400 LTD Burned Up Voice Coil

Mike Bauman · Post by **Mike Bauman** » 27 Jan 2001 7:35 pm

Hey does anyone know what may have caused this? My voice coil burned up on my 400 LTD. I ohm'ed out the 6-power transistors that are accessable from the back and they were good. Also I was wondering if there's a better schematics than the ones you can get off of the peavy site. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thaks Mike

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 28 Jan 2001 4:58 am

Mike, I had one of those. It was a '94 model which I think was like a reissue Session 400. Anyway I went through that 3 times. Sent it to a Peavey authorized repair shop. Still didn't get it solved. I don't know what the problem is. I felt like, the built in compression wasn't set to "clip" the amp soon enough. But then I whacked the DDT in a Nashville 400 about a year later. Finally, I figured out that my Pro-FexII hooked "in line" was sending too hot of a signal to the preamp. Learned from experience there, that all along I should have hooked it up to bypass the amp's preamp and just let the profex be the only preamp. In other words, profex out to power amp in. So thats really all I know about it, is to make sure you're not overdriving the inputs like I was. Hope I helped you. Regards.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 28 Jan 2001 6:44 am

Most of the Peavey amps are direct coupled and if something happens in the power amp section with a driver or one of the output transistors it can "fry" the voice coil.

I'd have the amp checked out by a tech before trying to hook another speaker into it.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Jan 2001 8:41 am

Jack's right on. Any problem with a driver will usually short out a power transistor too, and a shorted power transistor throws DC right to the speaker. Usually the power supply fuse won't blow before something else (like the speaker) does. One problem certain Peavey amps (like my S-212 Chorus) have is those vents in the top of the cabinet. All it takes is a piece of guitar string, a staple, or a spilled drink to get in there...and you're headed to the repair shop.

Openings in the TOP of an amp are just a bad idea.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 29 Jan 2001 1:06 pm

The Stereo Chorus amp was voiced for six string electric guitar, but it will work for steel guitar applications. Unfortunately, I haven't tried this amp so I can't give an opinion.

There are reasons for placing a vent at the top panel of an amp though. Simply put, heat rises. There are many reasons why we didn't install a fan which are the extra costs involved and fan noise. No amp is designed to be a "coffee table", therefore it is not in the best interest of the amp or the owner of the amp to place items on top of the amp.