Mixing a Nitro with a Quickrod?

[beedeesmith]

Hey, everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster, yada yada yada...

Anyway, I'm already the proud pappy of a Splawn el-34 based Pro Stock and just got off the phone with Scott placing an order for a Nitro. Since he's so backlogged right now, I still have some time to decide if I want to go kt-88, kt-77, or el-34 with this bad boy, so I'm going to be trolling for opinions here on which way I should sway.

Let me explain first what I'm looking to do: originally I was going to pick up a Bogner Uberschall so that I could track with both the Competition and the Uber at the same time, and then just use the fader with the Uber on it as a glorified bass/low-mids boost as needed, if at all. I figured they covered two very different spectrums and this *might* work (or I could sell the Uber if it didn't). However, I've never been much of a fan of an Uberschall as a standalone sound, at least for the type of tone I'm looking for, so I'd only ever really be using the Bogner occasionally when using the Competition, which is pretty much a waste of an amp. Thus, enter the Nitro...

The Nitro isn't by any stretch of the imagination light years away from the Competition like the Uberschall pretty much is; BUT, and this is a really big butt (yes, pun intended), the Nitro sounds fantastic on its own. So, by going the way of the Nitro I essentially pick up double the utility over the Uberschall, which was enough to sway me to write the proverbial check (for the "proverbial" amp -- another bad pun if you've ever looked on the inside of a Splawn amp) for a Splawn Nitro.

So, that brings me back to the question on how to set up the Nitro to mix most interestingly with a Competition. A general vibe seems to exists that the Nitro sits somewhere in the ether as a hybrid between the Quickrod and the Uberschall, so I'm already leaning towards kt-88s to maximize the distinction. Anyone else out there with a Nitro also have a Quickrod or Competion and would like to chime in on how the do/don't mix? My knee jerk would be to just get the kt-88s, but all the clips I've heard have just been either kt-77 or el-34s, so I'm not sure if a kt-88 Nitro would still be the standalone thing I'm looking for or not.

Thanks!
-Bryan

p.s. I'm also going to monkey around with pre-amp tubes, but since that doesn't require tweaking bias resistors 'n things, that is why I'm emphasizing the power tube question at this time prior to the amps build; but feel free to offer up any suggestions there as well for optimally mixing the two amps.

[scooter]

if you get the kt77 and el34 all you need to do is get a bias probe and experiment. if you go with 88s there will be a resistor change required if you decide to try the others

[beedeesmith]

Yeah, I've got a Weber biasrite and if I go the el-34/kt-77 route, I can certainly go back and forth between the two to decide. I just figured I'd try and sleaze up some free advice and see if that is they way I should go or if I should do the kt-88s, which would mean not having to fuss with a resistor change and paying for gobs more power tubes then I need to.

Thanks!
-b

[windsen]

bryan, i currently own a nitro and had a QR before that. i went the el34/kt77 route with my nitro and after spending lots of time with the amp and going back and forth b/t tubes i personally feel that the amp really shines with the kt77s as these were the tubes it was designed around. the amp has tons of low end with the kt77s, i can't imagine needing more with kt88s. furthermore the QR and Nitro are two very different amps, even with the Nitro running el-34s. the nitro is much darker and bigger sounding. my new QR should be arriving in a few weeks so i can make a better comparison b/t the two amps when that time comes but from what i recall of my old QR and my new Nitro, the two amps are very different and each would shine on their own if running the dual amp rig.

[beedeesmith]

Hey, Windsen.

Well, I was leaning kt-88, but your comment about the kt-77 being so bass heavy already has got me back on the fence. It's not so much bass as "deep-mids" I'm wanting the Nitro to deliver on, and an over abundance of bass which might arise from kt-88s may may be too difficult to eq around to emphasise deep-mids without creating a mud fest. Then again, if the bass between kt-88s and kt-77s are comparable, but the kt-88s lose a lot of upper mids, that might be the ticket so as to help keep the Nitro and Competition from stepping all over each other.

Yuck! I'm probably just going to have to resign myself to being prepared to whip out ye 'ole soldering iron and play around with the different tube types once I get my Nitro after all.

Oh, and by the way: your kt-77/el-34 comparison clips were really super cool to listen to as well to try and help discern which direction(s) to go.

Thanks for the advice!
-b

[splatter]

Bryan . not that this answers your question but I own a q r and I'm planning on running it together with the nitro to accomplish the same thing you are . I'm going with the 77's

[beedeesmith]

Hey, Splatter, that's cool. When is your Nitro coming in? If it's coming in anytime soon (i.e, within ten weeks), please post how well the Nitro plays with the Quick Rod and whether or not you have to drastically tweek the settings on either to get the combo to work. Also, is your Quick Rod el-34s or kt-77s?

Thanks!
-b

[kyemack45687]

Hey man, I have the QR and Nitro setup, the only one I know of right now until Windsen gets his (not trying to sound arrogant, but I am happy! ;D). It is everything that people say it will be. A VERY full sound, every inch of the tonal spectrum is covered, and it's just glorious!

The Nitro is such a thick sounding amp and actually sounds much bigger to me than the QR, but the QR fills in the top end and high mids very nicely, while keeping that nice round low end. The Nitro has INSANE low end. It's not overbearing, but it literally thumps you in the chest and rattles the walls...I LOVE IT! This amp truly is what the Bogner Uberschall should have been. Thick, articulate, punchy and no annoying low end fizz.

The one thing I was really surprised with is the Nitro's lead sound...I might actually prefer it to the QR, though I'm still experimenting with the QR at this point with some boosts and whatnot. The Nitro was very easy to dial in a killer lead and rhythm tone, and leads are just effortless to play. Even though I've had the QR longer, it's taking me a bit of time to find what I'm looking for, but I know it's there. The thing I love about these amps is the awesome harmonic feedback and sustain you get. It's just beautiful.

The QR is very stiff and a little brighter whereas the Nitro is naturally more dark and warmer sounding, but it still cuts like crazy. Both of these amps just sit amazingly well in a band mix, they really come to life.

The clean channel on the Nitro is actually better as well, even though I thought they were supposed to be the same (I have the new version QR with the updated clean). The Nitro sounds more full and chime-y, I don't know if that's just me or what, though.

I set both amps up pretty much the same as I play them alone, and it works great for me. I'm running KT77's in both amps, but I'm going to throw some 34's in the QR very soon.

If there is anything else I can help with, let me know. Good luck!

[beedeesmith]

Wow, that is incredibly encouraging to hear! It looks like I'm definitely going to go the kt-77 route for the Nitro from everything I've been hearing so far. Thanks for the great post!

Best,
-b

[dragonlaw70]

I never really thought about running two amp at a time for recording purposes. I just dial in a good tone and go with it. I will say this, I owned a 1st gen PM with 88's and it required more volume to get those tubes going. The old saying, " The louder it got, the better it sounded." With the 88's I did have to back off on the bass as to equal the amount of tone compared to volume. I'd run with the 77's and see what happens.

Now I'm curious to hear what my C+ heads and Nitro would sound like together....

[natemeanie]

i have 77s in my pro stock and quick rod. if your looking for the low mids, 77s are the way to go. the 88s have more of a scooped sound.