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Ashdown MAG300 problems :|

B

bradleystamper

Sep 5, 2006
69
0
Ickenham, West London
#1
Heya everyone,
Just wondered if you guys could give me a hand? I have an Ashdown Mag300 head and 4x10 Cab. Last night, i left the room with my bass plugged in (although the lead had a cut off switch) and the amp on, although at a lowish volume. when i came back, it had totally turned off, no output, no glowing VU meter, nothing... I tried a new power lead, then tried changing the fuses, with no luck whatsoever. My next door neighbour is an electrician so he had a look, said the output is 1.1 oHms and that he is pretty sure that the transformer is dead.All fuses are ok on the PCB but the fuse on the head where the power supply plugs in, keeps blowing whenever a new one is installed.

I have no idea what to do, whether to get it repaired ( at what price?!?!?!) or to buy a new head, what are your thoughts guys??

Many thanks in advance, Bradley
 
#2
I have this amp. One minute everything was working, the next, nothing. These are cheap amps and Ashdown are not really known for the awesome reliability. I sent mine back about a year ago and it's been fine ever since, I never found out what was wrong though. I would probably try and upgrade myself.
 
#8
Pajama_Bottoms said:
That is DEFINITELY the issue. My best guess is that the amp is completely fried. What kind of cabs were you running this into?
Click to expand...
Hardly likely, just one 10 cent component can stop an amp working.
I've been using Ashdown since the late 90s, my 1st being an ABM 500, an Eletric Blue combo, and my current piece is the John Entwistle pre-amp, the only problem I've ever encountered was a faulty VU metre which Ashdown promptly replaced free of charge by return post.
 
#9
just contact ashdown as your first port of call, i'm sure they can help out, from what i have read their support is top notch. and they aren't too far away from west london if you don't want to use couriers.
was the amp hot when you went back to it and how long did you leave it off? if it was a while and a fan failed then it could have over heated, bu ti'm just speculating let the guys who made it sort it out.
 
#10
Did you use a surge suppressor or power conditioner? You may have taken a spike which took out the transformer. Always use at least a surge suppressor. Get a conditioner if you can. You either took a power hit or you were unlucky enough to get one with a bad power supply no matter what. Have had no issues with my MAG-300 which I bought in spring '06. Run it about 7 or 8 hours a week for rehearsals, a huge outdoor motorcycle gig at full volume, and weekly at an open mic gig where it gets smacked around by 6 or 7 bass players of varying volumes. Keeps on tickin'. I have it driving an Avatar 2X10 Delta and an Avatar 1X12 Neo. I thinks it great AND I get tons of compliments from the other players who've used it.
 
#13
As far as you 'electronic tech' Friend...the 1.1 ohms at the primary OR secondary indicates that the transformer is in fact operational...pending the voltage spec. Low ohms indicates that the windings are in tact, and NOT open, which would indicate a bad transformer. Your load, or speaker cabinet set the impedance to the amplifier, of which you need to know your amps ohm stability. Typically it's 4 ohms, every amp has it's set spec.
 
#14
Dimond Dave said:
As far as you 'electronic tech' Friend...the 1.1 ohms at the primary OR secondary indicates that the transformer is in fact operational...pending the voltage spec. Low ohms indicates that the windings are in tact, and NOT open, which would indicate a bad transformer. Your load, or speaker cabinet set the impedance to the amplifier, of which you need to know your amps ohm stability. Typically it's 4 ohms, every amp has it's set spec.
Click to expand...
OR, there is a shorted winding in the transformer.

Note that this thread is almost 20 years old.
 
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