|
|
Post by briman on Dec 1, 2011 14:35:37 GMT -5
Are you using any effects up front or in the loop? Some effects that cause tonesuck will cause the muddyness that your talking about. I would change the tubes too. The speakers you are using will sound brighter at certain settings but you can definetly tone it down to have them sound good. I had the same speakers a while ago and changed them for greenbacks but like I said might be the brightness prob but that is not your muddyness issue. Sounds like bad tubes to me.
|
|
|
|
Post by rocknrolla on Dec 1, 2011 15:03:39 GMT -5
For speakers Splawn small blocks are great, G12K-100's sound amazing, and Vintage 30's should be avoided.
Changing from KT-88's to EL34's will not make it sound like a QuickRod. It's make the Nitro warmer and less stiff.
I consider my Nitro to be a darker voiced amp. Do you play with a band or by yourself?
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 1, 2011 16:21:50 GMT -5
I play in a band but just got this shipped to me yesterday. No efx. Dry signal. So I get a few emails from employees @ GC on facebook telling me They just got a Nitro in. They are not there today so some dumb ass helps me and all the guitars play like sh!t and I cant turn up too loud but there it is. Very nice tone. Thick, cutty and tight. So I get home and pull the back off of my amp and here is what I find. Mesa Boogie 12ax7 in V1 and V2. JJ EC83s in V3 and V4 but here is the part that gets me. The power tubes are Rubys but here are the numbers on them..063, 031, 080 and 095. Not one of them tubes should have been used together. My amp is so muddy I have the resonance off and it still has too much thump!
|
|
|
|
Post by briman on Dec 1, 2011 16:50:04 GMT -5
I wonder if your amp was even biased now. I would pull those out right away and get fresh new ones in there and bias. How well do you know the guy you traded with? He said they were new and biased?
|
|
|
|
Post by rocknrolla on Dec 1, 2011 17:19:50 GMT -5
I believe Mesa uses JJ's for their pre amp tubes but it depends on how old they are. Id run the JJ's in the 2 sockets in the middle of the pre amp sockets. Those are the gain stages for the od channel and the first stage of the clean. Try putting the power tubes labeled 80 and 95 in the center two sockets since they match the closest and run on half power. Remember to half you impedance when on 1/2 power. (16 ohm cab, run on the 8 ohm setting etc.)
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 1, 2011 18:25:01 GMT -5
What is the diference between a 12AX7 and a ECC83S. I have also decided to just go ahead and order all new tubes. No sense trying to make unmatched tubes work. Probably order 4 matched Ruby kt88 from valvequeen and 4 JJ 12ax7s.
|
|
|
|
Post by speedemon on Dec 1, 2011 19:36:34 GMT -5
The 12ax7 and ECC83 are basically two names for the same thing, and they are functionally the same as well.
Tube problem confirmed! I can only use the JJ in V3; keep it out of V1 and 2 if you like uber clarity or like to crank the gain. If the amp it too gainy for your taste, you can try the 5751 tube. They are "old" ones, but some places sell ones that have never seen any use ("NOS"). This tube functions the same but has less "gain" and will clean up signal considerably, but does not provide the distortion amount of the 12ax7.
You will get a different pre/power amp tube opinion from each poster here, but try different pres in V1 and 2 and settle on what you like. I like the vintage vibe that comes from old RCA black plates, that is what I use in V1 and 2, a JJ in V3, and V4 was whatever tested good when I took my leftovers.
I have had good luck with Svetlana, JJ and I regularly use Winged C power tubes with excellent results.
Good luck with your tube change.
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 1, 2011 20:04:33 GMT -5
Well I have heard that several times too. keep the JJ out of v1 but never on 2. What about the Mesas I have in 1 and 2 now? Would you replace them as it seems V1 and 2 say alot about the carity of the amp. What easily found tube for 1 and 2 would you use? And just to be sure, I am correct in my assessment that the all over the place unmatched power tube ratings I found in my amp will mud up the amp and make it difficult to bias?
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 1, 2011 22:01:11 GMT -5
I hope I didn't pick the wrong number to see if they were matching. There are 3 numbers on the tube. The TC number which is 2650 on all 4 and a PC # which is 191 on the first tube,192 on the second,193 on the third, and 194 for the fourth in that order and I hope that isn't the numbers to match on. If it is this set is matched. The numbers I gave were a place that says IMG Matched #063 on the first one then 031, 080, 095.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tempest on Dec 2, 2011 1:43:09 GMT -5
When I got mine it sounded real bad...but little did I know the loop bypass switch on the back was depressed. If you're not using effects, make sure it's in the "out" position - difference is day & night.
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 2, 2011 9:09:59 GMT -5
Well here is what was said about how the tubes are matched. It appears mine are matched which concerns me as I thought for sure mine were not so now I have to assume they are shot. The previous owner said the tubes were new when he got it in trade. I wonder if it was never biased. Maybe I will give that a shot first. "An entirely new KT88, built in the style of the early British KT88. Unsurpassed in performance and high end. Polished metal base. ...All Ruby KT88 STR Tubes premium power tubes are carefully tested and matched. Matching is done by both plate current (The PC I mentioned) and transconductance (The TC I mentioned). Each tube is marked with the plate current and transconductance for that tube and a matched pair or quartet will have tubes that have the same tested value." I dont know what that IMG # that I thought was the matching number stands for.
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 2, 2011 10:24:22 GMT -5
Well there is a guy here in town named Steve Wilson who invented the Bias King and is a big time amp guru. Was on tour with Stevie Ray Vaughn and is also the soundman for The Kentucky Headhunters. He has worked on several of my amps and tells me that the SED 6550s are far and away a better tube than EL34 and KT88s but they are expensive. Has anyone tried out a 6550 in their Splawn? What kind of results would you expect? What would need to be done to accomplish this. Similar to converting to an EL34 setup or could it be just a plug in, bias and play?
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 2, 2011 10:44:52 GMT -5
Or what about a set of SED KT88 Winged C from valvequeen 260 for a set but everyone speaks very highly of the SED stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by rocknrolla on Dec 2, 2011 12:58:15 GMT -5
SED are my favorite current production tube. They are also very expensive. Before investing in a new set you should take your amp in and have it biased.
|
|
|
|
Post by 1960lespaul on Dec 2, 2011 13:58:50 GMT -5
I have a bias probe so I am going to check it tonight. But if I need tubes I think I am leaning towards SEDs and maybe even converting to 6550 SEDs.
|
|
