A very weird (to me) issue with an Audible Illusions Modulus L2B ...
This is my second AI preamp - they sound fantastic but, as we all know, their CS is sh*t, which is why I'm posting here rather than wasting my time trying to call them (I've been waiting for 9 months for a response to a query about getting a copy of an owner's manual for my 30+ year old S-120 amp - after several phone calls, e-mails providing name, rank and serial number at Art's insistence, and unfulfilled promises).
Anyway, about 3 months ago, the blue backlight behind the selector knob went out. Not really a big deal, and I figured I could live with it that way as it didn't affect the sound in any noticeable way. I just assumed that the diode/led/whater-it-is had burned out and that eventually I'd get around to replacing it. BUT, when I turned it on about an hour ago, the 'broken' backlight is working perfectly fine, but the lights behind the two smaller center knobs (left and right gain - remember, this is the L2B line stage, not a full function preamp, so the knobs are slighlty different, but presumably, the backlighting scheme is the same) started flickering (not in sync with one another) and now they are out, but the one that's been out for 3 months remains on. And, as I'm writing this, the light behind the right gain knob just came back on, but the one behind the left gain knob is still out. The light behind the main volume knob seems unaffected. Obviously, these backlights are not in the circuit, so this is essentially a cosmetic issue, but I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what, if anything, they did to fix it.
Thanks, and Happy Turkey Day!!
Neil
We had an old farmer neighbor in the early 70s who bought a new Chevrolet. As part of gov’t meddling in new car manufacturing his new car had a large, square seatbelt warning light in the middle of the dash that would not go out until the driver’s seatbelt was fastened. He solved that annoying problem with a piece of black tape strategically placed directly over the warning light. Your problem might benefit with a similar solution. |
Agreed with @stereo5. If you possess soldering skills, maybe give the board a look see under a magnifying glass. Perhaps something will stand out as needing a little reflow. Another option is to send the unit into a reputable repair facility. PCX in Canada repairs hi-fi. As far as the lower 48, I’m not sure who to contact. Maybe Frank Van Alstine would give it a look? |
Thanks @stereo5 and @wturkey. I figure it is something like that too. I’m hoping someone might chime in who knows where to look - I have no problem going in with a soldering iron, but I’m less confident at being able to spot the bad connection, and totally confused about why it’s affecting more than one light, but not at the same time. Guess I’ll have to take off the front panel and poke around. I do have a competent tech - unfortunately he’s got a 6 month backlog, but I do already have a vintage (‘73) Marshall tube amp on his waiting list, so maybe this is a good excuse to check in with him.
As for the tape suggestion, I’ll assume you’re joking or just misunderstood. I’m trying to get the backlights to stay ON, not cover them up. Either way, thank you for your folksy wisdom. @boxcarman - the S-120 amp is 30 years old (and still fabulous), but I can’t rely on the owner’s manual for the current S-150. Thanks! Neil |
