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Line 6 Spider IV 120 watt 210 combo

Started by leadplayer, July 10, 2012, 10:29:12 PM

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leadplayer

Hello everyone I was checking the internet for a possible fix for a problem I have, and ran across some smart people here so I was hoping I may get an answer. I have a time sensitive problem. I have a line 6 spider IV 120, the power amp died and the headphone out has not been working for awhile. However  I can still write patches so the effects side seems to be fine. My band is playing this weekend and I have alot of fairly complex patches wrote as we are a cover band that plays alot of different types of music. I really need my amp this weekend. I have a nice vox amp that sounds great, what I am hoping is if its possible to add an effects loop, send-recieve jacks for the effects section of the line 6 to run to the vox so I can use the effects of the line 6 and power of the vox or, disconnect the power amp section of the line six and where the signal leaves the effects to go to the line 6's power amp section disconnect it and soldier a 1/4 jack as an effects out to run the effects to the vox amp's input. So basically I need the effects of the line 6 togo to the vox amp. This model does not have any I/O's other than an mp3 input that works and the headphone out that does not work. I do know enough to do this work if I have a layout or discription of what needs to be done, I just dont have the knowledge to figure out the signal path :-). Thankyou all that offer help as this is a very important job for me and my band and money is so tight atm I cannot buy a new effects pedal. Thanks again
                                                                John Dullebawn

Roly

There is nothing that substitutes for allowing lead time.  You have known that your Line 6 isn't working for how long?  I have a sign up in my workshop that says;

"Lack of foresight on your part
does not constitute an emergency on my part"


...and as someone who has been fixing musician's, theater, and show gear, sound and light, for many years, there is a good reason for that sign.  I will give you all the help I can, but no sympathy at all for putting yourself in this jam.


Find and post the Line 6 circuit, then we can get down to details.  I'll check back in a few hours.  8)

Until then, very generally - you should be able to pick up the effected signal in the Line 6 from the wiper of the master volume control.  This can then be taken to the least sensitive input on your Vox.

You will need a length of screened cable long enough to get from inside the Line 6 to the input socket on your Vox, and a plug that matches your Vox input.  If the Vox has an Fx Loop then Fx Return is another possible place to insert the Line 6 signal.  You need to start gathering these bits now.
If you say theory and practice don't agree you haven't applied enough theory.

leadplayer

sorry for the period of time it took me to get back to you, the job got cancled anyway. My brother passed away thursday and of course we are all at a loss. I decided to get back on the horse here to get my mind off of my loss. As for sympathy for the musical jam I was in, I was not asking for any. The headphone out was the only problem with the amp and that happened 1 1/2 years ago when my neice kicked the headphone cable while it was plugged in and cracked the pcb at the output jack, I did have a tech look at it and was told all else was fine with the amp and it seemed to be as it worked great for the last year and a half. This power section  problem just happened out of no where. I do take good care of my gear, just in this case a $280 dollar fix on a $300 amp to get a headphone out working didn't seem like the best move. If you are willing to offer some help here that would be great as cash is tight and I love the tone from the tube section of the vox anyway. I will try and find the circuit if I cant find any online is there a way I could take close ups of the pcb;s on my amp? Thanks

J M Fahey

Yes, basically the only path to follow is to get the schematic, figure where the (audio) signal gets into the power amp and tap it into some (added)  line out jack for availability somewhere else.
Unless the power amp happens to be repairable, of course.
Nothing can be done without that schematic though.
Write them, *maybe* you catch them on a "let's help" day.
Personal opinion: I'm seeing it more and more all over the place: wonderful programmable amps which because of any, often minor problem, have to be junked, because, of course, info is unavailable and even if you get it, it's too complex to be used.
I'm getting into the mindset that the sensible option is to get a multi emulator *pedal* or POD and plug it into a regular amp.
Failure of one does not kill the other, separate parts tend to be more robust and worst case, one dead means you can still play with the other and save the night.
POD dead?: plug straight into the amp and play somewhat simpler, less effects.
I bet the *music* won't suffer that much.
Amp dead?: plug the POD straight into the PA.

While in the full digital combo amp, any problem means very frustrating not playing at all.
jm2c

Roly

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.


Given what you said about the cause of the headphone output not working, there is a good chance that this could be fixed simply with a bit of glue and splinting the broken connections with hookup wire.  A couple of hundred bucks for such a repair is a lot more than I would charge for such a simple and generally straightforward job.  {but that possibly explains why I'm not rich}

Where amps have an Fx Loop or Pre Out/Main In connections these are at Line level, and in general terms are around the main volume control area.

So when you want to mate the output of the preamp of one amp to the input of the main amp of another you need to effectively patch the volume control connections of one to the volume control connections of the other ('tho for simplicity you may be able to go in to the inputs of the second amp).

In your case you could add a Preamp Out socket to the rear of the amp which will allow access to the preamp-processed signals; but now that the matter is not so urgent we should also examine the possibility of getting the main amp going again.


I certainly share JM's feelings about the trend to amps with in-built fancy digital processors.  I regularly service amps that are up to fifty years old, and show no signs of giving up any time soon.  But when I look at some of the modern gear that also comes across my bench (such as a PA with digital reverb last week) I have to wonder how much of it will still be going even ten years after it was manufactured.  In many cases these fancy digital Fx units are effectively unrepairable when they leave the factory - if they die they are replaced, and once spare modules run out, forget it.
If you say theory and practice don't agree you haven't applied enough theory.

leadplayer

Thankyou both for the input. I will try line 6;s website  and a local music store that I am in good standing with to try to get the schems. As for fixing the power amp section, I would prefer to get the effects or "preamp" out of the line 6 if possible. The amp has great effects but I was never happy with the tone of the amp.  There is no way to get  nice highs or presence from the amp so I am hoping with using the power section of the tube vox I may get more high end bite. Thank you again and I will get the schems if possible.

                                 John DullebawnIII

Roly

Well since you have to go inside anyway you could always do both, add a Pre Out and fix the main amp, even if only as a fallback spare Plan-B.
If you say theory and practice don't agree you haven't applied enough theory.