Right...by "digital amps" I meant amps tied to digital sources of sound, such as a CD where the analog performance is converted to digital storage and then back to analog and amplified for playback. No fuzz, no static, no white noise, but for some of us, no soul either. My mind knew what I was thinking, but it didn't come off of my fingers that way.

Rusty

 

Actually, this amp uses an EF86 in the lead position (preamp) followed by a couple 12AX7s (ecc83s, to the Brits). The power section is EL-84s, as used in the Vox AC-30 most famously.

6L6s are an "American" tube, used in Fenders primarily, and also in amps like Mesa Boogies.

The "Marshall" sound is a EL34 tube, which has the same socket as a 6L6, but different bias at the plate voltage (assuming plate bias, not cathode bias).

Since this amp is 30W, it uses 4 EL84s. Other amps that use the quartet of EL-84s are often rated at 50W, but that's because they are wired in class A/B, which is much more efficient than pure Class A.

 

In hi-fidelity applications, tubes are somewhat of a novelty. Sort of like vinyl records. Many people prefer them, even though they are technically inferior as far as fidelity goes. People like the way that they color the sound that is reproduced.

As fidelity increases, the color added to the original source that was recorded goes down, and it becomes "truer" to what was originally recorded.


But when you are talking about a guitar amplifier, fidelity is BAD. If the guitar amp perfectly reproduced the incoming guitar signal, then it would sound TERRIBLE. Instead, a guitar amp is an extension of the overall instrument, just as the guitar is with the variables of wood type and pickup variety, and any electrical processing.

An example of this is the loudspeaker used for guitar amps. They are "voiced" to color the sound a certain way. The frequency response of a guitar speaker is really bad-- often it stops at 5KHz or lower.

Contrast this with a home stereo speaker where fidelity is a good thing. A home speaker will have multiple drivers (woofers AND tweeters) to reproduce the full frequency spectrum as much as possible-- 20Hz to 20KHz. Conversely, a guitar speaker will only respond say from 50Hz to 5.5KHz or so. VERY DIFFERENT.

Note that there are never any tweeters in an electric guitar amplifier. (though bass guitar rigs occasionally use them).


Now, with this philosophy of amp-as-instrument, you can better understand why vacuum tubes are used in hi-end guitar amplifiers. Vacuum tubes sound more "musical"-- meaning they are more pleasing to the ear, even if less accurate.


This is particularly the case when the guitar tone sought is "distortion" or some kind of overdriven sound. When a vacuum tube is overdriven, it "clips" in a very musically pleasing way. Clipping, as you may know, is when the amp doesn't have enough power to reproduce the full amplitude of the waveform, so it "clips" off the peaks on the wave forms-- giving the sine waves a slightly flat plateau on top and bottom.

Meanwhile a solid-state amp tends to clip in a very harsh way, and the distortion that results is not very pleasing to the ear.

Vacuum tube distortion is a lot more subtle as well. This is particularly useful where you want a very tiny bit of distortion, like a blues or jazz player might use.

Most people fail to realize that there is always SOME amount of distortion almost always present with electric guitar-- even on "clean" guitar parts like those associated with "Chik'n pik'n" country guitar.

For example, listen to this bit of EXCELLENT playing from Brad Paisley:http://www.drzamps.com/sounds/stingr...c_stingray.mp3

You can hear that this is a "mostly clean" sound, but there is still a considerable amount of distortion present in the signal.


The only music where you will really hear a completely undistorted guitar is earlier music like The Ventures, the Shadows, and all the classic surf music acts (like Dick Dale).


Amplification for electric guitar is a polar opposite from amplification for sound reinforcement or reproduction. With the guitar, it's a part of the instrument intended to impart its own signature to the tone.

With the other cases, it's designed to just reproduce the existing sound, but at higher power.

HUGE DIFFERENCE!


Justin

 

I'm not sure how far back you go, but my favorite Marshall head back in the late 60's was the 200 which used (4) KT88's, my all-time favorite tube; so linear. You could also find them in the larger Sunns and Vox amps. It's a crime what they want for a new Svetlana KT88 these days. ..... or any tube for that matter. They're getting $800 and over for some RF amplifier tubes suitable for amateur radio use.

 

True, the "old" Marshall sound is KT88 or KT66 even. They are awesome tubes.

The EL34 is far more popular, though.

NOS tubes can be VERY pricey. Some NOS Mullards may embarass your mortgage payment!

I'm only 30, at least until later this month


I'm not much of a Marshall guy, but I live the JTM45 and older Plexi tones for certain styles. It seems like every new Marshall makes me like them less and less. Let's just say that Marshall and I are headed opposite directions, tonally.

I'm discovering the virtues of low gain and lower power-- and having a lot more fun doing it.

JH

 

Yes-- military move for a tour there.

 

All the tube guys will tell you that tube amps sound better. (even if they don't)

[putting on fire suit]

Edwin

 

Since music is a hearing art, "better" is in the eye of the beholder.

There are plenty of times when solid state is "better".

Just not in MY case

 

OK folks, an update on the purchase that coulda bought a SPS66 AND a Helix Cam!!

It came yesterday! WOO HOO! You simply can't believe how good this amp sounds. Guys are selling off vintage Fenders left and right after trying this amp..

Here's a quick pic (albeit crappy):


Mine is a slightly different color than in the lead post. Also note the logo change as "Stingray" had some kind of trademark problems, so "Stang Ray" is what it is now.

I've played this amp so much in the last two days that I'm physically exhausted from all the adrenaline I'm about to fall asleep playing! This thing sounds almost too good to be true.

Now to address the little problem of not playing as well as this amp deserves....