Crackles from hell

[Torkk]

So I have a Hartke ha 3500 that's giving me problems. Initially I thought the problem was having my zoom B3 plugged into the effects Loop. With that configuration when played aggressively certain notes the aggressive ones would distort. Today and the past few days it was plugged in the front of the head and I started getting that Distortion again. So I took the B3 out of the loop went from my bass guitar into my fuzz pedal into my active input played for maybe an hour and I was getting this hideous crackling distorted sound got the point where I don't even have to play aggressively just tap on the pickup just tap on the bass. Swapped out my active Bass for my passive fender same thing. This happened with a solid-state preamp tube preamp off and vice versa I also plugged it into the return of the loop give me the same thing.

Any thoughts?

 

[cfsporn]

Try plugging your bass into the effects return. If that fixes the problem, you effects jack corrosion which is an easy fix

 

[Torkk]

I did plug into the return with both pre-amps off I had the noise.
I dont remember if I took the fuzz out of the signal path. Ill have to check that tomorrow once I get the nice and warm.

I initially contacted Hartke on the B3 noise in the effects loop, he wanted me to try the b3 one a similar head to eliminate the b3 before we think of sending the head in.

Side question. When plugging in the bass straight into the return of the loop would the volume naturally be low compared to the front right?

 

[BassmanPaul]

Yes.

 

[BogeyBass]

sounds like dc crackle since it ain't the tube....or is it idk.
You said you still had a fuzz inline should bypass that too.
but sounds like dc building up on capacitors or components desoldering themselves from heat. either around the tube or any high power resistor heating up. usually power supply