• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Peavey MiniMega 1000

View attachment 810612

Back panel of mine

View attachment 810611



Certainly not noticeable while playing and tolerable when not. But that high pitch with the lights...I know some people don't care but I can walk into a room and tell when the tv's been left on but the cable box turned off because I can hear the high pitch. It annoys me but not others.

.:):thumbsup:;)
Me too. Completely annoying. Computer monitors as well. I'm guess we should be glad we haven't lost our hearing and can hear like dogs, right? ;)
Take care,
Brent
 
  • Like
Reactions: puff father
Me too. Completely annoying. Computer monitors as well. I'm guess we should be glad we haven't lost our hearing and can hear like dogs, right? ;)
Take care,
Brent

Are you two talking about that ancient magic called CRT?

I used to hear that also. For what it's worth i haven't heard that from any LCDs that I'm aware of.

Though hearing loss may factor in.
 
Maybe I just need to listen a lot closer but I just don't hear that hi-pitched whine in my MM yet. I've put my face/ears right up to it and nothing to me. While the amp is on mute or not, just not hearing that particular noise. Not trying to be a super, Peavey, non-hearing, fanboy for this amp; just not hearing that one noise in my amp.

Well, as I said, it's subtle. I can hear it in a quiet room, but many cannot.

Are you two talking about that ancient magic called CRT?

I used to hear that also. For what it's worth i haven't heard that from any LCDs that I'm aware of.

On a CRT monitor, I think it's typically the circuit for the horizontal deflection of the electron gun that makes that noise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mbelue
You mentioned a different flavor from the Subway. Is that difference something you can put into words? I'll understand if not. Thx, Tom
I just meant instead of getting another subway. I'm not a tonal descriptor kind of guy. I plug in, put everything at noon, turn off the gadgets and both amps sound good. I've turned the Mesa up loud into 8 and 4 ohms and it keeps sounding good. Other players that I've come to respect think so as well. They also say the minimega will so I suspect it will but won't get the chance to do it myself until Thursday. Neither amp seems wimpy.

Hopefully this will clear some things up...

Some of the first production mM amps had a high pitched whine that would be audible through the speaker output. I updated the aux in circuit to stop that. This had to do with the grounding of the aux in jack. It's common practice to add optional ground configuration components during development when you have a product with multiple circuit boards with multiple grounding points in order to minimize noise. The update I'm talking about was basically to reconfigure one of the optional ground routing components so that all mM units would not have this noise. This was never an issue early on, but sometimes these minor issues pop up when you start manufacturing hundreds of something. Anyway, that issue is no more.

Some people can hear a high pitched whine coming from inside the amp itself when its idling or running very low signal levels. All mM amps do it and it's pretty subtle. Some people notice it more than others. That has to do with the power supply regulation. The reason why the sound of it can change with different backlight colors is because different colors present different loading conditions to the power supply that the regulation has to deal with.

Many people have commented about the "slam" from the amp module. The secret sauce is mainly in the switching power supply and the regulation. The switching power supply in the mM is very powerful, more so than what's typical in commodity amp modules, and it really wants to stretch its legs and run wide open. The whining noise comes from it throttling itself back. The ability to throttle back is very important because it allows the module to be compact and efficient while still having ample power in reserve. This is not an issue with some other amp modules because they simply don't regulate the rail voltage for the power amplifier so that the SMPS can push back against the load--there is no power in reserve, and I would say the consequence of that is wimpy sound.
Thanks for chiming in. I hope I've made it clear that it seems like a great amp. It just does one mildly annoying thing that I notice in my practice space/home office/hiding place/dog house.

I could be wrong, but I believe that placing the Subway on top of the mM would actually increase the fan noise heard, not block it. Either way, playing live or in a studio,which I've done a lot with this head, I don't find the fan to be loud. Perhaps I'm too busy enjoying the awesome sound that it delivers ;) YMMV But it's a definite keeper in my book.:thumbsup:
It got louder when I took the Mesa off to shoot the pulse vid. As I said it's not loud but it's not quiet. Not a factor on the gig. I think I'm the resident fan nit picker. Ive got vids of several amp fans. I could start the official amp fan nois thread but don't want to deal with the $*%^ storm. I've gotten into an embarrassing Internet pissing match over it before and won't do it again. I've said my piece and demonstrated with a vid. Agree, disagree, ignore...you're still beautiful. :)

Me too. Completely annoying. Computer monitors as well. I'm guess we should be glad we haven't lost our hearing and can hear like dogs, right? ;)
Take care,
Brent
Between growing up in aviation and rock and roll I'm amazed I can still hear it.
 
W
Yes, I did that, and noticed the different frequencies with each color. The blue and the red tone almost disappears.
I congratulate you for your auditory health. I am not being sarcastic. I am in my 60's and spent the 60's at the Fillmore and Winterland etc. I have a KXB500 that I love, and did not notice it has a fan, LOL. Still being serious here. Whenever I am in a band situation where the drummer plays blues like it is metal I walk. No more ringing ears all night and into the next day. Keep doing whatever you are doing to maintain that great hearing thus far preserved. Tinnitus can drive people crazy. I am not there, (well not chronic ringing, crazy is another subject).
 
  • Like
Reactions: ebozzz
The other thing that I would only guess about is the outsourced components being variable from lot numbers to lot numbers. Your KXB and mine might have different fans. I am impressed that Peavey has their own power modules? Just a blues funk 60s rock guy. Dont need bells and whistles but the core of this amp is getting some good reviews. Love my VB-2 by the way
 
Lot of guys talking about not needing bells and whistles.....
Headliner1000-xlarge.jpg

Y'all know about the Headliner1k right?
 
The lights are the best part!! I'm putting it in my front room window come Christmas!!

My David Eden WP100 Navigator preamp has a whole row of LEDs along its bottom that serve absolutely no purpose other than to be pretty. The manual makes a tongue-in-cheek reference to them, taking that position exactly. They make me happy. And they're dead quiet.

bigwp100.jpg
 
W

I congratulate you for your auditory health. I am not being sarcastic. I am in my 60's and spent the 60's at the Fillmore and Winterland etc. I have a KXB500 that I love, and did not notice it has a fan, LOL. Still being serious here. Whenever I am in a band situation where the drummer plays blues like it is metal I walk. No more ringing ears all night and into the next day. Keep doing whatever you are doing to maintain that great hearing thus far preserved. Tinnitus can drive people crazy. I am not there, (well not chronic ringing, crazy is another subject).

My thoughts and video on the kustom and subsequent descent into dumbassery are chronicled in the greatest amp ever thread. I'll leave it at that. But I might trade some of my sonar skills for an Allman Bros show at the Fillmore. :bassist:

Went with the mm because narrower, different voicing, para EQ. But yes, drop the tone, comp and graphic, add a couple of para mids with the mm voice and it would work for me.
 
Hopefully this will clear some things up...

Many people have commented about the "slam" from the amp module. The secret sauce is mainly in the switching power supply and the regulation. The switching power supply in the mM is very powerful, more so than what's typical in commodity amp modules, and it really wants to stretch its legs and run wide open. The whining noise comes from it throttling itself back. The ability to throttle back is very important because it allows the module to be compact and efficient while still having ample power in reserve. This is not an issue with some other amp modules because they simply don't regulate the rail voltage for the power amplifier so that the SMPS can push back against the load--there is no power in reserve, and I would say the consequence of that is wimpy sound.

Do the IPR2 power amps also work like this?
 
Yes, by the serial number.

If the serial number prefix is 0DBFI and the last three digits are lower than 100, it COULD have that issue. Some of those units were updated before being sold, and some were returned by customers and were updated in the factory repair center, but if you want to be sure, just avoid those on the used market. However, I've seen one listed in the TB classifieds where the seller showed documentation that his amp was updated.

From what I can tell, mM's built in 2016 (so far) have a serial prefix 0DBFM.

So unfortunately for me, I'm trying to sell mine, and the serial number is 0DBFI170005, but I haven't noticed any of the noise issues. Can I send it in to Peavey to get this fix, even though there is no symptom (yet)? I hope so, otherwise I don't think I'll have much luck selling it.