Sansamp/Mesa Amp Difficulty

[birdxofxprey]

Ok, so i have mesa wd800 that I love, 5 months old. Added a new tech21 sansamp to it in the rack yesterday. I put the sansamp in the Mesa effects loop and plugged the bass into the Mesa as usual. Sounded great yesterday.

Today, I started getting tons of distortion. I disconnected the sansamp but the distortion has not gone away with it.

Did I damage my Mesa?

Heres how I was plugged:
Bass -> mesa
Mesa effects send -> sansamp input
Sansamp output -> mesa effects return

Thanks for any assistance

 

[agedhorse]

That's odd, shouldn't be an issue. Try cycling a plug into the effects return jack on the WD-800 a couple of times, maybe the internal switch didn't return to its fully seated position.

The other possibility is that by sheer coincidence the tube has become defective, but that would be even more odd.

I assume you have tried another bass (or battery in an active bass)?

 

[birdxofxprey]

I worked! I put a plug in and out of the effects loop a couple times and things seem to be back to normal. Thank you!

One question - the distortion was present before I unplugged the sansamp (thats why I unplugged it). Since the effects loop was in use at the time, could the switch still have been the cause? I ask this because if the initial distortion was caused by something else i may be inclined to avoid the sansamp (or return it).

Thanks again, Agedhorse, for your insight - and also for designing such a magnificent sounding amp. My WD800 is paired with a Subway 215; together they make the most wonderful sounds imaginable

 

[birdxofxprey]

Maybe i replied too soon.
Once the amp has been on for 2-3 min the distortion returns.

 

[ole Jason]

What kind of speaker cables are you using? I had some weird distortion earlier w/ my Mesa amp and I think it's one of the new brown Neutrik speakOn plugs not playing nice. I replugged all the speaker cables and it fixed it.

 

[birdxofxprey]

The second time I turned the amp on (when the distortion returned) I used a different bass which in fact had a dead battery. False alarm. The amp seems fine.
Thanks again.

 

[birdxofxprey]

I've had the brown neutrik speakons mess up a few times too. Not sure whats up with that.

 

[mambo4]

Sounded great yesterday.

Today, I started getting tons of distortion.

Did you leave stuff connected overnight? could be battery drain.
Has happened to me an embarrassing amount of times with various gear
Check anything with a battery