Peavey Firebass 700 + Tour 210 = no workie. Help!

NickInMesa · #1 05-16-2009, 05:18 PM

I just bought a white face Firebass 700 from the pawn for $220 OTD, based on great reviews.

I already have a Peavey Tour 210, which works fine with a Crate Powerblock 150 (except that the Powerblock is ok for the price, but that's not the best sound).

The 210 is an 8 ohm cab, the Firebass is suppose to cover 2, 4 and 8 ohms.

But when I tried the head with that cab, it just did not work right. The cab was giving a lot of krrrrrkch! sounds and stuff came flying out of the port (no, not broken parts, more like dirt).

Is it just that it's not the right combination or am I missing something here?

Also I have no patch cords, I have to run to GC tomorrow, so what I was using was an instrument cord.

Ok, maybe I need to read the manual, but if someone could tell me what I may doing wrong, I would appreciate.

I have one week to return it for cash, so I am going to try and see what I can get out of it.

Oh, and the light was turning from green to red each time I wanted to play loud.

B-string · #2 05-16-2009, 05:24 PM

You MUST get rid of the instrument cable FIRST! ONLY speaker cables from the head to cab. Stop doing that before you short the amp head out.
After you get the proper speaker cable, see if you then have any problem. Can't provide any help when you are trying to fry an instument cable to hook up a speaker cab!!!!!!

NickInMesa · #3 05-16-2009, 05:25 PM

B-String, I will run and get one tonight

NickInMesa · #4 05-16-2009, 05:28 PM

Also does anyone have the manual? I thought I found it at Peavey.com last week, can't find it anymore.

Thanks!

synterx · #5 05-16-2009, 05:33 PM

He does need a real speaker cable, but what he was doing wouldn't cause the problems. Something is not right. At 8 ohms, you aren't going to get mega-volume with that 210 cab. I had that same cab and used it with a Peavey ProBass 500 head, also rated 2/4/8. Peavey heads and cabs back when your firebass was current, were designed around 4 ohm cabs. One or Two, and 2 ohms was fine. They could do 8 ohm cabs, but they weren't designed for them as well as 4 ohm cabs. All Peaveys bass cabs were 4 ohms back then. Now, with the Tour cabinets and new Tour heads, Peavey has joined most others and now designs around 8 ohm cabs. The new heads work best with 8 ohm cabs, one or two of them, and will not do 2 ohms at all.

So, something is not right with the firebass. If working right, you should have had zero problems using those two.

Bassslayer69 · #6 05-16-2009, 05:49 PM

+1 That firebass should do you well when you trade it in for a new Peavey tour 450 or 700. then its all gravy!. Oh yeah! shell out the dough for a tour 115 cab as well, and you will be very satisfied....

NEVER use instrument cables as speaker cables! lol

insomniac2295 · #7 05-16-2009, 05:53 PM

Link to the manual-
http://www.peavey.com/assets/literat...s/80304697.pdf

Nighttrain1127 · #8 05-16-2009, 06:02 PM

Turn the gain down and the volume up If the red light is flashing you are clipping the pre amp If I remember correctly from when I had my Firebass 700. Also what type of bass were you using Active or passive? How did you have the EQ set low mid high?

NickInMesa · #9 05-16-2009, 09:08 PM

Ok, I have two choices: trade in the head or trade in the cab.

What would you do?

They also had a TVX410 at that same pawn.

If I get a head (yes, I can spend a bit more dough), I believe the Peavey Tour 450 would be what I am looking for, since the cab looks like it is for 400W.

Also I was wondering if $220 for a white face Peavey Firebass 700 was not a little under-priced? I know it's not a buyer's market, but aren't those sought after?

NickInMesa · #10 05-16-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nighttrain1127

Turn the gain down and the volume up If the red light is flashing you are clipping the pre amp If I remember correctly from when I had my Firebass 700. Also what type of bass were you using Active or passive? How did you have the EQ set low mid high?

Both active and passive. One is an EMG P-Bass, the other a Yamaha RBX 270 with PJs.

Nighttrain1127 · #11 05-16-2009, 09:26 PM

It is probably not a cab head compatabillity problem the problem could be that the head is capable of putting out 275 watts RMS@8 Ohms and the the cab is rated for 300 watts Program(peak) so about 175-200 watts RMS. you might be overpowering the cab . Turn everything down Plug in a passive Bass and see what happens turn up the gain to 9 oclock (not 9 on the dial) and set everything else at noon except the volume(turn the volume up until you can hear your bass when you are playing) and play see what it sounds like. If it sounds distorted then there is a problem with the head if it is clean then you were either clipping the preamp or ovepowering the speakers.
Firebass amps either white face or black usually go between 275 and 350 or so. I bought mine several years ago and it was more than that but the prices have come down some since then. If you can get it to work it is a very good head. If not trade it in the tour 450 is a good choice.

NickInMesa · #12 05-16-2009, 09:28 PM

Well, the cab is rated for 400w, supposedly. It's a bit late now for my neighbors.

I am just looking for a good setup with a good sound, but also that I can carry easily (the weight is no issue, just the size).

Nighttrain1127 · #13 05-16-2009, 09:40 PM

Just checked on MF and it says 350 watts program that is in the 175-200 watt RMS range so you could be overdriving it if you had it turned way up. Also just because volume pots go around to 12 or whatever by the time you get them to 1 or 2 oclock they are close to the amps max output turning the knob any further will only increase the distortion and cause the amp to go into clipping .

NickInMesa · #14 05-16-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nighttrain1127

Just checked on MF and it says 350 watts program that is in the 175-200 watt RMS range so you could be overdriving it if you had it turned way up. Also just because volume pots go around to 12 or whatever by the time you get them to 1 or 2 oclock they are close to the amps max output turning the knob any further will only increase the distortion and cause the amp to go into clipping .

I was about at 6. It may just not be the best cab for the job, that's about it

Nighttrain1127 · #15 05-16-2009, 09:52 PM

It may not be it may be better if you try it through the 410 that the pawn shop has. Just for information when you buy amps ect even basses if you can test them with what you will be using them with if at all possible then you will know what you have and if they work together well or not.

Nighttrain1127 · #16 05-16-2009, 09:54 PM

I think 6 if you are saying past 12 oclock then you might have been pushing the cab a bit hard and that is probably where the problem is.

Bassslayer69 · #17 05-16-2009, 09:58 PM

If the TVX is 4 ohms at the pawn shop, trade the 210 in and BOOM! problem solved!

Nighttrain1127 · #18 05-16-2009, 10:34 PM

B-string · #19 05-17-2009, 12:41 PM

You guys are not seriously saying you can test a cab and amp head with an instument cable?

I pitty your amp techs

You will never know if the amp, cab, or combination of the two currently have a problem if you create one with a line level cable to connect the two

You will NEED a good speaker cable no matter what amp and cab you connect.

NickInMesa · #20 05-17-2009, 02:11 PM

Yeah, well even with the new cables, it still does not work.

It keeps clipping the preamp, no matter what I do. I can get it to sound ok at level 5 out of 10, but it sounds even less powerful than my 20W Microbass.

You know what, guys? I will keep my little Crate Powerblock, return the Firebass and wait for something to come up. I may simply get the Tour 115 and the Tour head eventually, but right now the Crate + Tour 210 is pretty punchy as it is, just not extravangantly great and with a tad of compression, but it will work for the moment.

Sad, because I like old Peavey amps

On my way back to the pawn I am.