Topic: Amp trouble

I have a Bugera V55. I love it. but the overdrive channel sounds sterile and fizzy. I've had it for about 3 months. Does it need a new speaker or tubes or what? I cranked the power amp and got a good overdrive but it sounded fizzy and like the speaker was crackling. Suggestions?

Re: Amp trouble

I have the same amp (head version) and I can get some good tones out of it.  I know what you mean by it sounding fizzy, and it does when you max the gain, but I always max the Master volume and keep the gain at half or so.  I always use a TS808 in front, and keep the treb and presence Very low on the amp.  It's not the speakers or tubes, it's just the way the amp sounds.  Maybe try an OD pedal.

Re: Amp trouble

Man I think some amps as you crank them are more noisey then others.  Circuit boards are supposed to help with this because there is less wires to pickup RF but also if you've bought a budget amp odd are Bugera didn't invest the money and time in developing a circuit board that was as noise free as say Fender or Marshall would have.  Consider it cutting corners.  On thing you might try is getting the amp on a power conditioner such as the Hum X or something from Furman.  AC power carries radio frequencey (RF) and a power conditioner would filter out some of this.  A cheaper thing to do is isolate the outlet that you are using and make sure the amp is the only thing plugged in using power off of the line.  Another problem most amps have is Transformers.  Unless your buying a custom amp or something just about all the amps today sold in stores have too small of Iron in their transformers and they just don't hold up or proform like older amps once did or like the rebuild kits have.  Its a cost saver.  Last you can open the amp and see if they put any kind of  shielding on the cabinet to protect the circuits from picking up RF as lack of shielding leaves you open to anything, CB Radios, Cell phones, home phones, anything in the air!  Thats the best I can offer other then replace the amp.

Re: Amp trouble

helrazr84 wrote:

I have the same amp (head version) and I can get some good tones out of it.  I know what you mean by it sounding fizzy, and it does when you max the gain, but I always max the Master volume and keep the gain at half or so.  I always use a TS808 in front, and keep the treb and presence Very low on the amp.  It's not the speakers or tubes, it's just the way the amp sounds.  Maybe try an OD pedal.

Thanks!!! I'm going to get the MXR CL1 overdrive for my crunch tone. But my tubes are dying anyways. That might be part of the problem. What brand of tubes would you recommend?