Bad electricity amp help.

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Guidobass58, Dec 28, 2014.

  1. Hello. I have a Peavey Max II 115. I like the amp but it has that DDT speaker protection on it. If I play a bar where the electricity is not up to the full 120 volts I have the hardest time with the DDT protection kicking in on almost all notes on the G string no matter which bass I use. Just when you dig in to solo or pop, your volume is knocked down and the power light turns from blue to red. My GK MB500 head and 2X12 cab setup don't have this problem. Is there a combo amp that won't do this? I had a Fender Rumble 350 but even on good electricity, notes on the G string would disappear. I've been considering the new Fender Rumble 200 1X15, the Carvin MB115 but I don't know if they have a built in limiter that will do the same thing. I had the new Fender Rumble 500 with the two tens for one day and the 10's couldn't handle my 5 string basses when playing with a 5 piece band that is not a heavy rock band and I don't dime the bass knob on my amps or my active basses. Maybe I got a bad one. The reason for the combo is because there are less wires to hookup, less to carry and I tilt it back. With the GK head and cab setup I had to figure out how to keep the head on the cab when tilted back. Velcro solved that. A combo amp would just be simpler. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2015
  2. agedhorse

    agedhorse Supporting Member Commercial User

    Feb 12, 2006
    Davis, CA (USA)
    Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
    When the line voltage falls, so does the output power of your amp, so the earlier limiter threshold is entirely normal. This is true of ALL power amps with very few exceptions (ones with a PWM regulated SMPS, but under high line loss conditions, you may be trading one problem for another depending on how well the design is executed)

    Have you discussed the problem with the bar management?
     
  3. Thank you very much for the reply. I haven't talked with the bar. The band leader probably should as he also noticed that one outlet is not even grounded. Good suggestion though. For years we musicians have just lived with the problem at bars.
     
  4. agedhorse

    agedhorse Supporting Member Commercial User

    Feb 12, 2006
    Davis, CA (USA)
    Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
    If it's dangerous, the only solution is IMO is a proper repair of the problem itself.
     
    B-string, Bob Lee (QSC) and JACink like this.
  5. Right. Thanks.
     
  6. Bob Lee (QSC)

    Bob Lee (QSC) In case you missed it, I work for QSC Audio!

    Jul 3, 2001
    Chester, Connecticut
    Former Technical Communications Developer, QSC Audio
    I agree totally.

    When mains voltage drops enough to be a noticeable problem, it's often a sign that one or more connections or wires in the circuit are inadequate and wasting power. Wasted power is heat, and especially if the heat is concentrated into a small area, like at a faulty connection, it could get hot enough to ignite something.
     
  7. agedhorse

    agedhorse Supporting Member Commercial User

    Feb 12, 2006
    Davis, CA (USA)
    Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
    Ahhh, there's nothing like the smell of buring insulation in the morning eh?
     
  8. Thanks for the info.
     
  9. LOL!
     
  10. DWBass

    DWBass The Funkfather

    Dude, I would NEVER plug my gear into ungrounded outlets! Never!!
     
    B-string and Bob Lee (QSC) like this.
  11. Thanks for the advice.