Ampeg Bass Amp Gradually Getting Quieter...What's Going On?

[ghetto3jon]

hello,

i have an ampeg ba115, which i really like. but i've noticed it has been getting quieter and quieter over the past few months. i used to play it at about 12 o'clock or so (volume and master knobs), but now i have to turn it all the way up...

i'm wondering if something is failing or wearing out or something. does anyone have any idea what is going on? any feedback is appreciated.

 

[CoolCat]

I can't help,
but I just played a used SWR Bass combo today, that was put on full blast and not very loud too. It sounded fine just no volume?

strange, maybe a pre-amp circuit component? thats usaully where the big gain in vs. out ratio is, my understanding.

the power amp is apparently working as there's sound?

maybe a power supply leg, maybe a hundred things.

maybe Santa bring you a new amp?

 

[ghetto3jon]

yeah, well this thing used to be much louder. one problem is: now i have to play it at full blast, so the amp is hissy. when the XLR output is hooked into a PA, the hiss is VERY LOUD. soundguys hate that.

 

[lbanks]

Is it consistant or intermittant? Whichever, you're gonna need a repair shop. Other than a tube problem, little is user fixable. But the amp is well worth fixing.

 

[Anfontan]

I had a solid state amp years ago with the same kind of symtoms. It turned out to be the effects loop connections-once the jacks were replaced it was okay.
I looked up the owners manual on your Ampeg and although there is no effects loop, I see there is a headphone out in the audio chain. I would try cleaning this headphone out jack to see if it may also be a problem-with the amp off, spray some contact cleaner on a Q-tip and insert into the jack. Clean it as well as you can and you may get some crud off of it. Insert a 1/4" or whatever sized plug it takes and work it in and out repeatedly. You may as well clean the direct out jack in the same way while you are at it.
Sometimes electrical problems can turn out to be simple mechanical things like this-good luck on this being one.

 

[Jouni]

...Or worse..

Your hearing is shot.

..could be a contact issue?.. virtually anywhere...