Getting a Bugera this week

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Handyman

Now for the important question: What on earth are you going to do with an amplifier that can blow a 15 amp breaker?

Bring an electrician to every gig and run a separate power distro just for the bass rig? Isn't that SOP for doom gigs anyway?

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Pills Are Yummy

This amp is a particular case. Because it draws such a high wattage, it uses an 18 amp circuit. Most standard homes are equipped with 15 amp circuits. A lot of people are plugging their bugeras into 15 amp circuits and blaming bugera when it won't turn back on

G-K recommends a 20 amp circuit for the 1001RB II so that analogy doesn't hold any water. Sorry That doesn't mean they didn't do other things wrong as the price point leads to less than experienced users? Using instrument cables as speaker cables is a good example.

[christw]

I can't find anything about the Nuke being a hybrid... I'm no longer even close to tempted.

Have fun with that. I'm still continually finding out that my 300 Pro has more power on tap than I realized. I don't know what I'd do with 3600 peak watts (1800 RMS?) when I can hardly handle 300 RMS.

[Bean639]

Electrician here... you shouldn't "blow up" the amp on a 15A circuit. You should just trip the breaker. Resetting the breaker with the amp as the load might damage the amp. Might. Anyway, if these things are blowing up and the conclusion to why is because people are plugging them into 15A circuits, then I would say that you're in for a big disappointment.

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by Bean639

Electrician here... you shouldn't "blow up" the amp on a 15A circuit. You should just trip the breaker. Resetting the breaker with the amp as the load might damage the amp. Might. Anyway, if these things are blowing up and the conclusion to why is because people are plugging them into 15A circuits, then I would say that you're in for a big disappointment.

One would only draw that kind of current if the amp was maxed out though right?

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by wabbit

One would only draw that kind of current if the amp was maxed out though right?

Correct. If it draws anywhere near that when idling, something is very wrong.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by wabbit

One would only draw that kind of current if the amp was maxed out though right?

It might also draw that much at startup (inrush current) if it doesn't use a soft start circuit.

[B-string]

If the start up inrush current exceeds a 15 amp circuit this would indicate a very poor and irresponsible design?

[bigchiefbc]

I've used many Behringer products over the years. I've had a few of them have QC issues, but the bang for the buck has been worth it on most of them.

As for Bugera, I bought a 1960 non-infinium model last winter on a lark, and I've fallen so much in love with it that it's now my main gigging amp. Not a single issue with it yet.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by B-string

If the start up inrush current exceeds a 15 amp circuit this would indicate a very poor and irresponsible design?

I have no idea if that's the case here, just speaking in generalities.

Edit: a careful reading of the manual seems to show only that the internal breaker in the amp is rated at 18 amps. Nothing is said about needing a 20 amp service and since there is no 20 amp plug included with the amp I am left wondering about the veracity of this?

[ksandvik]

There's always a reason some gear is 50% off and other gear never goes down in value.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by ksandvik

There's always a reason some gear is 50% off and other gear never goes down in value.

Sometimes it is as simple as over-stock and not wanting to pay end of year floor tax.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

If you search the site you see a lot of people saying they suck, with a total lack of evidence those people have even seen one in the flesh. The hostility is clearly for those people. They came and posted anyway.

PMP2000 committed suicide second song of the first set, very first time we used it, ending the gig as we had no back-up ( Lesson learned). This was a band I used to be in where the BL insisted on buying the cheapest stuff available. He also had a Bugera tube guitar head that had to be taken in for service when it was 2 weeks old, then when it was a few months old it went belly up again. He got rid of it. As far as I know he is now using a Crate SS head. I have no idea what kind of PA he has.

My friend's band had a trio of Europower 4000 watt amps. On a gig one of them crapped out leaving them to scramble and share monitor mixes.


That is more than enough evidence for me. Behringer and Bugera BOTH clone other manufacturers products using the cheapest Chinese components they can get their hands on. Some of this stuff obviously operates properly for significant periods of time. An inordinate number of them do not however. If it's all you can afford and it makes you happy, live and let live I say. I could care less what you choose to use. As for me though I will never give the B company another chance to leave me looking stupid on a gig. I have never personally purchased one of their products. All our stuff we scrimped and saved to buy at least decent quality stuff. A&H console, Crown and QSC power amps, Yamaha and JBL speakers. I was tempted by their SVT clone, but unless someone is giving it to me free I'll pass. Even then I would never take it to a gig without having a reasonable back up in place.

This whole argument is kinda stupid. If the OP wants one, that's great. To say that if you have one fail it is because you are using it wrong is a statement based on pure ignorance. These products didn't get the reputation for failing because nobody knows how to use the gear properly.

I stand by my original assessment. These products will give you hundreds of years of flawless service as door stops.

[Bean639]

I dont think the inrush would be too much. Ill put it this way... My entire band plays on a 20A circuit. That is a 880 watt bass amp, 2 100watt guitars, a 1800 watt PA. We draw 4A at very loud volumes. Plenty of room for a space heater or AC. (10 amps each)

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

It might also draw that much at startup (inrush current) if it doesn't use a soft start circuit.

Originally Posted by B-string

If the start up inrush current exceeds a 15 amp circuit this would indicate a very poor and irresponsible design?

The reason I asked is that I just doled out a small fortune for a power amp that has a universal power supply and is meant to run on a 20 amp circuit but I'm usually using a 15 amp circuit. I'm using a pre-amp/power amp setup and the amp is supposed to provide 2500W per channel. I won't be needing that kind of power in the near future but if I ever find myself in that position, I'm sure that 20 amp services will be provided. That would have to be one massive stage.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the power amp I bought is top-shelf quality and has the soft start.

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by B-string

Sometimes it is as simple as over-stock and not wanting to pay end of year floor tax.

I indeed wish that was the case with EBMM bass guitars...

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by wabbit

The reason I asked is that I just doled out a small fortune for a power amp that has a universal power supply and is meant to run on a 20 amp circuit but I'm usually using a 15 amp circuit. I'm using a pre-amp/power amp setup and the amp is supposed to provide 2500W per channel. I won't be needing that kind of power in the near future but if I ever find myself in that position, I'm sure that 20 amp services will be provided. That would have to be one massive stage.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the power amp I bought is top-shelf quality and has the soft start.

Breakers take a while to heat up and kick, they don't typically just kick on one 15A peak. My iAMP 800 took out all the food booths at an upscale festival gig I was playing when I turned it on, but I'd hardly blame the amp when the grills had all been running for hours on the same service...

[wabbit]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Breakers take a while to heat up and kick, they don't typically just kick on one 15A peak. My iAMP 800 took out all the food booths at an upscale festival gig I was playing when I turned it on, but I'd hardly blame the amp when the grills had all been running for hours on the same service...

How not to get asked back.

Did they put two and two together to figure out why the circuit blew? Pretty funny indeed in retrospect but didja get to play? Did anyone get to eat?

[B-string]

Originally Posted by wabbit

The reason I asked is that I just doled out a small fortune for a power amp that has a universal power supply and is meant to run on a 20 amp circuit but I'm usually using a 15 amp circuit. I'm using a pre-amp/power amp setup and the amp is supposed to provide 2500W per channel. I won't be needing that kind of power in the near future but if I ever find myself in that position, I'm sure that 20 amp services will be provided. That would have to be one massive stage.

Also, I'm fairly certain that the power amp I bought is top-shelf quality and has the soft start.

If the universal power supply is SMPS (auto-switching) chances are the inrush requirements are low as SMPS use much smaller power transformers.
Always power up all power amps one at a time after any preamps, mixers or effects have been powered up. The power amps also be the first thing to power down.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by wabbit

How not to get asked back.

Did they put two and two together to figure out why the circuit blew? Pretty funny indeed in retrospect but didja get to play? Did anyone get to eat?

Yeah, I got my quiche and the patrons got Waltz For Debby. And since I figured it out, we got asked back for several years in a row. I kind of hate blowing my cover as a sound tech though, makes it hard to relax as a punter at live shows around here.