UK power lead for Spark?
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Can anyone in the UK, who has received their Spark Amp, tell me if the power lead is a three-pin kettle/cloverleaf type, or is it the two-pin PS3 style lead ? TIA.
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@redhouse_01 said in UK power lead for Spark?:
Can anyone in the UK, who has received their Spark Amp, tell me if the power lead is a three-pin kettle/cloverleaf type, or is it the two-pin PS3 style lead ? TIA.
An answer from Italy... I have two power leads, one is the usual European 2-pins, the other one is a 3-pins huge thing that could be the UK plug you're looking for. :-)
I believe all the units shipped to Europe carry this pair.
Hope it heps. -
@drbaroni Thanks for the info. I'll assume a kettle-lead style then.
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@redhouse_01 said in UK power lead for Spark?:
@drbaroni Thanks for the info. I'll assume a kettle-lead style then.
This thing:
:-)
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@drbaroni What does the other end of that plug look like?
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@drbaroni Although, given that it has three pins I have to assume that it's properly "earthed". Thanks for the pic.
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@redhouse_01 said in UK power lead for Spark?:
@drbaroni Although, given that it has three pins I have to assume that it's properly "earthed". Thanks for the pic.
can't be earthed, as the male plug that goes into the adapter is only 2 pin.
The dummy earth pin is used to open the active/neutral child safety slots on the wall plug.
Laptop adapters have a 3 pin female socket, and ship with a 3 wire cable to suit.
the Spark has a 2 pin female socket, to suit a 2 wire cable, with different country pins on the end, the 3rd pin here is a dummy for child safety wall plugs in some countries, or countries with only 3 pin wall plugs -
@crystalpit thanks for the info regarding the end that connects to the power brick. I was hopingit would be a kettle or cloverleaf rather than the PS3 type, and yes, I do know what the third pin on the plug is for - I've lived in the UK for more than seventy years now ... I also know how painful they are when you step, barefoot, on them, in the dark.
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Hi. Just got my Spark Monday past. It does NOT have a kettle lead/cloverleaf type. It is also NOT properly earthed and has such a bad earth hum when a guitar is connected by cable as to make it virtually unusable. A borrowed wireless system has been my workaround so far as I patiently wait for Positive Grid to respond to my email...
edited to add: I'm in UK (Scotland)
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@7171551 Thanks. In a roundabout way, that's what I wanted to know (the earthing situation). As mine hasn't shipped yet, I need to consider if I could live with it like that, or do I cancel and get a 5 watt valve amp - the software doesn't really interest me and I would be using the Spark "old-school" style anyway. I just want a practice amp I can carry from room to room - apart from being loud an AC15 is heavy!
Does anyone else from the UK have anything to add regarding "earthing" issues, or lack thereof ? -
Got mine a week ago or so in the UK. Its a two pin kettle lead and comes with it. Think it also had the euro plug as well.
All fine for me and no hum at all and sounds great. Was well worth the wait.
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@glen-pywell So to hum or not to hum ... choices, choices! I think I'd best consider the situation for a few days.
Thank you all, for your replies. -
@redhouse_01 PG replied to me today and advise they will send a replacement PSU which "will" fix the problem. When/If that happens I will be a satisfied customer.
The Spark is potentially a very versatile practice solution, so don't discount embracing the software... I've got various valve amps here- but for home use I can see the Spark getting much more use!
Cheers
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@7171551 Thanks for the update. I hope the new charger works out for you. :)
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I was in an e-mail exchange with PG support for the Firmware Updater not working and this "humming from the headphone jack", and they told me they'd send me a "grounded" PS unit. I received an e-mail from DHL today saying that a packet has been shipped my way, I suppose it's the new PS, as I didn't buy anything else. If so, they've been shipping it really fast. :-)
I really hope it'll work. :-)
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@drbaroni Hope it works out for you. I don't understand why they should need to be be shipping replacement chargers to people - surely the units shipped with the amp should work oob. Ridiculous !
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@redhouse_01 said in UK power lead for Spark?:
@drbaroni Hope it works out for you. I don't understand why they should need to be be shipping replacement chargers to people - surely the units shipped with the amp should work oob. Ridiculous !
OF COURSE I hope as well. :-)
There's only a minority of amps showing this kind of problem. What puzzles me is that there's NOT one "symptom" only, some experience humming from the speakers, some (me included) have mild shock from the strings/bridge (and some of these say the hum goes away once they take the shock, while others have the hum continuing no matter what), some (like me) experience it from the headphone jack when recording (but NOT when using a headphone, which is weird enough to me), others in different ways. IF the new PSU doesn't solve the issue I think I will just open the amp and look at the wires... :-)
BTW, got a tracking e-mail from DHL and the new charger should be here in two days :-) .
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@drbaroni
My dell power supply fixed all my issues lat month - also if I play wirelessly there's no problem.
My first fix (two months ago) was to earth the amp directly via a separate plug earth pin - that worked but looked a mess. PG have stated they will send me a new power supply - eventually it might get here - in the mean time my am works well with my Dell power supply. Worth doing the fix you are doing. -
Yep, today I put a grounded German plug cable on the computer power unit, AND connected the Spark with my TASCAM DR-7 the usual way... And bang, it worked, and now I have my first recorded track with the Spark. :-)
When my new PSU arrives, it should solve the problem at once, and I'll be able to use te Spark WITHOUT connecting it to the computer.
I'm using the ZOOM G5n as a looper, connected to the AUX in plug. It works, although the response is quite different than when I record straight from the ZOOM. I'll have to adapt and learn. :-)
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it would be great if anyone who receives their replacement power supply from PG, can tell us, if it's different from the original and what the specs are please.
