Hey Guitplayer...

[Philip OKeefe]

From this thread...

 

Originally posted by Guitplayer:

 

Phil,

 

I think that's what it was as well...

 

Another interesting thing...

 

Everyone pretty much played through the UniValve in the "Rock" channel, with the gain about 2 o'clock, and the treble knob about 9 o'clock... (the UniValve being voiced kinda on the brighter side)...

 

I could see Kenny had plugged into the "Roll" channel and had the treble PEGGED. I noticed he was fighting for more volume, and came up and turned off the attenuator, (which even at "full on" still provides some attenuation, but when switched off... gives you full power)...

 

Considering he was using what I would view as a "bright" guitar, the Rick, he got a nice, meaty sound with his "box" helping a bit.

 

I wouldn't have EVER thought to peg the treble control, but it sounded right for the Beatles stuff he was playing... I thought.

 

For all players, I was running the UniValve in LowV... I prefer the "feel" of the amp at the lower plate value.

 

How are you doing with yours Phil?

 

guitplayer

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe:

 

Loving it Guit!

 

Hey, just to get it straight in my head (no pun intended), you were running a 6550 for the power tube and 12AX7's in both V1 and V2 at the BBQ, right? And do you recall which specific tubes? IOW, was it a Mullard 12AX7 in V1, a whatever in V2, ...?

 

And you were running in in LoV? I've only tried that with a 6V6... I'll have to try messing with that with a EL34 for a while. In any event, I'm really surprised by how LOUD it was - and is. I would have thought running at the lower plate voltage would kill some of the volume. You were using a closed back 2X12 cab, right? What speakers did you have it loaded with?

 

Rock input, treble at 9 o'clock, gain at around 2, and I'm assuming the noise reduction was going because I saw the light going on and off. The attenuator was on, but at the max output setting until you killed it completely for Kenny? And do you recall where you had the bass set to?

 

I've got about a dozen various 12V preamp bottles of various flavors (AT's, AX's, AU's, AY's) and they're mostly old Mullards, Telefunkens and other quality stuff. I'm a bit short on output tubes - I have a big case with a ton of tubes in it but I can't find it at the moment. I've just got the stock EL34 and a couple of 6V6's unless I want to grab a GT EL34Ls out of my highly modded Super Champ or a NOS GT 6V6 from my Princeton II. Gotta get more tubes.

 

Yeah, thanks a lot pal - I'm hooked.

I was just hoping you'd see this and respond when you get a chance.

[Philip OKeefe]

Bump.

[michael saulnier]

Sorry I didn't see this right away...

 

But I LOVE talking shop about my UniValve...

 

So to answer your questions...

 

Hey, just to get it straight in my head (no pun intended), you were running a 6550 for the power tube and 12AX7's in both V1 and V2 at the BBQ, right? And do you recall which specific tubes? IOW, was it a Mullard 12AX7 in V1, a whatever in V2, ...?

Yes, I was using a 6550 power tube with a GT12AX7M (the GT Mullard reissue), in V1 and another GT12AX7 (I think a C)in the V2.

 

I have a number of pre-amp tubes and they make a big difference in the output tone. For more of a "bluesy" tone, I like a GT12AT7 in the V2. For more "Marshally" tone, I like EC-83's in the V1 and V2.

 

And you were running in in LoV? I've only tried that with a 6V6... I'll have to try messing with that with a EL34 for a while.

I was running low V the whole time. I really prefer it because of the "spongier" feel that I get... more "touch sensitive" imho. The only tubes that I "prefer" in HiV are 6L6's.

 

Of all the tubes I have, (around a dozen), I prefer the EL-34's least. For some reason they just don't move me the way the "bigger" KT-66, 6550, and KT-88's do... or the way the little 6V6's do.

 

In fact if I ONLY played my amp with EL-34's, I don't know if I would like it as much as I do.

 

In any event, I'm really surprised by how LOUD it was - and is. I would have thought running at the lower plate voltage would kill some of the volume.

In my experiments, the HiV settings DO have a "bit" more volume, but it's only a "little bit"... not enough to make a difference compared to the sonic difference. As you heard, (and are hearing) for yourself, in spite of the "low wattage" rating of the amp, it can hold it's own pretty well, especially on the Rock channel.

 

In my home studio setting, I almost ALWAYS end up running the attenuator... it's just TOO loud otherwise. BTY, with the attenuator knob full "on"... the volume is still attenuated a bit. When you turn the attenuation "switch" off, you get a nice "notch" of additional volume.

 

You were using a closed back 2X12 cab, right? What speakers did you have it loaded with?

Yes, it was a Carvin Legacy extension cab, with 2 Celestion Vintage 30's. It's designed to be used with either a half open or closed back... I happened to have it in the closed back mode at your party.

 

Rock input, treble at 9 o'clock, gain at around 2, and I'm assuming the noise reduction was going because I saw the light going on and off. The attenuator was on, but at the max output setting until you killed it completely for Kenny? And do you recall where you had the bass set to?

Yes, all that is correct, I had the attenuator switch on with the knob at full open until Kenny played. The reason I changed for him, is that I realized to give him the "clean" he wanted, I should run him through the "roll" lower gain channel which isn't nearly as loud as the rock channel. (Kenny, in an attempt to get a cleaner sound out of the rock channel had already rolled back the gain from around 2 o'clock to about 10 o'clock.)

 

As you heard, even through the roll channel, with the attenuation off, it was still pretty loud with the 6550 in it. It wouldn't have been NEARLY that loud with say a 6V6...

 

I've got about a dozen various 12V preamp bottles of various flavors (AT's, AX's, AU's, AY's) and they're mostly old Mullards, Telefunkens and other quality stuff. I'm a bit short on output tubes - I have a big case with a ton of tubes in it but I can't find it at the moment. I've just got the stock EL34 and a couple of 6V6's unless I want to grab a GT EL34Ls out of my highly modded Super Champ or a NOS GT 6V6 from my Princeton II. Gotta get more tubes.

Before I got my UniValve, I knew amps had tubes... and that's about it. When Myles started writing on this forum about how he could tell what an amp was likely to sound like just by knowing what kind of tubes it had... I wondered what he was talking about... Now, with my little tube collection and the UniValve, I KNOW what he means.

 

It's been a fun experience learning about the differences between tubes, and even a bit happy to find that there are differences even between two tubes of the same kind.

 

For example I bet if you took out the 6V6 our of the Princeton II, it would sound a bit different than the other ones you have tried. My Mazda NOS 6V6 is perhaps my "desert island" tube for "classic rock" sounds... especially overdriven.

 

So yeah, "gotta buy more tubes"...

 

I think I need to make a line of t-shirts that say that!

 

Yeah, thanks a lot pal - I'm hooked.

Count me in that group too. I rarely rave over my equipment... well... at least not as much as this.

 

As I've said before, the UniValve is probably the most "musical" piece of music equipment I own... or have EVER own.

 

It IS my sound.

 

Have fun with yours... don't be afraid to ask more questions... or post your own thoughts!

 

guitplayer

[michael saulnier]

Hey, one other thought...

 

I don't know if you've ever actually talked with Myles or know much about him.

 

First, he's got an awesome website and amp based business of his own. www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com

 

What "amplifier blueprinting" is, is measuring all the tubes, output and so on of an amp, so when you change tubes later, you have a "baseline" of the power and performance of the tubes you're using. Then, if you want a "cleaner", "dirtier", "louder" or whatever... you can change tubes tested to bring out those capabilites in your amp.

 

He also does tech work for some top names, including guys like Jeff Beck... yet has time for us here on the guitar forum! Cool.

 

As part of doing that, he met and became friends with the folks at Groove Tubes. They were impressed with him and his knowledge, and they hired him to start a new division at GT to find and provide especially tested tubes...

 

Being that he and you are both "moderators" here... I bet you would hit it off with him immediately.

 

I don't know ANYONE who could help you find great tubes better than Myles, whether they're GT tubes or not.

 

In fact, most of my "collection" came from an e-bay sale I noticed where he was selling a "pack" of tubes.

 

BTW, he was the one that told ME about the UniValve right on this forum... and he is a proud owner of one himself... and says he often lends it to friends for recording projects.

 

Anyway, I bet if you give him a call, he'd be very open to getting together with you and your UniValve and help you find some SWEET powertubes to go with it.

 

Let us know if you hook up with him.

 

guitplayer

[Philip OKeefe]

Thanks Guit - yes, I "asked Myles" a few questions about the Univalve and various different tubes here on the forum, and once on the phone. He's invited me over some weekend to try some different things out. Very cool of him, if you ask me. I'm definitely going to take him up on it as soon as I can get a free weekend day that is good for him too.

 

I really appreciate all of your input. I've been trying a few different things and I'm starting to get a better handle on the Univalve... I've GOT to get some more power tubes - the EL34's are okay (there's definitely a difference between the Sovtek and the GT EL34 Ls tubes - I pulled one out of my Super Champ last night and tried it last night - definitely better) but I still liked the 6550 sound we had at the BBQ even more.

 

The LoV setting worked GREAT for me today with the EL34's - I ran a old Shure ribbon mic (set for High Z) into the Univalve, and mic'ed the cabinet up with a Audix mic... had a harp player play into the Shure and captured the amp and tracked that - instant classic blues harp tone!

 

I'll post more as I try more things. Thanks again for turning me on to such a great amp!

[michael saulnier]

Phil, have you used your UniValve as a pre-amp yet?

 

We didn't get to demonstrate this at your party, but it's actually my most common way of using my UniValve. I have a HotRod Deluxe, which has a PowerAmp In, (which bypasses the HR Deluxe's tone stack and preamp tubes)...

 

The Instrument Level out in the back of the amp can be run at the same time as the regular speaker output... or with no additional speaker output.

 

This could be used in several ways.

 

For example... I often run a delay between my UniValve and HR Deluxe, and go "clean" from the main speaker output on the UniValve to a cab. This gives me both a "wet" sound as well as a "dry" one. I often record with a mic for both... and mix later to taste.

 

Another nice thing about the UniValve/HR Deluxe thing is the PowerAmp In on the HR Deluxe still engages the nice Fender Reverb and Presence control... and of course the 6L6 powertubes and HR Deluxe speaker. So when I use the UniValve for clean sounds with this setup, I get distinctive additional sounds that I can't get with the UniValve alone. AND it makes any concern about the UniValve roll channel too quiet for live playing go away. It's AMAZINGLY loud on either channel... but the good news is that you have a line out knob on the back of the amp that is COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT of the main output and attenuator. So you can have exactly the amount of attenuated (or non-attenuated) signal going to a regular cab, and also have exactly the amount of signal going into your second amp. VERY COOL!

 

Now, with the instrument level output, you CAN also run directly into the main input of any amp with the "right" kind of signal. This sounds good, but I don't prefer having two tone stacks to mess with... I'd rather just have the one on the UniValve. My point is though... you can use the UniValve as a preamp for any amp... with a seperate line in or not.

 

Finally, the UniValve can make a nice clean pre-amp for direct recording... you can switch the instrument level output to "line" level, still have unlimited control with the level knob, and send the "right" signal to a recording device or compressor or whatever. Using a "big" tube like a KT-88 provides VERY warm tones, with a lot of charactor. I don't use this all the time, but the times I have... it's worked great.

 

The only "downside" to this amp is that it's really a "single channel" amp with two different input channels that can't be switched on the fly.

 

So my "dream" rig would probably be a couple of HR Deluxes, (or the 4x10 DeVille's), with a couple of UniValves... one for the ultimate clean, one for creamy overdrive.

 

I'd probably run the clean one with a nice 6550 and the overdrive one with a 6V6...

 

At least MOST of the time!

 

I would only have ONE word to describe that sort of setup...

 

SICK.

 

guitplayer