Mini Amp Gizmo and Mark V Issue

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Hi guys,

I just tried resetting my Mini Amp Gizmo back to factory defaults by powering it on while holding down switches 1 and 4. The reason why I did this to begin with was because my Mark V's reverb would only come on when switch 8 was off. I can remeber reading somewhere that there is a way to reverse this behaviour. Any how on to the real problem at hand.

After resetting the Mini Amp gizmo to factory defaults (holding down switchs 1 and 4 while powering on), it is behavng very strange. Now when I power on my amp and mini amp gizmo, switch 1 does not come on automaticlly anymore. If I turn on switch 1 and try and change to channel two, both swtich 1 and 2 light up and my amps relays start making alot of noise until I turn at least one of the switches off. I can swtich channels via the switches only when i turn the previous one off first.

Joe
 
Hi guys,

I just figured it out. After resetting to factory defaults I must of erased a specific configuration needed for my Mark V. I just recently bought this second hand from a user on the Boogie Board that has a Mark V. So for any future user that needs any info about setting up the Mark V, here is what I have found:

1. Out of the box, I am assuming that the Mini Amp Gizmo is not set properly to work with the Mark V. After resetting to Factory Defaults I had to configure the First three switches to be grouped and momentary. In the manual you do this by holding down the Switch 8 button while powering up the Mini Amp Gizmo. Keep holding the button until the LEDs all turn on and stay on. I then selected Switch 7. All the channel switching started working fine.

2. I had to use Inverted mode so that if switch 8 was on my reverb was on. By default if switch 8 was off my reverb was on. As the manual specifies, I had to hold switch 2 down while powering on the Mini amp gizmo, then turn on the affected switch. In the case Switch 8.

Is there any specific configuration to get the Mini Amp Gizmo working with a Pod XT Live? I have both devices to respond to Midi Channel 1 but it dosen't respond when I change presets on the XT Live. Also, nothing happens when I hold down write. According to the manual this is because the Gizmo didn't receive a midi command. The cables work fine.

Any suggestions?
 
I was just posting as you replied!

The setting I recommend for the Mini Amp Gizmo is to hold 8, then press 3 (instead of 7). As you discovered, 7 will also work, but pressing 3 ( indicating 3 channel amp with latching switching) works just a little better - it handles a few cases more appropriately, like when the cable is accidentally unplugged and reconnected.

The Mini Amp Gizmo should work fine with an XT Live. Please check to see that the XT Live's MIDI output is enabled and set to channel 1. On some processors, the MIDI output has an on/off switch setting somewhere in the menu. The XT Live might be one of those...
 
When I hit switch 3 everything switches fine. The only problem is that I can switch off the FX loop(Switch 6) only a couple of times, then is stops responding. This is the case when choosing Switch 3 or 7. When switching 7 it actually only allows to me toggle once then it makes some clicking noises and stops responding.
 
After powering down the Mini Amp Gizmo for about 10 minutes and turning it back on, the FX loop (Switch 5) seems to be working fine now. hmmm strange. Kind of makes me nervous.

One other thing I have discovered is that Switch 6 seems to do nothing as far any switching on the Mark V goes. I am assuming that it should control the Solo boost. My Mark V's Solo boost volume seems to be engaged as it turns the volume up and down but it does not disengage.

Any thoughts on this one?

thanks,
 
What's the serial number on the Mini Amp Gizmo?

Also, when switch 6 stops working, can you still hear the relay click in the Mini Amp Gizmo? (Or can you hear a relay click at all???)
 
I don't have the Mini Amp Gizmo in front of me right now but I will send the serial number along later this afternoon.

As for Switch 6 (Solo Boost) I haven't been able to get that to switch the Solo Boost in and out at all. When I have the Mini Amp Gizmo connected to the Mark V, the Solo Boost appears to be swtiched in because the Solo volume knob is active as I can turn the boost volume up and down, but I cannot turn it off.

Switch 5(FX Loop), when that stops working I can't hear any relay switching at all. All I hear is a click, unlike a normal click. Almost like a click and a half then it stops working. I don't know if this is worth mentioning but when I do the procedure where I hold down switch 8 while powering on and choosing switching mode 3 or 7, the FX loop behaves differently, depending on what mode I select, before it stops working. After choosing mode 3 it was switiching in and out, aproximatly 3 or 4 times before it stops working. After choosing mode 7 it stops working on the first try. but as I said in my last post, the fx loop appears to be working now since I powered it off and powered it back on. It's the solo boost function that has be baffeled at the moment.

I had a look at all the pins on the connector and they all appear to be fine.

Thanks for your help on this BTW.

Joe
 
The Serial number of the Mini Amp gizmo is AGM10281. I am powering it with a I. T. E Power Supply. Input 100-240V 50/60Hz 0.5A. Output 9V. It's the one the seller sent me.
 
Mini Amp Gizmos below serial number 10300 can have their relays damaged by certain amps - I've never seen it happen with a Mesa before, but I have not specifically tried it with a Mark V.

Here's an easy way to test: plug the Mini Amp Gizmo into the amp, power them both up. According to your previous messages, the solo boost should be stuck on at this point. Next, remove power from the Mini Amp Gizmo. Is the Solo boost still stuck on? Next, unplug the interface cable from the Mini Amp Gizmo (not the amp itself). Check the Solo boost again. Finally, unplug the cable from the amp. The Solo boost should definitely be off at this point!

Please let me know at which point the Solo boost is switched off, and that should tell us what's at fault.
 
I tried what you had asked and the Solo boost was still on up until I unplugged the cable from the Mini Amp Gizmo. Once i did that the Solo boost disengaged.

What does this mean? There is a problem with the Mini Amp Gizmo?? :(
 
If the solo boost was still on when the Mini Amp Gizmo was powered off, then the Mark V is melting (yes, actually melting) the relays in the Mini Amp Gizmo. I've never seen a Mesa do that, but some other amps - most notably the Marshall DSL - do it all the time. We put in more robust relays starting at serial number AGM10300 - they should be able to handle any abuse thrown at them.

You'll need to replace the circuit board to get the new relays. Where did you buy the Mini Amp Gizmo from?
 
Hi Joe,

Can you give us a call or give a phone number we can reach you at?

I want to ask a few more questions and see what we can do.

Thanks!
Sheri Menelli
760-597-9450
 
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