Changing my mind about tube amps for home use.

Build a sound proof room if you can. Watts RMS not peak it's decibels that count as an example my pair of EV 3 way 15" 8" 1.5" mains speakers 200 watts RMS
max blow away my three 2000 watt QSC K-12.2 Why would 400 watts blow away 6000 watts ???
Why did I switch the EV'S are 130 pounds each plus the Crest power amps the QSC K-12.2 are 40 pounds each.

My guitar amp 15 watt loud I play it on volume 1-2 max At home band practice or live on stage if I'm alone learning a new song I play unplugged

I got my sister in law a Friedman Runt 20 I took a look inside junk. I will give her a Dumble clone 100 watt low plate classic combo
 
I have a YCV80Q as well! Glad to finally find someone else who has one too. I retubed mine with JJ 5881’s and three 12AX7’s. The previous owner had dropped in 6L6’s and had a 12AT7 in the number 3 slot. The 5881’s made a significant difference in the sound of the amp: it sounds way warmer and more present if that makes sense. Can’t remember what kind of 12AX7’s I put in. I’ll look it up if anyone is interested.

The question I have is whether anyone has the experience of the drive channel being either quieter than the clean channel or only marginally louder when the channel volumes are set to the same level. Normally I keep my clean volume around 5/10 and the drive volume at 10/10 with the gain around 4/10. But if I drop the drive volume to 5/10, and then switch back and forth, the drive doesn’t seem to overtake the the clean. Maybe it’s just my preconceived notion that a drive channel should always be lounder than the clean, which may not be right. Anybody have any thoughts/experience with this? Thanks!
 
Tex said:
The question I have is whether anyone has the experience of the drive channel being either quieter than the clean channel or only marginally louder when the channel volumes are set to the same level. Normally I keep my clean volume around 5/10 and the drive volume at 10/10 with the gain around 4/10. But if I drop the drive volume to 5/10, and then switch back and forth, the drive doesn’t seem to overtake the the clean. Maybe it’s just my preconceived notion that a drive channel should always be lounder than the clean, which may not be right. Anybody have any thoughts/experience with this? Thanks!
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I'd like to try some 5881's but it's not in the budget right now. I have tried changing out a few different 12AX7's but couldn't hear a lot of difference at low volumes. I can't turn it up loud enough at home to give the tubes a good workout. My drive channel is a little quieter than the clean channel. I thought that was what the boost switch was for. I don't use the drive channel that much. At low volumes it doesn't sound very good. I'll play with it a bit when I get a chance and get back to you.
 
Kerry Brown said:
My drive channel is a little quieter than the clean channel. I thought that was what the boost switch was for. I don't use the drive channel that much. At low volumes it doesn't sound very good. I'll play with it a bit when I get a chance and get back to you.
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That’s probably right. My assumption had been that the three channels should be loud/louder/loudest, but it makes just as much sense to have it loud/loud/louder.

On my retube, I think I went with the mid priced recommendation from The Tube Store. They have amp-specific packages put together.

I totally agree with you about this amp at low volume. It may be my forever amp.
 
I'm changing my mind about tube amps too. I am moving totally away from them. My Blackstar is 10 times as versatile as my 59 Marshall SLP ever was. The only thing any of my Marshall's have on my Blackstar is sheer volume...tonal quality??? The Blackstar sounds more like a smooth, valve amp than a real valve amp...and weighs only 20 pounds.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I'm changing my mind about tube amps too. I am moving totally away from them. My Blackstar is 10 times as versatile as my 59 Marshall SLP ever was. The only thing any of my Marshall's have on my Blackstar is sheer volume...tonal quality??? The Blackstar sounds more like a smooth, valve amp than a real valve amp...and weighs only 20 pounds.
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I have a Blackstar 1 watt tube amp that gets more use than any of my other amps :)

A few months ago I went shopping for a new amp to use at small bar venues. I spent quite few hours testing a Roland Blues Cube and a Boss Katana 50 watt. I came home with a 15 watt Fender Pro Junior. The Roland and the Boss (made by Roland) both would have worked. They were very good amps. For me the dynamics of the Fender was better. I should have tried a Blackstar. I have played a friend’s 15 watt Blackstar SS and was pretty impressed with it but a 15 watt SS amp won’t cut it live. I would need at least 50 watts. I’ll have to give a Blackstar 50 or 100 watt a try next time I’m in the city.
 
Kerry Brown said:
I have a Blackstar 1 watt tube amp that gets more use than any of my other amps :)

A few months ago I went shopping for a new amp to use at small bar venues. I spent quite few hours testing a Roland Blues Cube and a Boss Katana 50 watt. I came home with a 15 watt Fender Pro Junior. The Roland and the Boss (made by Roland) both would have worked. They were very good amps. For me the dynamics of the Fender was better. I should have tried a Blackstar. I have played a friend’s 15 watt Blackstar SS and was pretty impressed with it but a 15 watt SS amp won’t cut it live. I would need at least 50 watts. I’ll have to give a Blackstar 50 or 100 watt a try next time I’m in the city.
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Absolutely right!!!

My "studio mule" (read: constantly connected to my DAW) Blackstar is the ID-Core 100 Watt 2X10 with stereo (left to right panning) delay effect. It cost $349.00 new (for comparison, my 2015 Marshall DSL40C cost me $629.00 new) and it just does everything well. My Marshall's are grand and all - and certainly loud enough to do live work....and it totally kills my 1959 SLP for versatility and tonal quality.
 
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Well the last tube amp I had, I sold a year and a half ago it was the Vox AC4C1. I have gone since then totally SS, my Orange 35RT is main practice amp, Fishman Loudbox amp with P.A is my gigging amp. My Vox Rhythm 5 for practice around campfires and my Blackstar Fly 3 for noodling at my Summer home. No more tubers for me. These amps sound just as good as the tube amps in their respected classes are light in weight and reliable.
 
When I got a Mesa/Boogie ,,,,,,,and needed room........
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This has ruined me .............I rarely turn on any other guitar amps
 
Have you posted a new member thread in the "introductions" section of the lobby?
Introductions

This way we can all take shots at ya before you get lost in the thread derailing shuffle that is TTR --------

what was THIS thread about anyway?
 
Kerry Brown said:
I was totally wrong. It is becoming my main practice amp. The cleans are rich and lush even at very low volumes. It is so heavy it won’t see much live use.
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I am not surprised: Even my 200W Mywatt on an 115 (EV15L clone) sound great at home and is surprisingly well tamable - better than some EL84PP amps with their 15 Watts, and with the guitar as well as with the bass. My 150W Dynacord amp as well. Nevertheless i prefer smaller amps at home.

But i would not even think of buying a tube combo with 4x10.... BTW - is it a Fender Bassman alike? Which might reduce to the question if the tone stack is a Fender tone stack...
 
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