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Ashdown Superfly


BigRedX
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[quote name='Protium' post='537657' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:29 AM']Touche, I would like to hear a Markbass that doesn't sound like someone shouting through a wet burlap sack.[/quote]

The wet burlap sack probably had an Ashdown badge :)

Id happily give my reviews of all the ashdown gear ive tried and owned vs. all the markbass gear ive tried and owned. The Ashdown stuff would take up much more room as it seems to blow up much easier, so ive got through more of it, so it would take up more space. Add your own review to the following.

ABM EVO 300W 115 Combo - BANG
ABM EVOII 500W 210 Combo - BANG
MAG C115 300 - BANG
AL MK500 - BANG


They all blew up. The cabs lasted ok. Until I sold them.

My PoS Superfly seems to be the exeption to the Ashdown Amp rule as i cant seem to blow the f***er up even though they have issues with board connections at all stages.

Could you quantify your own opinions in a similar way? I used to like TE stuff, then I liked Ashdown stuff until it blew up too much to bother, then I realised other stuff sounded better.

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[quote name='Spartacus' post='537663' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:40 AM']The wet burlap sack probably had an Ashdown badge :)

Id happily give my reviews of all the ashdown gear ive tried and owned vs. all the markbass gear ive tried and owned. The Ashdown stuff would take up much more room as it seems to blow up much easier, so ive got through more of it, so it would take up more space. Add your own review to the following.

ABM EVO 300W 115 Combo - BANG
ABM EVOII 500W 210 Combo - BANG
MAG C115 300 - BANG
AL MK500 - BANG


They all blew up. The cabs lasted ok. Until I sold them.

My PoS Superfly seems to be the exeption to the Ashdown Amp rule as i cant seem to blow the f***er up even though they have issues with board connections at all stages.

Could you quantify your own opinions in a similar way? I used to like TE stuff, then I liked Ashdown stuff until it blew up too much to bother, then I realised other stuff sounded better.[/quote]youve had some bad luck!i have not had any trouble with mine. :rolleyes:

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[quote name='Spartacus' post='537663' date='Jul 11 2009, 12:40 AM']ABM EVO 300W 115 Combo - BANG
ABM EVOII 500W 210 Combo - BANG
MAG C115 300 - BANG
AL MK500 - BANG[/quote]

I have to ask, if you've managed to blow up 4 amplifiers, are you using them correctly? Because managing to blow up four different models seems much more like user fault than manufacturing fault or a run of very bad bad luck.

Not saying it isn't possible to have 4 unreliable ones, but just strikes me as excessive.

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Ok, not sure if someone mentioned it (i didn't read all the posts) or if you have already done this.

I have a Superfly, one of the very rare 1000W versions.

When you by a Superfly the first thing you do is.....Take ALL of the outer casing metal off, it's all added material for show, and all it does is make the amp heavier, and also stops the heat being able to escape, probably why yours over heated.

The casing of the Superfly is a major design flaw, the cooling fan is situated of the top of the amp, and then it's covered with the outer casing which is metal plate, which stops all the heat being able to escape.

The Superflys always had a reputation for being noisey and overheating, but this was mostly due to the outer metal casing.

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[quote name='Buzz' post='538566' date='Jul 12 2009, 03:42 PM']I have to ask, if you've managed to blow up 4 amplifiers, are you using them correctly? Because managing to blow up four different models seems much more like user fault than manufacturing fault or a run of very bad bad luck.

Not saying it isn't possible to have 4 unreliable ones, but just strikes me as excessive.[/quote]

I guess running them nearly flat at rarely over half volume with the correct impedence cabinets and no FX was too much to ask :) not as bad as it sounds cos one of the amps wasnt mine :rolleyes: The power stages went on both the EVOs. The power supply on the MAG and the MK. Ive hada lot of other amps in teh past 5 years and its only ever the Ashdown thats gone wrong.

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[quote name='Skywalker83' post='538591' date='Jul 12 2009, 04:29 PM']Ok, not sure if someone mentioned it (i didn't read all the posts) or if you have already done this.

I have a Superfly, one of the very rare 1000W versions.

When you by a Superfly the first thing you do is.....Take ALL of the outer casing metal off, it's all added material for show, and all it does is make the amp heavier, and also stops the heat being able to escape, probably why yours over heated.

The casing of the Superfly is a major design flaw, the cooling fan is situated of the top of the amp, and then it's covered with the outer casing which is metal plate, which stops all the heat being able to escape.

The Superflys always had a reputation for being noisey and overheating, but this was mostly due to the outer metal casing.[/quote]

once you take off the metal casing, what do you put it into??????

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[quote]once you take off the metal casing, what do you put it into??????[/quote]

Well, there's a choice...

1. Take all the metal casing off have a lighter, more heat repellent efficient amp that you sit ontop of your cab(s)/Rack

2. Keep all the casing on, have an amp that will go in rack, that will constanly overheat and break down.

Whats it gonna be?

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[quote name='Skywalker83' post='538630' date='Jul 12 2009, 05:27 PM']Well, there's a choice...

1. Take all the metal casing off have a lighter, more heat repellent efficient amp that you sit ontop of your cab(s)/Rack[/quote]

Yeh but what does it look like when stripped down? Its not something Ive tried with mine. Are all the connections exposed or isthere some inner vest that stops it looking nekkid and scared? :)

[quote]2. Keep all the casing on, have an amp that will go in rack, that will constanly overheat and break down.

Whats it gonna be?[/quote]

Mine hasnt broken down. Yet. but its only being used at home ATM.

Seriously im intersted to know if you left it 'naked' or stuck it in another better vented enclosure (which would be the sensible thing) and if so then what?

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[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]

Hmmmmm Michael Manring? lol oh and Jeff Berlin

Edited by ape
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[quote name='Skywalker83' post='538591' date='Jul 12 2009, 04:29 PM']The casing of the Superfly is a major design flaw, the cooling fan is situated of the top of the amp, and then it's covered with the outer casing which is metal plate, which stops all the heat being able to escape.[/quote]

Couldnt resist checking this out so stripped all the external metalwork off as you suggested. Mines the 500W version and it has no fan :)

After taking off the top and bottom punched plates, and the side panels, and front handle, I weighed the lot. All that extra baggage weighs 2.6kg or about 6lbs :lol:

Thanks for the suggestion guys :rolleyes:

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[quote]Couldnt resist checking this out so stripped all the external metalwork off as you suggested. Mines the 500W version and it has no fan

After taking off the top and bottom punched plates, and the side panels, and front handle, I weighed the lot. All that extra baggage weighs 2.6kg or about 6lbs ohmy.gif

Thanks for the suggestion guys[/quote]


No worries,

Mine does have a fan, but to be honest i've never seen (or heard) it going on.

I'm thinking (if i get the time) of tring to construct some sort of bracket that will allow the stripped Superfly be rack mounted. But at the moment i'm just happy to have an amp that i can carry around in a laptop bag!

For those of you who are interested here's a pic of my Superfly with my PJB cab, a glowing 300W in a package that comes up to your knee....

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You'd have hoped that all that extra metal on the outside of the Superfly would act as a heatsink...

But obviously not.

I'll carry on using mine for rehearsals where transport space is limited, but when it dies it'll be in the bin and I'll be looking for something small that's been built properly.

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[quote name='BigRedX' post='541072' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:37 AM']You'd have hoped that all that extra metal on the outside of the Superfly would act as a heatsink...

But obviously not.[/quote]

That might have been the idea, the side panels are heavy aluminum but not connected to any internal heatsink to help conduct heat away. Much lighter when you take all that extra crap off!

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[quote name='BigRedX' post='541072' date='Jul 15 2009, 10:37 AM']You'd have hoped that all that extra metal on the outside of the Superfly would act as a heatsink...

But obviously not.

I'll carry on using mine for rehearsals where transport space is limited, but when it dies it'll be in the bin and I'll be looking for something small that's been built properly.[/quote]


One word... Mark Bass well actually thats 2 words but you know what I mean, they're small lightweight, loud, sound good and reliable.

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[quote name='Skywalker83' post='540715' date='Jul 14 2009, 09:08 PM']I'm thinking (if i get the time) of tring to construct some sort of bracket that will allow the stripped Superfly be rack mounted. But at the moment i'm just happy to have an amp that i can carry around in a laptop bag![/quote]
The rack-mount brackets come with the Superfly. Mind you, it's pretty heavy to suspend by a couple of slightly flimsy plates and when I tried rack-mounting mine, I stuck a bit of wood under it to give it a little support.

Where did you get the Superfly 1000? You must have hit a minute sales window...

I'd rather like a Superfly with a knackered output to use as a pre-amp. Anyone got one?

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