uk_lefty Posted May 29, 2020 Posted May 29, 2020 I hadn't used my amp or cabs since my last gig. I fired them up last week and it took a long while to get a response from my cabs then there was a bit of loud popping. It took so long I was swapping cables back and forth to see if they were the issue. I used the amp again yesterday for practice and had intermittent cutting out before it settled. I'm trying to find out if my amp or maybe the speakers need to be checked over? It's a bit too much to post the lot off and Ashdown HQ is a fair drive... My last gig was on 15th Feb. I played through my Ashdon RM500 head and 2x Ashdon cabs. Very low volume, not driven too hard, I rarely get the VU anywhere near the red anyway but this gig was fairly quiet due to the room. I store my kit in an office that's built in to my garage, dry and secure though not heated daily. I've no concerns about damp though. No idea what I'd be looking for to rectify this, it hasn't happened before. Quote
Phil Starr Posted May 29, 2020 Posted May 29, 2020 There aren't enough details for an accurate diagnosis. If you used the amp for practice I assume its working after a fashion but making 'pops' as well? Anyway speakers don't 'pop' on their own so it's likely to be the amp. Possibly capacitor problems if it is a definite pop, if you have old electrolytic about to fail anyway they sometimes fail when left off for a while. Anyway you are in luck as it's an Ashdown, give them a ring and see what they say, Best after sales support in the business. 1 Quote
uk_lefty Posted May 29, 2020 Author Posted May 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Phil Starr said: There aren't enough details for an accurate diagnosis. If you used the amp for practice I assume its working after a fashion but making 'pops' as well? Anyway speakers don't 'pop' on their own so it's likely to be the amp. Possibly capacitor problems if it is a definite pop, if you have old electrolytic about to fail anyway they sometimes fail when left off for a while. Anyway you are in luck as it's an Ashdown, give them a ring and see what they say, Best after sales support in the business. Thanks Phil. The weird thing is there was no continuous popping. Going to try and fire it up daily now and see if it settles itself before giving Ashdown a call. Would hate for it to just cut out at a gig though...! Quote
BassmanPaul Posted May 29, 2020 Posted May 29, 2020 If the amp has an effects Loop or a Pre-amp Out Power Amp In loop link Send and Return with a signal cable to exclude the loop from consideration. Similarly link Pre-amp out to Power amp in jacks for the same reason. Quote
Phil Starr Posted May 30, 2020 Posted May 30, 2020 (edited) 21 hours ago, uk_lefty said: Thanks Phil. The weird thing is there was no continuous popping. Going to try and fire it up daily now and see if it settles itself before giving Ashdown a call. Would hate for it to just cut out at a gig though...! Without hearing it I'm guessing. It's probably worth going round any fx jacks with some switch cleaner but I still suspect you may have an electrolytic capacitor on the way out. It could be a number of other things of course. It's better to get it checked rather than have it go down at a gig. Assuming they are still working and not in lockdown you have nothing to lose by ringing Ashdown. They really are helpful. Oh, if the pops are really loud they may damage the speaker. Keep the amp turned down when you switch on Edited May 30, 2020 by Phil Starr 1 Quote
BassmanPaul Posted May 30, 2020 Posted May 30, 2020 Typically it's the normalizing contacts on the loop jacks that cause the problems. These are very difficult to reach from outside the amp. Spraying contact cleaner into the jack causes more problems than it solves. Quote
Chienmortbb Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 (edited) On 30/05/2020 at 18:05, BassmanPaul said: Typically it's the normalizing contacts on the loop jacks that cause the problems. These are very difficult to reach from outside the amp. Spraying contact cleaner into the jack causes more problems than it solves. I tend to agree. The switching contacts on jacks are not too reliable, it would be better to have a separate switch but as it is designed in, the contacts need to be cleaned from inside the amp if needed. Edited June 1, 2020 by Chienmortbb Quote
barkin Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 Takes me back to my Strowger days - contact files, spring tension gauges... 1 Quote
BassmanPaul Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 (edited) LOL That was my background too. Commissioning Telephone Exchange installations. First for Automatic Telephones in Liverpool and then STC in sites in South Wales. I absolutely loved that job. There was seemingly no equivalence over here. Bell offered me a job shimmying up telephone poles. With my head for heights I said NO! Edited June 4, 2020 by BassmanPaul Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.