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Farty distortion from a Hartke 3500?

S

Smacky the Frog

Nov 15, 2006
135
9
#1
Hey guys.

So when I run the amp thru my ampeg 4x10 SVT cab, It's mostly fine, but when I run the amp thru the DI, it comes up with this really nasty, clipping, "farty" for lack of a better term, distortion. I called Larry Hartke and he said it might be a bad 12ax7 preamp tube in there, but he also said that maybe my preamps are too hot? I run them with the tube preamp on 4 and the solid-state on 7, and live I keep the master around 3. Anybody had this problem before?
 
#2
The manual for my HA2000 amp says to keep the combined gains from SS and tube pre to a sum of 10 or less. In other words, you could do 10 on the SS knob and 0 on the tube or 5 on each or 3 + 7, but keep the two gains under a total of 10 for the best sound.

This is a different model amp (HA2000 like I said), but the pre section sounds the same (SS + tube).
 
#3
Man with an Axe said:
Hey guys.

So when I run the amp thru my ampeg 4x10 SVT cab, It's mostly fine, but when I run the amp thru the DI, it comes up with this really nasty, clipping, "farty" for lack of a better term, distortion.
Click to expand...
It's a powered DI? If that's the case it must be adding gain to your signal. Try the active input, turn the gains down, if that doesn't work don't use the DI. With the built in XLR send of the 3500 you shouldn't need it anyway.
 
#5
Well, here's the thing. I use my head as a D.I. Box since I sort of can't afford to buy any new equipment right now unless it's an emergency. Turning up the power stage would be useless as it has no bearing on the line-out, only on the speaker.

Should I just get a new freakin' amp? This was meant to be a stepping stone. Any ideas for something really good that has a useable 10-band EQ and gets loud as that hartke?
 
#6
Man with an Axe said:
Well, here's the thing. I use my head as a D.I.
Click to expand...

Confused. When you said the DI caused farting I assumed you meant you ran your bass to a DI, and one output of the DI to the input of the amp. Are you saying the DI of the 3500 causes distortion in whatever you're sending it to, and if so what is that?
 
#7
Man with an Axe said:
Well, here's the thing. I use my head as a D.I. Box since I sort of can't afford to buy any new equipment right now unless it's an emergency. Turning up the power stage would be useless as it has no bearing on the line-out, only on the speaker.

Should I just get a new freakin' amp? This was meant to be a stepping stone. Any ideas for something really good that has a useable 10-band EQ and gets loud as that hartke?
Click to expand...

I assume that since you're asking for something with a 10 band EQ, that you're using the DI from the amp post EQ? Do you have any of the bands on the eq pushed very hard? I still think your pre amp is clipping and you're getting it in the DI line.
 
#8
BurningSkies said:
I assume that since you're asking for something with a 10 band EQ, that you're using the DI from the amp post EQ? Do you have any of the bands on the eq pushed very hard? I still think your pre amp is clipping and you're getting it in the DI line.
Click to expand...



I guess that could be the situation. I do run my 500K at full, but everything else is pretty even. Even when I take the line out at pre-eq, it farts.
 
#9
I know these are old posts but maybe this will help someone. My HA2000 recently began losing volume during play and then turning up the volume even slightly resulted in distortion. I replaced the pre amp tube and this cured the problem for several months ... then it began doing the same thing. I took the top off the amp head and sprayed contact cleaner in all the pots as well as checking to make sure all connectors were seated firmly. That fixed the problem.
 

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