cube 80xl amp

[Peter Harris]

Mitch: You could try to open it up just to look at the PCB (circuit board)see if everything soldered onto it looks solid and if there's damage from it (PCB) being flexed. prime suspects are the attachment for the power plug and in/out jacks and anything else soldered to the perimeter.

But if you're not experienced w/electronics, DON'T POKE YOUR FINGERS IN THE POWER CAPS. In fact, just to be safe don't touch anything inside the amp, take it to an amp repair guy, they should be able to give you a free or low cost estimate.

With respect, if the amp is lighting up but NOT producing sound, I would not be concerned about the Mains power attachment.

I would be looking for a stuck, broken or corroded SWITCHING CONTACT on the HEADPHONE JACK...the bit of circuitry that MUTES the speaker when headphones are plugged in...

Try plugging in a set of headphones and see if THAT output is working...

OR:

Something similarly wrong with the switch that is used to select the TUNER function...

If neither of these ideas work, you can try frying your fingers on the caps or your wallet on the technician at the repair shop..

As I stated to another poster on this thread, download (for free) the User Manual from the Roland site if you haven't got access to one already..

Usually the "Block Diagram" in the manual gives you all the appropriate paths to follow.. ...even if you have to start at the end and work your way back to the input jack. If you look at the Block Diagram for the 80XL on page 18 of the manual, you'll see that the 'block' for the integral TUNER does not have any output...i.e., selecting it sends the input signal nowhere other than the 'tuner'...
HTH

Peter

[Mitch Adelman]

Well after months of not getting a sound though the amp when turned on despite all the lights working, I did as Pete and Jack suggested and cleaned the headphone input jack and now the speaker is working and the amp is producing sound again. Thanks guys.Been hauling around heavy peavy for months and gave up on the 80xl but thanks to you fellas I'll be bringing it back out!

[Chris Schlotzhauer]

Hi Chris,
As stated earlier, I use Cube 60s on my rig, and that is where my expertise (if I have any!) is mainly centered...however I am involved in a number of areas of Roland stuff and am used to trying to sort out problems for other people.

I had a look at pages 8, 9 & 10 of the (combined 40 & 80XL) User Manual, and it appears that:-

A: You must use TRS plugs into the footswitch jacks on an 80XL (NOT a TS guitar jackplug)

B: You probably have now "set" the amp's internal switching circuitry to "ON"

C: On Page 10 (under Foot Sw Type Setting FOR THE 80XL) it states that the setting you specify is REMEMBERED EVEN WHILE THE POWER IS TURNED OFF



...I think you need to get hold of the appropriate (specified) footswitch with a TRS jackplug, and actuate it to reset the circuitry inside the amp.


Admittedly, just my own take on all this, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was your answer to the problem.

HTH

Peter

Are you saying that I need the matching footswitch for the Cube?

Yup!

...the manual says that these are TRS Jacks...(Tip, Ring & Sleeve) in short, they expect a 1/4" STEREO Jackplug to make contact with the THREE conductors attached to the Jack.

If you haven't got the User Manual, it is downloadable for free from the Roland site...just Google it. ...and have a read of the pages that I quoted from.

HTH

FWIW, I built my own footswitches to change both input channels and effects on my two Cube 60s simultaneously..(I use a stereo setuo for live work) ...and the 'Roland philosophy' in THAT model remembers how the amp was switched from the last time it was powered up.
...That's what makes me think that when your shorted the contacts on the other end of the (mono) guitar lead, you simply tripped the electronic switch inside the amp, and it has remembered that 'setting'..... it's probably just waiting for you to insert a STEREO LEAD and short the RING and the Sleeve...

Cheers,
Peter

Thank you Peter.....I agree about tripping the switch. It worked once as I was in a panic right before a show.
But that worked to make the lights go off. I'm just curious how they all came on in the first place.....anyway, I went to the manual and did the re-boot to factory startup and it cleared the problem.

[Peter Harris]

Hi Chris,
As stated earlier, I use Cube 60s on my rig, and that is where my expertise (if I have any!) is mainly centered...however I am involved in a number of areas of Roland stuff and am used to trying to sort out problems for other people.

I had a look at pages 8, 9 & 10 of the (combined 40 & 80XL) User Manual, and it appears that:-

A: You must use TRS plugs into the footswitch jacks on an 80XL (NOT a TS guitar jackplug)

B: You probably have now "set" the amp's internal switching circuitry to "ON"

C: On Page 10 (under Foot Sw Type Setting FOR THE 80XL) it states that the setting you specify is REMEMBERED EVEN WHILE THE POWER IS TURNED OFF



...I think you need to get hold of the appropriate (specified) footswitch with a TRS jackplug, and actuate it to reset the circuitry inside the amp.


Admittedly, just my own take on all this, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was your answer to the problem.

HTH

Peter

Are you saying that I need the matching footswitch for the Cube?

Yup!

...the manual says that these are TRS Jacks...(Tip, Ring & Sleeve) in short, they expect a 1/4" STEREO Jackplug to make contact with the THREE conductors attached to the Jack.

If you haven't got the User Manual, it is downloadable for free from the Roland site...just Google it. ...and have a read of the pages that I quoted from.

HTH

FWIW, I built my own footswitches to change both input channels and effects on my two Cube 60s simultaneously..(I use a stereo setuo for live work) ...and the 'Roland philosophy' in THAT model remembers how the amp was switched from the last time it was powered up.
...That's what makes me think that when your shorted the contacts on the other end of the (mono) guitar lead, you simply tripped the electronic switch inside the amp, and it has remembered that 'setting'..... it's probably just waiting for you to insert a STEREO LEAD and short the RING and the Sleeve...

Cheers,
Peter

Thank you Peter.....I agree about tripping the switch. It worked once as I was in a panic right before a show.
But that worked to make the lights go off. I'm just curious how they all came on in the first place.....anyway, I went to the manual and did the re-boot to factory startup and it cleared the problem.

Great news !
Cheers,
Peter

[Peter Harris]

Well after months of not getting a sound though the amp when turned on despite all the lights working, I did as Pete and Jack suggested and cleaned the headphone input jack and now the speaker is working and the amp is producing sound again. Thanks guys.Been hauling around heavy peavy for months and gave up on the 80xl but thanks to you fellas I'll be bringing it back out!

Great job, Mitch..
...so glad you got it back on the road...

Cheers,
Peter

[Fred Treece]

What a refreshingly great thread! Problem solving at its finest! People actually helping people, offering advice, and the advice being followed and acknowledged. One more reason to love the Forum.

I suggest putting the repair segment of this thread into a new post in the Electronics section. It seems like that’s the place for it, and it might get more traffic there and help more people out.

[James Taylor]

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help with this situation as I am at my wits end with it.

The tone has changed in my Roland Cube 80 and I have tried everything I can think off to return the sound I have always been using without luck; moving the controls about has done nothing to sort out the problem.

Yours
James Taylor

[Fred Treece]

James, make sure the “Solo” function is set to where you want it. The Solo switch boosts the mids and can produce an unpleasant honk if your normal settings are uncomplimentary. The other thing you can try is a factory reset and start over.

From vguitarforums.com —-

“To do the factory reset, Hold down the [TAP/STOP] switch and the SOLO [ON/OFF] switch at the same time and switch on the power. The SOLO indicator blinks and the settings saved with the SOLO function are returned to their factory defaults.”

[James Taylor]

Hi Fred,
Thank you and I will try and see if that will sort out the problem as it has been driving me wild. I have had it for four years and it has been excellent till now.

Best wishes and thank you so much

James Taylor

[James Taylor]

Hi Fred, Thank you so much for your excellent information as this has overcome my problem and the beautiful tone has returned.

Thanking you so much. Best wishes

James Taylor

[Peter Harris]

Been otherwise engaged and didn't get to see these posts...
...so glad you've got it sorted, James..

Thanks, Fred...that was exactly what I was going to suggest...

Love all my Roland stuff, but sometimes it only takes a blip on the power supply to throw things into confusion...say nothing of just inadvertantly pressing some (unintentional) combination of controls while heaving the things into a gig..

FWIW, I bought an individually switched power board for all my mains-powered gear that travels everywhere with me..this thing has (apart from the normal surge protection) a power-conditioning feature which so far has kept me away from the unwanted effects of power fluctuations..was reasonably expensive, but gives me peace-of-mind no matter where I'm set up.

...and yes, gotta love the vguitarforums... (disclaimer that I'm 'gumbo' over there, and selling Synth-Linx products)...

All the best,
Peter