TC Electronic BAM200 Fan Noise

[Nobatron]

I bought a TC Electronic BAM200 last week to replace my broken Markbass Black Line 250. I rarely use an amp these days to I went for the most basic amp which should satisfy my needs.

However the fan is quite noisy and makes some sounds that make me a bit uneasy. It seems fine when it's first turned on and then after a while starts making this noise, which seems to stop after a bit. Does anyone else have any experience with this amp and know if the fan usually sounds like this before I get in touch with the retailer I bought it from.

 

[mcnach]

Hmm... mine is super quiet. So quiet that I didn't think it had a fan at all. If I get my ear close to it I can hear *some* noise but I am not sure what it is. I might open it up to check. If there's a fan it must be tiny.

By comparison, my LMIII which definitely has a fan is a lot louder.

[Nobatron]

That's interesting. There's definitely a fan, it's tiny and under the vent on the top of the case. You can see it by shining a torch into the vent. This is definitely louder than the fan on my Markbass LM 250 Black Line.

Sounds like there may be something wrong with my unit if others are almost silent.

[mcnach]

That's true, I just found a review where they open it up. It's a tiny weeny fan.

https://www.disssa.de/reviews/amps/tc-electronic-bam200/

 

I have used it at home quite a bit since I bought it (about 3 months ago), and it's always been quiet. I only used it loudly a couple of weekends ago, where we played a 'gig' at one of our usual venues (no audience, it was simply live streamed), but with all other noises I never even noticed the fan...

It does sound like there's a problem with the fan in yours.

[Nobatron]

Fair enough. I'll get in touch with the retailer I bought it from then.

It does get quite warm to the touch even when being used at a very low volume which doesn't surprise me in such a compact package. Does yours do the same?

[mcnach]

4 minutes ago, Nobatron said:

Fair enough. I'll get in touch with the retailer I bought it from then.

It does get quite warm to the touch even when being used at a very low volume which doesn't surprise me in such a compact package. Does yours do the same?

 

Yes, it does get warm pretty fast, and then it stays, however long I use it for. I even asked around because I worried that mine was not cooling properly, but it seems normal (I hope!) I do like that little amp. 

[ped]

Weird. I have a BH800 which doesn’t kick in for a while but when it does it sounds like a regular fan, no high pitched whistle. I recently got a GK MB200 too and the fan on that is almost silent when it’s running. I think there’s something wrong with this one like maybe the fan is slightly out of alignment or a dodgy bearing 

[Nobatron]

Quick update. I sent the video to the retailer who I bought it from and they agreed it doesn't sound right. They sent me a replacement unit and collected the defective one in a single courier interaction (quite happy with that service).

I've plugged the new one in and the fan does sound healthier, no knocking to speak of so far and it hasn't spun up to takeoff levels yet. I'm sat about 1.5 meters away and can hear the fan whine in an otherwise silent room. It's a laptop size fan so unsurprisingly it sounds like a laptop under a light load. I'd say it's quieter but higher pitched than the fan in my Markbass LM 250 Black Line.

So I think the new unit has proven that the old one was faulty.

[ped]

Good service from the retailer, who was it?

[Nobatron]

I'll name them once the return is accepted / completed. They quarantine returned goods for 48 hours at the moment.

[Nobatron]

Not heard anything further to this from them so I assume this is all accepted their end.

The retailer was Andertons. Cracking experience with them. They were the cheapest price as well - alongside Thomann but obviously more local.