I'm taking the 800 home from the studio tonight and I'm planning on giving it hell for a bit (while my Jazz gets repaired and while I can still return it reasonably if it craps out). I'll keep the thread updated.
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Another Red Flag On The Ampeg PF-500.....
- Thread starter shoot-r
- Start date
Has anyone been able to determine exactly which part(s) go bad when these die? My guess is it's something in the SMPS, which is probably the hardest part to make well at low cost. Given how good they (reportedly) sound, I really hope somebody finds a fix. Seems like if the reliability was better it would be a really great product. I'd like to try one. But I'll keep my (gnarly old) 800RB for now.
Purchased a used PF-500, using on top of a SVT 410 HLF Classic cab, using it in band rehearsal, gigging and a little at home 'loud practice time'. Have had it now about a month, used maybe 5-6 times. I have had absolutely no issues with it at all to date. From what I'm reading in these threads, they are either bad out of the box or soon after, or no one who has had good luck with them has reported that. I know it's foolish to assume that just because I have had no issues in such a short time I will continue to do so, but, I think if something was to go bad it should happen sooner rather than later! I would really like to read some good news stories for a change! They all can't be bad - right?
Wow he only asked for $40. in labor, the S&H charges. Why should he get a markup on parts??Not picking on you Will
The fact that anyone would suggest a shop NOT get a little parts markup is insulting. Sounds like that place was being VERY reasonable. In my opinion anyway.
No way of telling if the shop was reasonable or not. We don't know the parts cost.
I think Ampeg should refurb at cost for out of warranty amps and extend a new warranty. Keep Hodgy busy for awhile. He should get it down to minutes per amp. Board cost, what? I can't see them making anything on them if they can't get them in for $100.
Wow he only asked for $40. in labor, the S&H charges. Why should he get a markup on parts??
The fact that anyone would suggest a shop NOT get a little parts markup is insulting. Sounds like that place was being VERY reasonable. In my opinion anyway.
I don't know if there even was a markup seeing as there is a charge for labor and shipping. I really don't know if there is any sort of accepted standard or rate for that.
It could vary with the tech. Some folks that remodel homes or whatever do it a few different ways. Some will mark up every single little thing right down to the last nail and screw. Others feel that could upset the customer, like they're getting nickel and dimed right down to the penny, so those guys would rather start from actual parts cost and add something for themselves for doing all the sourcing and footwork and time rather than adding some percentage to every single little item.
Not trying to make the tech seem greedy or whatever. The $40 labor charge is a good deal less than most bench fees already, the guys hardly making anything on it.
Like said not picking on you. Someone asked if the parts cost was after the shop's "taste". That is a somewhat inappropriate question. No one I know gets their food for cost in a restaurant, get auto parts or plumbing parts without a markup so that question makes any difference how? (Not your question I know.) If you deal with a business they are that, a business, not a charity. We all get a "taste" to recoup the time we spend researching, ordering, handling the raw parts we order no matter what industry.
Not really. Parts are cheap. Labor is expensive. I had a repair done to one of my mixer boards. The part? $5. The labor? $100.
I wonder if the doctrine of "implied warranty of merchantability" would apply here. They discovered that certain units are defective and, as such, should replace or repair all such units regardless of whether the express warranty period has passed.
My company bought a new Toyota SR5 pickup in 1981, with a 5-speed transmission that was introduced that year. It failed within the warranty period. Then failed again. And again. And again. Toyota had issued a "silent recall" on the transmission, and they just kept replacing them with the same unit until they finally got around to fixing the design flaw. So the truck has had five transmissions in it. As far as I know, the employee who bought it from the company still uses it on his ranch down in Mexico. It's probably got over 300,000 miles on it.
I hadn't heard the 'taste' term in a long time, but I digress.
The fact that they are noting the actual rev level on the board means it is either very early for that rev level or production has slowed enough. I certain that it's an early unit since J02 cleared on 04Jun. I wonder what the change to C35 was to cause a full rev letter change? Even the op-amp change wouldn't call for a letter change.
I also wonder about the rev. D pre-amp? The rev. B seems to be the standard pre since before it's release and the rev. B has J-FETs in the front end.
I figure the target life expectancy is 4 to 5 years, I wouldn't doubt that the designed life span of any previous head was any longer.
What I think happened is since class-D is a relatively new technology to Ampeg (see the SVT7pro threads) they were still learning it. The real difference with the 7pro would be the sales numbers, the PF probably sold more in a month that the 7pro sold in a year or two. I would consider the PF series and the 7pro as having substantially the same design based on the photos I've seen. I posted before that the 350 and 500 probably share many of the same components in the PA so the 350 would survive in conditions where the 500 would not.
For the guys with the 800 schematics, what is the topology of the PA? Is it bridged, or single with 2 (or 4) MOSFETs in the output?
The fact that they are noting the actual rev level on the board means it is either very early for that rev level or production has slowed enough. I certain that it's an early unit since J02 cleared on 04Jun. I wonder what the change to C35 was to cause a full rev letter change? Even the op-amp change wouldn't call for a letter change.
I also wonder about the rev. D pre-amp? The rev. B seems to be the standard pre since before it's release and the rev. B has J-FETs in the front end.
I figure the target life expectancy is 4 to 5 years, I wouldn't doubt that the designed life span of any previous head was any longer.
What I think happened is since class-D is a relatively new technology to Ampeg (see the SVT7pro threads) they were still learning it. The real difference with the 7pro would be the sales numbers, the PF probably sold more in a month that the 7pro sold in a year or two. I would consider the PF series and the 7pro as having substantially the same design based on the photos I've seen. I posted before that the 350 and 500 probably share many of the same components in the PA so the 350 would survive in conditions where the 500 would not.
For the guys with the 800 schematics, what is the topology of the PA? Is it bridged, or single with 2 (or 4) MOSFETs in the output?
Some but not a whole bunch. I love the way people talked in the '20's and '30's though, at least in old moving pictures.
Thought it may've been a regional thing, or you're a little bit older than me, maybe was like saying "hip", or calling other musicians "cats".
Now I'll have to work in "taste" and "tighten up". See, learn something new every day.
The recalls by an auto manufacturer are a bit different since there is a much greater chance of death (to the operator and other 'innocents') from the failure of a vehicle than a bass amp, even then there are limits but those are due to governmental regulations.
But then again it would be the right thing to do.
Fat Steve
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
I think you are really going to like the PF350 for upright. I used mine with an Epifani UL210 cab, a tech21 paradriverDI as the pre-amp, and a David Gage Realist piezo pickup.
What is your pickup/pre situation?
Mine currently goes as such:
Shen SB80>Belcat dual piezo(EG202)>FDeck HPF Series III, Behringer ADI21>Powered 15" PA Speaker
The PA speaker is great for places with a decent house system, but it just doesn't do the job for bar gigs and such. Also need something for the slab, so I'm hoping 350W @ 4 ohms will be up to the task.
The first Godfather said "Let me wet my beak". That is, until Robert De Niro bumped him off.
