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Ampeg PF 350/500 Part VII
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Hey folks, picked up a used PF500 and PF410HLF Cab today. Got it home, turned it up to 12 o clock volume and gain,fault light comes on/sound cuts out for 3 seconds, amp works again.I tried swapping out speaker cables, 1/4",speakon all with the same result.I hooked the pf500 up to my Bergantino CN212 and had to CRANK it before the amp Faulted.I also hooked the pf500 up to a 70's Traynor 2-15" cab I have and had to crank it to get it to fault.I am aware of all the issues the PF500s have had. Just wondering if they ever got them right? I checked the main board is revision J-03 and the pre-board is revision D-01. Maybe it just doesn't like this PF410HLF Cab? or maybe this cab just isn't efficient? Oh Well!
Set your gain to just at or slightly above clip light flashing on at hard peaks (or more above, these sound good driven!) then set volume to playing level. I've had a 350 for four years, and it has done the three second limit shut down on me twice. Both times were user error. Set the gain right and you won't have a problem. I run mine into a 2x210av stack and it's the best rig I've ever owned.
Johno!
Johno!
Ah yes, I should have mentioned that with the gain at 12 o clock I am not even close to hitting the clip light,to get the clip light to blink, I have to turn the gain up to 2-3 o clock.
Maybe I am just expecting too much from this setup as I am used to my GK MB800/Berg CN212
Maybe I am just expecting too much from this setup as I am used to my GK MB800/Berg CN212
When you say 12 O'clock do you mean as on a clock, straight up? If so, push it up. These amps like to be driven. Get the clip light going and adjust volume from there. I run my 350 all the way open with the gain. Only get to about 9 or 10 O'clock with the volume.
J!
J!
I've had a PF-350 for nearly 3 years, it's been 100% trouble free and I really like it a lot. At the time I wanted a PF-500 but declined because of all the well-documented reliability issues here and elsewhere.
Maybe the newer PF-500's are OK. Maybe not.
Maybe the newer PF-500's are OK. Maybe not.
okcrum
in your chest
You did read that the amp did not behave the same with two other cabinets?
@fatillac, the main board revisions since D have been OK. Below that rev. level the amp would probably have failed by now. Something is up with that PF410HLF - since it came as a set, I'd start looking there for the problem.
What impedances are the Berg and Traynor cabs? The PF410HLF is spec'ed at 8 ohms, and shouldn't be a problem unless it's not really 8 ohms anymore. You have to abuse the amp into 4 ohms or less to get it to fault if it's working properly.
Do you know how the previous owner ran the amp + cab?
Last edited:
Berg CN212 is rated at 4 ohms
Traynor 2-15" cab says 4ohms on the back but measured 5.7 on my meter
PF410HLF measure 8.9 on my meter
I did make the amp fault out on all 3 cabs, it just seemed to do so at a much louder volume on the Berg and Traynor
It failed at a much quieter level on the PF410HLF.
I guess next step is to open up the 410HLF and measure each speaker? or is 8.9 Ohms acceptable?
I went into my local retailer and tested a brand new PF500/410HLF setup today (to see if I could make that amp fault) and it was VERY VERY loud, I could get the volume up to 3 o clock and no fault. This store unit obviously functions correctly.
Traynor 2-15" cab says 4ohms on the back but measured 5.7 on my meter
PF410HLF measure 8.9 on my meter
I did make the amp fault out on all 3 cabs, it just seemed to do so at a much louder volume on the Berg and Traynor
It failed at a much quieter level on the PF410HLF.
I guess next step is to open up the 410HLF and measure each speaker? or is 8.9 Ohms acceptable?
I went into my local retailer and tested a brand new PF500/410HLF setup today (to see if I could make that amp fault) and it was VERY VERY loud, I could get the volume up to 3 o clock and no fault. This store unit obviously functions correctly.
Previous owner ran the setup as is, as a bedroom amp, don't think it ever left his house, its in brand new condition
okcrum
in your chest
I would definitely check the cabinet first. I have a feeling that thing's been cranked a few times before you got it. 
EDIT: I see the Berg cab (if stock) is 4 ohms. Is the Traynor 2x15 also 4 ohms? The way you said it behaved into those makes sense if so.
EDIT: I see the Berg cab (if stock) is 4 ohms. Is the Traynor 2x15 also 4 ohms? The way you said it behaved into those makes sense if so.
The cab seems fine, I plugged my MB800 into it and slammed it for about 10 minutes, it took it like a champ, no farting, nothing that resembled a blown speaker.
If I could figure out how to get into this damn cabinet, I would measure each speaker
My Traynor cab is 4ohms
Next step is to take the amp into my store and plug into their PF410HLF
If I could figure out how to get into this damn cabinet, I would measure each speaker
My Traynor cab is 4ohms
Next step is to take the amp into my store and plug into their PF410HLF
Can anybody tell me which year not to buy before ? , ie. which year did they have most of the fault issues sorted ? From what `ive read it`s 2013-2014 ? . Thanks in advance
OK thanks, one has come up on a local website with a " D " in the s/n which puts it about 2011. I might pass. Thanks for the advice
Hi everyone. I'm newbie here, typing from Barcelona. I'm really considering these days to get a PF350. I'm comming from a Hartke HA3500 of the 90's with an SWR Golliath III cab. Does anyone played the combination PF350 with Goliath 4 ohms? Do I'll find a lack of volume comparing with the Hartke? Thanks.
I'm not familiar with the SWR cab, but I do am familiar with the PF350 with several cabs.
IMHO, it's one astounding amp: great sound, very versatile and quite some serious power.
I love the little thing! But, your miles may vary.
Hey everyone, just got the pf 350 and i have a question. Can i not play from the auxiliary out of the speakers? When I plug in my headphones it works but not when it's just the speakers.
Thanks. Thought there was something wrong with it. I can surprisingly get the sound I want easily from this amp. My favorite amp was a Phil jones double four but had to sell it. I do R&B and Latin and some hard rock. Only thing i need to figure out now is if the hiss I am hearing when it is on (more so with headphones than with speakers) is from a fault in the amp or something else in the chain. Tried differnt basses, outlets and cables and positions in the house.
