Possible Orange CR60c Problems

spev11

My recently bought used CR60c is doing something a little odd. I've got the clean volume at half way (12 on a clock) and the Master at the same and its very quiet, i've got a little Micro Dark and if I turn the volume on that up to 12 with the gain on clean it's quite loud (considerably louder than the 60 at the moment).
 I've also set all the volume and gain controls on both channels to max and it's quiet enough that I can talk over it without a problem. Is it dead? I'v also run the Micro Dark into the speaker to test it and that's fine.
If it is dead then I'll bin the amp section and use it as a cab but thats a sad end

ICBM

It's not dead, but it sounds like it's a bit sick - the volume controls on them have very nice tapers so they don't get as loud as early as many other amps, but it should still be a lot louder than what you're describing when it's up full - they're loud amps. The first thing to do is put a patch cable in the FX loop - if that fixes it, the problem is a dirty/corroded contact in the loop return socket. If that's not it, it probably isn't a very serious fault - easily economically repairable I would think, since serious faults with solid-state amps tend to result in smoke, blown fuses, a very badly distorted sound, silence, or a combination of more than one of those.

spev11

I’ll pop a cable in later, if not I’ll find an amp tech locally and see what the cost might be.

spev11

Cable in the loop sorted it, it’s a covered switching jack so not easy to clean, a wrap of 400 grit round a pencil ?

ICBM

spev11 said:

Cable in the loop sorted it, it’s a covered switching jack so not easy to clean, a wrap of 400 grit round a pencil ?

No - that will abrade the plug contacts but won’t touch the switch. Spray some contact cleaner into it first, and if that doesn’t work try a *tiny* drop of WD-40. After that your only real option is to replace the jack - or just keep a patch lead there, which I know is a bodge.

spev11

I’ll try contact cleaner if that doesn’t do it I’ll happily replace the jack

ICBM

For what it's worth, this is by far the most common fault on older well-designed and engineered solid-state amps such as Peavey, 80s Marshall and Laney, Carlsbro, and a list of others as long as your arm. There's very little else to go wrong, and the majority of owners never use the FX loop, so the contact sits static and a spot of oxidation/corrosion forms.

snowblind

I can attest to that. The VC30 went all quiet on me just after I got it. Tracked the issue to the selector switch on the FX loop.
Just needed to work the switch a little to crack the oxidation layer. Followed up with some contact cleaner and its been fine ever since.