Ampeg Micro CL - Question for Owners

[JimmyM]

JimmyM, are you saying this is normal for the micro cl?

It has been in the ones I've played. The Micro CL was designed to sell at a pretty low price, and one of the tradeoffs of that is you won't get the most acoustically pure amp on the market But as far as I'm concerned, at that price point it's still one of the better choices out there for a micro combo.

 

[frankenp]

Even a cheap amp should have a clean tone at an extremely low volume unless:

- The engineers have added some sort of none defeatable, always on, tube emulation circuit
- The amps gain structure causes saturation (intentional or not)
- The amp is broken

I've concluded the fuzziness comes from the Micro CL's poweramp. Plugging a preamp into the Micro CL's return yields the same results; however, when using the Micro CL's line out into a different power amp, the tone is clean.

I've contacted Ampeg Tech Support for more info.

 

[will33]

OP, if there is a GC or some store near you that carries these, I'd go see if that noise is common to all of them.

If it is, it's just the way they are and you decide if you like it or not.

If it's not, then something is wrong with yours.

I would do this before your opportunity for full refund runs out.

If you don't have the opportunity to compare it to others of the same, I'd return it now. Can tell them something's wrong with it and exchange it for a different unit I guess. If that one does the same thing, it might be "just what they sound like", but I wouldn't keep this particular amp.

Didn't see it mentioned yet, but does the fuzz get worse as you turn up? Or sound the same, just louder?

 

[will33]

Actually might be the most telling if it gets better as you turn up. Meaning it's either a really noisy amp, or there is some other interference thing wherever you're setup/plugged in at.

 

[frankenp]

Actually might be the most telling if it gets better as you turn up. Meaning it's either a really noisy amp, or there is some other interference thing wherever you're setup/plugged in at.

Ordered it online as it wasn't available locally. That's why I came to TB to see if others had the same experience. The fuzziness doesn't get worse as you turn it up. Sounds about the same (maybe slightly cleaner) until the amp begins to distort if you really crank it - as you would expect for a small SS amp.

 

[frankenp]

Found user rwhitney saying this from another thread:

I bought the micro CL because I loved the tone, but it had too much fizzy digital distortion (not the good kind-sounded a little like a blown speaker), so I returned it and got the vr, which is clean, but has that fan going all the time. I thought maybe the cl was defective, but the other one in the store had the same fuzzy distortion at any volume or input level and with a passive jazz bass. The micro vr is pretty nice, though it actually seems to have less low end than the cl. Whatever. I like the vr as a practice amp and I think it will record well when I get around to it. I don't know how anyone can tolerate the cl's distortion though.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/new-ampeg-micro-cl-stack-is-now-available.872032/page-2
​

Seems to describe what I'm hearing as well. Still waiting to hear from Ampeg. I'm happy with the cab so assuming "it is what it is" and the head is not defective, I think I'll sell the head in favor of a GK MB200.

 

[frankenp]

Heard from Ampeg support. They acknowledge that this isn't the cleanest sounding amp; however, it shouldn't be fizzy/fuzzy at such a low volume. Now to see if I can return the amp. Thanks to all those who provided their knowledge/experience.

 

[David Jayne]

Nope, I've played the Micro CL at stores several times, and I've heard it in all of them. I still think it sounds killer for the money, but it's always got that hint of it in the signal.

Jimmy, cmon, that's a heck of a lot more than 'a hint.' Particularly when he plays the A string. It's awful!

 

[JimmyM]

Jimmy, cmon, that's a heck of a lot more than 'a hint.' Particularly when he plays the A string. It's awful!

Maybe. Well I guess we'll see what happens when he gets another one.

 

[jlepre]

Sorry for resurrecting such an old thread, but I just got one of these stacks used, and I get the same buzzing. Even when I tried it out at the guys house I was getting it, so I reached behind the amp and applied some pressure with my one hand to the tolex on the back of the cab. Presto! The buzz was gone. Could the tolex be loose enough to vibrate like that?

 

[High Camp]

Sorry for resurrecting such an old thread, but I just got one of these stacks used, and I get the same buzzing. Even when I tried it out at the guys house I was getting it, so I reached behind the amp and applied some pressure with my one hand to the tolex on the back of the cab. Presto! The buzz was gone. Could the tolex be loose enough to vibrate like that?

Could be the tolex, if it's really loose, or maybe a loose screw? Best thing to do is to remove the grill and check the speakers, the joints and screws, IMO.

 

[Crazyeelboy]

I just brought one home, and yes... I have that same fuzzy sound at any volume. It is not the speakers - it sounds the same coming through headphones, too.

 

[Crazyeelboy]

I took it back to the store and the distortion was not as strong there. The guy at the shop thought it might be something to do with "dirty power", but we agreed to switch out the amp for a Fender Rumble 100. While I tried to love the mini Ampeg, the Fender is a much better amp, so I'm OK with the trade.

 

[Arohana]

Just got an Ampeg Micro CL and am noticing that it doesn't have a lot of clean headroom.

My question:
With the amp head Master set just over 1 and eq knobs flat I hear some fuzzy overtones blended in when I play an open E or lower. Is this normal at such a low volume? Bass is a p bass plugged in direct. Results are the same on both inputs.

Tried different basses and cables results are the same. Seems to be the head since the cab sounds fine with other heads.

Thanks!

Hi buddy
Unfortunately, *yes* it is what the Micro CL does. Mine distorts like a bastid. It's not 'gentle harmonic distortion', it's a mess.

1. No, it's not a blown driver.
2. No, it's not a faulty cable or connection.
3. No, to the goofy goober, it's not because the non-existent gain pot's wound up. The Micro CL only has a volume pot labeled 'Master'.
4. Active or passive pickups: same thing.
5. Input 1 or 2: same thing.
6. Yes, it's the amp.

I bought an Elf 2x8 thinking that would solve the problem. Wrong.
Then I bought an Elf head. It was DOA.
THEN, I bought a Gnome. It works!

I'm sure *some people* think Ampeg = distortion. They're mad, of course. Distortion must be intentional. If it's inherent, the amp sucks big-time.

The Ampeg Micro CL sucks big-time. Exactly as you noted, anything above 8 o'clock on the amp's volume pot = Fuzz.