BUZZ | PRS Sonzera 50 Part 1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2023
- Seems to be a pretty common problem with this model. Here is at least one fix.
Lots of "how to fix X problem in Y amp" videos out there, but in my experience not all problems have the same cause even if they share symptoms. So this is not a cure-all for buzzing Sonzera 50s, but it's a very good place to look if yours has the dreaded buzz.
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These are things I get asked about a lot :
Amp Tech Gear Used :
Hakko FX-951 soldering station
Weller SPG 80L soldering iron (chassis work)
Rigol DS1054Z digital oscilloscope
Thsinde 18B+ digital multimeters
Kester 60/40 solder
Below are things that make this channel possible that people don’t usually think about. If any of these companies want to send me new and wonderful toys, I’m open to that. I can’t take free stuff when it comes to the amps I review, etc, but for the stuff below, bribe away!
Microphones/Audio Equipment :
Guitar Amps : Usually a Shure SM57 (exceptions noted in videos)
Bass Amps : Sometimes a Shure Beta 52, other times just an SM57
Voiceover Bench : sE Audio sE8 (small diaphragm condenser)
Voiceover Streaming : Shure SM57 with shockmount and windscreen
Voiceover Mic Arms : Elgato Wave Mic arms
Guitar Mic Stand : Gator Frameworks short weighted base stand with boom
Mic Cables and Guitar Cables : Mogami/Neutrik
Mic pre : MOTU M2
DAW : Logic Pro X on MacBook Pro 16 running Sonoma 14.0
Plugins : No effects other than level matching/normalization unless a recording
specifically has reverb etc added in post (rare, various Waves plugins)
Monitors : Yamaha HS7s
Monitor Stands : Gator Frameworks Desktop Clamp-On Stands
Monitor Isolation Mounts : IsoAcoustics Iso-Puck Minis
Headphones : Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (main)
Headphones : Sony MDR-7506 (alternate)
Video Equipment :
Camera : Sony ZVE-10 with SmallRig Cage (main)
Lens : Sigma f2.8 18-50mm (main)
Lens : Sony ZVE10 kit lens (rarely used)
B Camera : Apple iPhone 13 Pro (rarely used)
Tripod : SmallRig 71” with SmallRig Fluid Video Head
Streaming Mount : Elgato Master Mount S with SmallRig Ballhead
Bench Light : SmallRig RC 120D
Bench Light Diffusor : SmallRig Lantern Softbox
Bench C-Stands (light and overhead camera) : Neewer Pro SS Heavy Duty
Streaming Light : SmallRig RC 120B
Streaming Diffusor : SmallRig Parabolic Softbox
Streaming Light Mount : SmallRig 148CM Wall Mount Boom with Triangle Base
Various Other Lights : Neewer LED Panels with Neewer Softboxes
Video Software :
Davinci Resolve 18.6
Paul Leeming LUTs
Adobe Illustrator 28.0
Adobe Photoshop 25.0
Ecamm Live (streaming software) - เพลง
If I took my amp to be repaired, I would expect to receive my amp returned to me completely issue free. It is the repairman’s reputation that is on the line with every repair. The honesty and integrity is as important as the knowledge and skill of the technician. Great job as always Sir.
This looks far far better than some older amps by PRS so good on them for stepping up their game
"Padding the bill"? I believe if I take my amp or car or whatever, in for service that tech is going to alert me of any other issues or concerns as well as future concerns not just what I brought it in for. That's what they do, they see what we don't. Nothing worse than being out in the middle of nowhere or on a gig and a preventable failure occurs. Kudos my man. If I was near you, you'd have my business. I do wish I could find a Mercedes tech near me with a mind like yours.
Totally agree!
Absolutely wonderful walk-through of your troubleshooting process.
Very thankful that you do not listen to the naysayers, part swappers, who think themselves to be knowledgeable critics. You Are pretty much a “unicorn” in the industry, and I pray that there are younger generations of technicians that will garner some knowledge and wisdom from watching your channel.
Thanks for all you bring to the Internet!
Amen
One thing is certain: You are a tube amp snob (takes one to know one) and as a lover myself, I know that you love great tone and are motivated to do justice to these amps. So if anyone accuses you of anything, they are free to be wrong.
Man I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck im going to be buying for a new to me amp and anything I come across I cross reference your videos thanks for giving us all a peek inside damn near anything and everything out lol
Serviceable is a word that is becoming obsolete. "Built to last" has been replaced with "Built to last until the next one comes out, but your results may vary!"
Love your work Lyle.
Great video! Thx again for your insights from Germany! Always looking forward for your videos and live streams
Been looking forward to this one!!!!! Thank you so much for all the help!!! (my amp btw)
Lyle , haters are gonna hate and lovers are gonna hate . I respect your persistent acknowledgment of the naive criticism you receive , but know that most people don’t read that nonsense . Thank you as always for your thorough workmanship . You help me be a better tech . Cheers. Charlie
Great video! Learn something with every one. Thank you sir
85oC caps aren't my fav though. Love your work man, the production is super nice.
I hardwire pots to the PCB. Worked on a ton of Pcb mounted pots and Jacks.
That's an option. It's a hell of a lot easier(faster and cheaper for the client)to just get the right parts and install them correctly.
Excellence video!
I wish you lived near me! We definitely have a shortage of amp technicians (good ones) where I live.
I have the same amp with a terrible buzz but not effected by any of the controls. I'll drop it off at Martin music the next chance I get to Memphis
I like someone fixing things I was all ways mad if they just rigged it and let it go.
Looks like a decent pcb.
It looked like a decent quality PCB too. It's nice when an amp build quality meets expectations. Unfortunately, that bar is lower than it should be.
It does look like a massive improvement. Is the board through hole plated?
It's a hell of a lot better than the last Archon 50 I punished myself with.
Yup, pretty good (through hole plated) board in this. I’ll do a fuller review of such things in part 2.
Oh man I have the 20w version and it buzzes and rattles so bad I even had an amp builder from devil cat amps re-soder and work on it and it still buzzes like hell sounds great use it for gigs and my main amp but the buzzing drives me nuts at home. Thinking about getting a voxac15 would you recommend?
Hi Lyle, those 4 diodes rectify the heater suply for V1 ?(I asume they want DC heater suply in V1 to reduce hum). If so I don´t get why a power tube failure (that has AC heater suply) induced a falure in that 4 diodes rectifier bridge. Tryied to follow you explanation, went back a few time but got lost. you think too fast for me, plus english is not my main language. I would really apreciate your reply , your troubleshooting method is awesome to say the least and you deserve more subs and views. I whish I had a Tech like you where I live. I learnt to repair my own gear because I don´t have the means to pay a Tech like you, and there is no tech like you anywahere near. I have had that isuue in some amps in the past, never understood the cause. I wold really apreciate your answer. Thanks in advance. Keep working like you do, I would pay your fee any day If I were in USA. If some so called tech says you overcharge your work the don´t know what they´re talking about. Just pull thar board is a hell off a job.Take care!
Thank you. I’m supposing that the failing EL34 might have a problem that would cause a brief large increase in heater current. Could be a heater to other tube element short.
And that this “spike” could have damaged the diodes in the bridge as they are connected to the heater supply.
This is just supposition. I know the EL34 tube is bad and I know all four diodes were faulty. I suspect, but do not know, that there is causality here.
I know that with a new pair of EL34s and four new diodes, the problem was solved.
Under normal operating conditions, this diode bridge should be more than enough for preamp tubes to have DC heaters. To help it out I installed the new diodes slightly above the board with longer leads to better dissipate any heat.
If these were to fail in the future, I would replace them with a chassis-mounted 6A diode bridge. But they *should* be fine.
Someone got a brand new case carton of sillycone tubes! Ask me how I can tell. Anymore sillycone and I'd think they were potting it, ala Dumble.
I've always wondered if these amps were any good, considering their high price.
It's not good enough to have the pots untightened given the amount that PRS charge for these amps.
Knew not to trust a PRS amp...
Junk Pots. I use CTS pots.