Ampeg PF350/500 Part VI

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by 96tbird

My money is on this being one of two things, either an assembly problem, or a bad batch of say, capacitors or chips or etc. delivered to the manufacturer. Seeing as this is happening to both models this just seems to me like components. I really doubt it's a design fault. So Loud will take it up with the contracted assembler and deal with the issue by doing like they did with me. I advocate immediate contact directly with Loud for immediate attention. Don't bother with the retailer.

Part of me thinks is both a design flaw AND a run of bad components. The way these amps seem to cut out frequently as a protective measure is definitely a design flaw. Sure, the amp is designed to do this, but I don't think Ampeg was expecting that to happen as often as many people are experiencing. The fact that some have just blown up or stopped working is most likely a bad batch of caps. When mine blew up it sounded just like a capacitor exploding. I didn't open it up to look since the amp was only 2 days old, so I just returned it to the retailer for a replacement.

[Bethelbass1]

I just finished a jazz gig with the 210 and 500 watt head and it worked like a charm. The band plays pretty hard (the drummer is hard of hearing ) I ran both the gain and volume past noon (bass dropped to 11 and mid/treble at 1. I had plenty of volume and the tone was fantastic.

One question: is the problem mainly happening at full impedance load? If so, should I hasten to put my head through its paces before the warranty ends?

Ok, maybe two questions...

[96tbird]

I would work that puppy hard and try to blow it up (within reasonable limits) before warranty is up.

[fivestringgecko]

Originally Posted by Newbie-Doo

Hey Gecko, I love the deepness of 15's, but it seems like the D and G strings don't stand out as well volume-wise with the 15. Has that been your experience, and if so how have you addressed it?

Sorry for the delayed response! Busy busy busy!

Probably depends a lot on your personal setup/equipment/etc. I haven't had any trouble with losing the D and G, I usually have to dial down the treble because those strings will get a little too snappy/zingy for my taste. Every situation is different of course, but in a muddy room, I'll bump up the mids and dial back the lows a bit to get the rig to speak better in a muddy room. This is my first pair of 15's, but I've noticed it's easy for the lows to get out of hand if you're not careful.

Originally Posted by pfschim

GC has a Prez Day "sale" too. Looks like I will have to strongly consider grabbing another PF115HE cab.

dang.

If you do (did?), let us know!

5sg.

[jthurston]

Originally Posted by Johno Dunn

Don't try to run this amp flat, it wants it's knobs turned. I run (clock face) gain @ 2:30 or 3, bass @ 3 or 4, mid @ 12 or 1, treble @ 8:30 or 9, master wherever needed. I've had it as high as 12 or 1 with 1 210av. No farting out whatsoever, and plenty loud for most of my situations with no FOH. I use 2 210's cause it sounds soooo good.

My 2 cents!

I don't even use my PF500 any more. I returned the first one, and then when the replacement also started cutting out, I just stopped using it in disgust.

It's practically brand new, probably been gigged once. Thinking about selling it.

Does anyone know if the SVT7 Pro has similar issues? I know it's also class D.

[JimmyM]

The first batch of 7 Pros did, but they've done a couple revisions since then and made it a lot more cutting-out-proof. Won't say it won't ever happen, but I've seen a heck of a lot less of it with the 7 Pro these days.

[Shatmusket]

Originally Posted by 60bass

Mine did the same exact thing on my 500 I never had any issues with the amp in the year that I owned it. I always thought maybe it was the amp running to self test or something to that effect.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Love these forums :-)

[MrCool84]

I talk to tech support at loud and asked about running two pf115's with the pf500 and he advised me not too saying it would over heat the amp and put it in default mode. Are asked " are u kidding me"?. You.buy an amp rated for 500watts and cant run it with the cabs that were designed for it to see its full potential? Wth? This turns me off. I know a lot of u are doing just this. So what's up?

[fivestringgecko]

Originally Posted by MrCool84

I talk to tech support at loud and asked about running two pf115's with the pf500 and he advised me not too saying it would over heat the amp and put it in default mode. Are asked " are u kidding me"?. You.buy an amp rated for 500watts and cant run it with the cabs that were designed for it to see its full potential? Wth? This turns me off. I know a lot of u are doing just this. So what's up?

I've been running that full stack off and on for almost two years now (don't always need that much) and I don't remember my 500 even being mildly warm to the touch when running both cabs. I've got a gig on Saturday with my funk band and will be using both PF115's. It's a 3 1/2 hour set, I'll double check and report back.

5sg.

[dogmeat08]

Originally Posted by fivestringgecko

I've been running that full stack off and on for almost two years now (don't always need that much) and I don't remember my 500 even being mildly warm to the touch when running both cabs. I've got a gig on Saturday with my funk band and will be using both PF115's. It's a 3 1/2 hour set, I'll double check and report back.

5sg.

ive been running my pf500 with 2 cabs for gigs for almost 2yrs now as well with no heating problems at all ....

[arai]

Originally Posted by MrCool84

I talk to tech support at loud and asked about running two pf115's with the pf500 and he advised me not too saying it would over heat the amp and put it in default mode. Are asked " are u kidding me"?. You.buy an amp rated for 500watts and cant run it with the cabs that were designed for it to see its full potential? Wth? This turns me off. I know a lot of u are doing just this. So what's up?

wow

[Newbie-Doo]

Originally Posted by arai

wow

Wow is right. That is ridiculous.

[ddbassGA]

I had a very similar response from G-K when my brand new MB 500 Fusion failed in the first week. So dumb responses by TS folks are not unique to Ampeg. I was a G-K regular and the experience caused me to shift back to Ampeg and get the PF 500, which has served me without fail for 2 years, with 1 or 2 PF115 cabs.

At the time I was looking for a powerful, light weight head and had tried Carvin, Mark, GB Shuttle, and the GK. Looking back I probably over-reacted to my problem with G-K, but that led me to the Ampeg PF which has worked best for me.

[klk999]

So I bought a used PF-500 off of CL last July, and have been using it 2-3 times a week at home and 3-4 times at practice with a Peavey 2x10 Tour and sometimes an old Fender 1x15, both 8 Ohms. I have never had any issues described in this and other forums until last night. Yesterday UPS dropped off a PF210 that I had got off of Musicians Friend. A few hours after UPS dropped it off I had the pf500 hooked up to only the pf210, turned on the amp and "click" and the fault light comes on.

After messing around with it, it seems to be good and dead, and without a warranty, I have no idea how it will cost to repair. Has anyone had one of these repaired out of warranty? If so, how much did it cost? Is there any kind of reset switch or fuse on these?

I got my old GK RB400 out of the closet, hooked it up to the new PF210, and it worked fine, so the cab seems to be ok.

[JimmyM]

Did you catch a name with who told you not to use two cabs with the PF500 at LOUD? Having a hard time trying to write this and not be offensive because I have a real hard time believing anyone at LOUD tech support could be so butt-stupid, quite frankly. But if there is someone there that butt-stupid, the tech support boss needs to know about it.

So name, please. PM me if you're not comfortable saying it in public.

[96tbird]

C'est incroyable! Tell JimmyM his name! "I'm not asking, I'm telling!" -Artie Fufkin.

[MrCool84]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Did you catch a name with who told you not to use two cabs with the PF500 at LOUD? Having a hard time trying to write this and not be offensive because I have a real hard time believing anyone at LOUD tech support could be so butt-stupid, quite frankly. But if there is someone there that butt-stupid, the tech support boss needs to know about it.

So name, please. PM me if you're not comfortable saying it in public.

Yea I did not ask his name which I regret but I hung up in disgust with the last thing I said was "so ur telling me I buy an amp rated at 500 and I cant run it at that with the tmo 8 ohm cabs that were designed for it?That's a poor design. Later." He said the cabs would be under powered. Together they want to see 800 watts. Something like that. I sick with technical stuff I'm still learning. Also I emailed and got a total different response saying yea it would be fine just watch for clipping and don't dime it. I called the number on the site 800 258 6883 ex1631 and I called yesterday at 5:47 pm if that helps.

[JimmyM]

I shall mention it.

[MrCool84]

Btw was just in apopka. Went to rock springs for the day with the wife and lil guy. Beautiful.

[JimmyM]

Ya, Rock Springs is quite cool. I should go there again. Haven't been since I was 9.