I've got my best results stacking my B100R on top of my other B100R...
But yeah, you'll end up hearing yourself much better if you get that thing up a couple feet or so.
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Ampeg B-100r Rocket Aficionados
- Thread starter barroso
- Start date
I've got my best results stacking my B100R on top of my other B100R...
But yeah, you'll end up hearing yourself much better if you get that thing up a couple feet or so.
i like to angle my combo back, but it's got a screw-on dolly that is a bit of a pain to remove so i just leave it. i should get an amp stand for it, and just lift it onto that, but nah...
I've got my best results stacking my B100R on top of my other B100R...
But yeah, you'll end up hearing yourself much better if you get that thing up a couple feet or so.
Funny you'd say that, as I actually have a B50R that I've been thinking about stacking on top of the 100. (That would make a pretty good combination, don't you think?) I just don't know how to do it without creating a lot of buzz/hum/noise (due to a ground loop or earth loop or whatever it's called). If you have any advice about how to solve that problem I'd be most grateful!
Things to check on this amp are:
1-cardboard port tubes fall off inside cabinet, reattach or glue
2-take back panel off amp section and tighten the screws that mount it onto the cabinet, mine were very loose
4-replace back panel and tighten machine screws
3-remove the grill and tighten all speaker screws
No more buzz AT ALL, nothing but TONE!
1-cardboard port tubes fall off inside cabinet, reattach or glue
2-take back panel off amp section and tighten the screws that mount it onto the cabinet, mine were very loose
4-replace back panel and tighten machine screws
3-remove the grill and tighten all speaker screws
No more buzz AT ALL, nothing but TONE!
Hey, I'd think if you get that hum issue worked out those 2 would make a great pairing/stack!
Does either of your combos ever have hum issues while used on its own?
I rehearsed/gigged my stacked B100R pair quite a few times and never had any Hum/noise issues. I'd started out linking mine with amp-A's pre-out into amp-B's input, and then settled on using an old Morley ABY pedal into each amps inputs, again never had any hum issues with either connection method. I dont think I ever actualy tried using a Y-cord to link my pair.
I was thinking If you were connecting Y-cord/adaptor between your bass and each amp that mighta been causing your hum. (either that or meyby one of your guitar cords was actualy a speaker cable, I've made that mistake myself on rushed load-ins/dark stages...)
Were both your combos plugged into the same 110v. power outlet? If not, meyby there was some weired issue with one of them causing your hum.
+1... Good advice.
I'll add that one of my B100R's had a very loose fitting spade connector at the speaker. I'd thought I had a voice coil starting to drag but after tightening up the connector it sounded better.
I got to try out my new-to-me B100R last night. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to crank it up much, but really liked what I have heard so far. The gain adds some nice tubey pre-amp warmth, and the low-mids EQ knob seems like it will pretty much act as a "cut-through-the-mix" control. It's not going to replace my Aguilar rig for most gigs, but might do fine for the occasional small setting or moderate-volume rehearsal, and will definitely serve great as a practice amp.
When I received it, the cardboard tubes that connect to the rear ports were rattling loose inside the cab. The previous owner apparently liked to use the ports as a place to store the power cable without any concern that he was knocking the tubes loose in the process. I pulled off the grill, removed the speaker, and put the tubes back in their proper place. While I was inside the cab, I checked to make sure the speaker connections were solid. The only other issue is that the blue "power on" light seems to have a loose connection and doesn't always light until you tap the side of the amp chasis. Since the amp works fine otherwise, I'm not going to worry about it. Other than a few cosmetic blemishes (a few small tears in the tolex, and a small ripple in the grill) the amp is just fine. I had a set of pop-in casters in a parts drawer that have now found a new home on the bottom of the B100R.
I'm diggin' it!
When I received it, the cardboard tubes that connect to the rear ports were rattling loose inside the cab. The previous owner apparently liked to use the ports as a place to store the power cable without any concern that he was knocking the tubes loose in the process. I pulled off the grill, removed the speaker, and put the tubes back in their proper place. While I was inside the cab, I checked to make sure the speaker connections were solid. The only other issue is that the blue "power on" light seems to have a loose connection and doesn't always light until you tap the side of the amp chasis. Since the amp works fine otherwise, I'm not going to worry about it. Other than a few cosmetic blemishes (a few small tears in the tolex, and a small ripple in the grill) the amp is just fine. I had a set of pop-in casters in a parts drawer that have now found a new home on the bottom of the B100R.
I'm diggin' it!
Sorry I wandered off there for awhile....
I don't have any hum problems with either amp separately, and when paired I've tried plugging them into different outlets as well as the same outlet. I've been researching this quite a bit over the last few days, both here at TB and elsewhere, and it appears that ground loops are a very common problem when two amps are connected together (whether directly or by way of any kind of Y connector). Interestingly, while searching TB I came across posts from numerous people who were using either two B100Rs or a B100R with a B50R, and they were having the same problem I'm having. Your case seem to be the exception rather than the rule. You must be living a good clean life or something....
Anyway, it looks one or the other of a couple of EbTech products -- a "hum eliminator" or a "hum exterminator" -- should fix the problem. I think I'll try one or both of those. If anyone has any other suggestions, though, I'd love to hear'em.
BTW, what I'm thinking about doing with the 100/50 pairing is running one out from my Sansamp BDDI into the 100 and the other through my pedal board and into the 50. This way I can keep my solid bottom end through the 100 and run my effects -- especially those bottom-suckers -- through the 50. Sounds like a great plan, but we'll what happens.
Love my B100r. I play through a series of pedals, but most important for my question here is my VT Bass. I love the VT, and I'd like to be able to bypass the preamp section of the B100r in favor of the VT. Can that be done by turning the gain all the way down? Or does the "-15db" input effectively eliminate preamping (because it's expected that active pickups do their own preamping)?
Thanks for all postings in this thread -- I've learned a lot about an amp I've been playing through for about a year and a half. And apologies for the ignorance on display with this question. I try to learn a little every day, but usually it's very little.
Thanks for all postings in this thread -- I've learned a lot about an amp I've been playing through for about a year and a half. And apologies for the ignorance on display with this question. I try to learn a little every day, but usually it's very little.
I've found that with running a pedal before the B100r (in my case the Hartke Bass Attack), I set the B100r eq mainly at 12 noon every where and use the pedal for the eq. Gain is also at about 12 noon. No way I can see how to pass the preamp. Turning down the gain lowers your signal only.
Funny...I used to think that adding a BDDI or similar would be overkill and more of the same with the B100r. On the contrary though, it gives the amp just more balls and also enables a deeper eq. The B100r has a 40hz eq switch, but it doesn't sound like a "shelving eq" around that frequency and only adds a bit of it at low volumes. At band volumes, it muddies it up so I don't use it.
Using a preamp pedal enables those deep lows to shine through with a drummer (and not add the mud). Of course it is still just a 100 watt amp, but for the bars/clubs I play, it is totally sufficient. Also, the line out works great when I have a bigger area to cover and use the house system. I even used my B100r for a modern country arena gig! The drummer would have been happier with more amp for that, but I was set away from him on the stage and had no problem hearing myself.
My Carvin BR515N has just more headroom, but the B100r is a great amp...it has that SVT tone in a small package. Add a tube simulator preamp and it gets that much better.
Funny...I used to think that adding a BDDI or similar would be overkill and more of the same with the B100r. On the contrary though, it gives the amp just more balls and also enables a deeper eq. The B100r has a 40hz eq switch, but it doesn't sound like a "shelving eq" around that frequency and only adds a bit of it at low volumes. At band volumes, it muddies it up so I don't use it.
Using a preamp pedal enables those deep lows to shine through with a drummer (and not add the mud). Of course it is still just a 100 watt amp, but for the bars/clubs I play, it is totally sufficient. Also, the line out works great when I have a bigger area to cover and use the house system. I even used my B100r for a modern country arena gig! The drummer would have been happier with more amp for that, but I was set away from him on the stage and had no problem hearing myself.
My Carvin BR515N has just more headroom, but the B100r is a great amp...it has that SVT tone in a small package. Add a tube simulator preamp and it gets that much better.
Turning the gain all the way down will leave you with no volume, and the "-15db" input is just a pad, but doesn't bypass the preamp. The preamp in the B-100R is not just for boosting volume, but also shapes the sound with the EQ section. The best you can to is to leave the EQ controls set at noon and do your tone shaping with the VT.
Just got a B100r yesterday. I took off the plastic ports on the back and discovered that one of the cardboard port tubes is missing and the other has fallen off inside of the cab. Any idea where I can get a replacement for the one that i'm missing?
I may finally get to use my B100R live. Since I got it at the end of last year, everywhere I have rehearsed or played had an amp provided. My back is happy about that, but I haven't gotten to hear it with a band yet. We have a couple of dates 2 and 3 weeks out, so maybe one of them will give me a chance. I'm still waiting to hear.
The guits have a Blues Jr and another similar amp, and the drummer isn't an animal, so it should sound great. The PA will be vocals only, so I get to dial it up and see how it fills a small club. (Playing blues) Actually, now that I think about it, rehearsal for the March 5 show is with a different drummer, so I'll almost certainly have to lug it there. Looking forward to it, I'll give a report if it comes to pass.
The guits have a Blues Jr and another similar amp, and the drummer isn't an animal, so it should sound great. The PA will be vocals only, so I get to dial it up and see how it fills a small club. (Playing blues) Actually, now that I think about it, rehearsal for the March 5 show is with a different drummer, so I'll almost certainly have to lug it there. Looking forward to it, I'll give a report if it comes to pass.
I had good luck with Ampeg customer service when I emailed them about a replacement driver for one of my cabs. Prompt response.
Check also a Hobby Lobby or some other craft store - they usually have cardboard tubes and things like that. Or just remove the other cardboard tube and run it as is. It won't hurt anything. Might sound a bit woofier. Old Portaflexes just had ports and no tubes...
I took the single cardboard tube out and have been using it without any tubes for the past day. Can this harm the speaker in any way?
Okay, I promised a review back in #134. I've fired the B100R up at two rehearsals now, one in a basement and the other in a rented rehearsal studio. Other instrumentation was 3 guitars through Blues Jr, Blues Deluxe and Goodsell amps. There was another guitar running through a synth and Deluxe Reverb, and our vocalist on the PA. Levels were set well to blend with the drummer who, while not a gorilla, was not afraid to crack them skins. It wasn't oppressively loud, but enough to make me wish I hadn't forgotten the earplugs again.
I was playing a new '09 MIA Precision with LaBella flats. I had the volume backed off just a hair and the tone down about 1/3. Settings on the amp were:
Gain......8 (I play rather lightly, this was set to get solid green on the level LED)
Bass......7
Lo Mid....6
High Mid.5
Treble.....5
Master....5
I also had the Ultra Low switch in.
Admittedly, these were small spaces, but there was PLENTY of volume left on the amp. I just loved the tone--fat and smooth, but not boomy or muddy. I'll be keeping this amp.
I was playing a new '09 MIA Precision with LaBella flats. I had the volume backed off just a hair and the tone down about 1/3. Settings on the amp were:
Gain......8 (I play rather lightly, this was set to get solid green on the level LED)
Bass......7
Lo Mid....6
High Mid.5
Treble.....5
Master....5
I also had the Ultra Low switch in.
Admittedly, these were small spaces, but there was PLENTY of volume left on the amp. I just loved the tone--fat and smooth, but not boomy or muddy. I'll be keeping this amp.
