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Carvin BX500: Part II
- Thread starter Kelly Lee
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Medium sized club to outdoor gigs. 100-150 people indoors and whatever it happens to be outdoors - 400-1,000 people.
When I play outdoors I've got PA support so I don't need to turn up past 3.
Playing classic rock, blues, R & B and original music.
I also play in 4 bands, so it depends on what kind of music I'm playing for that particular night or day. Now that it's getting cooler most of my gigs are going to be indoors.
Got mine in the mail, very nice so far. 
I was feeling remorse over getting rid of my GK, but from what I've heard of the carvin already, I am not regretting the decision so much anymore. My big cabs are at the practice space so I'll get to crank it on saturday. Only played thru my 1x10 practice combo.
I was feeling remorse over getting rid of my GK, but from what I've heard of the carvin already, I am not regretting the decision so much anymore. My big cabs are at the practice space so I'll get to crank it on saturday. Only played thru my 1x10 practice combo.
Chef
In Memoriam
2 Ohms Q:
I figure I'd be running this at 2 ohms 1/2 the time or so. Who's run it hard at 2 ohms out there in Club-Land? Is it solid? Stay cool?
I figure I'd be running this at 2 ohms 1/2 the time or so. Who's run it hard at 2 ohms out there in Club-Land? Is it solid? Stay cool?
I've used mine with a pair of BRX10.4's (@ 2 Ohms) and it was solid as a rock and just a bit warm. I wasn't pushing it all that hard as an 8X10 was overkill for the situation but it held up for 2 hours no problem.
Chef
In Memoriam
Mine shut off once at 2 ohms. Was running using my Avatar 112 and an old Peavey 2x10. I shut it off and turned it back on and it worked. The direct out never cut so I only lost my stage sound. I've since bought some speakons in hopes that would help. I've never had the problem again but have also never truly reproduced the circumstances which were playing very loud with crappy speaker cable and a line out. The experience left me not 100% trusting it at 2 ohms.
I had inadvertently pressed the 2 ohm switch when running a 4 ohm load and mine shut down and never did start up again. Carvin replaced it without question though.
Chef
In Memoriam
Thanks for the info, and I'd appreciate any other 2 ohm related usage input.
The 2 ohm stability is one of the factors that has me contemplating moving from MarkBass F1...
The 2 ohm stability is one of the factors that has me contemplating moving from MarkBass F1...
Yup.
I'm not near condemning the 2 ohm option. But, it was a confidence rattler.
If I'm the the only story like like this, then it was probably my misuse or my particular amp.
It's odd that you'd have a problem with the amp when doing that as the 4 ohm/2 ohm switch lowers the power supply voltage. Doing this and running at 4 ohms would result in lower power output.
I have no proof that it failed because of the 2 ohm switch, but I did notice it was in and the unit shut down. This certainly does not prove cause and effect, but it also is the only time I did not check the switch. It was some months ago when several units failed for apparent "permanent thermal shutdown" and it is just as likely that I just happened to have a problem unit.
I've been running at 2 ohms several months and have had the amp shut down and go into protect mode just once. I don't know if it had anything to do with the 2 ohm option, but Carvin replaced the 9 month old head immediately with no questions asked. I'm very satisfied otherwise with it's performance.
Is my BX500 supposed to get louder when I engage the tube? Not the signal, but the actually amp seems to hum loudly.
Dont think so...that dont sound right... mine does not hum when I turn on the tube pre....in fact it changes the sound very little at all.
It shouldn't hum at all. I'm not really sure what the tube pre is suppose to do, because to me it really doesn't do anything to change the sound. I do leave it engaged, just because . . .
uh oh 
Okay well it actually is coming thru the speaker now that I check. It sounds like the light engine hum when you get on an airplane.
Okay well it actually is coming thru the speaker now that I check. It sounds like the light engine hum when you get on an airplane.
Return it while you still have the 10 day return period. Carvin is the best for that.
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