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Amps and fan noise

#21
dannybuoy said:
Probably not, as I have no idea how to work out what the original one was rated for! I don't think the cooling system is a precision engineered component on that thing anyway, wouldn't surprise me if they just bunged on the cheapest fan they could find. But you're right that has been at the back of my mind and I've considered looking for an adjustable one so I can have it low at home and whack it up when in a band situation. But for now I used the method of 'put your hand over the vent to make sure there's a decent amount of air moving and touch the amp to make sure it's not getting too hot' method, which seems to be working out so far.

Aguilar replied to say that's how the fan is expected to behave by the way. No idea why some people seem to have silent fans and others don't.
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The fan should have its CFM rating marked on it. In a SS amp the cooling path is very much part of the design process. Without proper cooling the reliability goes out the window.

User adjustable cooling fans are a disaster waiting to happen. Inevitably you'll leave the fan on low at a gig and the amp blows.

I really can't see what all the fuss is about fan noise. It's just like white noise in an office environment. After a couple of minutes you don't hear it anymore.
 
#23
Just tried both the new ampeg ba line and the fender rumbke series combos. The ampeg fan was loud and obnoxious the rumble quit cant even tell its on. I own the rumble 500 as it is a great amp overall and sounds better to me imho ..
 
#24
dannybuoy said:
- Which amps have you used that had an unbearably loud fan?
- Which amps have you used that were quiet?
- Have you ever modded the fan on your amp?
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- None, really. The only time I ever hear fan noise is at home, and after about 3 minutes I end up tuning it out. On a gig it's a non-issue no matter how loud the fan, except for the bearings going out in the fan in my 69 SVT.

- B-15, V4B, BA108, BA110---those are the amps I have that don't have fans.

- No, but I have replaced the broken fan in my SVT. You can usually find quiet versions of the louder fans out there, but you have to be conscientious of keeping them within spec of what's in there to keep the amp running right.
 
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#25
I opened up my TB500 with the idea of looking into getting a new fan...I couldn't find what I wanted at the computer store so I dusted everything off and re-assembled....don't ask me why or how but the fan seems to be noticeably quieter, a good 25%-50% quieter...yes I have the fan blowing the right way ;)

...might work, worth the 1/2 hour , maybe just tightening things up helped
 
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#26
I've played in a lot of small-room situations where I'm the only amplified instrument.
Especially if there are condenser mics, and there's no drumkit/cymbals, fan noise is noticeable.
Even if I'm not annoyed by it other musicians are.
I love the tone of the Mesa Walkabout but find the fan too noisy for the situations I'd use it in.
 
#28
dannybuoy said:
I've just bought and about to return an Aguilar TH500 as I can't stand it when the fans kick on full after 20 minutes use. I know it's all part of the cooling system that allows this amp to run at full power without thermal shutdowns, which is something some other micros may struggle with. But when it comes on the amp is still cool to the touch, I just wish it had more of an intelligent fan speed control so that it was on at slow speed then ramped up gradually as required, instead of sounding like a vacuum cleaner being turned on halfway through my practice session.

I've had other amps in the past that have been whisper quiet, such as the Genz Benz Streamliner and Markbass LMII.

My Orange Terror Bass was noisy too but I put in quieter computer fan and it's now unnoticeable but still provides plenty of airflow and has no issues running for hours in a warm room at high volume.

I'm interested in trying a Mesa Walkabout, I hear these are noisy buggers too but again some people have ended up modding them.


So, my questions to you all are:

- Which amps have you used that had an unbearably loud fan?
- Which amps have you used that were quiet?
- Have you ever modded the fan on your amp?
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Totally off topic but I'm a fan of your avatar! Boosh
 
#29
I dont hear the fan in my Ampeg 3 Pro or my Sunn 1200S (the 2 rack space version). However, my SVT used to get outrageously hot so I installed a 2nd fan. When you turned it on it sounded like a jet taking off. Once you started playing you couldn't hear it. Loud fans don't bother me any. To me it's a sign that it's doing its job - keeping the innards of my amp cool. If it were making a noise like it's getting ready to die, then it would be a problem.
 
#30
An amp builder once explained to me that they build their product for performance situations, not bedroom or quiet practice - which obviously makes perfect sense. What i've never understood is why amps in the same performance class differ so much, for example (all of which i have owned): Aguilar TH500 loud fan, GK MB500 quiet fan, Tecamp Puma 500 no fan. This tells me that it is possible to build a high-performance amp with no fan, perhaps much of the reason the Puma costs more?? Like one of the posters above, my performance situations are quiet, behind acoustic players and singers, so my amp choices are pretty limited.
 
#32
JI99 said:
An amp builder once explained to me that they build their product for performance situations, not bedroom or quiet practice - which obviously makes perfect sense. What i've never understood is why amps in the same performance class differ so much, for example (all of which i have owned): Aguilar TH500 loud fan, GK MB500 quiet fan, Tecamp Puma 500 no fan. This tells me that it is possible to build a high-performance amp with no fan, perhaps much of the reason the Puma costs more?? Like one of the posters above, my performance situations are quiet, behind acoustic players and singers, so my amp choices are pretty limited.
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IIRC the current Puma iteration does have a fan, doesn't it?

IF you want the best, no fan required amp, buy a Walter Woods.
 
#34
dannybuoy said:
I've just bought and about to return an Aguilar TH500 as I can't stand it when the fans kick on full after 20 minutes use. I know it's all part of the cooling system that allows this amp to run at full power without thermal shutdowns, which is something some other micros may struggle with. But when it comes on the amp is still cool to the touch, I just wish it had more of an intelligent fan speed control so that it was on at slow speed then ramped up gradually as required, instead of sounding like a vacuum cleaner being turned on halfway through my practice session.

I've had other amps in the past that have been whisper quiet, such as the Genz Benz Streamliner and Markbass LMII.

My Orange Terror Bass was noisy too but I put in quieter computer fan and it's now unnoticeable but still provides plenty of airflow and has no issues running for hours in a warm room at high volume.

I'm interested in trying a Mesa Walkabout, I hear these are noisy buggers too but again some people have ended up modding them.


So, my questions to you all are:

- Which amps have you used that had an unbearably loud fan?
- Which amps have you used that were quiet?
- Have you ever modded the fan on your amp?
Click to expand...
I hear ya there. I had a TH500 for a year or so. I sold it and went to Gallien-Krueger. No regrets. I didn't sell because of the fan but I hated that fan. 10 minutes of playing and it kicked into high speed. 4 ohm load. Maybe with 8 it would be quieter?
 
#37
One of the big plus points for my Reeves 225 is passive cooling, no fans!
You may never hear fans while your are playing, but you sure can between notes if you leave any space.

Using sensitive condenser mic's recording, a cooling fan can be quite a nuisance.

I learned that tracking at comfortable volumes with my SVT.
You could hear the fan adding background shhhhhhh to the room especially on the quiet parts.

My mic's will pickup computer fans and hard drive spin, so you're fooling yourself if you think a cooling fan can't be heard.
 
#38
Tracking with an SVT and you can hear the fan? Get a long speaker cable and put the head in an unused room or closet. Big deal. Besides, nowadays you can just go through each track and edit out the noise during the quiet parts easily.
 
#39
BassmanPaul said:
The fan should have its CFM rating marked on it.
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If it doesn't, it can be looked up by doing a search on the fan's make and model number. Other specs besides the CFM spec (amount of airflow, expressed in Cubic Feet per Minute) that should be strictly adhered to are:
  • the voltage rating, and whether it uses AC or DC.
  • the current rating, in amps or watts (excessive current draw can put a strain on the power supply.)
  • The fan must be mounted with the correct orientation so the original direction of airflow is retained.
Sometimes the noise level spec of the fan is also provided, expressed in dBA, with the lowest number obviously being the most desirable. But do not trade off airflow (CFM) for a lower dBA rating, or you run the risk of the amp possibly overheating, with the related consequenses.
 
#40
Reasons I might not have noticed the fan in my everything ever: hard hitting drummers, tinnitus, turning the amp up until the guitards aren't blowing me out of the water, turning up in general, using big inefficient cabs, liking the sound of pre amps and power sections breaking up, and the sound of a big cab being pushed.

If the fan bugs you maybe focus on what you're playing a bit more or turn up instead of "mod-ing" a perfectly good amp? Or get a good combo? Or DI? Or headphone amp?

And before you cry "but recording?!?" I promise you that all your favorite recordings were a noisey affair to make. If you have to record in absolute silence why aren't you going direct? Anyone one using something called a tone HAMMER or orange TERROR for a nice quiet recording is ridiculous.
 

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