Ampeg ba115 v2 "extraterrestrial" noise

[tzohn]

Hello to all,

This is my first post. I recently got a new Ampeg ba115V2 and I noticed when the notes are
sustained in all strings, there is a kind of wah-wah distortion. I does not sound like
there is a cabinet vibration issue neither a bass problem because I tested another bass as well.
Also it does not seem to alter with different bass or treble settings in the amp.
Anyone with the same amp or any idea what this is? Thank you.

 

[MarkA]

Sustained on all strings - are you playing chords and is it possible that the notes aren't perfectly in tune with each other? This will cause "wah wah" "beats", even in acoustic instruments. Ever tune your bass with harmonics? Same phenomenon as the "wah wah" you hear then, when bringing a string up to pitch.

One possibility, anyway.

EDIT: just saw your mp3 - recording isn't very clear, but I see that I misunderstood - you were talking about sustaining one note at a time. Hard to tell from your recording what's going on, but a plucked note doesn't simply lose amplitude when it decays - it can go through all sorts of interesting evolutions. If more than one bass does this through this cab and only this cab (and I'd try recording direct and/or listening with headphones just to rule out the basses), then look to the amp/cab. Check that the woofer screws are tight, just to eliminate that. Hope that helps a little bit.

EditEdit: listened again - sounds mechanical rather than electronic to me, whether from the bass (something loose in the bridge, fret buzz) or the cab. I could be wrong, but that's my impression - natural change of the note combined with something buzzing. Previous suggestions hold.

 

[tzohn]

Thank you for your reply MarkA,

I just did as you said, I listened with headphones and now it is also the amplification ruled out because this wah-wah thing is not there.
So it must be somewhere inside the cab a mechanical vibration or something, but this combo is 3 months old!! Damn, build quality of
all modern gear is terrible and they are not cheap at all!
As soon as I sort the problem out I will post the findings. Thanks!

 

[AlexanderB]

Thank you for your reply MarkA,
>snip<
Damn, build quality of all modern gear is terrible and they are not cheap at all!
As soon as I sort the problem out I will post the findings. Thanks!

Well, ALL modern bass gear is definitely not terribly built, but compact Ampeg combos have never really been THAT great, have they?

I have a somewhat similar sounding problem through the speaker on V1 BA110 (since new). It is not present on the line out. Mine seems to be originating from an asymmetric/offset amplification of the signal at low levels. Maybe caused by an incorrectly biased power amplifier section.

 

[JimmyM]

Well, ALL modern bass gear is definitely not terribly built, but compact Ampeg combos have never really been THAT great, have they?

For the money, I think they are. Better gear costs money, and that's really all there is to that one.

Go around with a screwdriver and tighten up all the screws snugly, especially the ones holding the speaker in. Don't overtighten, but snug them down. If that doesn't work, take out the speaker and check that the padding inside the cab isn't flapping around. If it is, staple it down or tape it down with double sided carpet tape. If that doesn't work, call or email Ampeg.

EDIT: Didn't notice you had posted an MP3. Have no idea what I'm listening to, though it sounds to me like intermittent electrical interference.

 

[MarkA]

EDIT: Didn't notice you had posted an MP3. Have no idea what I'm listening to, though it sounds to me like intermittent electrical interference.

Another possibility, I guess. OP, at least on the desktop speakers I used to listen, the clip isn't clear at all. Hard to tell much. That said, see what you can find out - if no luck, call Ampeg as suggested. With luck, there should be an authorized repairperson near you. I imagine that the amp is still in warranty.

Can you disconnect the internal speaker and connect another cab, by the way? Might help to eliminate another possible factor, if you can. And when you listened with headphones, was that through the combo or something else?

 

[tzohn]

Thank you all for the suggestions,

I tightened all driver screws (they were loose indeed) but the problem persists. I listened with the headphones through the "phones" line out
and the sound is clear but unfortunately I have no other cab to use with the combo's amp so to narrow down to the driver. I believe its impossible
to be some kind of cab-plywood or bracing problem, this is not such a noise. I post a better clip (I have no other way to record apart from
a speech-audio record device). I know it sounds like its coming from the bass but its not, I have replaced strings, have
adjusted the truss rod, adjusted intonation, changed room to eliminate the possibility of bad room acoustics, actually the only thing I haven't done
is to go to the shop for a replacement.

 

[tzohn]

Well, ALL modern bass gear is definitely not terribly built, but compact Ampeg combos have never really been THAT great, have they?

I have a somewhat similar sounding problem through the speaker on V1 BA110 (since new). It is not present on the line out. Mine seems to be originating from an asymmetric/offset amplification of the signal at low levels. Maybe caused by an incorrectly biased power amplifier section.

You are right, not ALL, I meant all reasonably priced. I could not say that Mesa or EBS (the made in Sweden ones) for example is garbage.

 

[AlexanderB]

You are right, not ALL, I meant all reasonably priced. I could not say that Mesa or EBS (the made in Sweden ones) for example is garbage.

I have had many EBS products, and (in my opinion and experience!) the Chinese made combo Classic Session 60 is far, FAR better than the Ampeg BA 110 regardelss if it is a V1 or V2. The EBS Session 60 is of equal size, has a 10" + tweeter configuration with 60 nice sounding and virtually noise free Watts, way more "ins" and "outs" etc. However, while it is 45% more than the Ampeg BA 110 V2 it is still very cost efficient compared to (obsolete) SWR Spellbinder, Phil Jones Briefcase, MarkBass 801 etc.

 

[JimmyM]

After the second clip, I think there's a speaker problem.

 

[tzohn]

After the second clip, I think there's a speaker problem.

Thanks Jimmy, I will take it to the shop where I got it and see what they believe because most of the times they try
to convince you that everything is working fine, you know, they avoid replacements like hell. Otherwise I will contact Ampeg
and who knows... Adventures with new gear, I'm tired of it!

 

[tzohn]

I have had many EBS products, and (in my opinion and experience!) the Chinese made combo Classic Session 60 is far, FAR better than the Ampeg BA 110 regardelss if it is a V1 or V2. The EBS Session 60 is of equal size, has a 10" + tweeter configuration with 60 nice sounding and virtually noise free Watts, way more "ins" and "outs" etc. However, while it is 45% more than the Ampeg BA 110 V2 it is still very cost efficient compared to (obsolete) SWR Spellbinder, Phil Jones Briefcase, MarkBass 801 etc.

I have no reason not to believe that EBS combos may be better than Ampeg, and my experience with EBS is just a FAFNER with a 4x10 cab. That was impressive!
The winner in terms of knobs, inputs-outputs is AER at 4x the cost.

 

[MarkA]

I can't open the second clip, but, yeah, take it to the shop and bring your bass. If you're lucky, they'll have another of your amp to try for comparison. You can also try different basses through your amp, and try your bass through other amps. Good luck.

 

[tzohn]

This is an update of the issue I had with my amp. I returned the amp for repair, they checked all electronics and cab and they
found...nothing! BUT they agreed that the noise exists (it sounds like Jew's Harp effect especially noted when sustaining)
We compared it with another one just unpacked from new and we were surprised to find that it had exactly the same issue!
So I decided to go for a BA210 instead, we unpacked a new BA210 and the Jew's Harp effect was finally disappeared.
But BA210 had another problem, the fan created some kind of electromagnetic interference and there was excessive hum!
What's wrong with Ampeg?
Anyway they offered me to get anything I'd like for the same money without extra charge and I got TC Electronic BG250-115 and
an MXR M-108 EQ.
Now, this is what I call EXCELLENT customer support. Although most TB'ers are not even close to Greece I cannot neglect mentioning
that at NAKAS Music Stores they are very serious about music.

 

[MarkA]

All right -- if I'm ever in Greece and need musical supplies, I know where to go!

 

[evadbazz]

This is an update of the issue I had with my amp. I returned the amp for repair, they checked all electronics and cab and they
found...nothing! BUT they agreed that the noise exists (it sounds like Jew's Harp effect especially noted when sustaining)
We compared it with another one just unpacked from new and we were surprised to find that it had exactly the same issue!
So I decided to go for a BA210 instead, we unpacked a new BA210 and the Jew's Harp effect was finally disappeared.
But BA210 had another problem, the fan created some kind of electromagnetic interference and there was excessive hum!
What's wrong with Ampeg?
Anyway they offered me to get anything I'd like for the same money without extra charge and I got TC Electronic BG250-115 and
an MXR M-108 EQ.
Now, this is what I call EXCELLENT customer support. Although most TB'ers are not even close to Greece I cannot neglect mentioning
that at NAKAS Music Stores they are very serious about music.

I purchased the Ampeg Ba 110 just today and have the same exact issue! I will be taking it back. The tone is great but the sustain sounds horrible! Very dissappointed!!

 

[tzohn]

I purchased the Ampeg Ba 110 just today and have the same exact issue! I will be taking it back. The tone is great but the sustain sounds horrible! Very dissappointed!!

Indeed, nice tone but I simply couldn't ignore this funny noise once I realized it. Ask them if you can test another unit, maybe you are lucky and get a good BA110.