Cygnus 30 Watt Orpheus is born

[Cygnus X1]

Built two prototypes, one a channel switcher.
This is the production platform for the extension of the high gain 7 watt.
(2) 12AX7A's, 12AT7, (2) 6L6GC's, 8 ohm output.

Same chassis size as the 7 watt ( 16" x 8" x 2" )
Fuzzy shots.
Several things I MUST improve upon:

Presentation
Sound clips
Videos
Cabinet cosmetics

So this is the only time you'll catch me posting garbage shots
again (if I can help it).



I guess I get way too detailed in my descriptions.
I will write tomes of several hundred words, then get a message:
"Tell me about this amp".

I'm a patient man, but besides pics, descriptions, clips and YT vids...what else can I say?
Similar to the Cygnus-7 but louder and naturally more dynamic.
Quiet, no hum.
Great dynamics.
EASY to service, no biasing or matching needed.
Sounds great throughout the range from clean to high gain.
Cleans up very well on the guitar volume control.
High gain is NOT fizzy, that's what pedals are for.

What else?

It's far too inexpensive for the work and tone that it is!

[Cygnus X1]

High gain hacking, you should get the idea.

Orpheus M88 High Gain

[Hellbat]

Have you ever experimented with lower gain stages, but more of them to kind of go for that Eric Johnson kind of violin tone? I'm always shocked to see an amp advertised as "high gain" with only 2 pre-amp tubes.

[Cygnus X1]

Depends on how one designs the stages.
Two 12AX7's provide a possible four stages from the dual-triodes.
Ever play a Spitfire (for example)?
So, it's 3 dedicated gain stages, plus the last is cathode follower for the tone stack (Bass, Mid, Treble).

That's why I like having the two stages on the dials, it's there!

Dug a cheap assed-delay out of the parts drawer because this is another question I get frequently:
"How well does it take pedals up front"?
Gains are dialed to about 75%.

I know, forget the playing, listen to the tone:

Orpheus with Bich and Delay

Browse the quickly uploaded clips for other tones, clean and some dirt.

[straycat]

Sounds pretty good to me.

[Cygnus X1]

Thanks stray.

Got a message on another board saying "Great amp, but it sounds like garbage..."


Guess it was a pro recording tech.
Fuggemz.
Can't play, so there it is.

[straycat]

As Bill says FUGGUMS!!

[horns666]

As Bill says FUGGUMS!!

Absolutely..look how beautiful that is!!

Fuggin' a Cygs..great work man. Would I need a TS-9 for that...like I did with Mike's Dr Z amps?? I met Joe Walsh at his shop. Hearing him playing the solo to Hotel California for me...well, ..shit!

He was playing a very small amp at the time ..He just made the Carmen Gia (sp) ..named after his kid. Joe was getting that one.

[Cygnus X1]

Thanks William.



It has enough gain so a TS wouldn't have much effect.
I bought some good microphones so more clips are on the way.

[Twitch]

Cyg, that sounds great. I can hear the harmonic dynamics in it. That thing has tone for sure. Pm'ed.

[Cygnus X1]

More clips will be coming.
I had Ruby 12AX7's in the preamp and a JAN Sylvania 12AT7 in the pi.
I like the Ruby's for clarity but I think they lack gain.

Updated pic of the cab in another thread...here it is again:

[DonP]

Great job Cyg. Every time I see one of your threads I'm jealous that I don't have the time to build some of mine.

Curious as to what you are using for channel switching? I've used relays in the past, but they were too noisey.

[Cygnus X1]

Thanks Don...make the time!
It's addictive!



No channel switching on this one.
Gains 1 and 2 are to allow more control over what tone the user wants for gain.
I've built a channel switching version but the user doesn't bother with the
clean side.
He uses an EQ boost and says the clean is so good on the "Cygnus" channel
he doesn't bother with the Blackface Fender clean channel.

[coloradoman25]

Cyg this is the stuff I need to hear man, I wanna buy one but with your other recordings I just simply could not tell what we were dealing with. I believe in your descriptions and peoples first hand accounts, however I never buy anything on someone elses opinion as I like to formulate my own.

As for your cases I pm'd you on the other forum I have ideas to help you and can work with the vented screen area as well but you gotta give me a number to call ya. I dont mean to sound like a prick but im not spending hours typing things out and adding links to try to explain when I could spend a half hour on the phone doin the same thing.

Get the new ones up, and honestly dude get an outside player to do a demo. I know thats gonna come across totally dick, but I just cant hear things with this amp when your doing yonr usual hack through as you called it above. Hell it would be beneficial to send one and let one of the guys here that does recordings do a demo for you. As a good will and to show off your product. There are plenty of trustworthy guys here. I know that you have friends here and on other forums. Let someone do a demo for you.

[coloradoman25]

Oh and before you say anything I cant record and suck as well lol I am not asking to test one out. lol