Chienmortbb

I have a VS Bassamp. It is working but there are a number of issues ( all cosmetic ) with these amps. Firstly the knobs. These were chrome but dud not stand up to heavy use. I have the original knobs but am still searching for an economical way to re-chrome them. The Perspex front panel can crack. Mine has but I have a new one to fit. Some lose their large knurled thumb screws that hold on the side panel/handles and they are again possible to replace. Two of mine are missing but II also have an HH Bassamp 100 and wil move two from that to the VS. The side panel/handle can crack. I have had three HH amps and none of these have cracked although being 40+ years old there. are some "road wear" marks. If the power amp many modern power amo module can be fitted, even some class D. A class D amp will increase the power but do nothing for the weight. Clearly mine needs a little work done but as I am now building me own amp, I might be willing to sell, make he an offer but there will be a short wait while I refurbish it. I am not specifically putting this up for sale but It would be nice for it to find a good home.

I have installed a new firewall to protect from all the flames but,,, Try a Behringer XM2000S. They are prefered by BBC engineers for their neutral sound.

That was my feeling StevIe, that there was an encoding problem.

There is a strange sound on that recording. It sounds like an artefact of some kind and seems to follow each note. The basic tone of the amp sounds cleanish but it is hard to be objective with the after note noise. Headphones used - AKG K450 fed from IPhone 3G*, and Kindle Fire HD. One further point. The TH500 uses an ice power 250asx2 power amp. It is capable of 500W into 4 or 8 ohms depending how Aguilar have configured it. There are two power amps and if connected as two Single Ended amps (rather than a bridged amp) one feeding each speaker socket, the max power into 8 ohms from each outlet would be 125W. Not perhaps the power house you would expect if pushing for volume. *Has the best Analogue to Digital converter so the best phone for audio.

With regards to the TH500, any one run out of headroom or find it gets hit if driven moderately or hard. There just does not seem to be enough metal in there to keep a 500W (even a Class D) cool at those power levels.

The designs are early stage Charlie and I am the one that never goes to a blockbuster, and despite everyone's efforts never got Springsteen,so I will not use blue LEDs just because they are en vogue. Might try some purple ones though. It helps having you guys around though to keep me honest.Now where can I buy some HH electroluminescent strip.

Phil, I live in Poole and I would love to meet to checkout the Cabs especially with the amp I am building. Unfortunately I can't get out much due to my wife's illness. Perhaps we could arrange a Somerset/Devon/Dorset get together at the same time around June.

A good point about the jack sockets. I will look at that later and it may also help with the spacing about the knobs.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1427064594' post='2725444'] text wise the 3rd one is better- but - keep the type all the same size/ weight and in line across the top. I also know why you've spaced them as you have, and it kinda makes sense but visually in 3d - and also in terms of the ergonomics of the thing I would space the knobs out equally to each other across the top. Colourwise I like the orange one - (but not the type choice for can'd heat) . No mute button? [/quote] Good points. The typeface for the controls will changed to a uniform style and size. The control spacing will be equal too, I just need to play around with the control names a bit as the longer names screw with the spacing. The Can'd Heat' is an abreviation of the place I live and I thought it fun in a Lynyrd Skynyrd kind of way. If I keep it, the font will change. As for the mute switch, you have caught me out. Front panel mute is part of the design but I forgot to include it on the drawings. I like all three colours in different ways and will try the black one first as my laser printer is monochrome. However I can get the red and orange printed at Staples for about £1

I have mocked up three options for the front panel and would appreciate comments. There is a black, red and orange option. I tried other colours but none of the worked. They are rough and ready and all need some tarting up but you get the idea So which one is more rock and roll?<p>

Great I just did not want to waste anyone's time. I will be designing the front panel soon and may put a couple of designs up to guage opinion.

I am just wondering whether anyone is still following this other than Passinwind. I will keep posting but it would be nice to know.

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1426692775' post='2720884'] <p> Being able to do the graphics in stages is a great reason to go with your method. I've done inkjet printing on sticky-backed plastic sheets a few times, but those decals look a lot nicer. [/quote] I have to say that I am very impressed with them. I got 5 A4 sheets ( three sheets leae and 2 sheets white) for £9 or approx $14 and so far have used half a sheet.

I have enough space to do the pot/switch on either panel and the Decals are so thin that I can add the graphics to the rear later. I should have mentioned that there are 6 or 7 coats of acrylic lacquer over those decals to protect them. I am so pleased with the decals that initially I will use them for the front panel too. Once I have finalised the design I may add an acrylic (Perspex/plexiglass) panel. A couple of words on using the decals. I made few mistakes so I will add my advice for using them. Once the decals start to dry, don't move them unless absolutely necessary, I did that on the speaker decal and if you look carefully you can see the problem. Do not drill holes then attempt to line up the decals. It is really difficult. Put the decals on first. Leave them to dry for 24 hours. Cut the decals smaller than the panel. This allows the lacquer to seal the edge of the decal. Spray 2-3 layers of lacquer before you drill holes. Once you have cleaned the holes apply 2-3 more coats of lacquer to seal the fresh edges. Leave the lacquer for 24 hours before working on the panel again.

So progress has been slow but progress has been made. The rear panel is now complete although I am waiting for a second Speakon/Jack combo socket to be delivered. Despite my dislike of the use of Jack Sockets for speaker connection, the Combo sockets are rated at 15 amps (about 900 watts into 4 ohms). To get a Jack and a speakon in the same package, the length is about 6mm longer than a standard Speakon socket. The extra length is in front of the chassis ensuring that the length inside the chassis us the same. You can see the ewffwct of this on the second angled picture, The graphics on the panel were designed on a computer and printed onto Waterslide Decal Paper. This works like the decals in an Airfix or Revell kit.

[quote name='DeeC16' timestamp='1423681639' post='2687932'] Thanks Chris, I might just stump up the 9 quid. I'll check with a few other muso types I know to see what they might have lying around. [/quote]if you let me know what the problem is I might be able to repair it for you. It it the socket that is faulty?

Two picture of the rear panel, the first witj the power switch in situ and the Powercon and one speakon resting in their respective holes but fromt mounted. The second shows the Powercon and Speakon mounted from the rear. Of course they are not attached yet. I was favouring mounting from the front at the socket surrounds hide any imperfections in the metalwork. However the holes are so clean and Brest that if I have left enough Space behind, I will mount the sockets from the rear. Incidentally I chose Powercon for the mains as it uses the same hole as the Speakons and the XLR and so was easier than cutting a rectangular hole for an IEC power socket. After a the trouble I had drilling and filing for the power switch it was definitely the right choice. Now I just have to make sure I never forget the mains lead.

Although the case is small it is not ultra small so I have a reasonable anout of room to work in. I am working on the back panel, more on that later. One of the earlier contributors told me to get all the bits together before I started, Apart from cosmetic parts like knobs I did this but that stretched me financially at the time. So I compromised on cost on one component and.,, Below is part of the email I sent to Charlie ( passinwind) earlier today. After re-reading it I thought it was good info do I am putting it up here for info/discussion I have tried to make sure that I don't compromise on parts but when I was a bit cash poor, I bought some unbranded jack sockets for the rear EFX send and return as well as Pre Amp out and Power Amp in. Big mistake. The barrel is 1mm short and the plug is not held in properly, I am in the process if getting those replaced. I have been looking carefully at what jacks to use and found some interesting detail in the specs. Neutrik, Switchcraft and Cliff rate their jacks for 10,000 insertions but others are 1,000. The lower ones include some big names like Amphenol and Rean (Neutrik subsidiary). I was offered some Amphenol ones and decided ask them and Rean about this "discrepancy". Rean did not reply but Amphenol said that their jacks were also good for 10K insertions despite the sales spec. So I took the plunge and I have to say they do not look as well made or finished as Cliff, Neutrik or Switchcraft. I would not trust them and will use them in some other non critical application. Of course the unbranded ones could be anything and will be avoided in future. As my dad would have said "Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar". He started his adult life as a shipbuilder so it was apt. This may explain why cheap, or sometime not so cheap amps have trouble with the input jacks. I have two HH Amps with Cliff jacks. They were made in 1970/71 and gigged professionally for 25 years. All four input jacks are still silent and feel good although one of the switch contacts is slightly bent meaning no connection for the Active/Passive connection on one amp. Now for me 25 years for an electro mech part is OK. So now to order some good parts and check out the latest circuit.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1420503107' post='2650186'] can I just interject here and say sorry. I'm a fussy designer - and I made a comment about a logo that isn't great in my opinion - but it's also not awful and far worse design horrors have been unleashed on us bass players... warwick up to a few years ago used comic sans as the main typeface on their amps and so on. Please don't turn this thread into a barefaced slagging one - we've had enough of them. I'm interested in Jenny's new cab, and the new designs generally - I think I've played through about 5 or 6 different barefaced models - 1 I didn't like, 1 was very impressive, 2 were brilliant but not my taste and 1 was one of the best bass cabs I've ever played through. I'ld buy one tomorrow if I had the money. Please don't start the slagging again. (I was actually thinking - what other UK based, UK build amplification/cab companies do we have? Barefaced, Purple Chilli, Matamp and [i]some [/i]ashdown stuff are all I could think of, does anyone make speakers in the UK still Celestion I guess... and volt which Glockenklang use?) [/quote]Precision Devices make chassis Soeakers in the UK and one of their 12" models is my ideal driver. They also own Fane and although most of the Fane stuff is made in the Far East, some are clearly rebadged PD speakers. Celestion is owned by a Chinese Company and now all drivers are made there although the designs are still by British Engineers.

As promised a picture of the progress so far. All boards mounted, power amp, two pre amo power supplies plus the Pre amp and HPF unpopulated PCBs. I have used a heatsink to both support the power amo module and take more of the heat away. More about that later. Next job is to drill the rear panel and test the PSUs with the power amp. I will then do a soak* test while building the preamp anf HPF modules. *Soak testing is sometimes (incorrectly ) called running in I will run the moufles for 100 hours to ensure there are no infant mortality issues.

Sorry for the delays in updating this thread but the "infection" was in fact a secondary Cancer so have the whole cycle starts again. I have made some progress and will post more with pictures soon,

Fans don't have to be noisy. The problem is that to keep costs down, cheap fans are often fitted to commercial amplifiers. Fans are electromechanical devices and hence less reliable than electronic components. However the trick is to chose a fan that is higher voltage than the standard fit and run it at the lower voltage. This means tha fan will run slower and will last longer. It will not move as much air as. If it were run at rated voltage but it will be much quieter and more reliable. Of course the other problem is that many lower power also have insufficient heatsinks. Valve amps do get round most of theses problems BUT many are very noisy/hissy, so you cannot just assume that valves are the magic bullet.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1420132314' post='2645964'] Harke VX250, just the worst sound ever. Thin and broke up at volume. Interestingly, I had an Ashdown Mag 200 combo and I loved it, so maybe all their stuff ain't pants [/quote]i had. Later nag 300 with a 15". Should have kept it but the MAG200 was One of the Early UK made Ashfowns.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1359668876' post='1958658'] Carldro and HH are a given but add to that PV and it is no excuse that they are bombproof, IMO.... they still sound sh*te.. Worse experience in recent times was a GK RB combo.... followed by plugging my cabs into an Ashdown MAG thing...and getting nothing usable...at all. [/quote]maybe your cab (runs and hides)?

I would not use jacks for speaker fans for the following reasons: 1. Most sockets and plugs are rated for 3 amps or fewer. That is about 90 watts into 8 ohms. 2, There are 5 and 10 amp plugs and those are non switched types. 3. Because Jack plugs have exposed contacts, they are prone to short circuiting the amp output. One One power amp manufacturer told me that in MI, shorted jacks were the largest single cause of power amp failures. 4. As the cables can be used for either instrument or speakers, the two types of cable are quite different. A speaker cable is not good for instruments as there is no screening and an instrument cable will not be able to take the current and may cause a badly designed amp to oscillate. If you feel you must use Jacks, switchcraft and nuetrik both make square bodied jacks withe the terminals at the end that are sealed. Cliff make a more traditional Jack with a dust seal that should be fairly airtight. Of course the Soeakon was designed for high current use and the contacts are hidden on both plug and socket so it is really hard to cause an external short circuit.