Ampeg Amp fuzzing out?

Mooks1881 · #1 04-02-2011, 07:47 PM

Hi! Tried searching the forums for any related material and didn't find anything.

Does anyone own a B2RE?

I have had mine since about 2007 and today I plugged it in for a little practicing and it was cutting out completely.

I have an SVT 410HE cab. Cab is fine, speaker cable is fine, bass cable is fine. Bass is fine. It is definitely the amp head.

When i plug the bass in, it sounds like a really low fi buzz saw synth with very little volume. Sometimes when i tap on the amp's top it cuts back in briefly, but is totally fuzzing out all the time. Thinking something in the amp is shorted out or fried. Any thoughts?

Unfortunately Ampeg offers 2 year warranty on B series gear and 5 on svt.

wespaul · #2 04-02-2011, 08:05 PM

Can't offer much but my own experience with another amp in the Ampeg line - the SVT 4 Pro. Mine would cut out as though I had muted it, peak LED came on and sound quit. I had a bunch of bad solder joints. I still don't know if I've got 'em all, but I have had the thing apart about a dozen times, replaced power transistors, replaced the LM35 temperature sensor, a few other IC components, and still don't trust it. If I get a dozen gigs with no problem, I'll relax but until then I carry a spare head ready to jack in. Why? I love the SVT 4 Pro when it works!

If you care to tackle it, that's one thing I would check. Wick the old solder away if you find a bad solder point and re-solder it.Unfortunately, it could be an intermittently bad component somewhere, and require an informed bench test to trace. I just look for visibly obvious problems first.

Mooks1881 · #3 04-02-2011, 08:21 PM

thanks wespaul that helps! I talked to one guy who said it would be a little hard to troubleshoot with out a work bench and some good meters. I will check through the solder joints and look for any bad joints. Has ampeg ever been known to cover something like that even if the warranty has expired by a few months?

wespaul · #4 04-02-2011, 08:32 PM

My experience with Ampeg support is limited. In my area, I have been directed to a local dealer for support, and said dealer has, in my opinion, substandard techs. It never hurts to ask, and don't forget the option of paying SLM Electronics directly for repairs. If you can ship it to St. Louis for $50 and pay $200 for the repair service, that may still be cheaper than a new amp comparable to yours.

Oh, by the way, when checking for bad solder joints, the hairline cracks can be hard to see in artificial light. Sunlight is best, especially lightly overcast to cut glare.

Jerrold Tiers · #5 04-02-2011, 08:32 PM

For a first try, plug a cord into every jack on teh unit several times. use contact cleaner if you have it.

if that doesn't work, it may need a tech.

I totally agree that a loose connection somewhere is a very good possibility.

You can help yourself by plugging directly into the poweramp and making sure it is OK. If not, you know where the problem is, and can say so.

if P.A. is OK then check pre-out into something else and see if the problem is there.

if it's neither place, then either you are in the twilight zone or else the issue is with the jacks on the back. Plug a cord from pre out to power amp in and see if it still has the problem.

Jacks are the biggest issue with any unit.... and the line in/out etc have a 'through-connection" that can get corroded and make trouble.

We started using high quality UK-made Cliff brand jacks back in 1990 when that had been a serious problem, but Loud's china folks likely changed back to the cheap asian ones.

Mooks1881 · #6 04-03-2011, 11:16 AM

Thanks Jerrold that seems to help quite a bit. I didn't have a whole lot of time to find exactly where the short was coming from. If it is completely fried, can't get much support from ampeg. Do people sell broken amps cheap?

BassmanPaul · #7 04-03-2011, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooks1881

Thanks Jerrold that seems to help quite a bit. I didn't have a whole lot of time to find exactly where the short was coming from. If it is completely fried, can't get much support from ampeg. Do people sell broken amps cheap?

If you don't want to take it to a tech you can sell as an "As is" or for a project on Ebay.

Jerrold Tiers · #8 04-03-2011, 09:54 PM

Yabbut, for what is probably a simple problem, that seems pretty drastic....... YMMV...

Just noticed you are in St Paul... I grew up near the river on Cleveland ave between Grand and St Clair..... near St Thomas, Macalester, and St Catherine's colleges.... (I think they are all universities now.)

Mooks1881 · #9 04-28-2011, 02:31 PM

Opened the top of the amp. Plugged a bass in, turned amp on and tapped around the PC boards to find where the problem was coming from. It appears that the problem is somewhere in the power amp section of the board. I tap on the whole board anywhere usually in the back left and that is when the noises come through. When it does sizzle the limiter light turns on. Checked all solder joints under magnifying glass and cannot seem to locate the bad joint. I really don't know what to do with it! :'(

JimmyM · #10 04-28-2011, 02:57 PM

you can't always spot a bad solder joint by eyesight. i think it's tech time if you don't have a meter and can check for it. but if the jack cleaning thing is working, do it some more and clean them with deoxit, and clean all the pots and other jacks while you're at it.

Bass_Pounder · #11 04-28-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

you can't always spot a bad solder joint by eyesight. i think it's tech time if you don't have a meter and can check for it. but if the jack cleaning thing is working, do it some more and clean them with deoxit, and clean all the pots and other jacks while you're at it.

Have you done a good cleaning to the FX send/returns ?

If not, do so

Also, plug a jumper cable in to the send and return (complete the loop with one cable) and try it out.

Mooks1881 · #12 06-09-2011, 06:40 PM

Check the effects send and return as well as preamp out and power amp in with several cables trying every combo I could. I have narrowed it down to the power amp. I can tap on the amp just about anywhere and the problem happens. Amp is still fuzzing out when I plug it in. Checked all the solder joints in the power amp under a bench lighted magnifying glass.

Wonder if I should just puke on the damn thing and throw it in off the high bridge into the river?

Jerrold Tiers · #13 06-09-2011, 08:46 PM

There's always getting it repaired.......

You pay folks to know what to do to fix it, and have them do it..... wonderful system, actually.....