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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:19 pm |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
I almost built that circuit a ways back, so i am actually pretty into the fact that Ceriatone is offering it now, as well. Porcupine Tree kind of sucks though, sorry.
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:35 pm |
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Snaxocaster
Simethicone
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:00 pm Posts: 11625 Location: McMurdo Research Station
Yes/No: Yes
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
I've long been somewhat curious about the Hot Cat. I like the concept.
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:44 pm |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:22 pm |
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Snaxocaster
Simethicone
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:00 pm Posts: 11625 Location: McMurdo Research Station
Yes/No: Yes
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Rated at clean wattage perhaps, like the AC30?
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:24 pm |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
It is all about the lowish voltages it runs at and the way it is biased. In the same way, if i put a pair of 6L6s into my homebrew, it will only give me 25-30ish watts. Same thing with the Trainwrecks with the lower voltages. A pair of EL34s for (a very loud) 30-ish watts.
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Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:34 pm |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Fuck it... its too complicated to compare wattage ratings between different amps.. even harder when you compare wattages between different companies... Im pretty sure if I throw a mic in front of my cab I'll be just fine for any live situation
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Thu Aug 19, 2010 12:37 am |
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Sardocasm
Tsardocasm
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:23 pm Posts: 1649 Location: Cupcakes
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
I approve of Hot Cats.
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Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:06 am |
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Snaxocaster
Simethicone
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:00 pm Posts: 11625 Location: McMurdo Research Station
Yes/No: Yes
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Honestly, unless you need the clean headroom for br00tz, you'll be fine with most things live as long as you can hear yourself over the drummer.
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Thu Aug 19, 2010 2:41 pm |
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GnarlySheen
Jeremiah Johnson
Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:28 pm Posts: 5025 Location: Obama
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Have you played one before?
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Fri Aug 20, 2010 12:49 pm |
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Broseidon
Walrus meat
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 8:22 pm Posts: 7769 Location: Cambrodia.
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Okay, I have read somewhere (I'm fairly positive it was Guitar World) that the AC30 and similar amps are both class A and AB and they are constantly changing or some such shit. Is this due to the voltage being lower with high power tubes?
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Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:52 am |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
It is a somewhat complex thing that has to do with what voltages the amps run at, and also how the tubes are biased. A lot of amps that are sold as "Class A" circuits, actually operate as Class AB under various operating conditions. For electrical engineers, the operating class is important. For guitarists, it is absolutely not, IMO. Just pick the amp that sounds best to you.
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Sat Aug 21, 2010 10:47 am |
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Broseidon
Walrus meat
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 8:22 pm Posts: 7769 Location: Cambrodia.
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Ah, alright.
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Sat Aug 21, 2010 11:38 pm |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
when I have the money i will have
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Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:45 am |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Is this doable as a first amp build? I understand Ri=V and I have been reading everything i can find on amp building, grounding techniques, calculating voltages, where and where not to run wires... plus I have ALOT of time to keep on reading and learning while I get enough money to by the amp kit. I plan on practicing with my Carvin by preforming minor mods, and get used to working around large voltages and currents. Plus I'm pretty confident that with proper preparation I should be just fine. Mainly I'm asking is because the difference between the kit and the completed amp is $250
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:24 pm |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Wellll... It is a pretty complex build for a first one, IMO. And it is a pretty high gain amp, which makes it even more difficult for a first one. I mean you *could* do it... But, it would be very easy to screw up at half a dozen different spots. Also, Nik is a pretty helpful guy, but the kit really is not one that comes with anything more than the layout diagram, as far as instructions go. Actually, some folks might have trouble building a Hotcat, as a third or fourth build, even. Depends on how easy building comes to you, and how patient and careful you are.
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:22 pm |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
well, you haven't scared me enough not to at least keep doing super thorough map building research. But out of curiosity, what could go wrong with a hi-gain build? As far as I have read (which isn't much really yet), if I am going to have a problem it probably will be in the form of noise, which should be resolved and avoided with careful grounding, carefully choosing where to run the wires around the amp and making sure I make super awesome connections.
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 9:27 pm |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
With high gain versus lower gain builds? Noise, yes. As you say proper grounding and soldering are 100% crucial. Also, the potential for parasitic oscillation issues increases many-fold. You will need to be very patient and very precise. Every wire in the amp will need to be routed to go exactly where it should, and to do so with as little wire as you can get away with. Certain parts may require the use of shielded cable. You cannot be even slightly sloppy with the work anywhere if you want a quiet and reliable build. Certain wires will have to be run separately from other wires, even when both are basically going to the same places. Unless you have someone there with you to point out specifically which things are like that as you go, it probably will not be something that is obvious to you as you build, and you could make some mistakes just due to not knowing how certain things are interconnected, beyond the actual solder joints. Worst case scenario, assuming it basically goes together okay from the basic construction standpoint, you may find that you spend forty plus hours building the thing, only to learn that the distortion sound is totally garbage due to a parasitic oscillation that is not visibly obvious. You could spend several times the length of time it took to build the amp in the first place, troubleshooting. You may even have to tear out a section of the amp and rebuild it from scratch to address some issue. It is not impossible, but the "trial by fire" learning curve is going to be steep. Is there a good amp tech somewhere local to you that you could, in a worst case scenario, take a broken DIY build to to have him sort it out for you?
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START YOUR OWN RELIGION TODAY.
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 9:58 pm |
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knope
The guy from the place with the thing. The one with the stuff.
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:37 pm Posts: 1400
Yes/No: No
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
So basically you are saying if I'm careful/a perfectionist/crazy/and do research on amp building and minor mistakes that could make big problems and have a plan B, go for it? I have heard of a few good techs on the island.
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:48 pm |
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chris_d
Winston Wolf
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:32 pm Posts: 11362 Location: ruining everything.
Yes/No: No
Less/More: More
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Re: I am currently 200% sure my next amp is going to be...
Absolutely. I personally think that everyone should build everything for themselves that they can. It is a good thing to know how to do, and then using the stuff you built to make music you wrote is just stupidly satisfying. BUT. I don't want anyone to just dive in headfirst without knowing what the risks and potential frustrations are, especially for something as expensive, and high voltagey, as a tube maplifier. The biggest thing that i found was just reading everything. I found a couple of forums that i liked, and i just read back through several years worth of posts, troubleshooting, design problems, whatever. And then i read everything that people suggesting solutions posted, and every article that they posted about technical stuff, etc etc. By the time i did my first build, i had read so much stuff, the build just flew by. It was actually kind of a letdown, almost too easy. But, then i blew an OT a few weeks later, so i got to mess with it some more.
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START YOUR OWN RELIGION TODAY.
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Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:13 pm |
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