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The official Ampeg V-4BH thread
- Thread starter TSanders
- Start date
Yea, count me in. I have an V4BH coming my way next week.
Another Wisconsin boy (old man actually, I'm 49) to be groovin' with Ampeg. Going back to where it all started-all tubes that is, like back in 1973.
Another Wisconsin boy (old man actually, I'm 49) to be groovin' with Ampeg. Going back to where it all started-all tubes that is, like back in 1973.
Will try & record some over the w/end. If I record it to my MP3 player(w/ record function) how do I put it on here?? I never done this B4
Young pup - I'm 53. Welcome aboard. Tell me about your band? What kind of stuff you playing? Where you playing?
Will try & record some over the w/end. If I record it to my MP3 player(w/ record function) how do I put it on here?? I never done this B4
Send me an email with the mp3(s), I'll host them.
We play some contemp jazz/rock and a little blues. Were comin' back to the Brink Lounge on the 13th (a thursday) of March and I should have the V4BH groovin. Hope to see you there.
I'll try and make it by. We played there a couple of weeks ago. Nice place but the acoustics are kind of lively.
I'm trying to join the club soon! Just need to set up a time to go pick mine up from the seller. Can't wait!
Hey guys...
Just bought a newer (used) V4BH, tubes were shot, overworked, and well used and they just died and took the four cathode fuses with them.
Replaced the fuses, bought four new matched quad of Sovtek 6L6WXT+ 21ma tubes from the tubedepot, put them in, and I've got some weird readings.
Like... it's loud. Put it on master 5, gain 4 and she keeps up with a hard drummer, three electric guitars, and a singer... The tubes all get hot (not heater hot, but usage hot - you know when not on standby), but here's the weird part....
Only tubes 1 and 4 glow blue.
Tues 2, and 3 get hot, but don't glow.
When I say tubes.. I also mean "whatever tube is in that socket..." as in, if I shuffle them around, the tube in the socket is blue... the blue doesn't follow the tube.
One is the tube on the far left ... four being the one on the right... when looking at it from the front.
Checked the fuses, they are all OK... here's where it's really weird: 1, and 4 read 44ma of cathode current. Yeah, I know it's a tad hot... But still within the realm of the specs. Tubes 2, 3 read 0. Plate voltage across 1,4 is 480V, but across Tubes 2,3 I read 112V. Yep... Wall current. ***?
The static dissipation I think is around 20.5W... On the tubes that read...
Anyways, like I said, the two inner tubes aren't glowing... but they do get hot - usage hot... much hotter than heater hot. The two outer tubes pulse with the sound when you look at them.
I wasn't concerned until I got the really weird readings... but it seems to be working... the fuses are still fine, what's up?
Oh, and I'm sure the diodes to ground are fine on the output tranny side, and I measured the tranny and it's ok on the tube side.... btw: I called the manufacturer and if anyone needs to know.. the speca re 46Ohms on the blue and 58Ohms on the Brown. Is my power transformer acting screwy? I can't seem to think how as it feeds all four tubes. The 470Ohm resistor at pin 5 (whichever is plate) on each tube is also OK.
Thanks for any tube god knowledge.
Mike
Just bought a newer (used) V4BH, tubes were shot, overworked, and well used and they just died and took the four cathode fuses with them.
Replaced the fuses, bought four new matched quad of Sovtek 6L6WXT+ 21ma tubes from the tubedepot, put them in, and I've got some weird readings.
Like... it's loud. Put it on master 5, gain 4 and she keeps up with a hard drummer, three electric guitars, and a singer... The tubes all get hot (not heater hot, but usage hot - you know when not on standby), but here's the weird part....
Only tubes 1 and 4 glow blue.
Tues 2, and 3 get hot, but don't glow.
When I say tubes.. I also mean "whatever tube is in that socket..." as in, if I shuffle them around, the tube in the socket is blue... the blue doesn't follow the tube.
One is the tube on the far left ... four being the one on the right... when looking at it from the front.
Checked the fuses, they are all OK... here's where it's really weird: 1, and 4 read 44ma of cathode current. Yeah, I know it's a tad hot... But still within the realm of the specs. Tubes 2, 3 read 0. Plate voltage across 1,4 is 480V, but across Tubes 2,3 I read 112V. Yep... Wall current. ***?
The static dissipation I think is around 20.5W... On the tubes that read...
Anyways, like I said, the two inner tubes aren't glowing... but they do get hot - usage hot... much hotter than heater hot. The two outer tubes pulse with the sound when you look at them.
I wasn't concerned until I got the really weird readings... but it seems to be working... the fuses are still fine, what's up?
Oh, and I'm sure the diodes to ground are fine on the output tranny side, and I measured the tranny and it's ok on the tube side.... btw: I called the manufacturer and if anyone needs to know.. the speca re 46Ohms on the blue and 58Ohms on the Brown. Is my power transformer acting screwy? I can't seem to think how as it feeds all four tubes. The 470Ohm resistor at pin 5 (whichever is plate) on each tube is also OK.
Thanks for any tube god knowledge.
Mike
Nubs: Haha, well, I guess my question for you would be then...
Do your tubes all get hot? At the same time/temp? Do any glow blue?
I'm thinking my readings were off, I was using one of those bias plug (DIY things) and one of the tubes was reading funny, but now, if I look at it... I think it's cause it's in push pull (class ab) mode, or maybe the thing wasn't working quite right - but frig, that part I don't know. I was schooled in DIGITAL and solid state... tubes... they are a new world to me
Do your tubes all get hot? At the same time/temp? Do any glow blue?
I'm thinking my readings were off, I was using one of those bias plug (DIY things) and one of the tubes was reading funny, but now, if I look at it... I think it's cause it's in push pull (class ab) mode, or maybe the thing wasn't working quite right - but frig, that part I don't know. I was schooled in DIGITAL and solid state... tubes... they are a new world to me
Your amp may indeed have some issues, but here's a quote from a seasoned amp tech about "tube glow"
This link should contain more info on this subject.
http://www.google.com/custom?domain...;S:http://www.talkbass.com;LP:1;FORID:1&hl=en
This link should contain more info on this subject.
http://www.google.com/custom?domain...;S:http://www.talkbass.com;LP:1;FORID:1&hl=en
Sweet... My plates are fine - no glow on the plates, I was just talking about the dancing blue glow inside the glass between the plates... And my weird measurements were off, all plate voltages, bias voltages, etc are on par. I do have it biased about 44ma which is on the high side, but probably not if the "20% higher output" claims are true on the 6L6WXT+, which I've also read are rated for 35W... don't know. Specs are hard to come by.
So having said that - I LOVE MY V4BH
Hehe. Good tone, and plenty loud - even at the halfway mark. If I need any louder and I'll use PA support!
So having said that - I LOVE MY V4BH
Hehe. Good tone, and plenty loud - even at the halfway mark. If I need any louder and I'll use PA support!
Sorry for diggin up the old thread but I just joined the club guys. I love my "classic series" V4BH. Came with a matching SLM era V4B 215 cab. I love this amp, it gets grindy right at the right volume for me. Speaking of volume I don't know what sonic boom of a band needs more volume but I'm competing with a Mesa Rectifier and a whole horn section and I do just fine with it (probably because I love grind). Here are some pics of the rig:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26638345@N03/
Anywho the cab is a bit unweildy (200lb, bigger than me, etc.) so I'm looking for something a bit more managable. What would you guys recommend? Thanks guys, have a great day!
-Joe P.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26638345@N03/
Anywho the cab is a bit unweildy (200lb, bigger than me, etc.) so I'm looking for something a bit more managable. What would you guys recommend? Thanks guys, have a great day!
-Joe P.
