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BMAX-T noisy "bright" switch?

D

Dr. PhunkyPants

Guest
Aug 11, 2002
1,885
17
USA
www.cnn.com
#1
I *just* pulled my new BMAX-T out of the box. I love the juicy tone, it sounds great. One thing, though--when I touch the Bright switch, I get ground loop buzz. Just like if I was touching the end of a plugged-in instrument cable.

I'm going to call BBE, but I thought I'd just throw this out there to see if this is 'normal'. I'm guessing not.
 
#3
I bought a BMAX-T last December, used. It worked fine for about 7 months and then I encountered the exact problem you described. The noise was so loud the amp was unusable. I sent it back to BBE with a full description of the problem. They did the gain mod, but the amp still had the ground loop noise. I was now out $30 shipping from Ottawa, Canada. BBE offered to replace the amp. I sent it back for another $30. The new amp arrived and I brought it to a rehearsal and put it in the rack with my Stewart World 1.2. Once again, LOUD noises. I was so furious I felt like smashing it against the pavement. The problem is not with the Stewart World power amp because my Groove Tubes "Brick" and Yamaha PB-1 are fine with it.
What did you finally end up doing about the noise problem? Any advice would be appreciated.

Jeff
Ottawa, Canada
 
#5
BTW, you can replace the tube and change the tone. I bought a Mullard from Lord Valve in Phx and it changed things substantially. It seemed to open up the highs while the lows stayed full and tight. The tube did go microphonic on me after about 5 months but the second one I bought has been good for quite a while.
I often leave my gear in the SUV for a few days (between gigs) and it does get bounced around a bit with daily driving, so I'm not sure if the tube going "micro" on me was due to a defective tube, or just rough treatment. Lord Valve was surprised the tube went micro. Usually Mullard's are pretty tough that way (military spec).
Good luck! :D
 
#6
Definitely not normal. Yes, the bright switch is 'bright'. I never use it, but it is dead quiet if I do turn it on. No problems with mine for over a year. Although I might experiment with a few different tubes I have around just for kicks. I've been over to BBE in Huntington Beach several times and they are always super nice and helpful.
 

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