Ashdown Superfly

[BigRedX]

Weird one this.

My small portable rig is powered by an Ashdown Superfly. At last night's rehearsal it would not power up. Completely dead. None of the lights came on and obviously no sound. Tried a couple of different mains leads (that we knew were working and were still working after failing with the Ashdown) and no difference. Did the rehearsal going through the PA.

Just taken it out now to check the fuse and decided that before I start taking it apart I'll try it one more time. Plugged it in and now it seems to working fine. Used exactly the same leads as last night too. All that has happened between last night an now is that It's gone back in it's bag and gone in the back of the car for the journey home. Obviously it's no longer quite as hot now.

So is it a heat issue? It was hot last night, but the previous week's rehearsal was pretty hot too, and more worryingly, I've done gigs where it's felt a lot hotter on stage than it did at the rehearsal and although I wouldn't normally use the Ashdown at a gig, if I was pushed for room with my normal (very) big rig I might consider using it. Alternatively could it be a lose connection somewhere inside the amp. It's worked fine up until now and I didn't treat it any more roughly when loading/unloading last night than any time previously.

I have noticed that the amp does get very hot with normal use, so maybe there's is a cooling issue. Anyway anyone got any suggestions for what to look for or are there any known issues with either loose connections or heat that would prevent powering up?

I'm going to be contacting Ashdown as well but if anyone here as come across this problem before it would be good to know and also how you solved it.

[tauzero]

When I bought a cab recently, I took my Superfly with me to check it out. The cab is Speakon only and I had a jack-speakon lead plus a jack-speakon adaptor. I put the jack-speakon adaptor onto the lead so I had a speakon-speakon lead, plugged it in, and there was no life whatsoever. Took it out, took the adaptor off, plugged the jack end of the lead into the Superfly, and it fired up no problem. I haven't checked out the leads yet but I suspect a short and that it has short-circuit protection, so that might be an avenue to explore.

[BigRedX]

One of the cabs I use with this rig has jack connectors only, but I'm extremely careful about plugging this in as I don't approve of jack connections for amp/speaker systems over 50W.

I've had a reply from Ashdown already saying it might be the filter on the mains input? but not to worry unless I get a repeat of this happening.

Anyone come across this before?

[lemmywinks]

Mine used to die occaisionally, sometimes the lights would stay on but no sound, sometimes everything went down. It was never for more than a few minutes though.
Interestingly i found that unplugging the instrument cable and plugging it back in would bring it back to life although this may just be coincidence, might have just been a loose connection

I got a bit tired of it constantly having to be sent back for repair and don't use it much now. Ironically it's been fine with light use for ages!


I think it's just a case of poor manufacturing standards, was yours one of the £199 ones or the original batch?

[BigRedX]

Mine was one of the £199 ones.

It only gets light use, but at the moment I get a lift to rehearsals with one the the guitarists, and my main amp set up (Black Cat, Bass Pod Pro and Peterson Stroborack in a 6U rack case) is too big to go in his car with all the other gear hence I'm using the Superfly with a Kidney-shaped Bass Pod. which fits neatly into the Line 6 Pod bag.

[Jamesemt]

Mine did this - I THINK mine was down to not pushing the mains lead in far enough. After three attempts with different leads, I went back to the original kettle lead, gave it a big push/waggle and it sprang into life...


IMHO when you can afford it ditch the unreliable POS. I struggled for two years with mine before one channel died...

Funnily enough, I was using practically exactly the same setup for similar reasons. Had a kidney pod with the superfly, racked pod pro/poweramp for gigs.

Now for rehearsals I use one side of the guitarist's power amp/mixer - not quite as good sound wise, makes me appreciate the sound at gigs

[BigRedX]

Contact between the mains cable and the power in socket on the Superfly was one of the things that Ashdown suggested in their email. However after the initial failure to power up that was the first thing I checked, and I also made sure that every other mains lead we tried was securely seated before switching on.

I think if I could afford it at the moment I would like to get something more reliable instead, but it would need to be relatively cheap (under £300), light (no heavier than the Superfly) and the right shape to fit in the Line 6 Pod bag (it fits neatly into the compartment designed to hold the Line 6 Shortboard - so smaller than 19"x9"x3.5")

Any suggestions?

[lemmywinks]

Aye, i bit the bullet and consigned it to light bedroom/occaisional practice use.

Shame, i've always thought these were a fantastic idea. Mine was one of the £199 ones and it arrived with a faulty channel, intermittent cutting out and dodgy speaker outputs. It's been back a few times and, while it has always been sorted, it seems to develop the same faults again

If they could get that digital front end onto something reliable (preferably with a footswitch) i'd buy it in a second

[bassicinstinct]

For the sake of balance, can I just say that I've been running my Superfly rig for a couple of hours, 2 or 3 times a week, for the last few years completely without incident.

The luck of the draw I suppose.

Edited July 10, 2009 by bassicinstinct

[ape]

I had one of the ashdown mini stacks an mine just stopped working during a rehearsal but never came back to life again, I spoke to the shop where I got it from and they were really good and replaced the head very quickly and it packed in again not so long after this time during a soundcheck for a gig and the other band was supposed to be using my amp as well, needless to say I wasn't impressed and the other band had to drive back to where ever they came from and pick their amp up and we all had to use his instead. I took it back and got a refund this time and to be honest I'm not sure I'd ever touch another ashdown amp again, which is a shame as they've got a nice sound. I would of understood if I'd had the volume up full and was giving it hell but it was only on at a fairly low volume both times. I don't know if its an issue with just the cheaper stuff or across the board but it certainly put me off.

[BigRedX]

It appears to be fine now. I've been using it all week for practice and took it to rehearsal last night and it performed without any issues. However I know what you mean about brand confidence. Luckily this is just a backup for my main amp (Tech Soundsystems Black Cat - a serious piece of kit), but if I'd known about the reliability issues when I'd originally bought it even the friendly price of £199 wouldn't have enticed me. I'll continue to use it until it dies permanently, but I doubt that I'll ever buy another piece of Ashdown equipment again.

[ape]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='537335' date='Jul 10 2009, 05:11 PM']It appears to be fine now. I've been using it all week for practice and took it to rehearsal last night and it performed without any issues. However I know what you mean about brand confidence. Luckily this is just a backup for my main amp (Tech Soundsystems Black Cat - a serious piece of kit), but if I'd known about the reliability issues when I'd originally bought it even the friendly price of £199 wouldn't have enticed me. I'll continue to use it until it dies permanently, but I doubt that I'll ever buy another piece of Ashdown equipment again.[/quote]


I've got a Mark Bass combo now and I can't fault it, stood up to everything thrown at it so far, I can't praise them enough. I do wonder if the higher end ashdown stuff is better though.

[Protium]

[quote name='ape' post='537350' date='Jul 10 2009, 05:27 PM']I've got a Mark Bass combo now and I can't fault it, stood up to everything thrown at it so far, I can't praise them enough. [b]I do wonder if the higher end ashdown stuff is better though.[/b][/quote]

Yes it is.

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537624' date='Jul 10 2009, 11:54 PM']Yes it is.[/quote]

Which bits of highr end Ashdown? IME MArkBass gives a better sound across the board through decent cabs than Ashdown does. I have a Superfly for home fiddling and its been pretty reliable but all the other Ashdown stuff ive had has gone wrong very quickly and that includes MAG ABM and LAB stuff. Markbass has never shown any faults at all even after been soaked in he rain and dried out when you only have to cry over some Ashdown stufff and it goes fizzzzzzzz.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Spartacus

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537626' date='Jul 10 2009, 11:56 PM']Which bits of higher end Ashdown?[/quote]

From experience UK ABM and Classic, not tried the US series.

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537631' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:03 AM']From experience UK ABM and Classic, not tried the US series.[/quote]

But how does it weigh up to Markbass gear? Do you have experience of that as well? I would hope that if youre giving a comparitive opinoin then youd have had experience of both and would be capable of giving a qualitive assessment.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Spartacus

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537632' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:05 AM']But how does it weigh up to Markbass gear?[/quote]

It's heavier.

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537634' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:07 AM']It's heavier.[/quote]

And? that makes it better?

How is the [b]"high end Ashdown stuff better than Markbass"[/b]?

Edited July 10, 2009 by Spartacus

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537632' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:05 AM']But how does it weigh up to Markbass gear? Do you have experience of that as well? I would hope that if youre giving a comparitive opinoin then youd have had experience of both and would be capable of giving a qualitive assessment.[/quote]

"I do wonder if the higher end ashdown stuff is better though"
"Yes it is"

I'm not making a comparitive opinion, just a comment that higher end Ashdown is better than their cheaper ranges.

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537637' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:09 AM']How is the [b]"high end Ashdown stuff better than Markbass"[/b]?[/quote]

And where did I say that?

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537640' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:15 AM']"I do wonder if the higher end ashdown stuff is better though"
"Yes it is"

I'm not making a comparitive opinion, just a comment that higher end Ashdown is better than their cheaper ranges.[/quote]

That goes without saying

So [b]why[/b] is the higher end stuff better? Just wondering because Superfly is the only one of theirs that hasnt blown up on me after a few weeks. Maybe your experience is better and you would like to share?

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537637' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:09 AM']And? that makes it better?

How is the [b]"high end Ashdown stuff better than Markbass"[/b]?[/quote]

How is Markbass better than Ashdown, except it works after you left it out in the rain. WTG.

Fact: Kirk Douglas played an Ashdown, beat that.

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537641' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:16 AM']And where did I say that?[/quote]

You didnt, I was misquoting you but would still love to know what the "higher end" Ashdown stuff sounds like

[Spartacus]

[quote name='Protium' post='537645' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:21 AM']How is Markbass better than Ashdown, except it works after you left it out in the rain. WTG.

Fact: Kirk Douglas played an Ashdown, beat that.[/quote]

So how [b]does[/b] the "higher end" Ashdown stuff sound?

The UK ABM vs the chinese ABM? WHat does the Us ABM sound like? Any idea?

No?

[Protium]

[quote name='Spartacus' post='537646' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:21 AM']You didnt, I was misquoting you but would still love to know what the "higher end" Ashdown stuff sounds like [/quote]

Go out and play some "higher end" Ashdown stuff then