Ashdown EB 180: What does it take to trigger VU?

[suicas]

Hi, just received a new Ashdown Electric Blue 12 180.

It seems to work well and sound great, but one thing's worrying me.

None of the Input Level LEDs light up, even when input level is turned up the maximum and my bass's active output is turn up the maximum. The red LED in the center below these is lit though.

Just wondering if I'm not giving it a high enough input to register at all, or whether something might be faulty..

Thanks,
Dave

 

[wingnutkj]

Mine's like that as well. When using either of my passive Bill-Lawrence-pickup-ed Jazz basses, it barely lights, unless I've got the pre-amp volume too high. It lights up more when I play my EB-3 style bass which has a very bassy high output humbucker. I guess it's not as sensitive as it should be. I'm not worried too much about it - the amp sounds fine, and that's the main thing.

 

[Toasted]

I have the 150 2x10.

My VU tends to light with my passive bass when i have the gain set to about 3 oclock, it lights all the lights apart from the red ones, which i assume are "dangerous." Those lights do light, if i slap or attack the bass hard

 

[suicas]

Maybe it's ok then.. I think I'd just be happier if I could get at least the leftmost green LED to light at least once.

I had another try (been to busy since it arrived to really play with it sadly) with input on max, and tried some slapping, but still not even one green LED lit.

I also tried sending the output of a preamp pedal with the gain set very high into it, and still not a thing...

The amp does sound great, and it's not too major a thing, but if I've paid for something new, I'd quite like all of it to work

 

[dave_bass5]

i had one a while ago (now got a MAG) and the lights always seemed to be working with my p-bass. it seems to be affected by the EQ settings as well so if you boost the EQ you should get more level in the pre-amp.
hope this helps
Dave.

 

[Paul A]

O.K. this may sound silly but ....... which input are you using?
It should be "High" for PASSIVE basses and "Low" for ACTIVE basses...... not imho the most intuative way to label the inputs!

If that doesn't work, SEND IT BACK! otherwise you won't know when the amp has started to "clip".

 

[suicas]

Yeah, they are kind of confusingly labelled I read the manual though, and I've been using the low input for my active bass as it recommended.

I've also tried the high input with my electric guitar, and still nothing. Going to give Ashdown a call now I guess...

Update: just talked to Ashdown, and they think it's likely that the LED clips for the VU meter just came loose during shipping, apparently it happens every now and then.

They say that it should just be a case of unscrewing and removing the head, and clipping the necessary part back into place (which won't void the warranty luckily). Will have a go as soon as I get home..