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New US made Tube amp from Ashdown!

#84
i still don't think that's the final image of the back... it still says "output power = 500 watts", which correlates to the ABM series, not this amp. the specs for this are for 400 watts. so who knows if the 4 ohms thing is final either... think we'll have to wait and see.
 
#89
Yeah, but they updated the "made in" section, which means they did a slapped together photoshop edit to fix it. So, either they found the error themselves, or they're reading this thread and LISTENING.

If so, I'm just going to throw out the idea of a "Yankee discount"... just in case anyone at Ashdown is listening... coming from an unemployed Yank who desperately needs new tools for rocking... just a thought. :D
 
#90
Greyvagabond said:
And I abuse the **** out of my 25 year old SVT-100, and its always fired right up, so hopefully a new tube amp will be nice a reliable. Why can't you leave a tube amp in your car in the winter? Those tubes are meant to deal with temperature variations of hundreds of degrees more than the difference between my apartment and the 10 degree Boston winter...
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No they are not. Your power amp tubes must be absolutely toasted. And you're talking 10 degrees fahrenheit; a lot of places go much colder than that, but even that is extreme temperature for tubes.Try a new set and you'll see how bad yours likely are.

The operating range of tubes is basically room temperature - slightly colder and slighter hotter, but certainly not 10 F. They will survive extreme if you let then warm up completely before turning them on. Tubes are like instruments - they want to live where the humans live. Do you sleep in your car in the winter? Leave your acoustic guitars outside then drag them inside to play?

:rollno:

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#91
Bassflute said:
No they are not. Your power amp tubes must be absolutely toasted. And you're talking 10 degrees fahrenheit; a lot of places go much colder than that, but even that is extreme temperature for tubes.Try a new set and you'll see how bad yours likely are.

The operating range of tubes is basically room temperature - slightly colder and slighter hotter, but certainly not 10 F. They will survive extreme if you let then warm up completely before turning them on. Tubes are like instruments - they want to live where the humans live. Do you sleep in your car in the winter? Leave your acoustic guitars outside then drag them inside to play?
Click to expand...

With the relative ease to research the issue, you'd think such a blatant falsehood as this would be too ridiculous to see print. Obviously, it's not, and that's a shame.

Tubes are rated to heat of 250 degrees Celcius. Don't believe me? Look Invalid Link Removed.
 
#92
ishouldbeking said:
Apologies if this has been mentioned before -- I did a search and didn't see anything -- but according to Ashdown's website their previously announced US made line of amps will be offering a 400 watt tube head... the BTA400.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I adore my ABM 500 evo II... gotta say I'm really curious about this. The styling is definitely right up my alley, and the available features sound like they'd make for a heckuva tube amp... as far as I'm concerned the preamp on the ABM line is about as usable as they come.

They mention that it'll be an "exceptional value for the money", which seems to imply that they won't be terribly expensive... Anyone know any more details such as release date or projected MSRP, etc?

for more info: http://ashdownmusic.com/bass/section.asp?section=us&c=true
Click to expand...

Sexy:bassist:
 
#93
Psycho Bass Guy said:
With the relative ease to research the issue, you'd think such a blatant falsehood as this would be too ridiculous to see print. Obviously, it's not, and that's a shame.

Tubes are rated to heat of 250 degrees Celcius. Don't believe me? Look Invalid Link Removed.
Click to expand...

they're NOT designed to be operated in a room that hot....or get as cold as the OP suggested his were, and then up to operating temps. Kills them dead.

Check YOUR facts before you get snide, smart-***...you can make a point without being arrogant and rude.
:scowl:

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#94
Bassflute said:
Check YOUR facts before you get snide, smart-***...you can make a point without being arrogant and rude.
Click to expand...

Correcting misinformation is neither rude nor arrogant, but since you're predisposed to being extra-sensitive, allow me to explain to you as delicately as I can what everyone else seems to be able to derive from that temperature specification:

If the bulb is designed to take the heat stress of going from around 30 degrees to 250 degrees C in less than 30 seconds, the stress from -10 degrees to 30 C degrees of warming to room temperature for a few minutes is no problem.

NO AMP should go from an extremely cold environment to being run at stage level, but the heater elements in tubes actually give them an edge by helping to warm the entire amp. You are making your "information" up.
 
#95
Psycho Bass Guy said:
Correcting misinformation is neither rude nor arrogant, but since you're predisposed to being extra-sensitive, allow me to explain to you as delicately as I can what everyone else seems to be able to derive from that temperature specification:

If the bulb is designed to take the heat stress of going from around 30 degrees to 250 degrees C in less than 30 seconds, the stress from -10 degrees to 30 C degrees of warming to room temperature for a few minutes is no problem.

NO AMP should go from an extremely cold environment to being run at stage level, but the heater elements in tubes actually give them an edge by helping to warm the entire amp. You are making your "information" up.
Click to expand...

I used tube gear for the firs 15 years of my bass-playing life because that's all there was. I have lived the life, I have replaced dozens of power tubes that have failed or overheated. You do know they are filled with inert gasses, and if those are wrecked or escape the tube is toast.

There were tube testers and replacements in every drug store and Safeway when I was growing up, and everything had them - radios, tv's, stereos, bass amps. I have more experience with them than you will ever know. You don't subject them to extremes of heat, period, unless you want them to fail.

And it takes a lot longer than 5 minutes to acclimatize - try 1/2 an hour at least. And don't move them till they are stone cold.

Cheers,
Cameron
an old guy who knows better
 
#96
The lengths you will go to to troll this topic are astounding!

Bassflute said:
I used tube gear for the firs 15 years of my bass-playing life because that's all there was. I have lived the life, I have replaced dozens of power tubes that have failed or overheated.
Click to expand...

...that you never had a properly maintained amp is not the fault of the tubes. Given the many myths and fabrications you've posted here about them, why should anyone take this claim at face value? I have no problem beleiving you torched many an output tube, but if you were so knowlegable about their operation, why did you not put a stop to it? :hmm:

You do know they are filled with inert gasses, and if those are wrecked or escape the tube is toast.
Click to expand...

This is the icing on the cake, folks:

For Pete's sake, they are called vaccum tubes!

All the miniscule amounts of gas remain in the bulb after pumping out the air and burning an oxygen-consuming getter during a tube's contruction do is ionize and glow sometimes. There are NO "inert gasses" present as they would impede electron migration from the cathode to the plate.

There were tube testers and replacements in every drug store and Safeway when I was growing up, and everything had them - radios, tv's, stereos, bass amps. I have more experience with them than you will ever know.
Click to expand...

Obviously it wasn't a very educational experience.

And it takes a lot longer than 5 minutes to acclimatize - try 1/2 an hour at least. And don't move them till they are stone cold.
Click to expand...

All I have to say is that if anyone seriously considers you knowledable about tubes, he or she should follow your advice to the letter. The rest of us are doing fine in the real world.
 
#98
Eric618 said:
I have very little tube know-how, as I'm more of an SS guy, but man guys... Chill out. Can't we all just get along. :)
Click to expand...

Science and fact are neutral. That Bassflute has made a personal vendetta about posting misinformation about tubes is a personal issue with him. I am simply making sure that the facts of the matter, not just his fabrications, are being presented.
 
#99
Bassflute said:
I used tube gear for the firs 15 years of my bass-playing life because that's all there was. I have lived the life, I have replaced dozens of power tubes that have failed or overheated. You do know they are filled with inert gasses, and if those are wrecked or escape the tube is toast.

Cheers,
Cameron
an old guy who knows better
Click to expand...

I know from experience, replacing power tubes randomly like myself and most people used to do, resulted in short tube life.

Exactly what bass tube amps did you use for those first fifteen years?
 

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