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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:13 am
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I love my 600, what a nice little amp....I did change the tubes and dropped in a Jensen 6 mod speaker....it really made a difference. Again, great little amp for the price.

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Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 5:59 am
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I picked one up at the beginning of the year off e-bay. Like everyone else, I absolutely love it. Perfect for my loft where I do most of my playing. Mine has been upgraded to EH tubes and sounds great. I use it with my Digitech RP-250 most of the time set up as a Guyatone Overdrive and it sounds awesome.

I haven't plugged into my Fender Frontman or my Line6 in months. 8)


Chris


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Post subject: Back cover
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:29 am
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Hey just purchased one of these Champion 600s today! I must say, I was going to buy the Vox AC4tv but I still wanted to try this thing and I must say, WOW!!!

But the only problem I have is that I can't figure out how to take the back cover off. I want to try hooking the 600 up to an Orange 1x12 cab and can't do it for now cause the stupid thing wouldn't come off. HELP PLEASE!?!?!


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Post subject: Re: Back cover
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:45 am
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Location: Indiana
snmorg wrote:
...But the only problem I have is that I can't figure out how to take the back cover off. I want to try hooking the 600 up to an Orange 1x12 cab and can't do it for now cause the stupid thing wouldn't come off. HELP PLEASE!?!?!


Yes, the back cover is very tight, but it will come off. Make sure that all four screws are completely out of the cover. With one hand grasp the cover through the hole on one side, like you are carrying a 12-pack. Hold the amp top with the other hand and pull sharply and with force and it will come off. You may have to alternate pulling the side, then the bottom, then the side, to "walk" it off.

This amp plugged into an external twelve-inch speaker sounds amazing! It's hard to believe that much volume can come from this amp, but it does! I like how the stock amp sounds with the back cover off, It seems to sound more full that way.


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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 12:30 am
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Hey cheers mate!!! =) I got the cover off (with a little force) and played it through my brother's 1x12 and it does indeed sound amazing!! I also plugged a TS9DX (tubescreamer that allows you to add bass as well) and it sounded awesome for the punk stuff that I play!!

I was just wondering, (cause I am still a little new to tube amplifiers, having only gotten my first mid last year and having only been playing for 2 years xD) would replacing the tube improve the amp's response to bass frequencies? I found it tended to get a little grainy when I was running humbuckers through the tubescreamer.

Thanks once again =)


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Post subject: New tubes
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:05 pm
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Location: Indiana
Hey snmorg,

I am glad you like the Champ 600! It is a great little amp, especially for the price. I've noticed that the amp comes with different types of tubes, depending on where and when it was purchased. Mine had a decent Groove Tube (Sovtek) preamp tube, but a weak Chinese Output tube. The sound was like an old small tweed amp, but was kind of grainy or muddy sounding. I had a Sylvania 6V6 US made tube that I tried, but it has popping noises so I didn't get a good sound comparison. I also had an old Sovtek 6L6, yes I said 6 L 6, and I tried that one with much better results, although the 6L6 runs hotter temperature wise. The sound with the 6L6 was warmer and a little clearer. The breakup was more rich and had better note clarity than before. But, sound is subjective and my ears aren't that great so your preferences may be different.

Changing the tubes will almost certainly change the sound of the amp, but it should be a good relationship between the preamp tube and the output tube. There are different gains for different preamp tubes, and sometimes a lower gain tube sounds cleaner and richer, while a high gain tube may sound "grittier" or more distorted. Some people prefer the lower gain tubes for a clean tone, and some prefer the high gain for a driven tone. The output tubes will affect the sound also in much the same way, but it's more about plate size in the output tube. You may have to read a lot of reviews to get an idea of how each tube might affect the sound of the amp.

As far as bass frequencies, I would say that the output power of the amp would have more of an effect on bass sound than the tubes would, but check some tube reviews and see what users say. There are modifications that can be done to the amp, as it does have a "fixed" tone stack. If it had tone pots you could add more bass. There are also speaker upgrades that are reported to sound better than the stock speaker. But small speakers aren't that great with bass frequencies anyway. Google "Champion 600 Modifications" to see all of the aftermarket parts and mods available.

I think that in my amp, putting in the better output tube made the amp sound better without changing the "flavor" that the amp has to begin with. But since I put in a 6L6 it draws more filament current so I'm probably going to get either a Fender GT 6V6 or JJ 6V6 or EH 6V6 for good sound and to keep the amp from getting too hot as it was designed for a 6V6.

Let us know what you decide, or if you are more confused after reading about tubes. ;)


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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:24 pm
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Location: In a house....unless I'm at work....then I'm in a shop.
Been playing off and on for 40+ years, I worked for Fender in the early 80's and then for G&L, and in all of that, this is my first amp that was not a Peavey amp.

I still have my Ultra 60 212 with a triple XXX 212 cab under it and my Classic 50 212 sitting atop a bassman 212 cab in 16 ohm, great amps.
But not what you need to practice with and keep the neighbors happy.
;)

This amp right out of the box sounds great, and i have no plains to mod it at all.
I don't need too, if I need more volume I have it in spades with my other tube amps.

All I need do with this little honey is add in my Boss GE-7 and it just makes it sing.

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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 12:51 am
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Location: SW Oklahoma
I love mine! It's great for around the house w/out getting too loud.

No plans to mod it. I like her just the way she is!

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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 1:16 am
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Quote:
I think that in my amp, putting in the better output tube made the amp sound better without changing the "flavor" that the amp has to begin with. But since I put in a 6L6 it draws more filament current so I'm probably going to get either a Fender GT 6V6 or JJ 6V6 or EH 6V6 for good sound and to keep the amp from getting too hot as it was designed for a 6V6.


So is overheating the only issue with fitting a 6L6 to the 600? I have had the opportunity to crank my Hot Rod Deluxe and love the overdrive I get from it, in theory could fitting a 6L6 achieve a similar sound?

Thanks for the help as well, first time I've ever used forums =)


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Post subject: 6L6 heat
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:33 am
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snmorg wrote:
So is overheating the only issue with fitting a 6L6 to the 600? I have had the opportunity to crank my Hot Rod Deluxe and love the overdrive I get from it, in theory could fitting a 6L6 achieve a similar sound?

Thanks for the help as well, first time I've ever used forums =)


The extra filament current draw of the 6L6 not only makes the tube hotter, but also makes the transformer hotter. If I remember correctly, the 6L6 was about fifty percent more filament current than the 6V6, but the current draw was still less than half of the transformer rating, so the transformer should be able to take the extra current. You may want to double check my numbers, I think that I was wrong once before in my life, but I could be mistaken about that also. ;) I really don't think that there is any other issue besides the heat, using the 6L6.

Generally speaking the less heat produced by the amp the longer the life of the amp, and the way that Fender amps are built these days I wouldn't want to push my luck. Although, the Champion 600 seems to be a well built little amp, for what it is, and it may last for years even if hot. I leave the back off of mine, for cooling and I think that it sounds better. But, for what this amp costs, you wouldn't be out much money if it burns up. Mine was $99 at GC, and I have seen new ones on eBay for about the same. If I see a good used one on eBay, or anywhere else, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it for a spare.

I am sure that the 6L6 will sound different than the 6V6, but only you can decide which you like better. If you want the amp to sound more like the Deluxe, then the 6L6 with an external 12 inch speaker would come close, but the Deluxe has three preamp tubes, and two output tubes and a lot more power. Personally, I think that I will go for a better 6V6 in my Champ because I have other amps with 6L6's. I like my Deluxe also, but I like the way that the Champ sounds, more like an old small tweed amp. The Champ reminded me of the sound of Clapton's little amp that he used for the original version of Layla. I like the variety of amp sounds, and wouldn't want to have two that sound the same, but that's just me.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 5:09 pm
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i had played the amp before and liked it. then last december i needed to pass some time so i went to guitar center and they had a display of them in boxes with a sale sign that said $99.00 dollars. snatched one up and have been quite happy with it stock. as others have said great practice amp to keep the neighbors happy. love my little champ 600!


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Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:23 pm
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Location: DOWN south
nifty lil tube amp ! At first seemed a lil harsh and hollow, not too bad tho~
so i started using a towel folded a couple times and hanging just in front of the amp, then the back, and BOOM BOOM
so now i just take this king size thick winter blanket and literally D R O P on top of it with the vol set to max and up the treble on the guitar ----
yyyyyyyeeeeeah......

the amp has some fullnessand sounds killa!

just take off every 30 minutes or so for some cooling, and never leave it like this or expect to burn the house down

sounds purrrfect for some boogie/blues/funk
you can check it out on "stompey spacerider" song of mine
myspace/twirlyboggs

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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:55 am
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I will be among the ranks of Champion 600 users as soon as Mine gets delivered, hopefully this week. I ordered it online from GC. I am anticipating it's arrival. 8)


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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:33 pm
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I just got it and sounds ok with my Strat , not as good as I was expecting with the Epi Dot. I will certainly be doing some mods. 8)


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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:54 pm
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Marvin65 wrote:
I just got it and sounds ok with my Strat , not as good as I was expecting with the Epi Dot. I will certainly be doing some mods. 8)


Break in the speaker a bit...trust me, once you do you won't need to mod it. IMO they sound so much better with single coils than with humbuckers! Again, there is no right or wrong just personal opinion and tastes..:)
ABS :D


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