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Post subject: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:43 pm
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A buddy had two of these one was smoked from a shorted (junk) GT 6V6Gt that killed his PT
The other had the same garbage tubes and one was red plating about to do damage also
That one was saved by a nice pair of Sylvania's I had in my stash.

That one sounded way to good for a half digital, half tube amp, i mean it sounded nice and had nice fender cleans, fun and mostly usable effects too

Long story short mine arrived today :mrgreen:
Cold sounding and brittle is as good as i could describe it, i pulled the junk all black GT's popped in a pair of RCA 6V6GT's and checked the bias, well................................
With the RCA's it was at 21.0 or 10.5ma per tube, pretty stink'n cold eh ?

New Idle Bias is 41 or 20.5 each and now this Girl SINGS !!!!!

Now up to 5 on the volume and ya have pretty sweet tones, after that well it could be better
My guess is a weak speaker, Suggestions ?

Any way, i'll bet cold bias ran off a lot of players on this amp, the Sound is night and day difference with a proper bias !
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Sitting by her big sister 8)
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Post subject: Re: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 11:35 pm
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Congrats on the new amp.

I here this same story a lot. You should have set the bias on the original tubes before pulling them, for a better comparison. Of course properly biased cheap tubes can sound better than NOS tubes that are not properly biased.

I am still not buying into the NOS story, and I have compared hundreds of tubes. Maybe it is because I don't really care, and therefore am not willing to convince myself that tubes have to cost so much to sound great. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:56 am
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I am far more concerned with the all black glass made in china GT's going up in smoke than if they had tone possibilities.

Again my buddy had two that were a few years old and lost one saved one, the common issue was those power tubes detonating in the amp and overcoming the safety nets in the amp with ferocious fire power :shock:

My 1960's RCA's will run that little amp for many years without fear of nuclear attack :mrgreen:

That and installing the Sylvanias in my friends good SCXD gave him superior tone and as he even said WAY more volume than he ever had with the stock tubes.

I am absolutely sure that the bias was way cold on the originals, however I wasn't about to trust them.

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Post subject: Re: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 6:23 am
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Still tweaking this little guy

I have a Legend 1058 and a red coat (not sure which one)
A buddy has the red coat from a previous speaker trial and i found the 1058 on Reverb.com

The original speaker is a weak point with this amp, shrill and not much back bone, I'm betting a new speaker will ramp it up at least another 50%

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


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Profile
Post subject: Re: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:49 am
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Here is what it took so far to get a good tone from this amp

Image
A secret weapon I've used many times in 2x12 cabs with Bassman / Bandmaster heads, the Eminence made for Carvin USA British speakers are a favorite of mine.
100 watts and 8 ohms

i put it in a home made 1x12 I've had around forever, its a semi open back made from a 1950's home stereo speaker cabinet,

Image

That took away the boxy sound and gave the amp some backbone

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Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Super Champ XD a funny story
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:26 pm
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The final speaker arrived today that i wanted to try in the SCXD
I got a slightly used Legend 1058 that had been in a Victoria Bassman clone

Really did everything I had hoped it would for this amp, gave the bass more authority, way less flabbiness and kept the sweet sparkle.

I made a couple minute youtube within minutes of installing the speaker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P9gD9NueEM

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
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