Engl Powerball external gloop

[VacuumVoodoo]

and continue to dissect this piece of crap down to last electron.

Are you talking about my new amp? If you are, and I seriously hope you're not, do you not think that's a wee bit strong? They can't be that bad...

Cheers for the info guys. Some interesting reading there.

To clarify: I don't like the way Engl "packaged" a very good circuit design.
These amps are great sounding for the sounds they are designed to deliver.
But on a repair bench the only sounds you'll hear will be me swearing in several languages. From schematic to packaged product, that job must have been done by someone who never had to do anything more complicated repair-wise than replace a light bulb. Ok, so I like strong, juicy comparisons
I honestly wish you lots of fun with your amp and sincerely hope it won't cause you any trouble service wise.

[roberto]

Thank you Stonefree, yes that schematic is right (I'm a mod at SloClone), but doesn't help. Should be helpful a closer pic or just you looking at.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

[IMG:28:21]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/ ... a/box2.gif[/img] Who, me? No, way. Disagreeing on an issue and debating it is not fighting. IRL we would go for [IMG:57:28]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/ ... /drunk.gif[/img] and continue to dissect this piece of crap down to last electron.

I am with Aleks on this one. It's the dumbest way to construct an amp this side of well, some other American amps that are borderline unfixable, since they use radial parts and build the enitre amp around a board they assume will never need to be repaired ....I had an Engl here that smoked (from under the main PC board)...I politely told the customer to send it to Engl's (one and only) authorized tech in California....I totally "get" not wanting your circuit to be freely out there to be copied, but when you cannot repair an amp without completely dismantling it, and need to reassemble it to test it, you need to rethink your approach. It's on my "refuse to work on" list as well.... and yes, they do sound pretty nice, until they break

[Stonefree]

To clarify: I don't like the way Engl "packaged" a very good circuit design.
These amps are great sounding for the sounds they are designed to deliver.
But on a repair bench the only sounds you'll hear will be me swearing in several languages. From schematic to packaged product, that job must have been done by someone who never had to do anything more complicated repair-wise than replace a light bulb. Ok, so I like strong, juicy comparisons
I honestly wish you lots of fun with your amp and sincerely hope it won't cause you any trouble service wise.

It's cool man, no problem. I am having a lot of fun with the amp I totally see what you're saying though, as it is a bit of a nightmare on the inside. It's surprisingly uncluttered, but as FUCHSAUDIO said, to get any work done it would have to be completely disassembled as everything is the wrong way round. So yeah, it's a fiddly amp that would require skill and a lot of patience

Thank you Stonefree, yes that schematic is right (I'm a mod at SloClone), but doesn't help. Should be helpful a closer pic or just you looking at.

Just looking at the caps didn't tell me anything, so I removed the chassis to get a better look. Still no luck though, due to the way the PCBs are sandwiched together and secured to the chassis. Didn't really want to go any further for fear of breaking the amp. If my account ever gets activated at the Engl forum I'll ask there and let you know.


While the amp was apart I had a good look around and there was a couple of things that bothered me... pics attached

First pic is the power transformer (I think), and the others are dodgy looking solder joints. Just wondering if I should be worried about the transformer and if the solder joints need some work?

Cheers guys

[xtian]

PT looks OK. You worried about the brown puddles? That's just solder flux. No problem.

In your second photo, I can't really tell if those two pins and solder joints are heat damaged or if they look odd because of lighting or because they were already touched up by someone else. Anyway, the traces don't look torched and the surrounding board doesn't look discolored, so I'd guess it's ok.

[VacuumVoodoo]

Solder blobs with rosin flux residues are made manually, either post production or some kind of repair later on. They don't look skillfully done and that rosin residue should have been cleaned off. I would reflow them and clean properly. Isopropyl alcohol does the job.

[Stonefree]

PT looks OK. You worried about the brown puddles? That's just solder flux. No problem.

That's what I thought, just wasn't sure cause I'm a fud when it comes to the inside of amps Still way back at the start I'm afraid.

I would reflow them and clean properly. Isopropyl alcohol does the job.

I'm gonna do that... just as soon as I learn how to

Thanks again guys.

[Stonefree]

Nice site you've got here BTW, very informative.