Seymour Duncan PowerStage 200

[PaisleyWookie]

I'm still getting one of these at some point, I'm just not in a massive hurry because of all this COVID stuff, and I still have amps to play as well.

 

[MKB]

Update: The SD PS-170 has a differential output, making it very difficult to measure since neither side of the speaker out can be tied to ground. By using the case as ground and listening to only the tip of the output I'm able to run sweeps, but I think something is still not right and I don't believe what I'm seeing. If I squint, it does appear that centered tone controls yield a flat output. Probably worth posing a question to SD and I'm planning to do just that.

The 170 does have a very flat output if you tweak the tone controls to do so. They are very powerful and do not have detents at 0, so when I measured the freq response I had to twiddle the tone knobs a tiny bit around 0 to get it as flat as possible.

If anyone is planning on doing a lot of work with BTL digital power amps, a differential probe is a great investment. It makes life SO much easier. I just plug one of these into my audio interface (M-Audio 410) and it works great. It would take a bit of math to figure out absolute reading levels, but you don't really need that for frequency sweeps. Here's the link to the one I use:

 

[vtgearhead]

The 170 does have a very flat output if you tweak the tone controls to do so. They are very powerful and do not have detents at 0, so when I measured the freq response I had to twiddle the tone knobs a tiny bit around 0 to get it as flat as possible.

If anyone is planning on doing a lot of work with BTL digital power amps, a differential probe is a great investment. It makes life SO much easier. I just plug one of these into my audio interface (M-Audio 410) and it works great. It would take a bit of math to figure out absolute reading levels, but you don't really need that for frequency sweeps. Here's the link to the one I use:

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any embedded photo or link.

 

[MKB]

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any embedded photo or link.

 

[drew365]

The 170 does have a very flat output if you tweak the tone controls to do so. They are very powerful and do not have detents at 0, so when I measured the freq response I had to twiddle the tone knobs a tiny bit around 0 to get it as flat as possible.

If anyone is planning on doing a lot of work with BTL digital power amps, a differential probe is a great investment. It makes life SO much easier. I just plug one of these into my audio interface (M-Audio 410) and it works great. It would take a bit of math to figure out absolute reading levels, but you don't really need that for frequency sweeps. Here's the link to the one I use:

So to get a near flat response from the 170, I should set the tone controls at or close to 0, not at 12 o'clock?
The link to the probe was showing up earlier for me. Now it's just an Amazon icon, no link.

 

[Watt McCo]

So to get a near flat response from the 170, I should set the tone controls at or close to 0, not at 12 o'clock?
The link to the probe was showing up earlier for me. Now it's just an Amazon icon, no link.

No - the EQ is boost and cut. 0dB is at 12 o'clock - ish.

 

[drew365]

No - the EQ is boost and cut. 0dB is at 12 o'clock - ish.

Thanks, sometimes it's good to check the details and not assume too much.

 

[vtgearhead]

Still seeing nothing, but a 'Reply' operation shows the Amazon stock #. That's a rather expensive solution, however. I tried using a Jensen 1:1 line-level transformer but was getting very strange results with a lot of noise. I think the problem was my not using any sort of load. I'm betting the Class-D amplifier only behaves properly with a load on it. Will have to check that theory on the bench.

 

[Drop D Cups]

I own both the 170 and 700 and just ordered a 200.

Does anybody else notice the 700 gets really warm when you play it even at moderate volumes and the 170 is cool at the same levels?

 

[drew365]

I don't have a 700, but I have the 170 and 200. Both of them get warm after a full session or rehearsal. Not hot, but pretty warm when I put them in the gig bag. Nothing that concerns me. It's not surprising that the 700 would put off the most heat. I have an 800w digital hi-fi amp that I could use as a griddle.

 

[Exiled_On_Main_St]

These type of power amps normally need to be connected to a speaker don’t they, or they’ll break. Say I want to use this with my non headphone FM3, as a cab sim via headphones. Does it need to be connected to a speaker or will putting it through the headphones be enough?

Thanks.

 

[Exiled_On_Main_St]

Bump!

 

[darkdaysindeed]

These type of power amps normally need to be connected to a speaker don’t they, or they’ll break. Say I want to use this with my non headphone FM3, as a cab sim via headphones. Does it need to be connected to a speaker or will putting it through the headphones be enough?

Thanks.

They are Class D power amps that don’t need to see a speaker load. You can power it just fine without one.

 

[joafink2]

Anyone know if this would work with 2 ohms?

 

[Exiled_On_Main_St]

They are Class D power amps that don’t need to see a speaker load. You can power it just fine without one.

Perfect thanks a lot.

 

[Gasp100]

Mine arrived over the weekend and I've only had time to do low volume tone testing. My FM3 drops on Wednesday so I will be able to do head to head FM3 + PS170 into nice 1x12 w/ Alnico Cream vs. Synergy SYN-30 with Twin/Deluxe and Plexi modules into the same cab. The shootouts are primarily going to be used to "fact check" how good I can get my FM3 backline for live sounding vs. a real amp (without using a real amp live).
Of course the FM3 can be integrated into the real amp paradigm as well.
I will finally be able to know once and for all if "tube power amp" even at moderate to gig volumes makes that much of a difference vs. solid state.

I can say this, relatively low volume running the SYN-30 loaded down into ps170 into cab vs. just the SYN-30 into cab (using it's tube power of course) was DAMN CLOSE... again, low volume but man the "feels" were there.

 

[bAngiel01]

Anyone know if this would work with 2 ohms?

Minimum recommended load is 4Ohm.

 

[joafink2]

Minimum recommended load is 4Ohm.

Thank you.

 

[GreatGreen]

I'd kill for a stereo rack amp like the Powerstage 700 but with the updated tone controls of the 200.

Wouldn't hurt to have the input jacks on the back and power switch on the front, too.

 

[stratoskier]

I'd kill for a stereo rack amp like the Powerstage 700 but with the updated tone controls of the 200.

What are you referring to with regards to the updated tone controls of the 200? I have the 700 but I'm not too familiar with the 200.