Tubes and settings on the Nitro

[racerevlon]

Two questions:

1. What settings are you using to get your best sound out of your EL34 Nitro?

2. What does it take to change an EL34-based Nitro to KT88's?

Thanks!

Race

[splawndude]

Settings are hard because there are different settings for different types of music and different guitars/pups/cabs/room acoustics/etc. What do you play?

I have an EL34 Quick Rod and I like a more modern sludgy type of metal. Kind of a mix between preamp and power amp. I've been experimenting with these funky settings below.

Pres: 10 oclock
Bass: 10 oclock
Mids: 12 oclock
Treb: 7 oclock ('0' basically)
Solo: 9 oclock
Vol: 10 oclock (9:30 ish)
Gain: 2 oclock
Gear: 2 / OD2

Otherwise set your amp EQ and Gain to 12 noon and go with what sounds best.

For #2, Fastredponycar did a mod thread on how to do what you want to do
splawnfans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=nitro&action=display&thread=4736

[bubbastain]

Aaahhh, Those KT88s do sound tempting don't they? I've read it over and over myself that the KT88 kicks ass in the Nitro. It probably does but I was so happy with the way it sounded with the =C= EL34s that I had no desire to switch. The mod is easy though. I did it to my Competition(currently running 88s).
As far as settings go, I was running these settings;
Resonance- 9:00
Presence - 10:30-11:00
Bass - 11:00
Mid - 1:00
Treble - 2:00-3:00
Gain - 11:00 -12:00 OD1
I usually play with the volume around 9-10 o'clock and I don't use the loop volume. I played Drop C, EMG 81 and 10-60 strings.

[snappinnecks]

Oct 10, 2010 19:33:35 GMT -5 racerevlon said:

Two questions:

1. What settings are you using to get your best sound out of your EL34 Nitro?

2. What does it take to change an EL34-based Nitro to KT88's?

Thanks!

Race

I figured I'd chime in since I have had a Nitro since 2008.
I messed with many many different settings and ended up finding that resonance all the way to the left, presence at noon, bass at 10:30, mids at noon, treble at noon, solo at 9:30, and gain at about 1 O'clock is the most organic and at the same time woody tone out of a Nitro. Also with this setting to get the Nitro to cut I use a Boss EQ pedal in the loop with the curve set like basically a frown where the bass and treble are down and the mids are boosted. The Nitro cuts and mixes really well using the Eq in the loop with other amps or by itself. Without the Eq it kinda gets lost in the kick and bass tracks. If you are just playing in standard you probably can EQ the amp to your liking. If you are in C# or lower you need to boost the mids. It is a dark sounding amp and using drop tuning makes it even darker. As far as KT88s I like some characteristics of them and also hate some. I like the tightness and big sound to them. At the same time I don't like the BIG sound. The BIG sound is more bass than mids. You need mids when recording guitars. EL34s have a more mid focused tone to my ears. I also have to post EQ a Nitro a tad bit more to get it sitting in the mix to my liking. It is all preference, but I love the Nitro tone and will work with it since it is so good.

There is a thread explaining how to mod for KT88s.
It is really easy and I have done it a couple of times.

I prefer EL34s over KT88s.

I also recommend trying the Ruby EL34 BHT tubes. They seem to be holding up really well in my Herbert and Nitro as compared to the Valve Art 2 month fuze they have before meltdown. I'm thinking they are similar to winged Cs as far as handling higher plate voltage.
Anyhow there ya go.

[zao]

I personally like the kt88s better in the nitro than the el34, i had both and currently have the kt88 and its not going anywhere, after about 60 amps over the years this one is in my top 5.

the 88's seem to have more punch and lowend, i think they are tighter too and i like the highs better.

[the4thlast1]

Oct 14, 2010 7:36:24 GMT -5 zao said:

I personally like the kt88s better in the nitro than the el34, i had both and currently have the kt88 and its not going anywhere, after about 60 amps over the years this one is in my top 5.

the 88's seem to have more punch and lowend, i think they are tighter too and i like the highs better.

Preach on brotha ! I love 88's in the Nitro also

[MetalHeart]

Oct 14, 2010 7:36:24 GMT -5 zao said:

I personally like the kt88s better in the nitro than the el34, i had both and currently have the kt88 and its not going anywhere, after about 60 amps over the years this one is in my top 5.

the 88's seem to have more punch and lowend, i think they are tighter too and i like the highs better.

I agree