Trouble with bass [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

mikemorrow

02-25-2011, 10:46 AM

swan24

02-25-2011, 02:36 PM

No bass in one channel
fist of all my gear that I have trouble shot.
Nikko tuner
Sony cd player
Switched inputs
No change
thalia preamp, switched output
no change
son of ampzilla amp, switched speaker wires,
Changed speaker!
If I'm right. The problem is in my amp. Right?
If so, what might be the problem?

Shifted speakers and no change?... Are you sure?... Could be an output transistor partial failure...

Either that, or one of your ears is shot... (m.)

Nasir

02-25-2011, 04:10 PM

Something HAS to change.
So lets start again:
Put a different CD in the CD player. No change? Next, pull out the Left channel RCA (banana type) plug from the back of the CD player and plug it into the R channel, plug Right channel into the L output. Has bass moved? unlikely, but at least you have eliminated the CD player as the culprit. Put the plugs back the way they were originally.

Say your left speaker has no bass. So disconnect R (Right) speaker and physically move it to the L ( Left). Disconnect the wires from the L and plug them into the speaker that you have just brought over. Now take the L speaker to the the R side and plug in the wires. I presume that polarity is respected, but is not of paramount importance. Now play something and see if the missing bass has moved. If you answer yes, that one of the speakers ( the one that is missing bass at this point in time has blown the woofer. Start search for replacement speakers!! No change means go to next step.
At this stage it most likely to be the amplifier as speaker wires do not discriminate against bass to such an extent.
Finally exchange the speaker wires for Left with Right at back of amplifier. The bass HAS to move now otherwise you do INDEED need a hearing aid OR your speaker wires are SO special that they are killing the bass.
Keep us informed on what is wrong!!

Nasir

02-25-2011, 04:19 PM

I forgot that you have a preAmp.
Maybe you should change one thing at a time and put it back in its original way before trying to change the next component. Does the tuner lack bass too in one channel?

mikemorrow

02-25-2011, 06:44 PM

The bass is gone with ether the cd or tuner playing. I then switched the outputs on the preamp, still no change. Then switched the speaker wires on the amp. the drop in bass moves to the other speaker.
I think its the amp at this point.
I have looked up repairing the GAS Son of Ampzilla. It is indeed pricey. 235.00 USD
Do you know of any other thing I should try trouble shooting before I send it in? Could there be a problem with a speaker wire?

Woochifer

02-25-2011, 06:57 PM

Might be a long shot, but does your preamp have tone controls? If so, maybe try the tone bypass (if available) or adjusting the bass upward or downward. A short in the switch would affect the bass and toggling it might reconnect it for the defective channel.

The symptoms to me sound more like a preamp issue, especially if you use an analog model that has the signal passing through a series of tone controls and/or filters.

Luvin Da Blues

02-25-2011, 07:25 PM

Nasir

02-26-2011, 02:03 PM

I would have to agree with you now on the problem being the amplifier.
As a last resort and with a heavy heart, I suggest that you physically change one set of speaker wire with the other. If the bass moves then its the speaker wire, but that would be extremely rare. When I say change the wires I mean at both the amp and speaker ends as if your were connecting them up for the first time with new wires.
Hope we have helped with some lighthearted input Luvin Da Blues.

mikemorrow

02-26-2011, 02:53 PM

Ok guys and gals it is the amp. :(
I even switched out the fuses, and rehooked up the speakers.
Well I can look at it this way for $235 USD I will be up and running for at least another 20+ years. And this amp is worth every penny.
Thanks for all your help :)