Smallbox. Advice please?

K

Kevcleat

Member
I am lucky enough to have a Smallbox 3 mode.
It's a great amp but I have had a suspicion when playing gigs with it, that the sound coming from it is uneven. Clear and loud at one moment then lost in the mix the next.
This happened on Saturday and during the break I gave it a quick full volume hit and the sound through my 2 x 12 cab loaded with a V30 and a Creamback 65, sounded compressed and angry (my best description!).
I left it on standby for 10-15minutes tried it again and it sounded fine.
Through the second set uneven again.

I have delay, EQ and tuner in the loop and wha, P90, chorus and OD before the amp.

Any ideas? Am I looking for a tube problem here?

I'm not knocking anything here. I love this amp and if I owned it 20 years ago I would have ruled!! :rock:
 
One thing that struck me as uneven in your setup is the speaker choice, especially at gig levels. Only reason I say that is cause I have tried the v30 and CB65 in my own 2x12 Bogner cab and the sound to me was a little uneven or not as immediate sounding due to the speakers SPL loudness levels, the V30 like 99-100dB and creamback around 96-97dB. Even that really makes a difference.
 
Kevcleat":1edkocnb said:
I am lucky enough to have a Smallbox 3 mode.
It's a great amp but I have had a suspicion when playing gigs with it, that the sound coming from it is uneven. Clear and loud at one moment then lost in the mix the next.
This happened on Saturday and during the break I gave it a quick full volume hit and the sound through my 2 x 12 cab loaded with a V30 and a Creamback 65, sounded compressed and angry (my best description!).
I left it on standby for 10-15minutes tried it again and it sounded fine.
Through the second set uneven again.

I have delay, EQ and tuner in the loop and wha, P90, chorus and OD before the amp.

Any ideas? Am I looking for a tube problem here?

I'm not knocking anything here. I love this amp and if I owned it 20 years ago I would have ruled!! :rock:
Click to expand...
Sounds like a tube problem to me. I own a two channel Small Box. Usually tone or volume fluctuations are due to a tube going bad or a problem with bad/dirty power at the venue you are playing at. Does it do the same thing at home?
 
I understood that the speaker match is quite a popular one and a good sound to my ears. However, I will have alook at this angle.
At home I don't notice this problem but then I am not playing at gig volumes.

You know that feeling you get when something is off but you can't quite put your finger on it? It's sometimes easy to dismiss it which I think I have been. But, I'm fairly sure there is something missing here.

Thanks for taking the time to respond :thumbsup:
 
Speakers db shouldn't cause fading in n out or loss of volume. Sounds like a cable to me. Run direct in to the amp n krank it for 15 min n see if it does it. Turn it on and let it sit or play for about n hour or till you think you hear it then plug direct in to amp. Check your speaker jacks n make sure there tight.
 
Hi.

Checked the bias with my TAD BiasMaster.

41.6mA across them! I think another Smallbox user found this too.

I have set at around 32mA.

Is it advisable to change the power tubes?

Many Thanks

Kev
 
Kevcleat":2pk9oveb said:
Hi.

Checked the bias with my TAD BiasMaster.

41.6mA across them! I think another Smallbox user found this too.

I have set at around 32mA.

Is it advisable to change the power tubes?

Many Thanks

Kev
Click to expand...
The tubes should be fine if they are both still working. The power tube bias setting can "drift" over time especially with the quality of current production tubes. It is a good idea to check your bias periodically and that is always something to consider if the amp starts sounding different. I am sure it was set at 32ma when it left the Friedman shop.
 
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