Cygnus EL34 Hawkings 42 Watt

[straycat]

Old fart syndrome.

[Cygnus X1]

True.

I REALLY should actually take the time to play, and do it right.
Balance is good...

Only one JCF member owns a Cygnus design amp (not you stray...sorry...) and has
not posted clips even though he says he's still thrilled with the amp.
The many others have posted some clips elsewhere, but TBH not much worth passing along.
The reviews speak volumes, but the tape isn't down on these amps just yet.

Your clip of an OD through the radio Champ sounded better than most of those!

[Cygnus X1]

Lots of clams in this clip, but out of the 9 I recorded this one holds the best examples of the tone.

Bear with it please:

https://soundcloud.com/cygnus-1963/cygel34mixed1mp3

[Cygnus X1]

Shameless plug, but I am finally getting some good, verbose reviews.
This one from a new owner of the 2x6V6 approx 20 watt:

"This one showed up at my door and it was in great shape; Kevin packed for WWIII. I installed the tubes, plugged it in and all I can say is "WOW"[IMG]file:///C:/Users/garagepc/AppData/Local/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG] What an amazing amp! The cleans blow me away, a big surprise considering it is technically a "higain" amp. Honestly, they are as good as if not better than my Supersonic 22. And don't even get me started on the gain.

No need for pedals at all with this one, although I've tried out a few and it takes them great! I've really only gotten to use it at bedroom levels since I am currently in college and don't want to upset my neighbors in the apartment next door[IMG]file:///C:/Users/garagepc/AppData/Local/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image002.gif[/IMG] But it just sparkles in every way possible even at low, and I'm talking LOW volumes. I cranked it for about 5 minutes before getting yelled at, but it was phenomenal. I have the feeling that this thing can get loud.

This is my first experience delving into the world of boutique amps but I can say without a doubt it is not my last! Paired with my 65amps 1x12 loaded with a Celestion G12-H30 anniversary edition, this amp sounds big and full and I have nothing but praise for it. It has exceeded my expectations in every way possible!

The amp is very user friendly and the gain structure is quite easy to figure out. One of the best parts about it, I must say is the customer service. Kevin still did all the visual mods I requested, AND he even offered to have a logo drawn up for me (still in progress)! He answered all my questions, and believe you me, I had many. I'm sure I was annoying at times but he was patient with me and he stands by his work. This is my first Cygnus, but I'm sure I'll be back again[IMG]file:///C:/Users/garagepc/AppData/Local/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image003.gif[/IMG] you haven't seen the last of me just yet, Cyg!"


Another user, who owns two Cygnus amps:

"I somewhat recently picked up The Cygnus 30 and shortly after bought the Cygnus 7 from Kevin, who has been an absolute pleasure to work with! I had been curious about Kevin’s amps for a long time now and each time he’s had one for sale it just wasn’t the right time for me to buy. Well, this time I just made it work. Unfortunately I’ve just been in a crazy season of life and haven’t been able to work in the playtime on these amps I was hoping to right away. But I digress….

I’m no stranger to high quality amplifiers. The rest of my stable includes a very nice 5e3 Deluxe clone, 8 watt Phaez Daisycutter, Armstrong (Phaez cousin) P51, and Fender Greta. I used to own an 18 watt Daisycutter as well and have owned numerous high quality amps – Orange, Marshall, Fender, etc.

I’ll start with the Cyg 30. Boy, am I impressed with this amp! I’m running all my amps through a Sourmash 2x12 (Marshall 2061cx specs) loaded with Scumback M75 speakers. I am looking to get another cab, probably a 1x12 as well. It can do just about anything beautifully! It gives my P51 a run for its money when it comes to clean tones and the gain is to die for. It’s the first non-Phaez amp I’ve played that has this kind of wild touch responsiveness like a high quality tube amp should. From the volume, tone, headroom, and touch sensitivity, it’s sort of like Kevin took my entire amp lineup and rolled them into one head. THAT is EXCELLENT.

The Cygnus 7, which I haven’t spent as much time with as the Cygnus 30, is wonderful as well. It’s a great companion to my 8 watt Daisycutter, which I assumed would be the case. They, after all, share the same tube compliment. They both run the same array of octal tubes, single ended, three 12ax7 variant tubes in the preamp. I’ve only tried a 6v6 in it as of yet, but I will definitely try more types as time permits (and Kevin was kind enough to throw in some NICE old tubes to compliment the amp, too). [IMG]file:///C:/Users/garagepc/AppData/Local/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]The tones in the 30 watt are definitely available in the 7 watt version, but perhaps the cleans have a little less sparkle. That is likely attributed to the 6v6 I have in the 7 watt vs the 6L6GC tubes in the 30 watt. I imagine with some tube rolling that will change. There is, obviously, less headroom but for playing at home, that is welcome.

One of the things I love most about both the Cygnus amps is the dual gain controls. They’re interactive, somewhat like the volume controls on my 5e3. Playing with those has been a lot of fun and opened up a wide variety of tonal options.

The quality of his amps aside, I have to say Kevin has been an absolute dream to work with. He’s gone out of his way to make sure I’m pleased with the amps and even threw in some unexpected goodies in the boxes as well. For the insane prices he was offering these amps for, I wasn’t even expecting tubes….let alone EXTRAS. Or VINTAGE tubes! He’s just a top notch guy, it seems. He really cares about these amps and putting out quality gear. I couldn’t ask for more from him. Buy a PCB amp from Guitar Center or Musicians Friend? Who in their right mind would do that when home builders are blowing away cost, quality, and customer service?

Oh, and a picture for good measure…seen here with my Alex Attenuator and Armstrong P51. This picture only shows the Cygnus 30, but they look identical, save for the one extra power tube in the 30 watt. ☺"

[mjtripper]

Yes, I use a 1K 10 watt ceramic resistor with insulated gator clips.
Attach to any plate, or available HV spot and watch it discharge with your meter.
Standby needs to be set to "Play" position.
Make the wire bright enough to see so you don't accidentally leave it connected when powering up!

Safety devices?
Overkill but I have an isolation transformer, a variac, and a light bulb limiter.
Those things are useful for starting up old gear that might be prone to blow up from bad components.
Also handy for starting up fresh builds.
But with the right precautions you shouldn't need all of those.

Research the web for amp building and modding sites, and educate yourself.
I shouldn't sit here and hand out advice on how not to kill yourself when the chassis is open.
I just work slowly and never take chances.
I'm not under the gun for time, so best to play it safe every time.

Last time I shocked myself was repairing my AC/Gas heater unit.
Those motor run caps carry a lot of juice for a very long time!

Another safety tip is to always install bleeder resistors on the filter caps. In addition to everything else - not a replacement for anything as it's just one more safety measure.

[zeegler]

Sounds great man!!

[jgcable]

Hey Kevin, it sounded like I was at a clambake but who cares about the playing... lets talk about tone...lol...
You nailed it bro. That amp sounds fantastic. There isn't anything I don't like about that tone. Well done!!! Bravo!

[Cygnus X1]

Clams!