Carvin Redline 1000 troubles! Please help!

[JCanz555]

I am running a Carvin Redline 1000w head, bridged, into a GK 4x10 and a SWR 18 both are 8ohm, 400 RMS (Yes I know I mix and match alot).

I am having an issue with the amp (not speakers, bass, or cable issue) cutting out for 10-15 seconds in the middle of a song, and then mysteriously coming back on without me touching a thing. This is usually mid gig (4 hour rock n roll club gigs). The amp makes no strange noises, just cuts out with no sound being produced. Both cabs are affected (I run them both out of the amp, not daisy chained).

The problem is very intermittent. Three gigs ago, it happened during two songs. Two gigs ago, the amp worked perfectly, and last gig it was happening almost every song (until I pulled out my backup amp).

This amp is also not nearly as loud as I think 1000w should be. I have to run the gain at +6 and the master around 8 to be heard over the drummer.

Any ideas?? Thanks for reading!

Also- if the amp is shot, any suggestions of a decent priced amp that will push the cabs I am using? I'm looking at an SWR 550x used.

[B-string]

Have you tried running not bridged to check both amp's operation? The cutting out could be effects loop return jack. Try an instrument cable from effects send to return if you don't have the footswitch to bypass.

[theduke1]

I had a R1000 ,but never ran it bridged.
I biamped in to a Peavey 1810 cab, ran 500 to the 210 500 to the 18 and had all kinds of boom. I would try biamping your rig and see what happens.
It sounds to me like it is going into protect mode.
Let me know how it goes

[5port]

I had an R600 that used to do this. I was running bridged into two 8 ohm cabinets like you. As soon as I seperated the two cabinets (ran the amp with two seperate channels - bridge switch off) it ran reliably and never did it again. There are two issues here...heat and impedance. If the sum of your two cabinets are slightly under 4 ohms the amp will shut-down to save itself. Also in bridge mode those R-series amps ran real hot. They need coolin'.

Suggestion:

1) Unscrew the plastic shield that covers the rear heat sink. Using a q-tip and a vacuum with the narrow attachment suck out the dust clumps that are in the heatsink (if any). Not just on the outside, the heatsink goes back a few inches.

2) If amp continues to trip-off after the cleaning try running the amp in dual-channel mode (bridge switch off). Move the two 1/4 connectors back to amp1 and amp2. If it works fine when your in dual-channel it may not like the impedance of your two cabinets when bridged.

3) I had ribbon cables that (after a few years of vibration) would back-off near the rear wall of the amp. It couldnt hurt to take the top off and make sure all the ribbon cables are seated (with the power OFF).

There is nothing wrong with the R-series...they just need a little love once in a while. My R600 is still going strong after 11 years in someone else's hands.