Unexplained Phenomenon

[lastnotleast]

My Hartke HA4000 was fine through sound check then suddenly seemed to malfunction scant minutes before downbeat Friday.
It sounded as if all of the speakers were blown so I figured it must be the amp.
Sure enough, when I switched to my backup GK BL600 (migrating all connection cables including AC), the problem went away.

When I arrived to prepare for Saturday's show, I noticed the amp power cable had been pulled part way out of the power strip.
Apparently, when moving our power strip to access "healthy AC" (according to the club manager) before Friday's show, we may have pulled on it a bit.
I pushed it in, switched back to the Hartke and the problem was gone.

So my question is this; why would this cause a problem for the Hartke while the GK was unaffected?

 

[Sid Fang]

Normally, I'd consider it pretty unlikely, but it's true that the Harke draws more power than the GK, so I suppose it's just possible that you had an AC connection that was just barely making contact somewhere (and probably arcing a bit) and that could provide ~300W, but no more.

 

[Stealth Fighter]

Why should the Hartke being partially plugged in affect the GK, if the GK's plug was fully seated?

 

[chadds]

Seems like the plug had an intermittent connection. So one amp works the other doesn't.
No magic. Sell it all get an SVT and rest that head squarely on the plug. No one will loosen it.

 

[Sid Fang]

Why should the Hartke being partially plugged in affect the GK, if the GK's plug was fully seated?

If I read the OP correctly, he moved the *amp* end of the AC cord from the Hartke to the GK, and things got better. It was at the recepticle/power-strip end where the cable was later discovered to be partially plugged-in.

 

[Munjibunga]

I really don't know how that would happen, but I do want to congratulate you on your proper usage of "phenomenon" rather than the commonly misused "phenomena" which is plural.

 

[Stealth Fighter]

If I read the OP correctly, he moved the *amp* end of the AC cord from the Hartke to the GK, and things got better. It was at the recepticle/power-strip end where the cable was later discovered to be partially plugged-in.

Got it.

 

[lastnotleast]

Sid is correct and thanks Munji (high school Latin). There is nothing worse than willful ignorance.

The GK has the torodial transformer so does better with sketchy power but it stilled seemed arbitrary.

Ampeg tone is too noncommital for me wheras the GK is very smooth & honey-toned.
The Hartke has punch & definition which is required for the way I play (like drummer).

 

[Zooberwerx]

I really don't know how that would happen, but I do want to congratulate you on your proper usage of "phenomenon" rather than the commonly misused "phenomena" which is plural.

To further embellish proper usage:




Might just add it to our setlist.

Edit: actually, it was an "anomaly"...I just can't find a puppet-rendered tune to match.

Riis