Acoustic B600H Clip led?

[niel80]

Hi guys, Im a new "register member" because I been in this site like forever since I started playing bass like 3 years a go, but I allways made my browsing true the site, and my searches and all that stuff and allways find the answer from you guys so thank you for that, but now! I just fail

Ok so I have the B600H Acoustic head, and the Ampeg 610 HLF and they sound great! at volume mmm lets say 9 o clock that its like level 3 and Damn! is so loud! Im using the gain and the volume knobs at the same position, but I just noticed that the cliping led turn on once in a while, and minimum its not like a bright flashing signal its more like he wants to shine but nop... so Im conserned about my rig... is there something wrong? I tried lowering the Gain but stills the same... I know I sound a little rookie here but I cant find the answer, The manual says that its a sign that let me know if the head its over gain? so I really dont know what the hell that means lol...I know that you are the experts and can calm me down I dont whant to damage the amp or the cab... any sugestions? Im really ashamed to ask this to the pros, but the guys at the acoustic site didnt answer and Im having a gig this saturday.... Thank you So much for your time

Daniel

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by niel80

Hi guys, Im a new "register member" because I been in this site like forever since I started playing bass like 3 years a go, but I allways made my browsing true the site, and my searches and all that stuff and allways find the answer from you guys so thank you for that, but now! I just fail

Ok so I have the B600H Acoustic head, and the Ampeg 610 HLF and they sound great! at volume mmm lets say 9 o clock that its like level 3 and Damn! is so loud! Im using the gain and the volume knobs at the same position, but I just noticed that the cliping led turn on once in a while, and minimum its not like a bright flashing signal its more like he wants to shine but nop... so Im conserned about my rig... is there something wrong? I tried lowering the Gain but stills the same... I know I sound a little rookie here but I cant find the answer, The manual says that its a sign that let me know if the head its over gain? so I really dont know what the hell that means lol...I know that you are the experts and can calm me down I dont whant to damage the amp or the cab... any sugestions? Im really ashamed to ask this to the pros, but the guys at the acoustic site didnt answer and Im having a gig this saturday.... Thank you So much for your time

Daniel

Ain't Acoustic fun to talk to? Try talking to your dog for better results!

I've got the same B-600 amp in my B-450 and the same Clip light too.

It is NOT damaging to anything. It is telling you that the preamp sees overdrive conditions and is clipping the signal to the post amp. The post amp will only amplify what it gets.

Everything's Kosher.

Are you sending a hot signal into the amp? Are you using the padded input?

If you have ANY form of powered device sending a signal in, then plug it into the 'ACTIVE' side, not the 'PASSIVE' side.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Ain't Acoustic fun to talk to? Try talking to your dog for better results!

I've got the same B-600 amp in my B-450 and the same Clip light too.

It is NOT damaging to anything. It is telling you that the preamp sees overdrive conditions and is clipping the signal to the post amp. The post amp will only amplify what it gets.

Everything's Kosher.

Are you sending a hot signal into the amp? Are you using the padded input?

If you have ANY form of powered device sending a signal in, then plug it into the 'ACTIVE' side, not the 'PASSIVE' side.

My 2 basses are pasive, but I use an overdrive and a tunner, that are plugged allways, I dont know if this will be like a hot spot, by the way the clipping light comes on when there is no distortion, I only use the distortion like 30 seconds in one song and thats all... dont know if thats what you refering

And thenk you for your advice

Daniel

[B-string]

If it is not brightly lit don't worry. If it flashes brightly and you hear a nasty sound back off the volume on your bass some. If it flashes brightly but still sounds good, it's just a pretty light.

[SurferJoe46]

You can also 'insert' the effects in the loop between the pre and the post-amp. There is also an adjustment for WET/DRY and everything in between too.

It's on the back of the amp and requires two cables (IN-OUT)

You may be driving the pre a little hot with your setup. It can handle it - but I hate to see blinking LEDS - especially the RED ones.

When that LED lights up - it is clipping (taking the top and bottom spikes out of the signal) and distortion is happening for lack of a clean, non-clipped signal. You can use it if you like or stay below that threshold.

The latter is my own personal choice. But that's just me. .

What you're doing is pre-amping the input to get it pre-amped again in the head and then sent to the post amp on the other side of the head.

Too many pres in that line methinks.

BTW: You never stated if you are inputting to the padded jack or not.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

You can also 'insert' the effects in the loop between the pre and the post-amp. There is also an adjustment for WET/DRY and everything in between too.

It's on the back of the amp and requires two cables (IN-OUT)

You may be driving the pre a little hot with your setup. It can handle it - but I hate to see blinking LEDS - especially the RED ones.

When that LED lights up - it is clipping (taking the top and bottom spikes out of the signal) and distortion is happening for lack of a clean, non-clipped signal. You can use it if you like or stay below that threshold.

The latter is my own personal choice. But that's just me. .

What you're doing is pre-amping the input to get it pre-amped again in the head and then sent to the post amp on the other side of the head.

Too many pres in that line methinks.

BTW: You never stated if you are inputting to the padded jack or not.

Yes is in the passive input... Right now Im reading how to use the effects loop so I can plug it in to thank you so much for your atenttion to these green bass player lol

[niel80]

Originally Posted by B-string

If it is not brightly lit don't worry. If it flashes brightly and you hear a nasty sound back off the volume on your bass some. If it flashes brightly but still sounds good, it's just a pretty light.

I'll lower my volume in the bass thanks

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by niel80

Yes is in the passive input... Right now Im reading how to use the effects loop so I can plug it in to thank you so much for your atention to these green bass player lol

Passive means - NO pre-amping or using a stomp that actually boosts signal.

You should be in-putting through the ACTIVE jack with any powered stomps.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Passive means - NO pre-amping or using a stomp that actually boosts signal.

You should be in-putting through the ACTIVE jack with any powered stomps.

Oh! ok ok!... I just plug it in the active jack and doesent sounds louder than the passive one but theres no light and is just thing that I jus adjust the volume and gain I think

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by niel80

Oh! ok ok!... I just plug it in the active jack and doesent sounds louder than the passive one but theres no light and is just thing that I jus adjust the volume and gain I think

Something like that - yes.

The ACTIVE jack has a pad to take some of the pre-amp power off it's OWN pre-amp.

You are actually using a pre-amp with the stomps and that in turn a just pre-amping twice!

STOMP (which is a PREAMP) ->> PREAMP->> POSTAMP = one PREAMP too many.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Something like that - yes.

The ACTIVE jack has a pad to take some of the pre-amp power off it's OWN pre-amp.

You are actually using a pre-amp with the stomps and that in turn a just pre-amping twice!

STOMP (which is a PREAMP) ->> PREAMP->> POSTAMP = one PREAMP too many.

Nop it doesent sounds good in the active jack... Im triying the effects loop but Im having problems with the distorion and dont know why

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by niel80

Nop it doesent sounds good in the active jack... Im triying the effects loop but Im having problems with the distorion and dont know why

Dead or dying battery in the distortion stomp? Got the loop set too WET?

Try turning the effects down on the stomp and just play it as clean as you can to see if you've got some other dynamic going on here first.

I would never consciously run a distort on my bass - but I have tried a DOD-FX/66 Flashback Fuzz and it worked very well for that Marty Robbins song: 'Don't Worry 'Bout Me'.

I also tried the DOD FX56-B Super American Metal and it worked, but not at tones or values I liked at all.

Can't say the same for a Cry Baby Wah though! It just won't modulate those lower freqs.

These were all in the same amp as you and same insertion point, so I know they work.

Remember that almost any stomp that uses electricity (battery or power supply) is a small pre-amp too.

I have used my Boss LMB-3 as a preamp for my PA once in a while, so I know it works to heat up the signal.

One neat thing I did was got an A.R.T.-TUBE AMP/Studio (12AX7-type) with the OD switch on to keep it from driving too hard and used that after my stomps to keep them under control. That ART pre is under $30.00 at GC and really worth it's cost to me.

Use one of them as the final to the LOOP Return and see what you get.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Dead or dying battery in the distortion stomp? Got the loop set too WET?

Try turning the effects down on the stomp and just play it as clean as you can to see if you've got some other dynamic going on here first.

I would never consciously run a distort on my bass - but I have tried a DOD-FX/66 Flashback Fuzz and it worked very well for that Marty Robbins song: 'Don't Worry 'Bout Me'.

I also tried the DOD FX56-B Super American Metal and it worked, but not at tones or values I liked at all.

Can't say the same for a Cry Baby Wah though! It just won't modulate those lower freqs.

These were all in the same amp as you and same insertion point, so I know they work.

Remember that almost any stomp that uses electricity (battery or power supply) is a small pre-amp too.

I have used my Boss LMB-3 as a preamp for my PA once in a while, so I know it works to heat up the signal.

One neat thing I did was got an A.R.T.-TUBE AMP/Studio (12AX7-type) with the OD switch on to keep it from driving too hard and used that after my stomps to keep them under control. That ART pre is under $30.00 at GC and really worth it's cost to me.

Use one of them as the final to the LOOP Return and see what you get.

Thank you so much for all the time your taking on helping me, and yes I trow the battery and plug the peddal to the power supply and it worked nice! I only use the distotion on one single song and like for 40 seconds or less, the thing is that I just plugged the Boss Metal Zone at the lowest distortion level and sounds good, but I just ordered the Dunlop el Grande bass fuzz peddal I play it at the GC and sounded great just what I need but I was looking if it would work nice with my rig , I cant complain about the acoustic, a friend of mine just bring his SVT classic to my place to finaly hear an 100% ampeg rig and the head is valve and all that and great volume too, but theres like 4 knobs and my friend was dissapointed that the acoustic head trow a more sharp tone and low ends that the ampeg one, he just told me... man and dont you what to have an ampeg rig? I could switch your head for mine and I was no way! let me enjoy this baby, Im like in the level 3 and he needs to be like in 7 to get the same volume, I was surprised because its a Valve one Vs a solid state one! Acoustic in matter of amplification its major words... I really don know about the cabs... I got the b100 -combo and its a great amp but yes it rattles a little, but I think it was my fault because I was competing Vs a 100 W Marshal Half Stack and a rolland 100 W Piano rig and a 300W Voice PA so now Im the one who needs to be low thank you so much for your time I really apresiate all that information that you just shared

Daniel

[SurferJoe46]

NP - enjoy smoking your buddy's big $$ Ampeg. These Gen-II Acoustic cabs and amps are pretty nice after all in spite of everyone saying they are built offshore - then they go out and buy a Kia or Mitsubishi!

I also tried that Dunlop el Grande and didn't hear any real difference from it than my DOD-FX/66 Flashback Fuzz. The Flashback fuzz gets downright nasty and dirty if you push it a little harder - and it's all good! Even though it's primarily designed as a guitar stomp - they work in the bass registers too.

I really feel that if I needed some heavy distortion, I'd use it first and add the Compressor/Limiter right after it to model it the way I want. Then into the Tube Amp and into the head. That way I can keep from pushing the Acoustic legacy pre too hard.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

NP - enjoy smoking your buddy's big $$ Ampeg. These Gen-II Acoustic cabs and amps are pretty nice after all in spite of everyone saying they are built offshore - then they go out and buy a Kia or Mitsubishi!

I also tried that Dunlop el Grande and didn't hear any real difference from it than my DOD-FX/66 Flashback Fuzz. The Flashback fuzz gets downright nasty and dirty if you push it a little harder - and it's all good! Even though it's primarily designed as a guitar stomp - they work in the bass registers too.

I really feel that if I needed some heavy distortion, I'd use it first and add the Compressor/Limiter right after it to model it the way I want. Then into the Tube Amp and into the head. That way I can keep from pushing the Acoustic legacy pre too hard.

Wooohooo! everything its great now Thanx! now just some last things I think.... One... yes the loop effect worked supreme! but I turn the wet and dry knob all the way down to wet, because if not... it didint respect the mute on my tunner, and only this way worked great, wen I step on the tunner it mutes and the distortion still works great!, is that normal? or Im doing something wrong, I know it has a tunner output but that would be a lot of cables... and two.... when I turn on the head at first time or when its been working for a good time, the fan on the back gests a little louder and the it calms down... Its that fiine? I mean my guitar player has a marshall head and when he first starts it ... the fan makes a lot of noises lol and then calms sown, is this mormal on my acoustic b600h?....

[SurferJoe46]

OK let me break this down for ya

Wooohooo! everything its great now Thanx! now just some last things I think.... One... yes the loop effect worked supreme! but I turn the wet and dry knob all the way down to wet, because if not... it didint respect the mute on my tunner, and only this way worked great, wen I step on the tunner it mutes and the distortion still works great!, is that normal? or Im doing something wrong,

Put the tuner in the tuner OUT jack. That way it isn't going to pass a signal into the pre when it's energized.You only need ONE cable to make it work on this amp.

That will keep the cables to a min too - just the one to the tuner and it goes directly into the amp. Don't use the tuner BYPASS or THROUGH at all.

Now - this is gonna sound strange: What type of foot pedal do you have for the Notch and Tuner? I had a very bad time finding the correct one - and I'd still be looking if I didn't just go ahead and mod one for myself.

1) It cannot have any LEDs or lights on it anywhere.
2) It needs a 'lead/lag' latching DP/DT with Rotary-type contacts inside the switch.

The Lead/Lag part is kinda hard to understand.

It will have a part of the switch that silently closes the connection (no 'pops' or is silent when it connects) and then it holds until the switch is totally energized and it releases getting ready for the next time you stomp the switch, but by that time the other half of the same switch is hooked up and holds the load.

BTW: There is no real 'load' so don't worry about that.

Fortunately I found one and just moved a couple of the wires around. How's your soldering skills?

The one I got to work was a Livewire Solutions Latching Footswitch Model # FSW22.

If you want I can take some pixs of the "AFTER" mods, and you can get one, open it up and correct the wiring like I did. With me for it?

A caveman can do it.

Next - IF you are NOW trying to use a footswitch that isn't the right kind, all sorts of oddball things will happen. You may be IN or you may be OUT of the Notch Filter and you won't know.

That Notch Filter has some ability to make you sound scooped or rather odd if you follow me here if you don't know about it being ON or have it set incorrectly.

The Standby part will prolly work OK - (which is what will happen when you stomp the switch to run the tuner) - but don't expect that you've got it whipped if this works alone - you prolly don't.

The Acoustic people - and I use that term "people" loosely - won't help and you get weasel words like "Have a nice day" and "Thanks for buying our stuff". It's worse than kissing a politician who just kissed a jelly-faced baby: It's sweet but useless.

I know it has a tunner output but that would be a lot of cables...

Nope - just one

and two.... when I turn on the head at first time or when its been working for a good time, the fan on the back gests a little louder and the it calms down... Its that fiine? I mean my guitar player has a marshall head and when he first starts it ... the fan makes a lot of noises lol and then calms sown, is this mormal on my acoustic b600h?....

Your fan is on "DEMAND" and as the sensor feels the output transistors warming up, it speeds up the fan. Kinda nice that they thought of that.

HINT: I leave my amp running in STANDBY mode for about 5-10 minutes after I push it hard to let things settle down and stabilize the temps.

I'm an old Navy Radio Operator and we always warmed-up and cooled-down our gear and I still do that.

No sense in heat soaking the power output transistors if you don't have to by turning off the cooling fan too early.

I mean - if it's a full-on zombie attack - then shut it off if you have time - otherwise let it lose some of the heat of the battle. OK?

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

OK let me break this down for ya

Wooohooo! everything its great now Thanx! now just some last things I think.... One... yes the loop effect worked supreme! but I turn the wet and dry knob all the way down to wet, because if not... it didint respect the mute on my tunner, and only this way worked great, wen I step on the tunner it mutes and the distortion still works great!, is that normal? or Im doing something wrong,

Put the tuner in the tuner OUT jack. That way it isn't going to pass a signal into the pre when it's energized.You only need ONE cable to make it work on this amp.

That will keep the cables to a min too - just the one to the tuner and it goes directly into the amp. Don't use the tuner BYPASS or THROUGH at all.

Now - this is gonna sound strange: What type of foot pedal do you have for the Notch and Tuner? I had a very bad time finding the correct one - and I'd still be looking if I didn't just go ahead and mod one for myself.

1) It cannot have any LEDs or lights on it anywhere.
2) It needs a 'lead/lag' latching DP/DT with Rotary-type contacts inside the switch.

The Lead/Lag part is kinda hard to understand.

It will have a part of the switch that silently closes the connection (no 'pops' or is silent when it connects) and then it holds until the switch is totally energized and it releases getting ready for the next time you stomp the switch, but by that time the other half of the same switch is hooked up and holds the load.

BTW: There is no real 'load' so don't worry about that.

Fortunately I found one and just moved a couple of the wires around. How's your soldering skills?

The one I got to work was a Livewire Solutions Latching Footswitch Model # FSW22.

If you want I can take some pixs of the "AFTER" mods, and you can get one, open it up and correct the wiring like I did. With me for it?

A caveman can do it.

Next - IF you are NOW trying to use a footswitch that isn't the right kind, all sorts of oddball things will happen. You may be IN or you may be OUT of the Notch Filter and you won't know.

That Notch Filter has some ability to make you sound scooped or rather odd if you follow me here if you don't know about it being ON or have it set incorrectly.

The Standby part will prolly work OK - (which is what will happen when you stomp the switch to run the tuner) - but don't expect that you've got it whipped if this works alone - you prolly don't.

The Acoustic people - and I use that term "people" loosely - won't help and you get weasel words like "Have a nice day" and "Thanks for buying our stuff". It's worse than kissing a politician who just kissed a jelly-faced baby: It's sweet but useless.

I know it has a tunner output but that would be a lot of cables...

Nope - just one

and two.... when I turn on the head at first time or when its been working for a good time, the fan on the back gests a little louder and the it calms down... Its that fiine? I mean my guitar player has a marshall head and when he first starts it ... the fan makes a lot of noises lol and then calms sown, is this mormal on my acoustic b600h?....

Your fan is on "DEMAND" and as the sensor feels the output transistors warming up, it speeds up the fan. Kinda nice that they thought of that.

HINT: I leave my amp running in STANDBY mode for about 5-10 minutes after I push it hard to let things settle down and stabilize the temps.

I'm an old Navy Radio Operator and we always warmed-up and cooled-down our gear and I still do that.

No sense in heat soaking the power output transistors if you don't have to by turning off the cooling fan too early.

I mean - if it's a full-on zombie attack - then shut it off if you have time - otherwise let it lose some of the heat of the battle. OK?

Yes thank you alot, I just plugged the tunner directly where it belongs and theres a huge diferense! no buzzing or anything, I really didnt understand the foot switching notch part, I use the frontal knob at 1 o clock because that way sounded great, but Im trying to understand you last response so I can be on the same level as you are , right now the distortion its on the effects loop with the knob on wet, the tunner its plugged in directly to the tunner out and my bass is directly to the frontal passive input and the sound its top notch!

Thanks a lot

Daniel

[SurferJoe46]

If you have any footswitch in the Footswitch 1/4" control plug hole, then you are likely not getting the correct effects yet.

There are problems when you have either 1) a single switch with a T-R-S jack <the top one here> or 2) a mono-jack <the bottom one here> in that position.



If it's a Stereo (T-R-S) OR a mono (T-S) plug in the hole and it's a dual-latching switch and it has any LEDs or indicator lights on it, then you are still getting a malfunction with the Notch, but not necessarily with the Standby switching.

The Standby switch will operate with even a wrong footswitch in it, but you are not controlling the Notch, even if you try to override that with the panel button.

Glad to hear you have most of it figured out though. These are great amps!

Let me know if you want that instruction to get them both operating from a footswitch though. I'll be back late this evening and then I'm off to San Diego for a few days and might not be here for a few days but sporadically.

[niel80]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

If you have any footswitch in the Footswitch 1/4" control plug hole, then you are likely not getting the correct effects yet.

There are problems when you have either 1) a single switch with a T-R-S jack <the top one here> or 2) a mono-jack <the bottom one here> in that position.



If it's a Stereo (T-R-S) OR a mono (T-S) plug in the hole and it's a dual-latching switch and it has any LEDs or indicator lights on it, then you are still getting a malfunction with the Notch, but not necessarily with the Standby switching.

The Standby switch will operate with even a wrong footswitch in it, but you are not controlling the Notch, even if you try to override that with the panel button.

Glad to hear you have most of it figured out though. These are great amps!

Let me know if you want that instruction to get them both operating from a footswitch though. I'll be back late this evening and then I'm off to San Diego for a few days and might not be here for a few days but sporadically.

Oh! I get it, the foot switch in from the back panel, I only try it with my brother's foot switch and yes like you say it has a dual striped jack, my brother says its a stereo jack and worked fine I can turn on and off the notch and yes like you say the stand by works fine and the notch hears like a boost and then when I stomp on the switch the boost gets down, and yep there are lights on foot switch and they turn on and off fine, my brother told me that he had the same problem in tne past so thank you I didnt know how this thing worked so thank you, Im not planing to control via foot switch at the moment the mute or the notch, I dont know if you recomend me to do so... I will follow your advice because thanks to you evereything its working perfect

A nother thing I live in Tijuana lol, and I buy all my stuff there in San Diego at the guitar center and harpers music store... well that was just I random comen I think lol

Thanx
Daniel