Ashdown Cab/Head Problems

Ohjann · #1 10-23-2011, 08:11 AM

Hi everyone, this is my very first post in this forum and I wish it could've been a happier introduction!

Basically I bought an Ashdown Mag 300 EVOII bass head and a Mag 410t Deep bass cab off of thomann last July and I've been extremely happy with it up until about a week ago at band practice where I plugged it in and it started making this extremely loud feedback noise, despite the input and output being completely down.

I don't think I was doing anything out of the ordinary at the time, I wasn't even paying attention because I set it up without difficulty every week up until then.

The only thing which was different that day as opposed to any other day is that I had forgotten my speaker cable (I don't know what the proper name for the lead is, it's like a PA head on one end and a instrument head on the other for connecting the head and the cab) so I had to use an instrument lead.

So either my cab or my head or both are now broken because every time I turn it on now it makes this deep hum for about 3 seconds and then makes this extremely loud feedback noise...

If I plug my bass in to the head without the cab connected and turn the input up the needle moves so there's a chance it could be the cab.

I'm kind of rambling a bit now but basically I was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else? And I presume I'm still covered by a warranty if they are beyond repair yeah?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Bass_Pounder · #2 10-23-2011, 09:42 AM

This is exactly why you DO NOT use instrument cables to connect your head/cab.

It is very possible there was a short, and you may have fried the output stage of your amp.

Try it with another cab first to be sure it is the head, but it sounds like tech time.

Ohjann · #3 10-23-2011, 10:37 AM

Crap I was afraid of that... Why would they put an instrument cable input in it if you aren't meant to use instrument cables?

Would I be able to use my warranty to send it back and get it repaired/ get a new one? Or does the fact that I screwed it with the cable make it void?

will33 · #4 10-23-2011, 10:49 AM

Never use instument cables as speaker cables. The plug is just a plug, you could put one on any kind of cable. The instrument cable you used may have shorted or had a couple loose frays of wire making a sort of "loose short", not enough to blow fuses and save equipment, just enough to screw things up. I think it's usually output transistors that fry when you do that but not certain on that. Unless you're handy with electronics and have some specialized test equipment, it's tech time.....lesson learned.

will33 · #5 10-23-2011, 10:51 AM

A little underhanded but you might get a warranty repair if you don't mention the cable thing. Or when they diagnose it, they may still find user error.