Posts Tagged ‘TubeSync Bias Engine’
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Tube Testing – A common requirement for tube amplifiers used for professional and stage purposes is that there should be a high percentage of confidence that one or more tubes will not fail during the performance. Tubes are often thought of in the same manner as light bulbs, in that they are most likely to fail catastrophically at switch on. This means that the moments just after the switch on point constitute the most stressful and potentially damaging periods in the life of the equipment.In an attempt to guard against this possibility, it is common practice to do one of two things on a regular basis.
1/ regularly remove the tubes and have them commercially tested;
2/ replace the tubes with new stock on a regular basis.
These two methods may give the operator a degree of confidence ///but in fact, it can be shown that the faith placed in both methods is misplaced.
It is a known fact that removal of a tube from its socket results in a number of potentially damaging mechanical stresses on the metal to glass seals around the pins. Each insertion of an all glass tube will cause micro-cracking of the glass around the pin. This will invariably cause a small leakage of air into the tube, causing ‘gassing’ and eventually leading to its demise.
Removal for testing will also break the intimate contact between the holder and the tube contact pin, resulting in a poorer contact on re-insertion.
Many tube testers apply unreasonable electrical stresses to the valve internal electrodes and it is not uncommon for a known good valve to be damaged during the test. Tube testers can also give erroneous results depending on the way they perform the tests, possibly allowing faulty tubes to show ‘good’ and the good valves to be rejected as ‘bad’.
The second method of ‘blanket replacement’ with new stock on a regular basis can also lead to problems because if the failure distribution curve for tubes is analysed, it can be seen to follow the classic ‘bathtub’ failure curve. This inevitably means that an amplifier which is regularly ‘re-tubes’ will inevitably be considerably more likely to fail during the first hundred hours service than one which has been left untouched.
TubeSync overcomes these problems by performing an ‘in circuit’ test on the tubes every time the amplifier is powered up. The mutual conductance (gm) of the tube is measured by monitoring the cathode current of each valve whilst adjusting the grid bias in fixed steps. The results are tabulated and the new value is compared with previously stored values. A decision is then made on how far the tube has decayed in emission since the last test. Outputs from the device inform the user of the predicted remaining life of the tube.
Tags: 6v6, anode, Hiwatt at Musikmesse, Musikmesse, technician, Tube Amp Doctor, Tubes, TubeSync Bias Engine, UK, valve, valve matching
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Thursday, June 9th, 2011
Sensational blues guitarist Mitch Laddie has been out touring with the product fitted to his Mesa/Boogie F-50, which he said sounds “incredible”. “I had totally fallen out of love with this particular amp before Tubesync was fitted but the difference in sound is more than substantial.The response and tone have been improved ten-fold. Very tight, very fat and all round punchier, especially in the low to mid frequencies.”
 “I believe the product is very interesting and definitely nothing like anything I’ve seen or used before. The main advantages of the product are that not only does it give you a valve maintenance feature by displaying a light if a fault is found within a valve, but it manages your valves to run at an equal number of milliamps. This means that each valve is working at an equal rate which in theory gives you optimum amp performance.
Above : TubeSync fitted to a Mesa Boogie F-50
Tags: 6l6, 6v6, anode, Ashdown, bass, Bias Engine, Boogie, cathode, Custom, F50, Hiwatt custom amp, how to, KBO Dynamics, KT88, Laney, Marshall, Mesa, Mesa Boogie, Mesa Boogie F-50, Mesa Boogie F50, orange, Output transformer, Rockerverb 100 Head, technician, tube failures, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, UK, valve, valves
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011
Doug Doppler Demos Orange Amps Rockerverb 100 with DIVO Musikmesse 2011
 Orange Amps Rockerverb 100 with DIVO Musikmesse 2011 / Doug Doppler
Tags: 2011, amp, bias problems, DIVO, doppler, doug, Doug doppler, EL34 Valve, Frank, Frankfurt, KBO Dynamics, Marshall, Musikmesse, Musikmesse 2010, orange, Orange DIVO, Rockerverb 100 Head, Rockerverb 100 MKII, Rockerverb 50 Head, Technology, Tubes, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine
Posted in TubeSync | Comments Off
Friday, April 1st, 2011
Checkout the TubeSync DIVO review in the April 2011 Guitarist Magazine.
”TubeSync DIVO works perfectly and does an excellent job of keeping even the most wayward valves on the straight and narrow. If you want to get the absolute best out of your amp and improve its reliability, DIVO is almost an essential – it’s a real innovation”.
Tags: 2011, 6v6, amp, Bias Engine, cathode, DIVO, Frankfurt, guitar, hi, KBO Dynamics, Musikmesse, Musikmesse 2010, new, orange, Orange DIVO, Orange ov4, Output transformer, retro fit, technician, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, UK, valve, valve matching, valves, whats new at Musikmesse 2011
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Come and see TubeSync / DIVO in action at the Northern Newcastle Guitar Show:
Northern Newcastle Guitar Show
The Lancastrian Suite, Federation Brewery, Lancaster Rd, Dunston, Gateshead, NE11 9JR
on Sunday 6th March 2011
With Blues Guitarist : Mitch Laddie
 
Tags: 6v6, Bias Engine, directions, entry, exhibitors, Federation Brewery, fee, Gateshead, guitar, hiwatt, Lancastrian Suite, Mitch Laddie, Newcastle, Newcastle Guitar Show, Northern, Show, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, valve matching
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
A common requirement for tube amplifiers used for professional and stage purposes is that there should be a high percentage of confidence that one or more tubes will not fail during the performance. Tubes are often thought of in the same manner as light bulbs, in that they are most likely to fail catastrophically at switch on. This means that the moments just after the switch on point constitute the most stressful and potentially damaging periods in the life of the equipment.
In an attempt to guard against this possibility, it is common practice to do one of two things on a regular basis.
1/ regularly remove the tubes and have them commercially tested;
2/ replace the tubes with new stock on a regular basis.
These two methods may give the operator a degree of confidence but in fact, it can be shown that the faith placed in both methods is misplaced.
It is a known fact that removal of a tube from its socket results in a number of potentially damaging mechanical stresses on the metal to glass seals around the pins. Each insertion of an all glass tube will cause micro-cracking of the glass around the pin. This will invariably cause a small leakage of air into the valve, causing ‘gassing’ and eventually leading to its demise.
Removal for testing will also break the intimate contact between the holder and the tube contact pin, resulting in a poorer contact on re-insertion.
Many tube testers apply unreasonable electrical stresses to the tube internal electrodes and it is not uncommon for a known good valve to be damaged during the test. Tube testers can also give erroneous results depending on the way they perform the tests, possibly allowing faulty tubes to show ‘good’ and the good valves to be rejected as ‘bad’.
The second method of ‘blanket replacement’ with new stock on a regular basis can also lead to problems because if the failure distribution curve for tubes is analysed, it can be seen to follow the classic ‘bathtub’ failure curve. This inevitably means that an amplifier which is regularly ‘re-tubes’ will inevitably be considerably more likely to fail during the first hundred hours service than one which has been left untouched.
TubeSync overcomes these problems by performing an ‘in circuit’ test on the tubes every time the amplifier is powered up. The mutual conductance (gm) of the tube is measured by monitoring the cathode current of each valve whilst adjusting the grid bias in fixed steps. The results are tabulated and the new value is compared with previously stored values. A decision is then made on how far the tube has decayed in emission since the last test. Outputs from the device inform the user of the predicted remaining life of the tube.
Tags: 2011, 6v6, amp, anode, Ashdown, bass, bias, bias problems, biasing, current, Frankfurt, Hiwatt at Musikmesse, Hiwatt custom amp, KBO Dynamics, Musikmesse, NAMM 2011, orange, Output transformer, technician, Technology, Tube Amp Doctor, Tubes, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, valves
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
Due to the growing demand TubeSync has now over 2,000 friends on Facebook!
Click on the link above if you would like to join the TubeSync Revolution
Tags: amp, Ashdown, Bias Engine, biasing, DIVO, EL34, Facebook, Frankfurt, Guitarist Magazine, Hiwatt custom amp, KBO Dynamics, KT88, orange, Orange DIVO, Orange ov4, ov4, Tube Amp Doctor, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, v4, valve, valves
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
For over 30 years, Geoff Pugh has been providing the musicians’ community with vital repair services. We repair, modify and produce high quality valve amplifiers. Our services extend beyond that of just valve amplifiers and therefore we are highly skilled in repairing and modifying other products such as effects pedals, solid state amplifiers, hi-fi amplifiers, etc.
Aston Electronics is the home of Volt Amplifiers. Volt Amplifiers are a range of high quality hand made amps built on demand. Specific features and requirements can be provide you with the ultimate amp of your choice.
Aston Electronics is also the home of the Darktone pedal series. These high quality hand made pedals provide you with a huge range in tone and depth which can be vital to a players live setup.
We are proud to annouce that Aston Electronis is now an approved installer of TubeSync.
To find out more visit : http://www.voltamps.co.uk
Tags: anode, Ashdown, Aston Electronics, Bias Engine V4, bias problems, birmingham, Frankfurt, guitar amp repair, Guitar amp repair scotand, guitar amp tech, guitar amplifier repair, guitar valve amp repair uk, Happy Mondays, hiwatt, Hiwatt custom amp, kent, Laney, Manchester, Mesa Boogie, middlands, north wales, Saun Rider, Sean Syder, Shaun Ryder, south wales, Steve ryder, surrey, technician, TubeSync Bias Engine, v4, valve matching, Volt Amps, wales, warranty
Posted in Tube Amplifiers, TubeSync | Comments Off
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Backline rental companies don’t shell out on big, powerful expensive amps if they’re not going to be used on stage by pro musicians or semi-pro at the very least. That also means that the public shell out to go and see the artists play. Therefore, neither party will be particularly chuffed if an amp tube goes in the middle of a performance. Many travelling pro’s use the services of a backline rental company to take care of their equipment, however many tube guitar amps have problems which cannot be avoided by even the best tech.
So yes, the pro musician or backliner probably carries a spare amp or three just in case, not to mention a box full of matched tubes!
Peace of Mind
TubeSync gives the backline tech and the musician peace of mind; simple. With TubeSync fitted in the amplifier, it’s a bit like having a dedicated amp tech working full time on that amp from the moment it’s turned on to the moment it’s turned off. Best not to fiddle around too much, then. Better still, let TubeSync do what fiddling there needs to be done. Tubesync sits within the circuitry and ensures that the pairs remain matched throughout, and micro-adjusting the biases when necessary. Four LEDs display the status of each tube, in a 100W head for example, if a failure occurs TubeSync will immediately switch out the affected pair; OK, the amp will be functioning at only half power, but at least it will be working. That’s peace of mind. Knowing that this technology is available but not using it would be a bit like driving really fast whilst wearing welding goggles. Don’t want to worry you or anything.
 Why Choose TubeSync
• Performance peace of mind
• Greater efficiency due to reduced maintenance back at the workshop
• Can be configured to work with any fixed bias tube amp
• Logs how the long the amp has been driven with audio
• Records faults seen by the amp – Gives the tech full diagnostics
• No need to purchase tubes in matched pairs anymore, TubeSync takes care of the biasing
• Save money, better tube life / only need to change the defective tube
• Reduces quiescent power consumption
• Detects tube failure and prevents catastrophic damage to amp
• Switches out faulty tubes and runs amps at half power until tube can be changed
and there’s much more….
Bias Runner Software
Improving amplifier biasing methods, servicing and fault diagnostics
Interfacing with Bias Engine hardware, the Bias Runner software has been designed to allow professional amp technicians to interrogate the status of an amplifier, alter bias settings, perform field diagnostics and configure the amp for best performance, further adding value to your services.
Bias Runner is easy to install, offering full fault diagnostics, enabling tube biasing with and without audio present, either collectively or as individual tubes. It is the perfect tool for warranty provision and servicing, providing a database of hardware serial numbers and storing amplifier parameter settings for full traceability.
Please click here for your free information pack
Tags: 6v6, Amp tech, Ashdown, audio, backline, bass, EL34, Frankfurt, Germany, Hiwatt custom amp, John Henry, John Henrys, London, musicbank, Musikmesse, Output transformer, perform, Rental, Sound, sound and light, stage, terminal, tpi magazine, Tubes, TubeSync, TubeSync Bias Engine, UK, valve, valve matching
Posted in Tube Amplifiers | Comments Off
Friday, August 13th, 2010
We are offering select retailers and amp technicians the opportunity to become authorised suppliers of TubeSync technology and to take advantage of our new innovative amplifier technology.
- Become a supplier of KBO Dynamics’ TubeSync Bias Engine
- Generate revenue from hardware sales and fitting
- Benefit from accreditation as a TubeSync technician
- Add value to your offering with improved amplifier biasing methods, servicing and fault diagnostics, using TubeSync Bias Runner software
- Get involved as TubeSync emerges in new amp designs from major amp manufacturers.
If you would like to be considered as TubeSync ‘Service Point’ then please email : info@tubesync.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 1207 585846.
Tags: amp, Amp repair, amp repair shop, Amp tech, Bias Engine, hi gain, Hiwatt custom amp, repair, retrofit, service, Service Point, technician, Technology, Tubes, TubeSync Bias Engine, UK, valve amp repair, valve matching, valves
Posted in TubeSync | Comments Off
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