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Post subject: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:03 pm
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I'm a tube newb with a new HRDx III. Fired it up for the first time yesterday-sounds great and surprisingly loud. Wondering whether I'm missing out on clean tone when only turning volume to 3. I keep hearing that tubes need to be cranked to sound good, but wondering whether this applies to the clean channel too. Seems to sound great to my ears, but wondering if I'm missing out on clean tones by playing it more quietly. Considering an attenuator. Any thoughts much appreciated!


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:47 pm
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Hi Stratiam,

Actually, playing louder, driving the tubes harder, is how to get breakup/distortion, not better clean. To many people, that driven sound is the best feature of tube amps vs solid-state amps. On the clean channel, this amp will stay clean way up the volume dial anyway.

With the HRDlx, the drive channel can be used to get that driven sound at low volume. If you feel that the drive channel is lacking, the right preamp tube lineup can make a difference.

Search the forum for HRDlx, or Hot Rod Deluxe, for some great threads all about this amp. The HRDlx is quite prolific, so there are many threads about it.

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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:32 pm
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Thanks, that answers my question perfectly. Love the tube drive and more drive channels- vastlt superior to my tube screamer!


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:36 pm
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The 3 is no doubt the best version of this amp yet in my opinion. The 3 preamp tubes are all 12ax7 tubes. These are the 'highest gain' tubes there are. Therefore, most players will substitute the first and the third valve slot for lower gain value tubes for a smoother cleaner signal. A 12ay7 tube for the first lot and a 12at7 for the third slot is most preferable. No bias is required for preamp tubes.

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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 10:48 pm
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musicmatty wrote:
The 3 is no doubt the best version of this amp yet in my opinion. The 3 preamp tubes are all 12ax7 tubes. These are the 'highest gain' tubes there are. Therefore, most players will substitute the first and the third valve slot for lower gain value tubes for a smoother cleaner signal. A 12ay7 tube for the first lot and a 12at7 for the third slot is most preferable. No bias is required for preamp tubes.


When I had my HR dlx3 my favorite tone was with a Jan Phillips 5751 in the V1 position and a Sovtek LPS 12ax7 for the phase inverter. It make for a harmonically richer tone and super clean.
The clean tones are really great on that amp. The distortion channel is not so great for my taste.
And it's tough to get the clean channel into power tube break up cause you have to really crank the volume and when it does break up it's not as nice as a DRRI or 68 CDR.
The HR is really a nice clean Fender amp, at least to my ears. :)


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Post subject: Re: Hot Rod Deluxe III. Am I driving tubes enough when clean
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:13 am
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I never purchase an amp with the idea that it has to break up on its own.. that's what pedals are for. When you play out in a band you can't afford try to find the sweet spot at the risk of blowing everyone else off stage.

Fender finally got around to upgrading the speaker with an 80 watt Celestion which is a fantastic choice in my opinion. The eminence speaker that use to come in those amps was way under powered and we're nortorious for blowing out.

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