HELP! Ampeg SVT 610HLE FARTS! (on one note)

punkrockmike · #1 03-20-2011, 05:29 PM

I just bought an SVT 610HLE "new" (the store i bought it from said it was a "b-stock" cab they bought from ampeg). Sounded great in the store, although i couldnt really push the volume i wanted to push. Got it home, plugged my SVT 2 Pro into it, played for not more than one minute and heard a loud fart come from one of the speakers. I figured the speaker was blown, so i took the grill off and didnt really see any visual signs of damage to any of the speakers. Tried pushing the cones in lightly to see if i could hear and grinding/scraping, but heard/felt nothing. It sounds like the left middle speaker is the farty one. After closer inspection, i noticed it has a small amount of white discoloration around the edge of the cone, looks like some sort of glue that dried weird. I made sure all the screws were tight, plugged her back in, and still get the farting sound. It only happens one one note (D, fifth fret on A string). I tried playing an open d string, and got nothing. I have another of the same cabinet, tried plugging into that one, and that one sounds fine, so its gotta be the cab. I just dont know where to start! HELP!

JimmyM · #2 03-20-2011, 05:35 PM

sounds like some sort of sympathetic vibration rather than a broken speaker. check and make sure all speaker mounting screws are tight but not overtightened first off.

nukes_da_bass · #3 03-20-2011, 05:36 PM

Did you try a different bass? Part of troubleshooting has to be subbing all physical aspects of the signal chain. Weird that it will buzz on one D and not another of supposedly identical frequency! Could be that is a high spot on the fret and whatever defect the cab has is super sensitive to the dissonance of that fretbuzz.

punkrockmike · #4 03-20-2011, 05:44 PM

oh yea i didnt think about trying a different bass. I also forgot to mention that im playing an epiphone flying v bass, which is a short scale. would that have anything to do with it?

punkrockmike · #5 03-20-2011, 05:45 PM

and how tight is too tight for the mounting screws?

punkrockmike · #6 03-20-2011, 05:50 PM

alright. tried a long scale bass. same thing. only farts on the fifth fret on the a string. tried playing an open d really really hard but still nothing. its just on the one fret. and its only when i let the note ring out.

JimmyM · #7 03-20-2011, 05:51 PM

snug, but not to where you bend the frame.

ErnieD · #8 03-20-2011, 05:54 PM

but you're closer n me. I bought a Epifani UL410 cab from a TBer last fall. After delivery, I could tell a corner of the cab took a hit during delivery by the pushed in box corner and the cracked plastic corner protector at the same corner of cab. I went thru alot of the suggestions above, no luck.

I tried the cab out and heard a distorted/buzzy sound when I played my C# C and other low notes on the low B string. I had a bit of a time narrowing down the source. I felt it was the upper left 10" speaker, same as damaged corner. I pulled the grill, pulled that driver, gave it the light in/out push did not hear that raspy sound I'd heard before in a bad voice coil. Many suggested remove the damaged corner protector, check for wires against cone, other loose screws or various items on cab, etc.

Put it all back together, btw all screws, grill and that driver felt like it was factory tight, as in none had ever been loosened before. Once all together, I heard the buzz/distort again this time could not narrow it down to the same driver. Just somewhere in the cab; or the room itself. Just could not find it again. I had a bit of headache dealing with ship company so I just parked cab aside, never touched it since.

I'm finally taking it to my local, very reputable speaker repair shop this Tuesday. I'm just going to let them deal with it as I hope they can find the actual issue and just repair it so I can have it ready for my large outdoor summer gigs.

I first bought a B-stock, UL410 from a online store last summer. It came packed like new, cab looked just as new. I've had no issues with it and its' getting gigged regularly.

Narrowing down distortions/buzzes in cabs can be a real b*tch. Seems like you've gotten closer to your issue, maybe go back to store you bought it at. You might just need a recone as I'm hoping that's all my issue will turn out to be. Good luck. Keep us posted; I'll do same soon as I know.

punkrockmike · #9 03-20-2011, 06:00 PM

checked all the screws. theres a couple on the top two speakers that seem to be stripped. no matter how much i turn them, they wont tighten. and on the speaker i think may be to blame for the fart (middle left) there is one screw on the bottom that is screwed in at an angle, instead of straight into the wood, but is still tight.

JimmyM · #10 03-20-2011, 06:18 PM

stuff a toothpick in the stripped holes and retighten. the one at an angle shouldn't be an issue, but the stripped holes could very well be the culprit.

punkrockmike · #11 03-20-2011, 07:17 PM

well, after one last sweep of the screws to make sure if they were tight, my roommate came home and i tried to show him the noise it was making, and i think i fixed it! thanks everyone for you help! ill be sure to keep my ears open for any changes tho.

carbonfold · #12 03-20-2011, 08:20 PM

I had a "farting" issue with my SVT610 and realized that...... I just needed a different cab

Don't get me wrong, loved my SVT610, but was just pushing it too hard. Went with a GK412Neo and never had that issue again.

Jerrold Tiers · #13 03-20-2011, 09:41 PM

many times the noises are due to air leaks, which will often show up on one note, es[pecially in ported cabs.. Maybe in this case it was a leak, since tightening worked.

Leaks will make noises you would swear was a badly broken speaker....... or a piece vibrating, etc, etc, etc.