A guide to choosing tubes and cabinets! - Page 5

forest4 · #61 03-22-2009, 11:05 PM

Alot of info, some good some to be careful about. I would say that the advice on removing the resistor that fixes the bias in your amp (no matter the model) and changing it based on whatever you get as a reading is something most, and by most I mean almost everyone, should not attempt. there is much more to it and should be done by a good tech. Tubes are such an abject thing, with no two of any kind sounding exactly alike, that you can make amazing strides with just minor changes. For starters just rotate your 12ax7's around to different slots, it can make a big difference sometimes. Another thing is every amp will react differently to different tubes, power and preamp. If you have the ambition and be careful, changing tubes may get you a much better sound, even if you think your rig sounds great, I'll bet you can do better. Lastly, if you want to bias your own amp, learn all you can first. You may even be able to find a shop in your area that has classes. Trust me, I have been through all this before time and time again. Lastly, I checked for a link for a bias tool on the Ruby Tubes site and didn't see it. I would recommend a product I got off of E-bay. It's a bias probe from A# Fretworks. There is a single and dual model. I have no reason to endorse this, it's just the best one I have used, and it comes with good instructions. This topic can go on forever, so good luck and be careful if you decide to crack open your amp.

psychoshredder · #62 11-20-2009, 07:30 AM

well guys, I'm just about to enter a territory which I never had been there before...
so sorry for my stupid questions.

After 14++ years of playing, today.. I decided that I must have an tube amp; head and cabinet. and I go to the 'roots of all evils' the mighty marshall.
the model i choose is JVM 410 with 1960A cabinet.

my question is :
If in the future, I would like to change the head ( JVM 410), with something from other brands, for example : Mesa Mark V or Triple recto, or any ENGL heads...
Can my 1960A accept those other amps? ( pls.... don't tell me : change your head, change the cabinet too, )
Or do I have to choose specific watt ? say 50 watts or 100 watts?

thank you in advanced.

rhynobyte · #63 11-21-2009, 03:32 AM

Great post Power Freak. Your right on man. I think the three general catagories I've seen tubes rated on are musicality, microphonics and noise. Also your details of the 12au7 spot on. I've taken the amps out of a few old magnavox console stereos (I got one rigged up right here now) and they all have 12au7s or eu7s for clear headroom. If you ever come across one of these in the trash take the amp out. Clean the pots and leave it as is for clear headroom or pop an ax in. This one I got right here uses the 6bq5 for the power stage. The 6bq5 is american for an el84 I believe. Sometimes they have 6ca4s in them. This one sounds fantastic as is for country I think. They can vary though. People are looking to give these things away. I got another old beater in the basement I found to snatch the amp. Some don't cut it but some really sound good with very little modding.

eviltwin · #64 11-21-2009, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychoshredder

Can my 1960A accept those other amps? ( pls.... don't tell me : change your head, change the cabinet too, )
Or do I have to choose specific watt ? say 50 watts or 100 watts?

I think the 1960A can handle 300W (4 x 75W celestions) which means it will be compatible with all known heads.
Even the "vintage" version (1960AV) will handle 280W.

But it also means it can be operated in 2x150W stereo, for example with the rackmounted Marshall 2x100W poweramp. A bit silly and impractical because you would be missing the stereo spread, but technically no problem.

In theory you could just as easily hook up two JVM400 heads to a single 1960, or two rectifiers or two ENGLs etc.

psychoshredder · #65 11-22-2009, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwin

I think the 1960A can handle 300W (4 x 75W celestions) which means it will be compatible with all known heads.
Even the "vintage" version (1960AV) will handle 280W.

But it also means it can be operated in 2x150W stereo, for example with the rackmounted Marshall 2x100W poweramp. A bit silly and impractical because you would be missing the stereo spread, but technically no problem.

In theory you could just as easily hook up two JVM400 heads to a single 1960, or two rectifiers or two ENGLs etc.

Thanks dude! that's what I want to hear.

racerevlon · #66 01-18-2010, 06:08 PM

Anyone heard or heard of 3rd Power HLH-100 amplifiers that use triangular 3 x 12 cabinets instead of standard 4 x 12 square cabinets to "eliminate 'beaming' and comb filtering" that occurs in standard square/rectangular cabinets? Check out the attachment.

http://www.3rdpoweramps.com/

Cheers,

Race

smooth55 · #67 01-18-2010, 06:26 PM

really interesting design there, very cool.

spylover007 · #68 02-09-2010, 06:47 PM

Bit long.. but worth reading..!!

Nice stuff thanks..!!

hellboar · #69 02-09-2010, 11:04 PM

So am I the only one who wants 4 of these in gold.............

tattoocadillac · #70 08-10-2010, 12:04 AM

I just picked up the Peavey XXX head, i want to hook it up to my stereo cabinet, can i run both outputs into the cab stereo at 8ohms, or should i run 1 output into the cab mono at 4 ohms, anyone know ?

XguItarX · #71 09-17-2010, 11:20 PM

Eurotubes anyone? I may have missed something. If i did I apologize.

SonicProvocateur · #72 09-28-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racerevlon

Anyone heard or heard of 3rd Power HLH-100 amplifiers that use triangular 3 x 12 cabinets instead of standard 4 x 12 square cabinets to "eliminate 'beaming' and comb filtering" that occurs in standard square/rectangular cabinets? Check out the attachment.

http://www.3rdpoweramps.com/

Cheers,

Race

Yeah, I saw them at the NAMM show and tried to get them to endorse us but they were too small a company at the time and they weren't up for it. Their cabs are hella expensire, race. Like whoaaa. If you have the coin and still wanna look super cool on stage though, it might be worth it...other than that; I just built a good 'ole stereo rig (works all the same!)

Trickae · #73 12-13-2010, 10:52 AM

Hey guys,
whats a decent cab to get with a H&K triamp MKII?

I play small shows so it can't be too big - and portable as well. Do I consider a 2x12 or a 4x12? It's 100W which is a fair bit of power.

Any help?

CustomAxeMan · #74 01-22-2011, 01:56 AM

Good info. I just had the power tubes replaced in my Marshall Mk2, got some Mesa tubes in there. My tech says it sounds like a ton of bricks. I'm trying it in my rent this Sunday, I'll let y'all know how it sounds. I'll have to replace the pre-amp tubes as well, I play death-metal and metal-core and I need suggestions on which tubes I should get, I don't want it to sound to bright.

CustomAxeMan · #75 01-22-2011, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al M

You dont have to get a trim pot installed though!? The guy at euro tubes told me he can just supply tubes for mesa amps as long as you tell him its for a mesa they will work fine.

My technician's been working with tube amps for the past 30 years and specializes in Marshall and Mesa Boogie amps, he says with today's tubes, ALWAYS have your amp re-biased when replacing tubes...