Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

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Hondough
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Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Hondough »

Kia ora,

My names Joe, I was lurking on this forum a bit years ago and have come back in my hour of need.

I have a strange problem, it's never happened before and I really don't want to hire an electrician. Basically, I have a mid '30s house that was rewired a couple of years ago to get insurance. I've only recently got back into guitar and have noticed that every amp I play sounds like absolute crud at my house. I'm not talking them sounding slightly different in sound due to room/placement etc. I'm talking a dramatic shift in sound from good to absolutely anemic. I've tested all my sockets with a multimeter and they are all running the correct, consistent voltage. I've also tested multiple amps (AC15, Deluxe Reverb, Laney etc) and it's the same result. I have some cheap SS amps that it doesn't affect and my HiFi system is also unaffected. I just find it really weird. It would be great if anyone had experienced this before.

Anyway, good to be on the forum. I'm looking forward to buying some gear off you guys :)

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TmcB
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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by TmcB »

Hondough wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 7:16 pm Kia ora,

My names Joe, I was lurking on this forum a bit years ago and have come back in my hour of need.

I have a strange problem, it's never happened before and I really don't want to hire an electrician. Basically, I have a mid '30s house that was rewired a couple of years ago to get insurance. I've only recently got back into guitar and have noticed that every amp I play sounds like absolute crud at my house. I'm not talking them sounding slightly different in sound due to room/placement etc. I'm talking a dramatic shift in sound from good to absolutely anemic. I've tested all my sockets with a multimeter and they are all running the correct, consistent voltage. I've also tested multiple amps (AC15, Deluxe Reverb, Laney etc) and it's the same result. I have some cheap SS amps that it doesn't affect and my HiFi system is also unaffected. I just find it really weird. It would be great if anyone had experienced this before.

Anyway, good to be on the forum. I'm looking forward to buying some gear off you guys :)
Hey, welcome!

Something I’d be thinking about trying is borrowing/hiring/buying a UPS to see if it’s actually the mains doing the thing - basically trying to get something in between the amp and mains that’s buffering between.

The other thought could be resonances in the house that are dampening frequencies.
GrantB wrote:Tony, your taste is, as always, very refined. Or as HG would say, "bloody awful".
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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Litterick »

Have you tested your kit away from home? Might the problem be in the input: guitar, cables, pedals? I know that does not account for the SS amps being unaffected, but it would be worthwhile ruling out other causes before rewiring your home again.

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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Hondough »

Yeah I've tried putting the amps on things away from the floor (hardwood floors) the rooms themselves have lots of soft furnishings. I've even tried playing the amps outside on the deck/lawn and still the same thing. And yeah it's a case of them sounding really good in other places lots of venues/my mates houses/. It's definitely not a problem with rest of the rig. I can take any amp that a friend or myself owns, plug it in at a venue/ other residence, go straight in with just a cable and it sounds great, then take it home it sounds weird. I don't know. Maybe it's something to with how they wires the ground?

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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Litterick »

I am puzzled that your SS amps are fine, as is your hi-fi. But then, you might play the valve amps louder than everything else. Maybe you should ask a friend to listen while you play, to have somebody else's opinion.

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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Cdog »

Welcome dude. :)
Good suggestions already here. My questions, do the amps sound like crud all the time, or some of the time? Do I read that only valve powered amps are misbehaving?

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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by jeremyb »

A multimeter on a power socket without any kind of load won't give you an indication of what the output actually is, sounds to me like a voltage issue rather than grounding if you're not hearing a lot of noise, time to get a sparky in!
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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Hondough »

Cdog wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 6:51 am Welcome dude. :)
Good suggestions already here. My questions, do the amps sound like crud all the time, or some of the time? Do I read that only valve powered amps are misbehaving?
All of the time at home unfortunatly :(. Yeah, I've got some old Fender SS amps that sound fine :think:

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Re: Wiring problems (I think) + Introduction

Post by Hondough »

jeremyb wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 7:18 am A multimeter on a power socket without any kind of load won't give you an indication of what the output actually is, sounds to me like a voltage issue rather than grounding if you're not hearing a lot of noise, time to get a sparky in!
Oh ok, I didn't know that. Yeah, time to hire a sparky me thinks :thumbup:

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