stilletto noise concern

[bigdan19]

hi

my stilletto ace head is making this horrible buzzing sound in fluid drive mode. its the first time ive experimented with turning the drive up in this mode. i have to keep the drive dial below 11.00 or else it happens. tite gain mode is functioning fine.

before you ask this isnt feedback or hiss like youd normally hear when saturating gain, you can actually hear it come on as soon as the dial goes past 11.00, it seems like something is wrong?

any thoughts?

 

[stash49]

Really sorry to hear about your problem-I would say, yes, you definatley have a problem. Did you check the V2 tube? (Second from the left, facing rear)

 

[Platypus]

Sounds like a preamp tube issue as Stash suggested, I would start there

 

[inkwachemis]

yea, sounds like a bad preamp tube. easy fix if u have extra ones laying around

 

[bigdan19]

thanks for that. will get the local amp tech to have a look at it for me. im running it through a pair of weber silver bells now and am very happy with the results. i found greenbacks to be a bad match for the stiletto, sounded like an icepick in my ear, is there any other way of taming some of the brightness, ie tubes?

 

[inkwachemis]

thanks for that. will get the local amp tech to have a look at it for me. im running it through a pair of weber silver bells now and am very happy with the results. i found greenbacks to be a bad match for the stiletto, sounded like an icepick in my ear, is there any other way of taming some of the brightness, ie tubes?

greenbacks icepick?? u kidding me? I'm running my Ace through 4x12 loaded with greenbacks and its perfect IMO. warm, crunchy, yet clear. before that I had a 2x12 with v30 and g12h30. now that was icepicky.

 

[bigdan19]

yeh its weird i havent had it that long, but the treble in the amp absolutley drove me mad through the greenbacks. i think its the problem with the amp. i got it second hand, the guy had only had it 3 months before trading it back to the local shop. im beginning to think the problem im now experiencing may have been ongoing since the original owner.

 

[inkwachemis]

yeh its weird i havent had it that long, but the treble in the amp absolutley drove me mad through the greenbacks. i think its the problem with the amp. i got it second hand, the guy had only had it 3 months before trading it back to the local shop. im beginning to think the problem im now experiencing may have been ongoing since the original owner.

hey, don't give up on it without a full tube change. it makes a big difference if you have Mesa stock tubes in there now. Put some tungsols in the preamps and winged =C= el34s in the power. warms it up nicely.

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

Speaker/tube swaps can definately aid in smoothing the highs out, it also helps to keep the prescence low. Mesa clearly states the Ace is "cutting" so it is what is. I love mine.

 

[ThunderMonkey]

x10 to experiment with different preamp tubes...makes a huge difference.

 

[bigdan19]

wouldnt dream of selling it. its my third head this year. have had two australian amps made up aswell but the mesa still has its own thing.

just a question, if your not using hard bypass does the send level of the fx loop have to be on zero. if its not can there be an adverse effect?

 

[lockbody]

Speaker/tube swaps can definately aid in smoothing the highs out, it also helps to keep the prescence low. Mesa clearly states the Ace is "cutting" so it is what is. I love mine.

Exactamundo. I really love the warmth of the G12-65s in my cab. It's a pretty nice combination.

 

[bigdan19]

my trusty amp tech found the problem, he was quiet puzzled by it though, he never thought hed find it to be a faulty 12ax7 from the noises it was making. to begin with he thought is was a faulty pot.

thanks guys

 

[inkwachemis]

my trusty amp tech found the problem, he was quiet puzzled by it though, he never thought hed find it to be a faulty 12ax7 from the noises it was making. to begin with he thought is was a faulty pot.

thanks guys

does is sound better now? did u change out the V1 preamp too?

 

[Platypus]

my trusty amp tech found the problem, he was quiet puzzled by it though, he never thought hed find it to be a faulty 12ax7 from the noises it was making. to begin with he thought is was a faulty pot.

thanks guys

Should have listened to us

 

[bigdan19]

amp sounds perfect, lost alot the high end i was struggling with and the amps sounding the best ive heard it. really give it a good cranking last night and am very pleased.

as far as i know he only replaced the one 12ax7, not really sure which position it was.

thanks for your help.