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Ashdown Mibass 550 sensitive clipping?

stkittsmusic

stkittsmusic

Jan 20, 2009
153
1
Toronto, Ontario
#1
Hey guys

I have an Ashdown Mibass 550, which is an amazing amp, love the sound and tone. Now I'm using it with an 8 ohm Epifani 2x10, and the only problem I'm finding is that I seem to be clipping a lot and the amp isn't even that loud. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had or has a Mibass 550 and has found that either the clip is oversensitive, or maybe I need a different cab to get the best output out of the head, or maybe there's a different answer. I just got the head so I'm still mucking about with it, but it'd be nice if I didn't have to sell it cause I like it haha.

Thanks for your help TB'ers

Alex
 
#3
I owned one of these for less than a week. Loved the idea of it, sounded great paired with my ABM 4x10 cab, but had exactly the same problem as you. If i turned the input gain past anymore than 9 'o' clock then it'd just clip like crazy, couldn't even get enough volume out of it to be heard with my band.

Ended up taking it back and fronting the extra cash for an ABM 500 evo III, best choice I ever made.
 
#6
You will find that what appears to be clipping according to the VU Meter isnt necessarily clipping in the amplifier. The VU Meter is really sensitive and not that accurate IMHO. You can crank the gain and master volume and still maintain a nice tone to get a more acceptable volume level. And as mentioned a 4 ohm cab wil only help.
 
#7
I know this post is old, but I stumbled across it and thought I'd chime in because it sounds like a few people are cranking the heck out of the input, not getting much volume and thinking they are clipping "the amp" which is not the case.

If you are pushing the VU hard on most Ashdown amps like the MAG, ABM, MiBass, RTA or Spyder you are overdriving the preamp section (or front end). (VU on the left)

On the tube series or Little Bastard the VU is on the output level of the whole amp. (VU on the right)

Ashdown says it's fine to push the heck out of the front end if that's the sound you're after (you're not hurting anything), otherwise properly set the active switch for your bass and turn the gain "input" down (the active switch is a pad which does the same thing as turning the input knob down). Then turn the output up, and this will yield a cleaner tone.

For the cleanest setup, these systems can be run like any PA system, with the output (amplifier section) almost all the way up and the input (preamp) barely open. Again, it just depends on the sound you're after.
Best,
-Scot
 

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