Amp I would probs end up keeping that too :/

 

I have never owned a Line 6 Amp of any sort, so I don't know about any reliability issues they may have/not have.

 

I don't like the look/style of a lot of the Line 6 Amps (that's just my personal opinion, I am not saying it effects quality/sound etc of line 6 Amps) although I do like the look/style of the DT range, and it would be a Combo I would end up buying. 

 

so any user info good and bad would be handy.

[innovine]

You have enough amps already. Learn to play better instead of buying more gear.

[Palico]

I run a HD500(x) with the L6 link to a DT25 combo. It's a great and very verstile little rig.  The advantage is obvously the versitiility and I think the tube in the DT series completes the modeling on the POD HD to make it outstanding sounding system. As for drawback the biggest seems to be realibility. I have had no problems at all on mine.  But if that Orange gives out on you, then you can likely find someone to work on it. Even if it's out of warrenty and there is no local "Orange" certififed shops close by, there is still likely someone good around that knows enough to fix it up. With the L6 gear there isn't a lot of shops around that know how to work on them. And from reading the forums It seesm even most of the "certified" shops don't really know either.

 

So your odds of having any issues is pretty small risk and it's outstanding sounding amp but if you do it might be difficult to get fixed.

[spaceatl]

I own(ed):

• AX2 (15 years old) I sold this one....The guy who has it is still using it...
• Flextone III XL (10 years old)
• Spider Valve MK1 (8 years old)
• Spider Valve MK2 (5 years old)
• DT-50 (5 years old)
• DT-25 (4 years old)

I think the amps are really solid....I have been using them for a while now....

[BucF16]

I have 2 DT50's and have never had any problem with them except worn out tubes from playing them too much.

[mtreehugger]

You have enough amps already. Learn to play better instead of buying more gear.

 

Ouch!  Does that apply to guitars too?  (I have 15 guitars, 11 are foreign, which I love to modfy, but have been asking myself this very same question lately)

 

ah ok,

 

its the DT25 combo I'm thinking of buying ....

 

I have 5 Amps already :/

 

although I will be having a clear out and keep a couple, maybe three of them, like the AC30, Peavey VK MKII 100 watt head and more than likely the Orange Crush 35RT.

 

 How ever i just cant help thinking the DT25 would be a nice addition, I could possibly sell the Crush 35RT, although its such a nice sound for an Analogue Amp I would probs end up keeping that too :/

 

I have never owned a Line 6 Amp of any sort, so I don't know about any reliability issues they may have/not have.

 

I don't like the look/style of a lot of the Line 6 Amps (that's just my personal opinion, I am not saying it effects quality/sound etc of line 6 Amps) although I do like the look/style of the DT range, and it would be a Combo I would end up buying. 

 

so any user info good and bad would be handy.

 

Everybody here is right--there is no b.s.  I've heard things about a few service centers that made me conclude that they don't know how to fix a Line 6 amp.  Some repair centers won't work on Line 6 equipment due to the complexity (which makes me wonder if their techs can read schematics).  So the concern about a repair is not unfounded.

 

On the other hand, there's a guy in these forums who scarcely played his DT50 in the first year due to unusual circumstances, and after the warranty expired he had an issue, and Line 6 took responsibility to repair his amp anyway.  So the company cares about doing right by its customers.  If you're fearing a catastrophic malfunction on your dime, with Line 6 you might have a better chance not to be SOL.

 

So if you buy it new you get a solid 1-yr warranty.  If you buy it used you get something that's been road tested.  By far, most electronic failures are in the 1st 3-6 months or after 5-10 years, so buying used may lead to statistically fewer repair needs, albeit sans warranty (unless it's less than a year old, in which case it's transferable).

 

I'd say you should play one before deciding, if at all possible.

 

I must say I'm impressed with your heat mitigation modifications!!  I'm a bit phobic about heat myself, and since I pulled out my speaker from my combo to pair with a greenback in a 212 closed back cab anyway (an awesome move on my part, if I may say so myself), i jerked the amp chassis as well.  It's now sitting upside-down on the speaker cab, so heat from the tubes will rise up AND AWAY from the rest of the amp.  That said, I'm unaware of anyone anywhere having a heat-related issue with a DT, or any combo amp for that matter.  It seems stupid the way they build them, I know, but apparently it doesn't cause the problems one might suspect.

 

Good Luck!

[Brazzy]

On the other hand, there's a guy in these forums who scarcely played his DT50 in the first year due to unusual circumstances, and after the warranty expired he had an issue, and Line 6 took responsibility to repair his amp anyway.  So the company cares about doing right by its customers.  If you're fearing a catastrophic malfunction on your dime, with Line 6 you might have a better chance not to be SOL.

 

So if you buy it new you get a solid 1-yr warranty.  If you buy it used you get something that's been road tested.  By far, most electronic failures are in the 1st 3-6 months or after 5-10 years, so buying used may lead to statistically fewer repair needs, albeit sans warranty (unless it's less than a year old, in which case it's transferable).

 

I was playing said Amp today using the 4 Cable Method and am loving it BIG TIME. This was the first time I was able to sit down and concentrate on setting it up and it is worth it. I updated my Thread today noting what I did to set it up so I can just review it in case I hit my head and get amnesia, lol.

[mtreehugger]

I was playing said Amp today using the 4 Cable Method and am loving it BIG TIME. This was the first time I was able to sit down and concentrate on setting it up and it is worth it. I updated my Thread today noting what I did to set it up so I can just review it in case I hit my head and get amnesia, lol.

 

Glad to learn you got your amp back!  I always thought that 4CM was for folks that don't own DT's and want to use the HD's modeling with their amp.  Do you like that with your DT50 better than the L6 Link?  If so, why?

[Brazzy]

Glad to learn you got your amp back!  I always thought that 4CM was for folks that don't own DT's and want to use the HD's modeling with their amp.  Do you like that with your DT50 better than the L6 Link?  If so, why?

 

I like it 'cause I can switch between feeding into the DT's Preamp or Power Amp. I'm going to feed a MIDI out from the Pod into the DT's MIDI in and try to access some of the internal DT's stuff like the Boost. I've got to brush up on that a little but you can be sure whatever I do I'm going to post it here.

[stevevnicks]

hahaha :)

 

learn to play better :) i am doing my best :P

 

the reason i have so many amps is because im a noob still finding my feet in the type of gear/sound i want/like, i wish i could play a fraction as good as you guys although i doubt i have enough years left in my life to catch any of you up with the years of practice i have ahead of me :)

 

the reason i added active cooling to the AC30CC2 is they run quite hot which is normal, although to me its just obvs it would help with active cooling to help stop hot spots, i even emailed Vox/Korg asking them if the Mod i done would help with the life span of the intenal electronics\circut board components and if the By pass the standby switch was a safe Mod, which they replied by passing the Standby switch is fine .. but they did not say anything about the active cooling i added.

 

i dont know how many people here owns an AC30CC2 but they do get very hot after being used for a few hours at a high volume (my friends who can play have used it at band practice) after testing the amp with adding active cooling for 4 hours at high volume it has at least hallfed the heat, when you touch the amp cab its just warm rather than hot.

i have drilled holes the heat deflecter (aluminum plate) that covers the vents on the right hand side of the amp and with the fans turned on (fans are wired to the standby switch as that is no longer used for standby) you can feel the heat pouring out of the vents, the amp has to have the vent protected from the heat using the aluminum plate that vox fitted or the plastic vent would melt, but what i dont understand is why they Vox/Korg did not drill holes in the aluminum plate in the first place as this lets the heat flow out of the amp and also protects the vent from melting(warping) or better still just used metal vent covers in the first place (talk about cost cutting!) the active cooling also helps keep the circut boards and its components run cooler.

 

sometimes i cant help feeling they design things so they last but not as long as they could.

 

The more i think about the vents on the AC30CC2 or any of the reissue AC30 modern Amps for how much they cost i would of thought they would of at least installed metal vents rather than cheap plastic ones, two of which (on the AC30CC2 Model) seem to be more for show rather than practical use, as the aluminum plate screwed inside the top of the Cab, directly on the under side of the plastic vents, blocks the vents from allowing the heat to vent out of the cab (hence why i drilled around 60 small holes in it)

i think i will ask my mate to make some stainless steel ones at the factory where he works to replace the cheap plastic ones Vox/Korg supply with the amp. (matty makes lots of custom stuff you only have to ask him to make it and he will)

[Brazzy]

hahaha :)

 

learn to play better :) i am doing my best :P

 

the reason i have so many amps is because im a noob still finding my feet in the type of gear/sound i want/like, i wish i could play a fraction as good as you guys although i doubt i have enough years left in my life to catch any of you up with the years of practice i have ahead of me :)

 

All you should do is have fun with learning and playing and make sure you let yourself go before you stop playing, lol. That's what I do 'cause life is waaaay too short. Get some good drum tracks and Let 'Er Rip....Rock On!

[DarrellM5]

You have enough amps already. Learn to play better instead of buying more gear.

 

Hey, we're not looking for logical advice here, mister!!!      :rolleyes:

 

BTW, My Vetta II has been perfect for the last 11 years.  I did experience an issue with the DT25 head in the first year, which Line 6 fixed under warranty.  It's ran good ever since.  I'm glad I bought it from Sweetwater so it has the extra year of coverage, just in case.

[stevevnicks]

im in it for the fun, not to think i am the next joe joe satriani or jimi hendrix lol

 

as long as im having fun with what im doing thats what matters, its not like i have a paying audience to please :P

 

some people dont or cant seem to understand why people dont think the same way as they do .. example not everyone wants to be a pro musician, but they always seems to be those who class them selfs as pro or are pro players who feel the need to be superior to others funny thing is i dont give two monkeys as long as im enjoying myself i dont take playing or trying to play very serious because i dont want to put that much effort into something im not that committed to, again this is just a past time hobby type thing once i can jam with my friends for fun that more than good enough for me.

even if i was good enough to play at a gig i still would not want to because im not the show man type person.

 

what i like about the DT25 is the amount of options when paired with the hd500 .. i would have to buy second hand but now put off due to repair issues people have said.

 

so i think i will give it a miss for now.

[mtreehugger]

im in it for the fun, not to think i am the next joe joe satriani or jimi hendrix lol

 

 

what i like about the DT25 is the amount of options when paired with the hd500 .. i would have to buy second hand but now put off due to repair issues people have said.

 

so i think i will give it a miss for now.

 

Whether or not the DTs are a repair risk compared to other amps is a judgement call you have to make.  You might want to take into account that when in a support forum, you'll find that most folks came here due to a problem of some sort, so you'll obviously see a sampling of players skewed toward repair issues.  I have heard from Line 6 authorized techs that the don't see a lot of DT amps, which is a positive indicator.

 

Good luck!

[coolblues14]

My DT 25 power transformer is toast, anyone know where I can get another one?