Tube Noob

[MelodyMan]

I just posted a thread about the Carvin V3 as it's going to be my first tube amp. What should I know as I have never owned one? For instance, what is biasing and how do I do it? Also I know I need a speaker cable from the head to the cab, but as far as ohms what do I set everything to so that I don't blow something. These might seem like very basic questions, but I really know jack squat about tube amps.

Thanks!

[Lefty Robb]

Biasing is not something someone who is unfamiliar with tube amps and there workings should ever be concerned about. Tube amps are like cars, just take it to the shop every few years to get a tube change and tune up, heck a studio or bedroom tube amp could go 5 or even 10 years without the need for a tube change.

The Ohms just need to match the cab, thats all, most tube amps have a selectable ohm output, and I'm fairly certain the V3 does, I know the Legacy does.

[GuiltySparc]

Biasing a tube amp is, simply, setting the amount of current going through the power section. You need to be somewhat familiar with electrical devises and know how/have to tools to read plate voltage.

The preamp tubes (the small ones) you can change yourself and you dont need to re-bias the amp. You'll need to rebias if you change the power tubes (the big ones). Changing preamp tubes is like changing strings, its easy to do and you can experiment with different tubes as they each sound a little different.

Also, never try to play a head without it attached to a speaker cabinet. You'll damage the output transformer.

[Vim Fuego]

I would just add that the cable from the head to the speaker must not be an instrument lead! There is quite a high current from the output of an amp and guitar leads are not designed for that, make sure you use a speaker lead.
Also biasing is really less important than you might think. Provided you keep with the same type of tubes, you don't *need* to re-bias every time you change them. You may not have the amp running in its optimum set up but you probably won't notice.
I'd only get the amp seen to if I noticed a problem, otherwise you can change both pre and power amp tubes yourself.
I find the tubes last months, perhaps a year between changes (and I do gig the amp about once a month and rehearse weekly)
Hope this helps.
Jim