Amp annoyance

[Black Mariah]

I have this Carvin MTS3200 that I love the tone of, until I try to be heard over drums or record at high volume. Once the master volume hits 5 or so, it quits getting louder and instead just gets more distorted. By around 7 or so I get the same sound that I can get out of my f**king Peavey Renown with a Zoom pedal through it. TOTAL ASS!




Silly images aside, that's what it sounds like. Take a good amp, crank the hell out of it, then throw a s**tty distortion pedal in front of it. I'm not running it with the preamp up to 10 either. It usually hovers around 3-5.

Would new power amp tubes help? Currently it's equipped with Sovtek 5881's. It can also handle 6L6GC's and EL34's. All I'm wanting is something that won't fold at high volumes like the amp currently does. I read Pete's guide up at the top, but it didn't help me for this situation much.

[ June 22, 2003, 10:33 PM: Message edited by: Black Mariah ]

[toejam]

Re: Amp annoyance

Maybe someone on the Carvin board can help you. http://apps.carvin.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

[Twisteramps]

Re: Amp annoyance

You'll get more clean headroom with 6L6GCs or with EL34s. talk to Bob at www.eurotubes.com and see if he can fix you up with some KT88s for that thing... warning, they are quite a bit more expensive than 6L6s, but should give you more clean headroom.

Another idea is to check what tubes your amp uses for the phase inverter - if it's using a 12ax7, put a 12au7 in there! That will drive the power amp well enough, but be cleaner. Or you can use a cleaner tube in your first preamp slot - 12au7 or 5751.

Pete

[Black Mariah]

Re: Amp annoyance

[img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] You're not kidding in the least. Wow, ouch, damn. That.... that hurts. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I might give the 6l6GC's a shot first off. That slightly scooped sound is music to my ears. I think my amp sounds pretty good, but clean headroom is becoming a neccesity. All three of us wear earplugs when we practice, and none of us can hear the guitar. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Once I finally get loud enough, it sounds like... well, you know. Thanks for the help, guys.

[jgcable]

Re: Amp annoyance

You mentioned that you like a scooped sound. Make sure that you have your mids up when playing live. A scooped sound (low or no mids) will thin the sound out everytime. When you are playing alone or at low levels scooped mids are great. When you are live and loud with another guitar player you have to boost your mids to cut through the mix. It doesn't sound as "good" as being scooped but in a live an loud band setting it works out great.

[charvelguy]

Re: Amp annoyance

Buy rack stuff with a solid state power amp of about 200 watts/side, problem solved.

[Black Mariah]

Re: Amp annoyance

Dude, with the mids dimed this amp still falls on its ass. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I wa reading the Carvin forum last night and the dudes there were talking about how they usually gig with the master around 5 and I'm thinking "Do you even HAVE a drummer, let alone one that beats the hell out of them?" [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] So many options, so little money...

And I'd get a power amp to go along with my Rocktron ProGAP, but I can't find one cheap enough (less than the cost of a new Sunn amp).

[charvelguy]

Re: Amp annoyance

tube works 962.. less than a 150.00 easy on ebay.
There are a bunch of the Rocktron velocity 120 power amps on the Music Go Round used gear website as well..you could get one for probably about 130.00, maybe less if you hit them about 110.00-120.00 depending on the store and how long they've had it. They reduce the price after a 2-3 months, 10-20%. If it's been there about 5-6 months ,you can edge it 30-40% off what theyre asking.

If you contact anyone.. call the store and ask how long they've had it sitting around, if you emnail them, it usually takes them forever to get back to you.

[jgcable]

Re: Amp annoyance

What type of cabinets and speakers are you running through?

[taxistationary]

Re: Amp annoyance

Jgcable is right on the money. When my band would hold band practice, i always felt i was being covered up sound wise by everyone else. The reason for that was that i was scooping my mids. Now, i crank mids! and although my amp sounds like sh*t, i'm heard!! But the reason my amp sounds bad is because my preamp crappy. Hope that helps.