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Carvin BX500: Pt. 3

#1,041
After not looking at this thread for a couple of yrs. I decided to follow up. After reading a lot posts of people fixing their BX 500 w/cleaners etc. I pulled my 2009 model out of the box where it has sat since it went down 3months out of warrantee, it was the third one I had fail. I went over to my comp. techs house and he says I'll fix it for you. He pops the top off and I told him it was most likely the ribbon connects. And so he pulled them off 1 at a time and just dipped them in denatured alcohol and blew dried them then popped em back on and viola ! It's alive. I took it to work and used it all night. It sounded good but I realized me ears had grown so to speak and while I loved it when I bought it it's not nearly as pleasing to my ear as the Shuttlemax 12.0 I replaced it with. Anyway it's always good to have a small powerfull back up. It will stay ...the PF500 however will go.
 
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#1,043
I bought a BR515N combo mid 2010. I used it in the band I was in for a few months. I then quit that band and took some time off from playing for about 3 years. I've been playing again for about a year and then the head goes into protect mode. No matter what I do, I can't seem to get it out of protect mode. I hear most everyone has had issues with these amps but I'm not ready to let it go yet. I emailed Carvin, and they just said mail it to us for diagnosis. I don't know about you but I'd rather not pay the $225.00 listed on their website as a flat-rate repair. I tried the deoxit route to no avail. The fan is running fine but I can't get this thing out of protect mode. I suppose we could have had a questionable power issue at our practice space, but it worked fine for almost a year. If that was the case, why would it die now? I'd say over-all my amp has less than 100 hours use on it. What to do, what to do....
 
#1,045
hey everyone! new to the thread, but i have a few questions about my bx500.

ive been trying to simplify my rig lately. i have a bx500, a rack tuner, a rack power unit, and a hartke bass attack preamp. i used to run a tuner pedal and the preamp in front of the amp, but since i got the rack tuner (and after some reading and experimenting) i put the preamp into the fx loop. i like it much better there. i plug into the front input on the bx500, and use the tuner out from the head to the tuner.

after looking through the bx500 manual, the fx loop return signal is processed not through the regular EQ section, but it is processed through the graphic EQ (if switched on, and i use it sometimes). however my question is, since im using the preamp in the FX loop, is the regular EQ completely bypassed? IE if i turn the compressor/bass/treb ect knobs will they not do anything or is my direct signal still put through that, and the fx loop signal is only processed through the GEQ.

my thinking is, if i were to plug into the preamp and then run it to the fx return, it would completey bypass the regular eq, but since i still plug in the front on the bx500 and just put the preamp in the loop, it should still have some effect. im pretty sure the compressor still does something (i was messing with it the other day, but i cant remember if it was after i put the preamp in the loop, or before.)

i would prefer to leave the preamp's eq relatively flat and use the bx500s eq as it is much more flexable and precise.

ideas/insite? thanks!


EDIT: so after going home and playing it, it seems the regular eq still has effects on the sound in this setup.
 
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#1,048
Anyone here running 2 115MBEs with a BX500?

I currently have an MB110 with a 115 extension, and it's almost loud enough for all my gigs. I've been using an NV610, but it doesn't fit in my new car's trunk. My plan is to use the 2X15s with the 500 watt head in hopes that there will be a significant difference btwn that and the 250 watt 1X10 combo with the added 15. I'm going into this blindly, as I can't remember ever playing through 2X15s. Just crossing my fingers and thinking it'll be great. It will... right? I'm not going to regret selling the Bergantino... right?
 
#1,050
MarTONEbass said:
I'm not sure how great those 115 Carvin cabs are to be honest, but IME, I have almost ALWAYS regretted selling a Berg.
Click to expand...

The one I have sounds pretty awesome actually. Light years away from it's GK brother.

I love my NV610... really need the money right now though, and love my new car more. I can still fit it, if I put the seats down but I like a bottom that fits nicely in the trunk where nobody can see it if I want to grab a bite to eat after a gig or something. And while this is totally unlike me (my entire life I've owned pretty much POS used cars), I'm feeling a bit nuts about possibly ripping the carpeting in my brand new vehicle :). This is a very alien feeling to me :)....

Somebody is coming to buy the 6X10 tomorrow. I have 24 hrs to change my mind. Even the guy buying it is telling me I'm going to regret it.
 
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#1,052
I was looking to lighten up my rig and needed a backup , soooo just placed an order for the BX500 with the free bag and free shipping. $319.00 to my door. I'll be running it thru two brx10.2 cabs in 2ohm mode. Hope I'm not disappointed . Been using a Genz GBE750 for the last several years , just tired of lugging the 38lb head . SVT head and 810 before that.
 
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#1,053
Some have experienced problems with the ribbon cables (use de-oxy-it or similar product on connections) and also, since these are very light weight, they are a class of amp that is very sensitive to poor power conditions. Despite all that, I love mine and it has been my main amp for a few years. I did have to send it back for service in the first year, but no problems since.
 
#1,055
BlacksHole said:
Some have experienced problems with the ribbon cables (use de-oxy-it or similar product on connections) and also, since these are very light weight, they are a class of amp that is very sensitive to poor power conditions. Despite all that, I love mine and it has been my main amp for a few years. I did have to send it back for service in the first year, but no problems since.
Click to expand...

I've performed the deoxit ribbon cable treatment on my BX500 twice now out of necessity. I've had this amp since Jan. 2012 and have several hundred hours of real bar gig time on it. Its a great sounding amp and I do like it.

Two questions. Would I be right in assuming that the BX700 is similar enough to the BX500 to probably require the ribbon cable fix from time to time?

Anyone have any experience with Stabilant 22 as outperforming Deoxit?

Thanks.
 
#1,057
congrats on the bx500 score. i've had mine for about a year now, and i use it as a back-up to my bx1500 and as my primary on smaller gigs or when it's more convenient to use the smaller head. i replaced the stock jj preamp tube on the bx500 (with a mullard) when the stock jj preamp tube went out on the bx1500 (also with a mullard). i bought the heads about 45 days apart, the bx500 first. i've never had issues with the ribbon cable on either one, knock on wood. i really like both of these amps - plenty of power and lots of tonal options. i also like the on-board compressor. i've never used a compressor before, and now that i know how it works, i'm glad it's available. i've read many posts stating there is no tonal difference with the preamp tube engaged or not. i disagree. when it's time to bring it, i engage and crank it up to around 2-3 o'clock. it gets pretty gritty. the mullards are pretty decent tubes - that may be the ticket.

enjoy your new head!

btw: the b1000 is calling me. does this ever end?
 
#1,059
My Bx500 arrived yesterday, I only got to play about 20 minutes on my lunch break, through one BRX10.2. I am not used to an amp this light , it feels like its made out of nothing. However, it does have some ass sound wise . I set it up flat at first, then with the low mids at 100hz and low mid level at 1:00 o'clock like has been recommended . That was it , sounded pretty darn good . I'll use it Friday night at a gig with both 10.2's and see how it sounds . The knobs all have a good feel to them , tho I wasn't to impressed with the sliders on the graphic EQ, wouldn't take much to break those off. It's gonna be nice walking in with a 6lb bag of amp over my shoulder.
 

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