ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear

Let's Get Technical => All PREAMP Tech Tips & Support => Topic started by: Version_6 on March 22, 2015, 02:03:49 AM

Title: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 22, 2015, 02:03:49 AM
Well I bought an MP2 with a data error and checked the battery and it was dead. Replaced the battery, powered it back up and got the 'tubes warming up' screen and it got to default user preset 2. Now there's no output and i can't access the menu or anything as the membrane keys don't do anything.

It was in storage for a few years in what seems to be a damp place with some corrosion across the place. Went through and cleared most of it off with a de-oxit pen.

Any ideas where I should start? Hopefully I can get this thing working by myself before shelling out money to get it working.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 22, 2015, 02:43:32 AM
Bummer. So was there output initially before changing the battery ? Normal default user preset would be 1 (Marshall patch) after battery change (as all presets are lost when RAM power removed). Normal operation it powers up with the last patch selected (e.g. in may case 112). Do you have any midi pedal for it ? (they shipped/came with an ADA MXC, 1 expression CC pedal and a quad switch). So does the system edit button (far right) not work either ? (i.e. none of the front panel buttons work at all, and did they work at all before battery change ?).
 MJMP may have some ideas to check (he's our "under the hood" guru), and there are some other members also with good tech skills and experience.

One thing to try is remove, check/clean, reintsall the EPROM (stores the factory patches and firmware) located front right corner IIRC, should have a sticker on it with the firmware version, last EPROM update was v1.41. Pulling it out and reinstalling won't hurt anything (there's instructions in the mod and schematics area I think) but it's not hard to do (although take electrostatic precautions (power lead plugged in but power off, touch the case to ensure you have same potential difference)).

I'll PM you my phone number if you want to call, happy to chat and help more if I can  :thumb-up:
Cheers R
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 22, 2015, 02:57:01 AM
Cheers I'll give you a buzz some time tomorrow night then. No, when I got it there was no output, just the bad days message then it would restore to default than the buttons on front would kinda work. After I replaced the battery, I turned it back one and it did the bad data thing again. Turned it off and on again and it powered up and said a midi path error, then one more time turning t off and on again and it went into tube warm up and went into the default patch 2. I have a g system but it's buried under a mountain of other stuff at present because I just moved. I'll see if it changes patches when I get around to getting it out.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 22, 2015, 03:22:35 AM
Cool no worries, the extra detail will help trouble shoot (not heard of a midi path error before).  MJMP and others should see this in the interim (he's in Belgium) and may have some ideas, so look out for questions from him and others.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 22, 2015, 06:17:51 PM
Did you try the factory presets,since you're battery was dead the user presets are erased,so no sound from these.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 23, 2015, 01:55:11 AM
No sound before the dead battery and none after. Can't change the program, it comes up at patch 2 and the membrane buttons aren't responsive now. Connected my mp1 to it via midi to try and change programs that way, no such luck.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 23, 2015, 03:52:48 AM
Try pulling the EPROM, clean the contacts/socket and re-install (if for no other reason than to rule it out). If it's not connecting properly the firmware won't load.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 23, 2015, 03:57:01 AM
Instructions attached (but are also in the schematics and mods topic)
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 23, 2015, 04:02:59 AM
Yup did the eprom removal and reinstall, changed nothing. I'm thinking it may be at the point of having to send it for repairs. If it's gonna cost more than $150 I won't bother.

The firmware loads and it's not the final version.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 23, 2015, 05:37:26 AM
Well good to rule out that thought bubble... Hang in there a bit, sorry for your frustration BTW.
@MJMP, have you ever come across that Midi path error before ?
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 23, 2015, 04:32:04 PM
try also pulling the RAM maybe it got corrupted.This way you will reset the RAM.Ram is located next to the eprom (62256)
If that doesn't help try replacing U104 (74LS08),it's just above the eprom and RAM
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 24, 2015, 04:04:20 AM
Ok pulled and reseated the ram, and the bad data error returned. It went through the 'bad data' scan, then said midi map error, ERR 1. So the ram may be dead and I should go get some and see if that fixes the issue? Also, couldn't find 74LS08 on the board.  :-[
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 24, 2015, 04:17:42 AM
Never mind. Found it. Since each part is about $1 I'll try replacing them and seeing how I go.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 24, 2015, 04:32:55 AM
Cool, I'm hoping you can get it sorted,  :thumb-up:
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 30, 2015, 01:07:20 AM
One problem solved, another rears its head. So I replaced the ram and also the 74ls08. Once that was done I had control over the patches again and could access functions. Plugged it into something to test it and am greeted by a horrendous modulated hum on all the gain channels and just a mild hum on the cleans. Plug in a guitar and it gets weirder. Once the lead is in, the sound only comes when you connect tip to ground. Plug the guitar in, and the LEDS on the front panel all light up when the volume pot is turned off. No guitar signal coming through at all.

So, what's the next step you reckon?
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: rnolan on March 30, 2015, 03:47:57 AM
Well your getting there, albeit slowly. Sounds like something shorting in the input ? Just a guess, hopefully others will know.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 30, 2015, 06:35:56 AM
Does this happen on both front and rear inputs?
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 30, 2015, 02:16:36 PM
Yes, both front and rear inputs. I'll post a video later today and show what I mean. I'm without Internet while the company repairs the lines so I'll go borrow some from down the road.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 31, 2015, 01:39:55 AM
Ok that will give a btter idea on what's going on.

Did you change out both chips at the same time?
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 31, 2015, 02:32:36 AM
I changed out the ram first at it was the easiest to change. That didn't do it. So I changed the second chip and that allowed me access to the patches. I took some video of the MP2 in operation to show the synptoms but my internet connection is down for a few days so I'll have to upload it when I go past a public wifi point eitherater tonight or tomorrow.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on March 31, 2015, 06:27:11 PM
Well here it is. As you can see, makes a hella weird noise when the signal is grounded and causes the leds on front to light up. No real sound or anything on the clean channels.

https://youtu.be/pfAMUJJdXP4 (https://youtu.be/pfAMUJJdXP4)
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: MarshallJMP on April 01, 2015, 02:34:55 PM
So with your finger at the tip it makes noise and when you plug in a guitar nothing comes out?
What happends if you make a patch with compressor ,wah,chorus and noise set to off?And this on different voicings.
Also from what i hear you need to do the noise mod,at least change out R913.
Title: Re: MP2, lights are on but nobody's home
Post by: Version_6 on April 01, 2015, 02:57:32 PM
When the guitar is plugged in it makes a small hum but doesn't make the awful modulated noise until the volume knob is rolled all the way down to 0. I'll try making a patch with everything turned off and see how I go. There's never a guitar tone coming through on any patch or setting, just silence or that modulated noise with the LEDs coming on.