GM40 always goes to 0W Power Soak first time I switch presets via MIDI

I use a BOSS GT-100 to switch GM40 presets via MIDI PC messages. Could the GT-100 be sending more than just a MIDI PC message to the amp first time out, or is this an amp bug? I think someone else here mentioned this problem, and the need to send it all the way back home to HK in Deutschland to fix this. Bought the amp thru Sweetwater right when it first came out, and wonder if I can arrange this thru them plus get an identical loaner? Can't afford the down time...

Yes, it's a firmware-bug. You will have to send the amp to H&K to update the firmware.

As I live in Germany it was easy for me to send the amp directly to H&K. If I were you I wood contact the vendor. Maybe they have a solution to solve those problems in the U.S.

You can also contact H&K via their website and ask for help:

http://hughes-and-kettner.com/support/contact/

Has that definitely been confirmed and accepted by H&K Hendock? If it has then it is an interesting thing to be able to pass on to other owners. Great heads up!

bordonbert wrote:Has that definitely been confirmed and accepted by H&K Hendock?

In my case it has!

I encountered this issue, I use a boss es-8 as my midi switcher. I found that as soon as i saved the preset the bug disappeared, its back in the wooly ravages of time now but i did have a historical thread on it.

I elected to NOT send it back to Germany, it all works fine and consistently.

Is this the one J200George?  Check out late in the topic here.

Yes that's the one. Since re-saving each preset the gm40 doesn't go "mute" on preset change do I didn't send it away.

I had already sent the amp back once as it arrived with its heat shield detached. Couldn't face being without it for another two to three weeks.

I am with you on the idea of not sending it back. Software bugs come in different categories and the simplest division is into showstoppers and non-showstoppers. This bug is an obvious non-showstopper. It's an irritation but can easily be removed by a simple workaround process. It must be fixed for future production but doesn't really need to be corrected in current amps as they should never experience it again once the workaround is applied, except for maybe after a factory reset.

Of course there will be some people who will disagree with this on the grounds that it's a lot of money to pay for an amp with a bug in it. That's absolutely correct and in an ideal world it would never happen but I can point you at more well known mainstream amps which actually have bad design faults in their electronics and no one seems to worry about them!

Rarely is software ever the finished article. I needed the amp to work flawlessly, if it didn't i would have sent it back however by simply saving the preset back to the amp the bug disappeared.

Shame updates aren't avavailable via the midi port (or the had a USB interface for that purpose).
I use the amp constantly and for me the "bug" is no more.

Hahaha! I seem to remember there was some discussion and difference of opinion on the feasibility of building upload functionality into the amp. I was against it then and I have to say I'm of the same mind now. The chances of bricked amps through bungled uploads is a very real one and would cause much greater problems at both ends than the sort of bug we are seeing. Everyone is a computer expert in their own mind until they prove they aren't and then it's too late. But then these are just guitar amps aren't they? How complex can the software side be?

Tis true,.... the most recent update to the Boss ES-8, which does not have a USB either by the way cause a few bricked units i believe...this largely down to people not correctly following instructions, this and the fact that some people had never used a PC/MIDI interface to transfer files.

The latest ES-8 update offered an online editor and changes in the way that parallel routing was managed, it was a considerable and most worthwhile update.

That said, the ES-8 architecture bears no resemblance to the GM40D so i guess its irrelevant but my point is, if the architecture allows it then it is possible to roll out software updates globally (at the owners risk) to resolve bugs or add software enhancements.

Sorry, i am thread jacking again.

I cannot fully recall the intricacies at this time of the workaround, but OP it does work and I think it was only needed to be done as a one time only event. You may wish to try this and see if it resolves your issue, that said if you prefer to send it back to get the update, and who knows what else is included in that update then its your choice.

j200george wrote:Since re-saving each preset the gm40 doesn't go "mute" on preset change do I didn't send it away.

Haven't tried that yet. Sounds like a little work but yes that would beat having to send the amp away. Thanks!