ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear

ADA Preamps => MB-1 => Topic started by: Harley Hexxe on May 07, 2021, 05:50:42 PM

Title: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 07, 2021, 05:50:42 PM
        Hey Gang,

                I just posted about my new bass guitar I got, which is a killer bass but, there's a downside.

                I wanted to try it out in my ADA bass rig,
                MB-1
                Pitchtraq
                Digitizer 4
                B500B Bass Power Amp
                Bassline HX 2x10xH Cab
                Bassline 15

                ...and no sound at all. :facepalm:

                I haven't turned this thing on in a couple of years, and now it seems to have gone mute on me.

                Tomorrow, I'm going to be checking into it a bit more deeply to try and figure out what's going on.

                MJMP, I may have a whole bunch of questions coming up in the very near future!

Harley 8)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: rnolan on May 07, 2021, 10:08:10 PM
Well that sucks  :facepalm: , nice rig BTW (obviously when it's working)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 08, 2021, 03:26:27 AM
Thanks Richard,

                   It was working fine the last time I turned it on, which was right after I bought the power amp speakers to go with my MB-1. I plugged a guitar into it just to test it out because I didn't have a bass at that time.

                   The only thing I did yesterday when I was mounting all that equipment into the rack case, was put in a fresh pair of tubes in the preamp, since the ones in it were the in the preamp when I bought it a long time ago. (Mesa 7025/12AX7). I replaced them with Genalex Gold Lion CV4004 12AX7's.

                   I'm going to have to track down what isn't working since there isn't any sound at all. not even a hiss when I crank the power amp all the way up.


Harley 8)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: rnolan on May 08, 2021, 09:22:25 PM
Hey Harley, just prove each unit works individually with known good cables etc.  Fortunately you have other gear to plug things into to ensure signal is getting through etc.  Maybe re-seat the new tubes in case that's an issue, but it shouldn't be.  I'm guessing you have the pitchtraq and digitiser in the MB-1 loops ? so you can have the MB-1 full range out to one B500B channel for the Bassline HX 2 x 10 and the low to the other to feed the Bassline 15.  Noting also the MB-1 loops are series so can upset the signal chain unless you use Peters trick where you run a short patch lead between the send return of one of the loops so the other loop acts as a parallel send return.  But you know this stuff already...  Hopefully it's something simple and you can get it going and really enjoy the new bass.  I attached the MB-1 factory patch chart (it's also posted elsewhere).  Note that it has patches for both passive and active basses.  I've been using patch 14 with my Alembic and it seems to do the job.  I also found a patch around 60 ish that was a ringer for Peal Jam Jeremy.  Anyway hope you get it sorted soon  :thumb-up:
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: MarshallJMP on May 09, 2021, 02:59:51 AM
R has a point here, try to figure out which unit is not working.

@Harley, ok no problem.
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 09, 2021, 04:41:31 AM
Hey Richard,

              Thanks for posting that for me :thumb-up: I've been going through the manual, and brushing up on the MB-1 and B500B.

              I don't have the Pitchtraq and Digitizer plugged in, I wanted to leave them out for the initial sound check, but they will be included in the complete bass rig when I get it working. I plan to use the Pitchtraq for one octave lower effect only in the Low channel loop, and the Digitizer for additional Chorus/Flange effect in the High channel loop, but that will come later.

              I didn't get a chance to mess with it yesterday like I had planned, but I'm going to try to get to it today. I'm going to pull the MB-1 and try it through a small mixer I have here to see if I'm getting signal, then I'll plug in  one of my MP-2's into the B500B to see the same. I've already checked cables to make sure I have confirmed good ones on the initial attempt, so I'm good there.

One of the things I bought a while back is a True Tone mA reader/Cable tester, and that is something I would recommend to every guitar/bass/keyboard player, no matter what size rig you have. It saves a lot of time and guess work.

             @ MJMP, thank you man! You're a life-saver :thumb-up:


Harley 8)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Peter H. Boer on May 09, 2021, 10:57:50 PM
Harley,

Ouch, a none working MB-1 would be hell. (luckily I have 2)

On a SS only sound the tube stage is bypassed completely, and when both stage are on they work in parallel. So if the tubes in the MB-1 is your problem, it should only be a problem on a tube only preset.

The power amp can be checked by using a guitar preamp into that of course.

Peter
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 10, 2021, 12:59:56 AM
     Hey Peter,

           I put in a new pair of tubes Friday, and they were checked on my tube tester.

Harley 8)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: rnolan on May 10, 2021, 04:49:33 AM
Hey Harley, no hiss at all on the B500B smells like it may be the problem.  IIRC I think there are a couple of fuses inside as well as the power fuse  :dunno:
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 10, 2021, 01:22:23 PM
Hey Harley, no hiss at all on the B500B smells like it may be the problem.  IIRC I think there are a couple of fuses inside as well as the power fuse  :dunno:

Hey Richard,

          The main power light comes on so I don't think it's the main fuse. I'll open it up and look inside to see what there is.

Harley 8)
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: rnolan on May 12, 2021, 12:39:53 AM
Hey Harley, did you get signal with the MB-1 test ?
Title: Re: Houston, we have a problem...
Post by: Harley Hexxe on May 12, 2021, 01:30:05 PM
I haven't done it yet Richard,

          I've had something come up with my new desktop PC, but I think I've resolved it. I'm getting the studio ready to move it back downstairs where it needs to be.

           I'll be getting to the MB-1 shortly, I have to pull everything out of the rack case I mounted it in.

Harley 8)