Oh, 1 more thing missing on the Rocket..(+ KF flyer & cl

[rooster]

Clyde - Cool, I understand. The only question I have then is whether or not you have a bias probe type device for EL84s? My thought is that you might better monitor the EL84s then so that you could change that cathode resistor to a value that would really alter their performance. Changing from 50 ohms to 56 ohms is not really a change then, that's what I'm saying. If you guys were a/b-ing cathode resistors and you went from 50 to 65, then I think you might hear a difference. I mean, if the tubes you were trying this swap on with the 50-56 ohm resistor were pulling, say 55 mas, the resultant change would maybe see 52 mas. Easily I can say no one would hear this difference, Clyde. Well, I am stating that I couldn't anyway.

No, the resistor change needs to be more 'radical' I think to hear a change in audio with a quad of EL84s in Class A PP.

Any, I will post some clips here of my AC30 and my Rocket. These are biased at 39 ma per tube and 36 ma per tube, respectively. Maybe they might be of some worth in this discussion. Over and out, then. BTW, I hope that your wife knows how lucky she is.

[Clyde]

Actually Rooster you can hear the difference between 56R and 50R. 50 is louder, 56 brighter. Using the 50R resistor, each EL84 is dissipating 15.8 watts at idle, 56R yields 15.08 watts. Yeah they're smokin' hot but they sound superb. I don't expect any premature failures but tube life may be shorter than normal.

[rawnster]

BTW, I hope that your wife knows how lucky she is.

You dudes are nasty!

[rooster]

rawnster, yeah, some levity is a good thing in this dark hole.

Here's the Trainwreck flyer that Ken sent me in '91 or '92. He added a red flyer that had prices and was all about the Rocket. Unfortunately it is printed on red paper so is very hard to make a decent copy of. I'll include it later. RJ?

[rooster]

OK, here's some clips of my Rocket. Simple stuff, not a Rock player and not a Demo guy. This is with the tubes biased at 36 mas and thru my Vox 2/12 cab equipped with a Silver Bell and a Blue Dog - both alnico. I'm using a Strat. I will try to do the AC30 as well but this was work...

No verb, no nothing, if you missed that.

[tweedeluxe]

Nice! What is your recording setup?

[angelodp]

could you post an airbrake on your rig, fully cranked.

ange

[Clyde]

Rooster, what's your plate voltage and cathode resistor value? Thanks.

[rooster]

tweedD - Thanks! Clyde, its listed on the voltage chart for the Rocket and is 330 plates, with a 75 ohm cathode reisitor. Er, I don't have an Airbrake, BTW, angel.

[angelodp]

Thanks rooster, BTW your Rocket sounds great, very close to what I built from what I hear. I have an Airbrake and it does allow me to get this pretty well cranked. Nice amps huh.

best Ange

[Clyde]

Rooster, I think you should be running those tubes a little hotter, say about 14 watts, Rawnster's amp is right on the money, mine's a little hot but I'll probably not change it. I've seen posts where plate voltages are listed at 305 and 315 volts. Some amps in Gary's list are below 300, some below 290, getting down there. What power transformers are being used here-the Tonesluts? I'm running an extra tube off mine too (EF86).

[DustyBadlands]

Sounds great! I like the 12:00 setting best. DB

[CapnCrunch]

Hey Rooster:

Nice clips, and thanks for taking the time to record and share them. You have more talent at both recording and playing then you give yourself credit for. It's interesting how different all the Rocket clips sound. Your clips definitely capture the grittier side of the amp. Rawnster's clips were down right "pretty" comparatively. Fishy posted some clips a while back that were more on your end of things.

[rooster]

Thanks Capt! ....But seriously I am just not the guy who demos gear solo. I was trying to let the amp be heard and it really helps if you ignore the wanker playing. But your kindness is noted.

OK, Clyde, I am listening but here I think we need to ask rawnster if his demos are with the gtr potted down or up - and at what moment. He has a really beautiful soft stroke thing that works when he turns his gtr down and strums lightly. I played his amp and I think it is a great example of a Rocket. HOWEVER - if you asked him about it, he has said he wished he had more headroom. As far as I know he is checking out different cathode resistors right now to see if this changes things. Me, I am just slugging away at the gtr with a relatively heavy hand for the demo, trying to expose its underlying character. Really, I was not trying to confuse or alter things by playing softly. Now, I could do that, and pot way down, and get the types of tones the rawnster gets - because he played my amp and did this.

Any, I appreciate your thoughts here but I think my amp distorts plenty like it is for my tastes. Either way, no matter how you dial it in, the circuit is capable of some very lovely chime in spite of its typically gritty nature - and damned if that 'chime' factor isn't always a constant thought as a goal. !!! For me, 'gritty/clean chime' is a supreme balancing act of player/gtr/amp/speaker - not something easily arrived at - even with an amp that has this basic character. Do you all hear what I am saying??????????

A Heyboar PT, slightly different model than TS, and a JCM800 OT with a primary impedance of 3600 ohms, the type you can buy from Triode. And, BTW, the OT still only has about 20 hours on it, and, wheras it says 'Made In USA' - Triode is not telling me where it came from. CEDist sells this as well, and they are not telling me either. Take a look at the pic on Triode somebody - can you tell me who made this? And here I thought Triode made their owns trannys!! They don't, and this includes that 470 Dynaclone they sell. Weird to learn this, actually, but I like the tranny. I do not have your MM budget, Clyde, but my thought here is that 4 EL84s in Class A PP are beating the shite out of any OT they see. I for one would not want to do a blind test in any case.

[Clyde]

Hi Rooster, your amp sounds great and don't apologize for the wanking, we're all guilty of that, esp. me. At least you do your own demos. Your amp isn't class A, sorry to say, AB like all the rest. I don't think it'll distort more running higher static dissipation, it'll just sound better. Try a 62 ohm cathode resistor, or a 56, or a 50!