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Amp squeels on shut-down...
- Q. I have a Fender Roc Pro 1000 head, every time I turn off the power switch, it makes a loud popping noise. Anyway to fix it?
A. If it's always done it, my guess is that it's normal. A lot of people ask about this, concerning lots of different solid-state amps. When you hit the switch, it's like the voltage hitting a brick wall, no slow power-down like you have with a tube amp.
Some amps also emit a cartoon-type squealing sound that starts high in pitch and drops down suddenly. Your's may or may not do this in conjunction with the pop.
If it's something that just started happening, best thing would be to have an experienced technician take a look at it.
Q. I was wondering what exactly clip is? I have a clp (which I can only assume that it means clip) and I was concerned about the light flash quite brightly when I hit a note when the gain was turned up. Now really what I am wondering is: Will having the gain up on my preamp, and the clip light going nuts, hurt the amp and ruin it?
A. Clipping is approaching, or at, the level of distortion. Some lights change color from green to red, with green being OK, and red meaning too hot. If you're getting red once every few seconds for just a flash, it's probably fine. If the red is on more than it's off, you should lower the preamp, but raise the power amp out level to compensate.
You probably won't hurt the amp. The result is that the sound will be muddier, and maybe harder on your speakers.
Q. Everybody knows that tube amps sound better to most people, but is there any difference in the brand of tube?
A. There certainly is. If you have an old tube amp with original US made tubes, those may be some of the best you'll find, so milk'em for all they've get. If you need to purchase new tubes, we feel that the best way to go is with Sovtek, the Russian-made tubes. You see, the former Soviet Union has always used tubes and tube devices, while the rest of us were perfecting the transistor. You might say that their tube-making technology is way above others as a result of that. We sell Sovtek tubes, because they're good, and they're very inexpensive.
Q. I am trying to downsize my stage rig, and I find I am seeking the impossible: A single amp combo that handles bass like an Eden, Trace or Hartke, guitar like a Boogie, Valvestate or Kettner, and still beautifully presents the tones of my Kurzweil/Korg rack of keys. Is this even remotely possible??
A. That's a magical question, not a musical one. I liken that to the people who say they want a guitar that plays and sounds like a Les Paul, but can go to a true Strat sound at the flip of a switch. It's so difficult to expect gear to perform differently than it was born to do. I think you could find an amp that would sound great with all those applications, but no one amp will take on all of the characteristics of any one piece you mentioned, let alone all of them.
- Q. I have been hearing a buzz in the back ground of my amp when I have it set on clean. What could be causing that?
A. If the buzz is only happening when you are playing, it could be an early sign of speaker failure. That may slowly get worse, until the speaker is blown completely. Could take a long time, depending on the volume levels you use.
If the buzz is there all the time, even when you're not playing, it is some kind of electronic problem.
Q. The power amp I am looking at is 85 watts per side at 4 ohms, and 60 watts per side at 8 ohms. I was wondering how many watts I would get out of it per side. My cabinet is 8 ohms on mono and 16 ohms on stereo, and holds 100 watts.
A. The output will be determined by the amp, and not the wattage capacity of the cabinet. The impedance, however (number of ohms) will make a difference on the output. Each time you increase the resistance (when the ohm number doubles) you are decreasing efficiency from your amp. The scale will go something like this.
- 85 watts at 4 ohm...60 watts at 8 ohms...40-45 watts at 16 ohms
So, if you are running your set-up in stereo, your output will be more like 40-45 watts total. If you were running mono, you will still get 60 watts output. (Which you might consider, since the stereo imaging from a single cabinet is pretty marginal, unless you're sitting in the sweet spot right in front of the amp)
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