Grandmeister 36 Runs Hot!! Normal?

Mine gets pretty hot to the touch on the top. Anyone notice this?

Yeah, think of it as an unintended feature! You can keep coffee or a burger warm while you play.

Egads wrote:Yeah, think of it as an unintended feature! You can keep coffee or a burger warm while you play.

My concern is the longevity of a piece of electronics that gets this hot when it is heat that often kills electronics. I solved the problem by putting a tiny fan about 12" behind the head that blows a slight amount of cool air into the vents. Amp top is now cool to the touch.

From what I've read, the top of the GM36 is hot to the touch. So I guess that's "normal" for this amp. I believe the top, which is metal, is meant to dissipate heat which would mean it will get hot. Not sure if the inside of the amp is any hotter than other amps. This would be a good question to ask H&K. I'll reach out and see if they respond.

Here is the reply I got from the Hughes & Kettner Facebook page after asking about the top of the GM36 being hot to the touch. The reply is from "Hughes & Kettner", so I assume this is someone from the company.

"Hi Ron, this is normal, the metal plate works as a heat sink and keeps the amp cooler inside than an wooden housing ... and metal always feels hotter than wood, even at the same temperature No worries and best regards"

Here is my problem with that.......Wooden Amps don't have load resistors sizzling away under all the active DSP electronics. In power soak mode.
This is one reason I only run in 36w mode.

If you have a working relationship with H&K, could you ask them these questions:

I am considering a new Grandmeister 36 head and have a couple of questions:

1) Does the foot controller for the Grandmeister come with the needed cable to connect to the amp (not provided in description)?

2) Does a user changing the tubes void the warranty? What is the expectation when we need to change tubes?

3) Closest authorized repair center to me (not listed on their website)
(Texas, USA 77586)

I have sent these questions in via their Website and via Facebook - no answer.

Hey. The FSM 432 Mk III does come with a 20' long 7 pin midi cable. You'll have to provide any cables for the midi interface, if you want to use an iPad and the app. The iRig Midi does come with cables, but they are 5' long. I bought a midi coupler to add a longer cable back to the amp.

I'm not 100% sure on the tube changes, but I think there is a way around the warranty issue. Watch the video for how to change tubes without breaking the warranty seal.

Teddis wrote:Here is my problem with that.......Wooden Amps don't have load resistors sizzling away under all the active DSP electronics. In power soak mode.
This is one reason I only run in 36w mode.

Hey Teddis. Keep in mind the power soak feature isn't using the resistor grid when you drop down to 18 watts. It is only shutting off two of the tubes.

Personally, I'm going to use the lower settings some. I've got a 3 year-old and sometimes the only change I get to play is during nap or after her bedtime. Dropping the amp to 1 watt is nice for those times. Of course, you cannot use presets that are saved at 18 or 36 watts in this case. Switching to a preset saved at 36 watts is a shocker when you were playing at 1 watt!

I would not worry about the heat. I have had the TM 36 for a little over a year now and I play it every night for 45min to 2-3 hours and 4-6 hours Friday through Saturday. I have a lot of hour logged on the amp with the same set of replacement tubes. no worries fellas, H&K got it under control. When we practice in the one cold space in the winter it helps keep the place toasty   LOL its all good.. I can't wait for my grandmeister to come in the next couple of days.