Tube amp ?

[Riffmeister]

At what point on the volume knob are you actually driving the power tubes? And does it get to the point that once they are driven , they sound the same once you get past that or do they get driven more as long as you keep turning the volume up.

Like my amp seems like it has to be on at LEAST 5 before it sounds good, but would it sound any better on 7 Or 8 ?

[terrax]

Re: Tube amp ?

every amp is different, you can get a thd hotplate and find out where the breaking point is without going deaf.

Dave

[Twisteramps]

Re: Tube amp ?

One thing too is past a certain point, if you have much gain in the preamp your tone is going to sound really flatulent - very farty in the low end and not tight at all. This is why most high gain amps have such tight power amp sections - the distortion tone is generated at the front end (ie preamp) instead of the back end. A few examples -

Most mesa boogies - front end driven
VHT - front end
modern high-gain marshalls - front end

plexi to JCM800 marshalls - back end

etc... this is also why older amps get that 'creamy' distortion that is so hard to generate with the newer amps - it's a blend of power tube and a lower gain preamp saturating instead of several preamp tube stages saturating the hell out of each other.

Pete

[DeathIsMyJustice]

Re: Tube amp ?

power tube gain = best gain IMO

Rar!

[Riffmeister]

Re: Tube amp ?

Ok my next ? Is... Will my 50 watt head be too loud turned up to about 6 on stage? The clubs around here are not real small, but they aren't huge either.

It's the first time I'm going to be using it our and it is LOUD as anything in my bedroom so I'm hoping that just being in a larger room, that it won't be too loud. It's still a bit loud at practice, but the basement is fairly small.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Tube amp ?

50 watts is plenty

[Riffmeister]

Re: Tube amp ?

Not will it be loud enough, will it be too loud?

[Chuckracer]

Re: Tube amp ?

You're not gonna know till you're there where your volume will wind up.
Some rooms you can't turn up at all, other rooms you can let her breath.
If your tone demands your master volume is at a certain place, you're in for a ride.

[Riffmeister]

Re: Tube amp ?

Chuck,

Aren't all tube amps like that though? Did you ever have any problems with the Soldano being too loud? My amp starts to sound ok around 4 and 5 -6 is pretty decent sounding. I have a switch on it that changes the tubes from pentode to triode or whatever and it makes the thing sound prety good at a lower level, BUT The clean channel is starting to break up quicker than I like at those volumes.

I want to switch it back to the 50 watt mode and see if I get some more headroom with the clean channel like that. It has to be up around 4 anyway to be heard over a drummer so I'm guessing that I'm not gonna be THAT MUCH too loud if I crank it a bit.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Tube amp ?

Oh yeah. All tube amps have a point at where the output tubes are starting to get nice and round and work a bit, and the transformers are pumping. The SLO has spent most of its life with two output tubes in it so I could get to the sweet spot on the masters a tad sooner. As far as overall volume though, it is a pretty subtle difference. The biggest difference I noticed was as you mentioned, losing headroom for the clean stuff.

[Inazone]

Re: Tube amp ?

In my rehearsal studio, I run my 50W Peavey Classic's master volume at 6-7, as our drummer triggers his kick and toms. I don't think you'd have a problem with being too loud on stage, although it depends on if your amps are going to be miked to run through the PA.