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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 12:50 pm
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Snow in the NE has held up delivery a few days. It should be here tomorrow, Wednesday. :D

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:08 am
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Well Modwiz, it is Thursday, did you receive the amp? If so what are your first impressions?

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:39 am
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modwiz wrote:
I have ordered a HRD lll. Even though a bass player primarily, I love my guitars and decided to get a respectable Fender tube amp. MY SCX2 may still function as my daily practice amp, but having the fully monty, tube-wise, has appealed to me. Reading fender forums are provocative as for as gear acquisition goes. FMIC definitely knows this. :lol:

I got an FSR model that is wine/vanilla two tone and it come loaded with a C Rex speaker. As a bass player my tastes for tone may run a little darker than that of a lead guitar player. After hearing my SCX2 running through my small 820H speaker I knew I had to run my sound through hemp cones. Music sounds different transduced by this material and I find it very pleasing to the ear.

My amp might be here by Monday. Until then, here is a pic I pulled off of the web from my purchase.

Image


Nice amp,Modwiz,...I love the HRD series amps myself! My HRD III is serving me quite well,...mine is the standard black tolex version!

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If it aint' broke,...don't fix it! I like to keep my amps and guitars factory original,...no mods necessary,...don't want them,...don't need them!

My gear as of now;
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Hot Rod Deluxe III amp
Champion 20 amp
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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:30 pm
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desertbluesman wrote:
Well Modwiz, it is Thursday, did you receive the amp? If so what are your first impressions?


I got it yesterday, Wed. around 5 PM. First impression is WOW! This amp owns the airwaves when it is played. Even at very moderate/low volume, the power and 12" speaker have an unmistakable presence. The C Rex is both punchy and bell-like. I now have hemp speakers in all my guitar amps. Paper won't cut it for me now. Although I think they can make for great partners with hemp cones.

The drive channel is a little underwhelming for me, at the moment. Drive is a separate channel and has to be treated differently tone-wise. It has a lot less bass. Transitioning from clean to drive has a considerable bass frequency drop-out. I guess that is why there is drive and more drive. Set the channel tone wise and switch between to two drives. In many ways this would be like a classic deluxe amp. You have separate channels with tome controls but you have to unplug from one to the other. With the HRD, you fiddle with the tone instead. There are workarounds and possibly a tone mod for the drive channel. The clean channel of this amp, the heart of this amp, is just sweet music. Fender and hemp cones were made for each other, IMO. All of the treble a Fender is capable of finds a much sweeter expression through these fibers.

The Fender tank reverb is a very nice addition. My Hall of Fame reverb pedal might be favored by me but, that is still to be decided. The Fender reverb is legendary for a reason. I hear that now.

This is my preliminary? report. :D

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http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:50 pm
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Well I never liked the drive channel on my HRD unless it was turned way up (Version II I think, it is definitely pre III). I simply use a tube distortion stomp, set the tone controls for the clean channel, and use the stomp for overdrives. I was thinking of using the drive channel for a boost, but I have never tried it out that way. It sounds similar to the clean with the drive control at minimum and the master turned up. However the clean channel is awesome, so I just compromised and used an outboard tube stomp which I place between the guitar and the amp input.

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:04 pm
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Cool! 8)

Can you tell which types of tubes you have? I assume GT, but are the original labels visible? Sometimes you can tell just by the features of the tubes. The last version III that I looked at had Chinese output tubes and Sovtek preamp/PI.

It's nearly a universal opinion about the drive channel not being the best. I used to use the clean channel almost exclusively, until I found the right combination of preamp/PI tubes.

Anyway, I'm glad that you like it. After the speaker breaks in, it might get even better, and after awhile, a couple of lower gain tubes might really make it sing, particularly improving the drive channel.

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:29 pm
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modwiz wrote:
I got it yesterday, Wed. around 5 PM. First impression is WOW! ...
The drive channel is a little underwhelming for me, at the moment. ...
    I had a similar reaction with my HRD regarding the drive channel but what a difference when I swapped out the tubes as Shimmilou had recommended: U.S. made JAN Philips 5751s in V1, V2, and a Mullard 12AT7 in V3.

    Let the family know how you're getting along with your HRD. :wink:

    Cheers and enjoy!
    BM

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:23 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Cool! 8)

Can you tell which types of tubes you have? I assume GT, but are the original labels visible? Sometimes you can tell just by the features of the tubes. The last version III that I looked at had Chinese output tubes and Sovtek preamp/PI.

It's nearly a universal opinion about the drive channel not being the best. I used to use the clean channel almost exclusively, until I found the right combination of preamp/PI tubes.

Anyway, I'm glad that you like it. After the speaker breaks in, it might get even better, and after awhile, a couple of lower gain tubes might really make it sing, particularly improving the drive channel.


There are GT's in the amp. Haven't looked at origin. I had a few tubes laying around so my first experiment was putting a JJ 5751 in V1. Immediate positive difference. The almost feral 'snarl' was gone from the clean channel and replaced with a still very powerful but, less revved up quality. I see why they call it a hot rod deluxe.
I next put a TS 12ax7 in V2. Made the drive channel have a little more bottom. Emphasis on little more but, it was an improvement and the tube is staying.

I read somewhere that the drive channel uses half of V2 and that a matched triode tube might makes things better. Any opinions on that are welcome. I plan to put a 12at7 in V3. Probably a TS. I am deciding on the power tubes. I am happy with the current tubes but, I am very sure that getting some tone monsters in there will be a very good move. This is my first 6L6 amp and the tonal beef from them is breathtaking.

I am enjoying this amp. :D

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(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Last edited by modwiz on Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:29 pm
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Good tube choices, modwiz!

Make your tube-rolling mods in discrete-and-measured steps (ie: scientifically). Once your pre-amp and PI stages are dialed in, then move to the output stage and see what glass sounds best. Don't forget to check (and adjust if necessary) the idle bias when swapping output tubes.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:52 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Good tube choices, modwiz!

Make your tube-rolling mods in discrete-and-measured steps (ie: scientifically). Once your pre-amp and PI stages are dialed in, then move to the output stage and see what glass sounds best. Don't forget to check (and adjust if necessary) the idle bias when swapping output tubes.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay


Well, one more preamp tube to figure out and then the power tubes. Although I will get a matched set, I intend to set the bias, (never did it but, have watched vids) to fine tune my sound. The HRD make the bias adjust pot just a few screws away. A multimeter and the right screwdriver should allow me to make the basic adjustments.

Newbie question: Have the amp on standby when doing this?

Thanks to all who have contributed to both my joy and knowledge of this amp. :D

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:02 pm
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Yes, half of V2 is added when switching to the drive channel, but not necessary to have a balanced tube. You must have the standby switch in the play position when biasing, otherwise there will be no high voltage to the tubes and therefore no current to measure.

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:03 pm
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modwiz wrote:
Well, one more preamp tube to figure out and then the power tubes. Although I will get a matched set, I intend to set the bias, (never did it but, have watched vids) to fine tune my sound. The HRD make the bias adjust pot just a few screws away. A multimeter and the right screwdriver should allow me to make the basic adjustments.

Newbie question: Have the amp on standby when doing this?

Thanks to all who have contributed to both my joy and knowledge of this amp. :D


Nope. The amp is fully powered up with high voltage ready to grab you if you are not careful. Read this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88475

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:15 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
modwiz wrote:
Well, one more preamp tube to figure out and then the power tubes. Although I will get a matched set, I intend to set the bias, (never did it but, have watched vids) to fine tune my sound. The HRD make the bias adjust pot just a few screws away. A multimeter and the right screwdriver should allow me to make the basic adjustments.

Newbie question: Have the amp on standby when doing this?

Thanks to all who have contributed to both my joy and knowledge of this amp. :D


Nope. The amp is fully powered up with high voltage ready to grab you if you are not careful. Read this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88475


Oh yes, very important. That too. :)
Thanks for the useful link. :wink:

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:38 pm
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You're welcome.

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Post subject: Re: NAD HotRodDeluxe III
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:31 pm
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Make sure that the V3 is balanced, which ever one you put in. I got JJ Hi Gains with gold pins in all three preamp spots, so far it sounds great on the clean channel which is all I use.

Also go to Eurotubes and look at the how to BIAS videos

http://www.eurotubes.com/eurotubes-Hotr ... lts-mA.htm

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