GK speakers lighting up!

[bassmonkey]

I have noticed recently that when I slap and pop through the GK1001 head with GK 4X10 cab the 2 left hand speakers seem to light up around the edges. I only have the volume of the head at around 2-3, and my bass(a Stingray) is 3/4 open. Is this normal or am I about to blow a speaker?

 

[Musicman Nut]

I have noticed recently that when I slap and pop through the GK1001 head with GK 4X10 cab the 2 left hand speakers seem to light up around the edges. I only have the volume of the head at around 2-3, and my bass(a Stingray) is 3/4 open. Is this normal or am I about to blow a speaker?

The speakers are probably fuzed which is an Old Altec Lansing trick many years ago, Eden and others have jumped the band wagon so i'm assuming GK has too, what you are seeing is the more power you it the cabs with the light bulb will light up taking the direct hit off the speakers which you see as in Light behind the cones.

 

[russinator]

Lighting up as in visible light!??!

Hmmm....


Well actually some cabs have a light bulb as a current limiting device usually on the tweeters. I don't know in the case of GK's.

 

[bassmonkey]

The speakers are probably fuzed which is an Old Altec Lansing trick many years ago, Eden and others have jumped the band wagon so i'm assuming GK has too, what you are seeing is the more power you it the cabs with the light bulb will light up taking the direct hit off the speakers which you see as in Light behind the cones.

Aaahh! Clever. My clueless band mates were telling me that I was about to blow a speaker tonight.

Actually, it looks really cool.

Thanks MMN.

You going to Dallas?

 

[Musicman Nut]

Aaahh! Clever. My clueless band mates were telling me that I was about to blow a speaker tonight.

Actually, it looks really cool.

Thanks MMN.

You going to Dallas?

No I own a Company that Keeps me in the office more then I want, I barely make Namm. Thanks for Asking though.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Which model 410 do you have? RBH? SBX?

 

[Oldtoe]

I once played an Eden 410 that did the same thing.

 

[Caca de Kick]

My B-15 reissue cabs have that lightbulb thing too.

 

[Billygoat]

I don't think that resistive bulb should be coming on during regular play. I had a cab that had one of those once and the bulb would only light during extremely loud transients. I could be wrong but I'm strongly thinking here that if you're just at regular practice level and your cab is lighting up like that, something may be wrong. That bulb should be a last resort speaker protection device as far as I know.

 

[corrosiontrav]

The G-K cab I had used to do this on occasion when I would start jamming on my wah, I never knew what it was, but it didn't seem to hurt anytihng so I just kept on playing.


Now I know what that was at least.

 

[tadawson]

The bulbs are on the tweeters, and he says that he is doing slap/pop, so the amount of hi freq energy and transients is undoubtably pretty high. Myself, I would not call this a problem, but perhaps a call to turn down a bit, or run a limiter . . . . .

- Tim

 

[bassmonkey]

Which model 410 do you have? RBH? SBX?

I'm not sure. Has no markings to tell me this on either front or back. Rated at 800w though, if that helps.

I don't think that resistive bulb should be coming on during regular play. I had a cab that had one of those once and the bulb would only light during extremely loud transients. I could be wrong but I'm strongly thinking here that if you're just at regular practice level and your cab is lighting up like that, something may be wrong. That bulb should be a last resort speaker protection device as far as I know.

Only when I slap or pop really hard.

The bulbs are on the tweeters, and he says that he is doing slap/pop, so the amount of hi freq energy and transients is undoubtably pretty high. Myself, I would not call this a problem, but perhaps a call to turn down a bit, or run a limiter . . . . .

- Tim

Volume on the amp is number 3 maximum.

Hey, this multi-quote function is cool.

 

[tadawson]

I'm not sure. Has no markings to tell me this on either front or back. Rated at 800w though, if that helps.



Only when I slap or pop really hard.



Volume on the amp is number 3 maximum.

Hey, this multi-quote function is cool.

The crossovers are the same in all the GK cabs, so the series is pretty irrelevant as far as the tweeter protection is concerned. Also, the volume knob position is also pretty irrelevant - depending on what signal level you send in from your bass, you can develop full output power at any knob position. Also, since the volume knob on the 1001RB is nothing more than the preamp gain (mainly used to set the optimal gain for whatever bass you use), it is not what determines what is being sent to the power amp - that is determined by the woofer, tweeter, and boost controls - where do you have those set? (I play a 1001RB-II as well, and just looked - with the volume knob at 3, I can knock stuff off my walls . . . . ).

 

[bassmonkey]

The crossovers are the same in all the GK cabs, so the series is pretty irrelevant as far as the tweeter protection is concerned. Also, the volume knob position is also pretty irrelevant - depending on what signal level you send in from you rbass, you can develop full output power at any knob position. Also, since the volume knob on the 1001RB is nothing more than the preamp gain (mainly used to set the optimal gain for whatever bass you use), it is not what determines what is being sent to the power amp - that is determined by the woofer, tweeter, and boost controls - where do you have those set? (I play a 1001RB-II as well, and just looked - with the volume knob at 3, I can knock stuff off my walls . . . . ).

Ahhh! It's all making sense now. Yes, woofer and boost are set about 1 o'clock. The manual doesn't explain that too well. Think I need to do a bit more fiddling with that amp. The way the manual reads is that the boost is some sort of mid-range gain control, or did I just dream that.

 

[tadawson]

Ahhh! It's all making sense now. Yes, woofer and boost are set about 1 o'clock. The manual doesn't explain that too well. Think I need to do a bit more fiddling with that amp. The way the manual reads is that the boost is some sort of mid-range gain control, or did I just dream that.

Boost does have some contouring to it of some sort, but also has a huge effect on the overall drive level of the power amp. The volume control should be set based on the clip light (it shows preamp clipping, not power amp) and then you dial in your desired level and hi/low blend with the woofer/tweeter, and throw in some of the boost for color and/or comic value . . . . .

And yes, I have to agree - GK makes a great amp, but the manuals could use some work . . . .

- Tim

 

[bassmonkey]

Boost does have some contouring to it of some sort, but also has a huge effect on the overall drive level of the power amp. The volume control should be set based on the clip light (it shows preamp clipping, not power amp) and then you dial in your desired level and hi/low blend with the woofer/tweeter, and throw in some of the boost for color and/or comic value . . . . .

And yes, I have to agree - GK makes a great amp, but the manuals could use some work . . . .

- Tim

Great tutorial Tim, thanks. I've been really pleased with the amp, but have obviously not explored its' true potential. I wondered why I was getting the red light to light up in the shop, but it has never done that since I got it home.

Looking forward to my next practice now, so I can experiment. It will be after Dallas though.