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boots-hifi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boots-hifi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: QSC PL series
    Posted: 06 January 2018 at 12:24am
I’ve started to amass a small pile of PL series amplifiers. All units are functioning although I’m sure some, if not all could do with a service just to preempt any future problems. They’ve come from various backgrounds, just looking to get an engineer with experience of these amps to give the once over so to speak. Fully aware these are nightmares if they go wrong!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 January 2018 at 1:15pm
When you find one let me know I have three pl236 that need open heart surgery. One of them several caps have broken their legs and after rolling around inside the enclosure need the fracture clinic ..
DMZ. "The bass was intense. Girls were literally running up to stand next to the subs"
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service dept Steve View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote service dept Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2018 at 10:15am
Fortunately there's not too much to go wrong with them from a service point of view, they can be a handful when they break though, a failing amp channel can take both the main and (in a chain reaction) take the auxiliary power supply too. There are minor failures too, as 4D says sometimes the power supply primary capacitors snap their legs, a small price for the genius decision to design these amps so the circuit board sits upside down in the case, any junk or leakage lands on the lid. As the fan turns constantly (albeit temperature controlled) they do accumulate a large amount of dust between the heatsinks which can be a bit tricky to clear entirely, the pots seem quite robust and may well still have the plastic covers on them which clearly helped more than you'd think, the only other really vulnerable area is the selector switches which, having been set  can collect oxides until they start to have a mind of their own.
We are not "They", We are "The others"http://www.servicedept.co.uk -
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote citizensc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2018 at 10:39am
Is this true for PL1 2 and 3 series? I know the PL380 doesn't have dip switches so I guess its safe from that. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smitske96 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2018 at 10:41am
I have both PL380 and 340, both don't have dip-switches.
Dust in the heatsink is indeed tricky sometimes.
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service dept Steve View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote service dept Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2018 at 10:56am
Originally posted by citizensc citizensc wrote:

Is this true for PL1 2 and 3 series? I know the PL380 doesn't have dip switches so I guess its safe from that. 


Sorry, I'd gone off on a tangent (not like me) I started writing about QSC's in general instead of sticking to the subject, mostly because dip switches are a standard failure on a lot of amps, including the early powerlight (pl218-236 and variants)  but not the latest series, pl2a etc with dsp, they have different switching.


Edited by service dept Steve - 24 January 2018 at 11:23am
We are not "They", We are "The others"http://www.servicedept.co.uk -
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boots-hifi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boots-hifi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 February 2018 at 4:02pm
Does anyone know if the amplifiers will switch between mains voltage inputs 110/240v ? Or if I bought some units from the US would they work over here?

Edited by boots-hifi - 12 February 2018 at 4:03pm
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kedwardsleisure View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 February 2018 at 4:28pm
some of them do, they have a link inside for 120V, you remove it for 230V
Kevin

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MattStolton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 February 2018 at 5:24pm
Although perhaps not cheap, I would recommend Shure UK's service dept, and, until they drop QSC in May, will still offer repair?

Always been impressed with the knowledge and ability of Matt and Greg in Shure's service dept. Always ready for a chat, and able to work to component level, inc surface mount. And wonderfully local to me in Waltham Abbey, J26 of M25. I drive past on my way to work!

However, in most instances of a true blow up, it normally works out cheaper to replace whole boards. Unless you find someone who is totally familiar with them who can diagnose in minutes, what you save on component costs, but with lots of labour, versus cost of a board and little labour, may put the edge on whole module replacement.

But, for a look see and pre-emptive clean and maybe a cap replace, you have a couple of competent peeps on this thread, who seem to have a good reputation - one of them even likes Alfas! The other likes "elevenses" so he sounds Ok too!
Matt Stolton - Technical Director (!!!) - Wilding Sound Ltd
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote boots-hifi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 February 2018 at 5:41pm
Originally posted by kedwardsleisure kedwardsleisure wrote:

some of them do, they have a link inside for 120V, you remove it for 230V


How can I tell? I’m thinking of buying some more pl4.9 from the USA as I’m not having any luck over here.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 February 2018 at 12:11am
I suppose you would have to pop the lid or look at the diagrams.
Kevin

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