Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Having recently acquired one of these amps, I am happy with the "warmth" in the tone and the control over the midrange - both of these factors were important to me in choosing a new amp to replace my Hartke LH500 However, I am having problems getting a truly clean (i.e. undistorted) sound from the amp. Even with the gain set on [i][b]zero[/b][/i] (and the drive fully off) there is some break-up! Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a way around it? There are no centre detents on the tone controls, but am I correct in assuming that they offer cut and boost, and therefore would be "flat" in the 12 o'clock position? I'm confused... Edited March 12, 2015 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Drive is off when fully anti clockwise (about 7 o'clock). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1426156455' post='2714954'] Drive is off when fully anti clockwise (about 7 o'clock). [/quote] Yep. That's what I assumed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Sounds strange, I can get a clean sound with the gain still around mid-day and the drive down/off. Edit to ask, what are you putting it through? Edited March 12, 2015 by Highfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Which bass are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1426156850' post='2714964'] Edit to ask, what are you putting it through? [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1426156934' post='2714966'] Which bass are you using? [/quote] Cab is a Barefaced Big One. I've tried the amp with three passive jazz basses - A CIJ Geddy Lee with EMG pickups, A J&D 1975 with Toneriders and a MIM Fender with the stock pickups. None of them are high-output basses... If I was using a Spector I could understand! Edited September 14, 2017 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't think it should be distorting that easy, it's not a crappy guitar lead in the chain or something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Change cables, then if that doesn't work, engage the -10db pad and see how that effects it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I run at 12 on both and I get a pretty clean sound, certainly at practice levels. It works well at gig levels as well, so I don't think it should sound like that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1426158085' post='2714986'] I don't think it should be distorting that easy, it's not a crappy guitar lead in the chain or something like that? [/quote] Nope. I only use quality cables (OBBM at the moment). [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1426159153' post='2714999'] Change cables, then if that doesn't work, engage the -10db pad and see how that effects it? [/quote] Tried that. It helps with the distortion, but the level is too low... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1426159301' post='2715003'] I don't think it should sound like that.. [/quote] That's my concern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Have you or can you try it with another cab... Some cabs are notoriously 'inefficient' and need a lot of driving and it may be the amp hasn't the guts for it..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1426160698' post='2715024'] Have you or can you try it with another cab... Some cabs are notoriously 'inefficient' and need a lot of driving and it may be the amp hasn't the guts for it..?? [/quote] That cab is fine with 500 watt heads in general - the amp shouldn't have an issue with it. Edited March 12, 2015 by Mudpup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1426160698' post='2715024'] Have you or can you try it with another cab... Some cabs are notoriously 'inefficient' and need a lot of driving and it may be the amp hasn't the guts for it..?? [/quote] There are other cabs I can try, yes. My cab never had any issues with my old Hartke, and it was fine with the TC RH750 I (briefly) owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1426161347' post='2715037'] That cab is fine with 500 watt heads in general - the amp shouldn't have an issue with it. [/quote] Exactly. Barefaced cabs are very conservatively (i.e. realistically) rated. It's nominal impedance is 6 ohms, so its not as if it is drawing the maximum power from the amp anyway - 300/350 watts maybe. Edited March 12, 2015 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I have Drive on full, and Gain at 12 o`clock, and even then only get break-up when I hit the strings hard on my passive Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1426165968' post='2715117'] I have Drive on full, and Gain at 12 o`clock, and even then only get break-up when I hit the strings hard on my passive Precision. [/quote] Hmmmm. That's not what I wanted to hear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1426160698' post='2715024'] Have you or can you try it with another cab... Some cabs are notoriously 'inefficient' and need a lot of driving... [/quote] There's no reason you'd have this problem with a Big One... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1426175679' post='2715284'] There's no reason you'd have this problem with a Big One... [/quote] The Big One was the most inefficient of them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1426175943' post='2715287'] The Big One was the most inefficient of them all. [/quote] Possibly, but I found it very easy to drive with a 350/500w amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1426179022' post='2715337'] Possibly, but I found it very easy to drive with a 350/500w amp. [/quote] Goddamit it's about the amp man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1426179145' post='2715340'] Goddamit it's about the amp man! [/quote] Yes... the very amp which easily drives Conan's cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 This sucks. I hate to say it, but I run my gain and drive both at 11 o'clock, maybe gain at 12 and drive at 10 o'clock; or thereabouts and also have a clean tone. Do you boost the EQ loads or run the master really high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickademus Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 If the Big One has an Eminence 3015LF in it then that is causing the problem. I have a similar cab (fEARful 15/6) which has that driver in it and it distorts with all three of my 500w Mark Bass amps (LM11, F1, F500) but not with my Hartke ah3500. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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