Micro Dark and PPC108 cab

[Teddyuk]

Hi, I just bought a new Micro Dark head and i wanted to be sure I can use it with the PPC108 orange coloured that came with my Micro Terror.

Second question: my PPC108 has only one jack imput so it is not possible to connect a second cab. Is it normal. My freind has the same issue.

Thanks

[a.hun]

Hi. Welcome!

Yes you can use that cab. You can only use one cab though because of the impedance. With solid state amps there is a minimum safe impedance speaker load you can run them with. For those amps it is 8 ohms minimum. Because of the way speakers are usually hooked up electrically (in 'parallel') adding a second speaker would take the total load below 8 ohms (to 4 ohms) which could / probably would cause amp damage. That is why there is no second jack socket on those amps and cabs.

If ever using bigger 16 ohm cabs you could link two of those by daisy chaining them though, like this:
Amp --> cab 1 --> cab 2
That would also give a safe 8 ohms total. But with those small 8 ohm cabs, sorry, just the one!!!


Andy.

[Teddyuk]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately when using the FX loop, I act on any pedal I can just hear a "pop" sound and nothing else. The problem has been described by other users (on the web). I wrote to Orange and I got as feedback:

Hello xxxxx,

Certain pedals will always pop when in effects loops due to lack of features like "pull down" resistors or other problems with bypass switching. If the pop is very loud I would suggest returning the amplifier to the dealer you purchased it from and we will take a look at the amp under warranty. If there is a problem we can fix it, but please understand that we can't guarantee zero popping from all pedals as some pedals will always pop.

Hope this helps!

Regards

--

xxxxxxxxxxx | Senior Workshop Technician

[a.hun]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately when using the FX loop, I act on any pedal I can just hear a "pop" sound and nothing else. The problem has been described by other users (on the web). I wrote to Orange and I got as feedback:

Hello xxxxx,

Certain pedals will always pop when in effects loops due to lack of features like "pull down" resistors or other problems with bypass switching. If the pop is very loud I would suggest returning the amplifier to the dealer you purchased it from and we will take a look at the amp under warranty. If there is a problem we can fix it, but please understand that we can't guarantee zero popping from all pedals as some pedals will always pop.

Hope this helps!

Regards

--

xxxxxxxxxxx | Senior Workshop Technician

Haven't heard of specific loop problems with the amp. Could you maybe post links to some others?

Are you sure that you made it clear to Orange that you were not just getting pops but no sounds through the loop? They are right that some pedals will always pop when switched, but it doesn't look as if they were getting the second bit.


Andy.

[Teddyuk]

Can I link other forums?

[a.hun]

Yeah, I do it often. Why not, we are just spreading info...


Andy.

[Teddyuk]

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gear-e ... range.html

[a.hun]

Not seeing anything there about non working FX loops being a common problem, only pops. And indeed some people said (correctly) that using a buffered pedal helps there. So called 'True Bypass' does have it's disadvantages you know...

So are you actually getting sounds out of the loop, other than pops that is?


Andy.

[Teddyuk]

I get just a pop. Is it a common problem with any FX loop?

[a.hun]

Ah so it works otherwise. I was reading your first post too literally...

It is a common problem with many 'true bypass' pedals, simply due to the sort of switching used! Yes some loops may be more sensitive to the problem than others but we aren't talking about a state of the art no expenses spared amp here, many pedals cost more than it does.

Want to sort the problem? Get a Boss Tuner or any other pedal with a decent buffer, ie not true bypass. That (as mentioned on that other thread) should prevent the pops!


Andy.

[Teddyuk]

Would a volume pedal work?

[a.hun]

Would a volume pedal work?

Probably not. Depends if it is buffered or 'true bypass'. Most probably won't be buffered.

Easy way to tell if a pedal is buffered or TB: Cut the power to a buffered pedal and you'll get no sound through it. TB ones will still work in bypass even without power.

Some modern pedals even give you the choice with an internal switch. Useful.


Andy.

[megalithic]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately when using the FX loop, I act on any pedal I can just hear a "pop" sound and nothing else. The problem has been described by other users (on the web). I wrote to Orange and I got as feedback:

Hello xxxxx,

Certain pedals will always pop when in effects loops due to lack of features like "pull down" resistors or other problems with bypass switching. If the pop is very loud I would suggest returning the amplifier to the dealer you purchased it from and we will take a look at the amp under warranty. If there is a problem we can fix it, but please understand that we can't guarantee zero popping from all pedals as some pedals will always pop.

Hope this helps!

Regards

--

xxxxxxxxxxx | Senior Workshop Technician

I wish they would be more specific than "very loud". I just tried the loop and the pop was quite loud, at low levels much louder than the guitar.

I don't own a dB meter either, so I wouldn't be able to quantify it.

[Teddyuk]

It is a ridicolously loud pop sound!

[adkguy]

I have a Micro Dark with the PPC108 cab. I use a TC Hall Of Fame reverb pedal which is advertised as
Having true bypass. I have the rather loud "Pop" when activating the pedal in the amp's loop. My solution
Is to turn the pedal on first, and then the amp.

adkguy