Ampeg PF-50T PF-115HE stack - noisy?

[Mo Boogs]

Just picked up a PF-50T on marketplace. Owner said it was barely used and mostly by the original owner before him. Then I grabbed a PF-115HE like brand new, still in its box. And grabbed a second brand new PF-115HE from sweetwater to make a 215 stack. Right off the bat I noticed microphonics in the tubes so I grabbed a whole tube set from Fliptops and retubed and rebiased the amp. Sounds great now but some times I get some tube ring on D but it’s less noticeable now as I break them in. What is noticeable is all the rattle in the cabs. Is that just the nature of the beast with portaflex cabs/stacks and portaflex tube heads? My V-4B with 212AV is not like that at all.

 

[ahbass2500]

When I still had a PF50T, I had a weird ringing that took me a bit to figure out. It was the tube retainers. Found it by removing them then playing and finding the issue resolved. Reinstalled them and the ring did not come back. I assume they were not fully in place or maybe the spring was a touch bound up. Worth trying since it is a relatively easy thing to check.

 

[96tbird]

Check for the lid sealing on the pf-115HE’s. Mine was chuffing air through the lid seal and I just put a thicker weatherstrip seal on mine. The latches might be rattling and adding thicker seal will make them snap closed firmly.

 

[Mo Boogs]

When I still had a PF50T, I had a weird ringing that took me a bit to figure out. It was the tube retainers. Found it by removing them then playing and finding the issue resolved. Reinstalled them and the ring did not come back. I assume they were not fully in place or maybe the spring was a touch bound up. Worth trying since it is a relatively easy thing to check.

Mines’s definitely the tubes ringing. It’s very distinct. I’m have to try that. That’s an easy fix. I also wondered if anyone’s tried the silicone microphonic silencer rings you can put around the power tubes?