Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but...

[metallicarocks]

My amp is making a strange noise like the speaker is blown. I thought this was the problem for a long time, then I got frustrated and hit it and it stopped rattling. It keeps going off and on, like a short in the circuit. What do you think is wrong with it? I'd continue hitting it, but that's not very stage appropriate and my hand is getting rather raw. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any replies.

[jtr]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but...

A blown speaker would have no sound,when the last time you changed tubes. If you have a SS amp then I have no idea what wrong other than it's a SS amp.

[jgcable]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but...

We need a little more info than that!! What kind of amp is it??

[metallicarocks]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

Sorry, my bad. It's a Dean Markley K-50. It is a solid state amp. It has that sound to it like the speaker is damaged, you know like after you crank your stereo too hard for too long, the sound doesn't totally go, it just gets a rattly sound to it. That's what this does, only when I hit it, it will stop for a little while. I've had to borrow amps to play gigs, and I'd like to be able to take my amp with me, but can't because the sound is horrible, especially when I need to play clean.

Again, any tips are greatly appreciated.

Would it help to record it? I could post the MP3 of it farting out, me kicking at it, and it working okay again.

[Newc]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but...

Probably need to spray some Electronic Contact Cleaner into the pot casings (not eyeball contact cleaner, but stuff used to clean knobs and such in electronic equipment - also known as TV Tuner spray, back when TVs had manual tuning mechanisms [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])
It can be found at Radio Shack.

[Newc]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but...

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?MS...ct%5Fid=64-4315

Good GOD that's an unnecessarily long URL [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[metallicarocks]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

Thanks, will give it a go. Just one more question: How do I get to the pot casings? I lied, two questions. What is a pot casing? I'm guessing it's the part that houses (or, "cases") the pot on the inside of the amplifier.

[jgcable]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

A pot casing is the round drum shaped object that your amplifier knobs are connected too. They usually have a little opening in them that you can spray contact cleaner into. Make sure the amp is off and unplugged. Also, don't soak them. Just give them a quick spray. The contact cleaner should come with a little straw that you puch onto the nozzle that will help you direct the spray. Also clean your effects loop jacks (if you have them). Lastly, make sure your speaker connections are tight. If none of that works, my guess is that you have a cold solder joint that needs to be resoldered.

[metallicarocks]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

Many thanks, it really helps. It's good to know that's all it was, I was not happy about the thought of a new speaker.

[Newc]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

Once you spray the knob, you have to twist it fully up and then fully down several times to work spread it over the full range of the contact inside the pot.

Don't be afraid to soak it, though, as it's alcohol-based and dries in mere minutes (if not sooner). You don't need a big "gashlooooooshhhhhh", though - a nice "phsssssst" should do better than a "psst" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[LouSiffer]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

Ummm Newc, is that how you rate the time between 1 nite stands....whether you give her a "gashlooooooshhhhhh" a "phsssssst" or a "psst".-Lou

[Newc]

Re: Amplifier making speaker blown-like noise, but

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Actually those are rated as "sprik", "squooosh", and "skwart, skwart, skwart" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]