Does it need to go in for repair?

[pocketgroove]

Hi guys (and ladies),
I have a Peavey Tour TNT 115 that I purchased in June of 2010. It was part of the very first run of the amps, and when I first got it, I was extremely happy.

I can't quite remember when the problem began, but nowadays, the tone seems lackluster, it doesn't seem to get as loud as it once did, and it performs inconsistently from day to day. There seems to be no clarity; it always sounds muddy and undefined, at any EQ settings and even with EQ bypassed, yet when I first got it I was able to get any sound I could have possibly needed.

From day one, however, it has made a loud popping sound when being switched off, even with the tweeter off and the volume turned all the way down. I have had slight distortion at times (but not all the time), even with my pickups set low, the gain below 12 o'clock, and with the crunch switch off. However, the most mystifying thing for me is that it immediately starts to sound better when the volume is at 2.5 or 3, and it sounds better the louder it gets. Under 2.5, the sound is unusable. I understand that this would be normal with a tube amp, but I thought this wasn't a problem with solid state? I tried an equivalent amp at a local shop, and I could play it at a volume of 1 or 2 and get this beautiful clarity that mine just seems to be missing.

I'm certain the problem does not lie with my bass. I have the gut feeling that something is wrong, but I also can't afford to be without an amp for any length of time, and I really dread sending it out if not absolutely necessary. Does anyone have a guess as to a specific issue, or any advice on whether it needs to be shipped out for attention from a tech?

Thanks a ton in advance to everyone who replies; I truly appreciate it.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Not much an an average person can do, except "cleaning" the FX jacks (if there's any) by inserting a plug in there a few times.

An amp that new should still be under warranty?

Use it.

Regards
Sam

[canadian*eh]

Just a Question...and dont take this the wrong way....But you havent had any GAS attacks lately that are cause you to second guess your ears and causing you to be unhappy with what you have??..I know it has happened to me before!!!.....If not maybe some good electronic spray cleaner might do the trick...i know it fixed uo some of my Pots on my old gk head that were not acting right and causing sounds and stuff that were not of the norm!!.....take the amp out dust everything off use the cleaner on all the pots turn them so it gets worked in and let her sit for a bit to dry then give it a try!!!...It is a cheep fix if that is all it is!! Best of luck....Hope you get it going soon!! Cheers Mate!!

[pocketgroove]

Hi,
Thanks so far. I completely understand your question about GAS; sometimes it can do weird things to human perception...

However, I played the same amp at GC and a local store, and it sounded better both times. I just want to be 120% sure before i send it because of the stress involved and the wait time.

While I'm no electrician, I do have a bit of basic knowledge, and I'm pretty sure that if something truly is wrong, it's internal/some sort of component failure.

[4-stringB]

Just a wild a## guess, but look up threads on Black Widow foam failure. May not apply, but it cames to mind anytime I hear a PV combo with issues...Good Luck...

[BassmanPaul]

To set your mind at ease re the popping noise. It's quite normal on power up and power down. All SS amp do this however some have protection circuits that delay connecting the speakers until the event has passed.

[Crater]

Do you have an active bass? Check the battery....

[slaphappychappy]

The battery on an active, yes, I've forgotten about that once or twice.

[pocketgroove]

Thanks for the reassurance concerning the popping sound; I've heard other amps do it but wasn't sure if it was normal or not.

I play only passive basses, so I know that dead batteries aren't the culprit. It's practically a new amp; it's never been dropped or anything, and I've only gigged with it once or twice, with no problems.

It doesn't sound bad at high volume, but it doesn't sound like it once did, either, and there's no clarity at low volume.

[pocketgroove]

'Still need help from someone with similar experience' bump