Help with Rocket/express combo

[johndandry]

I built a amp with a Rocket preamp up to and including he 220k into the PI and a Express power section.
Couple of issues, first it sound kinda anemic. Sounds like it needs more gain in the front end. Would I do better aiming for more of a Marshall pre, maybe raise the 1st stage coupling cap (right now 1000p) and maybe messing with the cathode follower resistor to ground (56k)?
Secondly, my presence dosent seem to do much. Need to recheck it. Maybe the anemic sound has to do with power amp gain. It's got volume, all the voltages are correct and the bias is -33v / 43Ma which should be in range. Any suggestions?[/list]

[Blackburn]

Well the Rocket is not very high gain at all. The allure of it being the slightly gritty erotic nature those el84s and tube rectifier. The Express power section needs the Express pre if you want the higher gain sound you're talking about. That's just me. I'm sure if you fiddle with it you may find something you like.

David

[johndandry]

Getting closer. I'm moving slowly to JTM45ish
values is the pre. .01 for the stage 1 coupling, 250p treble cap and 56k slope in the tonestack. .
Sounds a lot better now. Tonight I'm going to try some further changes.
Maybe raise the 1st stage coupling to .02. Also may try
to strap a 1M resistor across the 1Meg treble control to bring it down to 500K, splitting the difference between a Rocket/Vox and a 250k Marshall treble pot . For sure more gain and fatness than before.