Bad Cabinet or Bad Speaker Cable?

[smucarolina]

So as most of you know...(been posting a lot)...I got two new cabinets recently.

Well I hooked them up in my stereo rig/rack and everything sounds pretty good. However, I noticed my Marshall 1960B was not putting out nearly as much volume as my Peavey 412...how do I tell if its a wiring issue, jack issue, or cable issue?

What do I test for? Any help would be appreciated. I think it most likely is a cable problem. When I turn up the volume on my preamp (output I believe on the Chameleon) I hear scratchy noises...I did try switching the cables to the different cabs but still couldn't tell much difference. Don't know if that helps or not. Could it be a scratchy pot on the chameleon too? Jeez I feel in over my head now.

 

[TheMagicEight]

So as most of you know...(been posting a lot)...I got two new cabinets recently.

Well I hooked them up in my stereo rig/rack and everything sounds pretty good. However, I noticed my Marshall 1960B was not putting out nearly as much volume as my Peavey 412...how do I tell if its a wiring issue, jack issue, or cable issue?

What do I test for? Any help would be appreciated. I think it most likely is a cable problem. When I turn up the volume on my preamp (output I believe on the Chameleon) I hear scratchy noises...I did try switching the cables to the different cabs but still couldn't tell much difference. Don't know if that helps or not. Could it be a scratchy pot on the chameleon too? Jeez I feel in over my head now.

Your Peavey could have higher efficiency speakers than the Marshall's. There's not really a fix for that other than getting different speakers. Are the cabs the same impedance? Different impedances will be different volumes (lower will be louder in a stereo setup).

Cables pretty much either work or don't. Swap cables and if it does the same thing, it's not the cable.

If you hear scratch noises as you turn a volume control up, it's just a dirty pot. Try turning it off and back on completely a whole bunch of times and it might go away.

 

[smucarolina]

So as most of you know...(been posting a lot)...I got two new cabinets recently.

Well I hooked them up in my stereo rig/rack and everything sounds pretty good. However, I noticed my Marshall 1960B was not putting out nearly as much volume as my Peavey 412...how do I tell if its a wiring issue, jack issue, or cable issue?

What do I test for? Any help would be appreciated. I think it most likely is a cable problem. When I turn up the volume on my preamp (output I believe on the Chameleon) I hear scratchy noises...I did try switching the cables to the different cabs but still couldn't tell much difference. Don't know if that helps or not. Could it be a scratchy pot on the chameleon too? Jeez I feel in over my head now.

Your Peavey could have higher efficiency speakers than the Marshall's. There's not really a fix for that other than getting different speakers. Are the cabs the same impedance? Different impedances will be different volumes (lower will be louder in a stereo setup).

Cables pretty much either work or don't. Swap cables and if it does the same thing, it's not the cable.

If you hear scratch noises as you turn a volume control up, it's just a dirty pot. Try turning it off and back on completely a whole bunch of times and it might go away.

The cabs are both 16 ohms. I'm just going to buy a new cable and see what happens. I did listen to every Marshall speaker to make sure it was putting out sound...every speaker seemed to be working. Just wasn't as loud.

Any way to clean a dirty pot? Guess I would have to open up the Chameleon.

 

[racerevlon]

Check the Chameleon internal mixer as well to make sure the GLOBAL levels are set the same.

 

[glpg80]

Your Peavey could have higher efficiency speakers than the Marshall's. There's not really a fix for that other than getting different speakers. Are the cabs the same impedance? Different impedances will be different volumes (lower will be louder in a stereo setup).

Cables pretty much either work or don't. Swap cables and if it does the same thing, it's not the cable.

If you hear scratch noises as you turn a volume control up, it's just a dirty pot. Try turning it off and back on completely a whole bunch of times and it might go away.

Only if the power amplifier is solid state. hardly a difference due to the center tap of the OT on the primary if the amplifier is stereo, if mono, you will get lower output overall actually since you're losing quite a bit of efficiency. It will also fluctuate, a 4ohm load is a heavy load to handle on the secondary compared to 16ohm with tubed amplifiers.

to the OP - read the rest of eight's post - basically spot on in recommendations. People knock the stock sheffields but they can pack a wallop. 60-70W a piece with efficiencies that are up there.

 

[TheMagicEight]

Only if the power amplifier is solid state. hardly a difference due to the center tap of the OT on the primary if the amplifier is stereo, if mono, you will get lower output overall actually since you're losing quite a bit of efficiency.

Right! I missed the part where he said stereo.

 

[bubbastain]

. People knock the stock sheffields but they can pack a wallop. 60-70W a piece with efficiencies that are up there.

This ^^. Also you could try running the Marshall cab in stereo instead of two cabinets just to see if each side sounds the same tone and volume wise. If yes, then it could very well just be the difference in the speakers efficiency between the Sheffields and Celestions.

 

[smucarolina]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I am starting to figure my way around the Chameleon. Racerevlon was right...on the global function the previous user of the Chameleon had it set up where 65% of the sound was panned to the first channel in stereo. So the Peavey cabinet was getting more signal/sound. So I evened it out 50/50. The Peavey cab still had a louder output, but that helped. I will keep messing around with Global settings until the two cabinets are even.

The Marshall cabinet seems solid...but I did order a new speaker cable as the old one it was using seemed a bit funky. I will need to clean the output volume pot for the chameleon though. It is a tad scratchy but not too bad (specially for its age).

I'll let y'all know how this all turns out.

 

[racerevlon]

That Rocktron Global Mixer can be your beast or your bitch. I've used it on different units for solo boost and such. Good luck!

 

[smucarolina]

That Rocktron Global Mixer can be your beast or your bitch. I've used it on different units for solo boost and such. Good luck!

The cable wasn't the problem. It was the Global Mixer...I am new to this preamp so took me a minute to set everything right. Speakers are in stereo mode panned evenly 50/50. Sounds a lot better. The 5150 still cuts better...but I think its just the speakers in them. They sound great with modelers/digital preamps I guess.

The Marshall cabinet is fine...just the GT75's lack the oommpphhh of the sheffields. I now am a firm believer in Peavey cabinets...fuck the naysayers! Might sell this Marshall and get another straight one if I find one.



O...and the rocktron is nasty.

 

[BeZo]

I would try rewiring the Marshall cab. If it still has the stock wiring in it, that can choke off the signal before it gets to your speakers. Marshall cabs are okay from the start, but when you get some real wire in there, wire it up series/parallel, and replace that dangerous PCB with a good jack, they really thump! I mean, really thump! It is like night and day. I know, I've rewires half a dozen Marshall cabs already. I trust the Peavey a little more than the Marshall with the wiring issue. I'd get a few feet of fat wire and rewire the Marshall and see how that helps in leveling the playing field.

As for cleaning out pots, I use LPS greaseless lubricant. I spray out the pots, and turn them a hundred times, and then let them dry. It has always worked like a charm for me. The only thing is that you can't use your gear for a little while, so that it can dry. Any other contact cleaner should do the trick, but the LPS is one of the best I've used.

http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/lubricants_pg/LPS1.html