Ampeg Micro CL 100-watt Bass Amplifier Stack

I'm giving this amp 5 stars from a position of privilege due to my ability to modify the electronics of this amp to suit my needs.I was already familiar with the complaints about this amp so I found the schematic on the internet and the Music Electronics forum has a thread about modifying this amp titled “Ampeg Micro CL distortion.” According to the recommendations in the thread I replaced the input resistors R24 and R25. R24 was changed to 22K and R25 was changed to 100K. Adding a 2200pF-4700pf capacitor parallel to the 100K resistor was also recommended but at this point I’m going to see how it sounds without it. The thread recommended changing the gain feedback resistor R6 from 100K to 47K, so instead I made the gain adjustable by putting a 47K ohm resistor in series with a 50K potentiometer in the R6 position and drilling a hole in the front panel to mount the potentiometer.I noticed more than one review saying the amp blew up after a very short amount of time. As soon as I pulled out the chassis I noticed that the capacitor C108 had its leads twisted in such a way that it not only shorts out the cap but also transistor Q108 in the power amp section which basically looks to wreak absolute havoc on the power amp. Throwing off the symmetry of the power amp like this is sure to put DC voltage on the speaker which might explain why some new owners wound up with blown drivers. I’m not sure if this is a common occurrence in this amp, but to me the twisted leads on the capacitor looked a little suspicious, this would be an easy way for a disgruntled employee to sabotage the product after it passed a QC inspection and was about to be installed into the cabinet before shipping. During my time as an amp tech I had plenty of experience with effects loops and headphone jacks being the source of issues such as drop outs, distortion, buzzing etc… This is caused by oxidation/grit developing on the contacts which should be closed (meaning continuity/dead short) when not being used so anyone reading this can try simply inserting and removing a plug into these jacks several times, this is normally sufficient enough to clean out those contacts. Contact cleaner designed for electronics can also be used (do NOT use WD40 as it is designed to create a coating on surfaces).End result: this amp sounds great! I never bothered trying it out before performing the mods but thankfully I did not due to the shorted capacitor in the power amp. I tried it out with an active pickup bass and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to crank it to 8 on the -15dB channel without it sounding farty or distorted.

Plenty of volume for practice and line out for gigs....sounds amazing...I wouldn't go back to my big rig for nothing...I love this little amp

Work nicely

It sounds great

This amplifier is engineered so shoddy that ampeg themselves have elected to put it on the do not repair list. Do not purchase this amplifier if you plan on long-term use. I have owned it for five months, am not abusing it, And yet it has broken on me twice.I purchased this item March 11, 2024, and in that time, have blown And needed to replace the Speaker inside of the cabinet, and now the amplifier Head is deadlined. Upon calling An authorized and repair company, they have flat out told me that ampeg Does not want this model repaired, merely replaced.

This amp is awesome I can jam with a live acoustic drum,and two 100 Marshall cabs and still cut through and be heard

Head started having a obnoxious buzzing sound after only a couple months.

The micro cl is a great fun looking practice amp.