Streamliner Acme Piercing Sound Help

[jasper383]

I have been using my Streamliner 900 with my Bag End S15 stack with great results.

Last night at my band leader's house, I hooked the Streamliner up to my other cab, a 4 ohm Acme B2. I used the same cables I use with the Bag Ends. This was the first time I have used the Streamliner with the Acme.

The head and cab emitted a piercing sound for about a half second, followed by about a two second silence, then another piercing sound. Almost like a Star Trek phaser sound. Horrible.

I turned the head off ASAP, and used another head with the Acme for the rest of the night.

What could this have been?

 

[KJung]

Sounds like a loose/bad tube possibly. The key would be to get the Acme and Bag Ends in the same place and try them both side by side. Highly unlikely that it is cab related.

 

[arai]

99% sure that is unrelated to the cab

 

[BassmanPaul]

Acme cabs don't scream. They are passive devices and can only reproduce what they are sent. Get the amp looked at.

 

[jasper383]

Hooked the Streamliner up to the Bag End stack here at home--sounds great.

Hooked the Streamliner up to the Acme cab using the same cable, and it made the piercing sound.

I am using a Speakon to 1/4" cable. In the past when using the Acme and my other head, a Little Mark II, I have used a 1/4 to 1/4 cable.

Is the Acme wired differently for the Speakon?

 

[KJung]

Hooked the Streamliner up to the Bag End stack here at home--sounds great.

Hooked the Streamliner up to the Acme cab using the same cable, and it made the piercing sound.

I am using a Speakon to 1/4" cable. In the past when using the Acme and my other head, a Little Mark II, I have used a 1/4 to 1/4 cable.

Is the Acme wired differently for the Speakon?

No.

Again, did you do repeat this at the same time, with both cabs right next to each other?

There is nothing in the Acme design that would cause this. Something funky with the head. Did you try it again with the Bag Ends when you got back home?

 

[jasper383]

No.

Again, did you do repeat this at the same time, with both cabs right next to each other?

There is nothing in the Acme design that would cause this. Something funky with the head. Did you try it again with the Bag Ends when you got back home?

Yes, I hooked everything up again here at home this morning. The Streamliner just doesn't want to work with the Acme.

Streamliner/speakon to 1/4" cable/Bag End S15d sounds great.

Streamliner/speakon to 1/4" cable/Acme B2 piercing phaser like sound.

 

[KJung]

Yes, I hooked everything up again here at home this morning. The Streamliner just doesn't want to work with the Acme.

Streamliner/speakon to 1/4" cable/Bag End S15d sounds great.

Streamliner/speakon to 1/4" cable/Acme B2 piercing phaser like sound.

Many use the Streamliner/Acme combination. I would suggest bringing the Acme home and trying it out. The only way to figure out what is going on is to eliminate potential causes. Maybe something strange with the power, etc. Also, obviously a next step is to try another head with the same bass/cable/location with the Acme.

That way, you can eliminate spurious causes and find out 'what needs to be fixed'.

Again, nothing inherent in the Acme that would cause it to behave poorly with a given amp versus another cab (other than the low sensitivity, but that is a different issue).

Good luck.

 

[jasper383]

I have the Acme and the Bag End stack side by side now here in my house.

Just hooked up the LMII into the Acme using the exact same cables and power cord--sounds great.

The Streamliner into the Bag Ends using the exact same power and speaker cables--sounds great.

The Streamliner into the Acme using the exact same power and speaker cables, I get this--

When the amp warms up (after about 10 seconds in the clip), I get the noise. Never heard anything like it.

 

[MrLenny1]

The Bag End is a single speaker.
The Acme is a 3 way and has a crossover network.
That may be the issue.

 

[MrLenny1]

Well, so much for my suggestion.
Is the noise feedback perhaps?
Is your bass facing the amp setup
when you hear the sound?

 

[KJung]

Sounds like funky power or whatever. DEFINITELY nothing to do with the cab. Get that Acme home and try it, then you will know.

 

[BassmanPaul]

Lift the amp off the cabinet and try again. Could possibly be something feeding back or that something in the B2 is making the Streamliner go into oscillation.

 

[jasper383]

Sounds like funky power or whatever. DEFINITELY nothing to do with the cab. Get that Acme home and try it, then you will know.

I am literally taking the head from the Bag End cab where it works perfectly, over to the Acme, where I get this. Same power, same cables, same room.

It must have something to do with the cab.

 

[jasper383]

How do I test the cab to make sure it is working properly? The crossover? It's an old Acme; I presume it has the old school fuse setup with the light bulb.

Is the Streamliner overpowering the cab if it isn't working properly?

 

[KJung]

How do I test the cab to make sure it is working properly? The crossover? It's an old Acme; I presume it has the old school fuse setup with the light bulb.

Is the Streamliner overpowering the cab if it isn't working properly?

Wow. It has nothing to do with power levels or whatever. I literally have NO idea what is going on then. I've never heard of a situation with a cab doing that to a head.

Andy of Acme (tb acmebass I think) is a member now. Shoot him a PM and see what he thinks. I can't imagine how a cab could result in the sound from the clip that you posted.

 

[FretFree]

Sounded like a protection circuit kicking in to me. Any chance the GB folks are around? AgedHorse?

What appears to be the red "protect" light (?) turns off, the tone comes through, then turns back on and cuts the audio again?

Sounds like the Acme needs to be tried with a different amp.

 

[jasper383]

Sounds like the Acme needs to be tried with a different amp.

The Acme sounds fine using my LMII head. I have both attenuation knobs rolled off on the back of the cab.

How can I tell that everything is working properly with the cab? It sounds like it always has sounded, but I'm not sure the tweet and mid driver is working as it should. How do I test those?

 

[KJung]

The Acme sounds fine using my LMII head. I have both attenuation knobs rolled off on the back of the cab.

How can I tell that everything is working properly with the cab? It sounds like it always has sounded, but I'm not sure the tweet and mid driver is working as it should. How do I test those?

They will either be on or be off. Just turn the attenuators all the way up one at a time and listen. The tweeter is crossed over way up top, so you might not hear much out of that, depending on your bass, strings, etc. Best way to test that is unplug your bass, crank the amp and treble and listen for hiss. If you hear it, you are good to go.

If the LMII works fine, then something seems funny with the amp. Maybe PM Agedhorse and see what he thinks.

 

[acmebass]

Wow. It has nothing to do with power levels or whatever. I literally have NO idea what is going on then. I've never heard of a situation with a cab doing that to a head.

Andy of Acme (tb acmebass I think) is a member now. Shoot him a PM and see what he thinks. I can't imagine how a cab could result in the sound from the clip that you posted.

I read the posts here, and frankly, have nothing of substance to offer. This is a new one to me, and all the other posters seem to get this, as well.

Senor Jung is right- there's nothing in a simple conventional impedance which would would distinguish the Acme cab from any other loudspeaker. It's the most ordinary thing in the world.

I've gotten nothing but great reports on that amp, BTW, and the OP's experience is utterly unique, in my experience.

Sorry not to be more helpful. Obviously, to A/B things, as some posters suggested, is always a good idea. I'd be interested to see if you can get the same bizarre result by trying a 2nd, identical head.

Thanks,
Andy