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Warning about the Amplifi series


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It is best to sell or trade in your Amplifi product while you can.  There is no immediate tech support. More importantly, lack of immediate parts availability when (and it will happen) your amp or pedal stops working. Sending to an authorized repair service out of warranty will cost you a lot of money and a lot of time for something that will fail again.  Sending it in under warranty is resolved by replacing a PCB board that is not in stock and that takes a lot of time.  As of this writing, up to two months to wait for your unit to return from warranty repair.  Ordering parts out of warranty from a local service center results in price gouging and delays.  A good concept that was poorly designed and supported.

 

I have owned the Amplifi 150, FX100, my friend has an Amplifi 150, and they all stopped working due to the main PCB, or the power supply. 

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I had the main PCB replaced in my Amplifi 150 when it was in warranty and I haven't had a problem with it since. Well, it was having a weird reboot cycle problem where it would just stop when you started playing something, but I opened it up as it was out of warranty, removed the sd card with the firmware on it, booted the amp, turned it off, and reinserted the sd. It hasn't played up since.

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20 hours ago, RVallance1 said:

I had the main PCB replaced in my Amplifi 150 when it was in warranty and I haven't had a problem with it since. Well, it was having a weird reboot cycle problem where it would just stop when you started playing something, but I opened it up as it was out of warranty, removed the sd card with the firmware on it, booted the amp, turned it off, and reinserted the sd. It hasn't played up since.

Hope you don't think I'm a wise-guy, but I'm having trouble understanding a couple of things about your post:

  1. You say that you removed the SD card containing the firmware, then booted the amp. That seems counter-intuitive to me. Will the amp actually 'boot' with no firmware?
  2. 'It hasn't played up since.' Do you mean that it's been 'ok' since you did this -- it hasn't messed up, screwed up, goofed up? 'Played up' is a phrase I'm not familiar with...

Thanks.

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On 8/28/2018 at 8:02 PM, RVallance1 said:

I had the main PCB replaced in my Amplifi 150 when it was in warranty and I haven't had a problem with it since. Well, it was having a weird reboot cycle problem where it would just stop when you started playing something, but I opened it up as it was out of warranty, removed the sd card with the firmware on it, booted the amp, turned it off, and reinserted the sd. It hasn't played up since.

 

By removing the SD card, it is a good chance you damaged it. The SD cards Line 6 uses are very cheap and can break very easily inside. I know, been there, done that.  In this case, you must buy another SD card. A 4 or 8 gig if you can find one.  Make sure the card is in FAT format. Update your amp via USB from a computer not Bluetooth.  The Line 6 software will detect you do not have the latest firmware in the amp and install it. You should be fine after that.

 

For the reboot issue, check the wide ribbon cable that goes from the top controls to the main PCB. It tends to get loose. Line 6 put silicone on it to keep it in place, but the silicone is too soft to be of any good.  Also, check the connections on the bottom of the main PCB to make sure they are seated in place firmly. No silicone was used there at all and vibration can make them loose. 

 

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  • 1 month later...

While I agree the MicroSD card could be an issue for a lot of the Amplifi owners, I have not seen that they use cheap/crappy cards.  Ive seen SanDisk brand, and coming from a data recovery background I know flash memory.  These cards are as good as any.  One problem Ive seen is the card holder has a small spring latch which breaks.  they also glue them in making them a pain to swap out... I wish the "silicone" was too soft as In my experience it has been hard and squeezed through the card holder.. a real PITA

 

I've wondered what would happen if you put in a new blank card, so interesting that you seem to be saying you can put in  a FAT card and then it will still let you install firmware.  thanks for that. 

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  • 5 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Let's face the facts... Amplifi line has always been UNSTABLE JUNK and another total rip off by Line 6. They have made millions from us and never once tried to re-write the firmware so the Amplifi line could be usable. They just abandoned it and all of us!

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  • 2 years later...

Hey guys, I'd like to re-ignite this topic before I dump my Line 6 Amplifi in the trash. Mine stopped working and I get the solid dim lights when I try and boot up. Anyone have luck with removing the SD card?I tried this and same issue. Not sure what else to do besides take the celestion out and dump it in the trash!

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  • 1 month later...

Unfortunatly ALL owners of any Amplifi were deliberately screwed by Line 6. Tens of thousands have been ripped of succesfully by Line 6 because they sell a product THAT HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY FROM THE START!  Since day one it has been clearly documented by MILLIONS that Amplifi 150 and all other Line 6 products have a MAJOR blue tooth conectivity problem with both the Android and IOS versions of the Amplifi app. Like me if you own any Line 6 product you have a usless paperweight. If you are thinking about purchasing an Amplifi YOU KNOW UP FRONT THAT IT WILL NEVER WORK! BEST ADVICE STAY AWAY FROM EVERYTHING LINE 6 AND DON'T LOOK BACK!

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  • 1 month later...
On 7/25/2021 at 7:21 PM, dialtech said:

Unfortunatly ALL owners of any Amplifi were deliberately screwed by Line 6. Tens of thousands have been ripped of succesfully by Line 6 because they sell a product THAT HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY FROM THE START!  Since day one it has been clearly documented by MILLIONS that Amplifi 150 and all other Line 6 products have a MAJOR blue tooth conectivity problem with both the Android and IOS versions of the Amplifi app. Like me if you own any Line 6 product you have a usless paperweight. If you are thinking about purchasing an Amplifi YOU KNOW UP FRONT THAT IT WILL NEVER WORK! BEST ADVICE STAY AWAY FROM EVERYTHING LINE 6 AND DON'T LOOK BACK!

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Hello,

 

Thanks for the update and quick reply. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this thread. Looking for the same issue.

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  • 3 months later...

Hello All, 

It's incredible how I've been reading in the internet about this same issue. 

My amplifi reboots after 10 min of usage. I read somewhere it's due some issue with the power supply, and some capacitors, which need to be replaced. 

And it makes sense, because it happens when temperature raises. 

 

Nevertheless, Now I'm hopeless because now sounds like a cockroach. it's like low sounds are damaged. Right now it's a huge anvil in my room, and I'm afraid I'm throwing it away (sorry for my bad English) 

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  • 2 months later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 9 months later...

L6 has discontinued the Amplifi line as of 2020, from what I've heard.

I've had every floorboard that they have ever made with the exception of the HELIX(the only model that L6 supports anymore).

The Amplifi 150 kicks lollipop with it's BOSE technology, but took forever to update and would occasionally drop the BT signal(very annoying), but if I would have known that I was going to buy a $300 paperweight, I NEVER would have bought the Amplifi TT model.

I've since jumped ship to greener pastures that actually support their product such as BOSS and Kemper

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