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Post subject: I need more headroom
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:52 pm
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I use a 60 watt Super Sonic amp (combo) at our band rehearsal with an 4x12" extension cabinet. We play modernish rock and we play loud (and i mean loud). There is enough power to keep up with the drummer but the problem is when playing cleaner sounds, anything above 2,5 on vintage channel gets dirty (eventhough i use single coils on my strat and tele) on both vibro and bassman modes.

Would a tube change help me with my situation or is there something else to do?

I did read something about modding (voodoo amps) to get a twin-like gig volume headroom, but modding my (quite) new amp seems a bit too extreme.

Any advice? Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: I need more headroom
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:53 am
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nemoun wrote:
I use a 60 watt Super Sonic amp (combo) at our band rehearsal with an 4x12" extension cabinet. We play modernish rock and we play loud (and i mean loud). There is enough power to keep up with the drummer but the problem is when playing cleaner sounds, anything above 2,5 on vintage channel gets dirty (eventhough i use single coils on my strat and tele) on both vibro and bassman modes.

Would a tube change help me with my situation or is there something else to do?

I did read something about modding (voodoo amps) to get a twin-like gig volume headroom, but modding my (quite) new amp seems a bit too extreme.

Any advice? Thanks!
The Twin does clean better than any amp i have ever heard,just dont expect to make it breakup without a pedal.


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Post subject: Re: I need more headroom
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:01 am
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Quote:
The Twin does clean better than any amp i have ever heard,just dont expect to make it breakup without a pedal.


I don't expect my Super Sonic to be as clean as Twin. And overdrived/distorted tones i will be taking from the burn channel or pedals.

The question is how to get louder but still clean sounds out of Super Sonic?


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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:20 pm
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Looking at the schematic it looks like V1,2, and 3 would have the most effect on the vintage/burn signals. Maybe trying 12AT7's in these locations would increase headroom. Also installing new power tubes that are rated higher will increase headroom if you replace with GT. Most tubes are rated for early, medium, and late breakup. Try some with late breakup and see how that works. Keep in mind that these changes are going to affect not only the vintage sound but everything else as well. I heard that JJ tubes are pretty clean tubes when you request more headroom. I currently have SED 6l6gc winged C's on my pignose and love the way they breakup, I will be installing these in my twin reverb as well. Also, adjusting your volume control on your guitar will help clean it up. The way I see it, It's much easier to try to go for the cleanest sound possible and use pedals for effects as opposed to trying to clean up a dirty signal. Just my thoughts.... hope this helps.


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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:29 pm
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fender323 wrote:
Looking at the schematic it looks like V1,2, and 3 would have the most effect on the vintage/burn signals. Maybe trying 12AT7's in these locations would increase headroom. Also installing new power tubes that are rated higher will increase headroom if you replace with GT. Most tubes are rated for early, medium, and late breakup. Try some with late breakup and see how that works. Keep in mind that these changes are going to affect not only the vintage sound but everything else as well. I heard that JJ tubes are pretty clean tubes when you request more headroom. I currently have SED 6l6gc winged C's on my pignose and love the way they breakup, I will be installing these in my twin reverb as well. Also, adjusting your volume control on your guitar will help clean it up. The way I see it, It's much easier to try to go for the cleanest sound possible and use pedals for effects as opposed to trying to clean up a dirty signal. Just my thoughts.... hope this helps.
Good call.

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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:42 pm
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Check here-

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... ory_id=153

I think they can help you.


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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:44 pm
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Hi there Nemoun; IMHO a 12AT7 or NOS 5751 in the V1 position would reduce some of the pre amp gain, and experimenting with 12AU7's & 12AY7's in the line up could be very helpful. The cascading pre amp design excels at controlled overdrive, so you might want to keep an ear on the tonal signature as you swap tubes. As for power tubes, the Phillps ECG 7581 is great for clear strong power(a military-industrial 6L6GC). I used these tubes in a '67 Bandmaster for years in a blues band, for the same reasons you 're talking about. IMHO the speakers play the largest role in what we hear as clean. A JBL or Electro Voice speaker(s) will make a big difference in break up. But again, if the pre amp is overdriving the original signal, then the power section and speakers can only amplify that signal. Actually, in my amps, I use a Vintage 30 and a Weber Chicago VS for that nice mix of clean and dirt. Any way, just throwing out ideas. ART

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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:54 pm
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Thank you! I will definitely be trying some different tubes on my amp. Isn't it so that i can use almost any mix of tubes in my preamp section, but powertubes must be a pair?


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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:09 am
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nemoun wrote:
Thank you! I will definitely be trying some different tubes on my amp. Isn't it so that i can use almost any mix of tubes in my preamp section, but powertubes must be a pair?
Yes.

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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:24 am
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Anyone who's interested in this case would probably find this information useful. I haven't tried this with our band yet, but it seems that i managed to get a louder clean tone out of my amp by adjusting the fx loops return level. I guess it was before this adjustment when some tube got cranked, so i was able to boost the clean signal with this control when leaving the clean channel volume at clean levels.

I have fx loop always on so there won't be issues in changes of volume. The fx send level knob i haven't even yet tried if it can boost this even more, but if it's after the section that got cranked i guess there's a point where i can boost my volume even more.

It must have been too easy to even try out this simple thing before considering different tubes. :)

Thanks for your help anyways. But for now, i guess i'll be running the stock tubes a bit longer than i thought.


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