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**jgcable** · 10-25-2005, 10:27 PM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

I am thinking that the G-Major might be a great addition to this rig because I believe it has an EQ in it. It seems that lots of SP-77 users have a G-Major in their rack.

**Cleveland Metal** · 10-25-2005, 10:58 PM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

The "digital" parametric in the G-Major is "nice" to have, but truly isn't a good representative of a true parametric like a TC-1140 or a furman. Just good for mild tweaking here and there IMO. There is something interesting about the TC and Furman that can make a somewhat sedate amp chug and crunch nicely.

Buy the G-Major, because it is one of the best time based effect units around for the money, and not so much for the EQ in it.

Although I also had very high hopes for the EQ, it is merely "nice" to have in that unit, and sadly isn't really "the" selling point of that unit.

**rstites** · 10-26-2005, 12:37 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Try the SP-77 through the power section of one (or several) of your heads too, just to see how the power amp is affecting your overall sound. I've always thought the power section of an amp (or the power amp in a rack system) is what really determines how much low end you have.

I used an SP-77 into a Mesa 50/50 for several years in a rack system and it sounded very good. Add some decent effects and it really came alive. I liked some chorus or reverb with the clean to liven it up a bit. I'd run straight on the overdrive channel for heavy rhythms, and would kick in some reverb or a touch of delay and a volume boost for leads.

I had a G Major with mine for a while and it made a nice compact rig. The G Major could handle the channel switching, had a decent built in tuner, and most of it's effects are very usable, if none of them are outstanding. I've also used the trusty old Intellifex in that rig with good results, but then needed a bigger rack with channel switching, tuner, etc. (Though the Intellifex does do reverb and chorus better than the G Major. It just lacks all the other features.)

**jjw** · 10-26-2005, 01:10 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Yep the clean channel is realy good on these preamps,soon as i got mine i was playing status quo songs..lol.The higher gain channel is silent when spanked too!The EQ on these things are fucking useless-i find the treb one unuseable on high gain.I got around this by using a pod pro to tweak the EQ and add reverb and delay.Its one of those preamps where you have to tweak the hell out of it to sound good,but worth it in the end
One minor problem needs solving too
The output on the clean and overdriven(seperate dials)are not perfect.I find to get the best tone you have to drive the output hard untill it nearly clips my pod-when i do this on both channels there is a big volume dif between the two channels.going to have to tweak it a bit more and look at the tubes to see what condition there in

**hippietim** · 10-26-2005, 06:36 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

John - I've not tried the SP77 I have in the 2502 but I know that it sounded better with the 2150 (KT-88's) than with the 9200 (5881's).

**hippietim** · 10-26-2005, 06:44 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

oh, the 2502 is EL34 based.

**Cleveland Metal** · 10-26-2005, 07:02 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Well Tim, that might be more brand based than tube based differences. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

**jgcable** · 10-26-2005, 07:25 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

The lack of big bottom could be the T100 although the SP77 is the only preamp so far that I have used that wasn't bottom heavy. A few years ago I was running a Carvin Quad X preamp with the T100 and I was getting SUPER chunk. Then again.. the Quad X has 13 preamp tubes! THe only thing I didn't like about the Quad X was the tiny degree of fuzz in the gain channels. I HATE FUZZ. I agree with Justin. The EQ on the SP77 gain channel isn't the most reactive EQ I have ever used but then again I am used to the active controls of the Mark III.
Regarding Justin's comment on the volume swell... I noticed that too when using my Boss GT-6 as the effects processor. You have to drive the GT-6 too hard to the point of clipping. Then, when you change channels on the SP77 you get a nasty volume swell. When I switched to my pedal board the volume swell was gone. Channel switching is faster and more seemless than a Vetta. That volume swell also occurred on my Mark III when using a modeler as an effects processor.
I went back down to my studio late last night after giving my ears a break to give the rig a second go around.
It sounds good. Extremely articulate. Another thing I noticed is that there is absolutely NO hint of fuzz in the gain channel. It reminds me a little of the tone that Twisteramps posted a while back of an 18w Marshall clone he built. Its just true pure tube gain. There isn't a hint of SS in the tone although it is high gain. It also sounds a little like Richie Sambora's tone in Slippery When Wet and it has a degree of VH1 in it too. This actually could be "my" tone. That would be a first!

**Cleveland Metal** · 10-26-2005, 08:07 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

I never thought of that preamp as having a ton of low end. That wasn't exactly the focus at the time it was designed and it does what was going on at the time pretty well. Nothing some creative EQ-ing won't help a bit. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

**Soloist1** · 10-26-2005, 08:40 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

John what does it have in it as far as preamp tubes go?

**jgcable** · 10-26-2005, 08:56 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
John what does it have in it as far as preamp tubes go?

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't open her up to check but at least I am consistant. I haven't opened up the T100 either!! For all I know they could be original.

**jgcable** · 10-26-2005, 09:00 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
I never thought of that preamp as having a ton of low end. That wasn't exactly the focus at the time it was designed and it does what was going on at the time pretty well. Nothing some creative EQ-ing won't help a bit. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear you on that. I am going to start researching good EQ's both parametric and graphic. I was also thinking that BBE might be worth looking into. I have room for 2 more 1RMS units.

**Chuckracer** · 10-26-2005, 09:04 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

It sounds like you may want to think about a nice set of tubes for both the Soldano and the Carvin power amp, and a bias set on the Carvin before you start throwing EQ's and stuff at it.

**jgcable** · 10-26-2005, 09:27 AM

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds like you may want to think about a nice set of tubes for both the Soldano and the Carvin power amp, and a bias set on the Carvin before you start throwing EQ's and stuff at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your right Chuck. I should probably invest in a bias probe and do it myself.

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Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

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