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March 28, 2024, 04:30:43 PM

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#41
Preamps and Effects / Re: Tube effects loop out int...
Last post by joecool85 - March 20, 2024, 09:08:44 AM
Quote from: monte on March 20, 2024, 08:40:04 AMHi all,

I am quite new to amplifiers, I get the basics but have a little technical question. I just got an Orange Micro Dark hybrid (tube preamp/ SS power amp) that I am plugging into a 2x12 cab and that's quite nice for practicing at home. The Orange MD has an effects loop and I had an idea of splitting the loop signal into wet/dry and sending the wet (mostly for delay) into another practice amp I have, a Roland Cube 20 (an 80s, orange version one) and dry into the Orange power amp (as usual). The thing is, the Roland doesn't have an effects loop, so I would have to send the wet into the amps line in. Is this at all doable? I figure I'd ask before I blow up my Roland, which I like quite a lot.

And in general, is it ok to plug an effects loop out into the line in of another amp (tube or solid state)? From what I understand, the preamp stage of an amp functions in a similar way than an OD/Preamp pedal, so that should be fine?

Any thoughts/concerns/ideas are welcome!

Thank you so much!

While some may not consider it best practice, in reality it shouldn't be a problem at all.  I would do this without hesitation.  The only thing to not do is to hook up the speaker output to the guitar input on another amplifier...that is a very bad idea.
#42
Amplifier Discussion / Re: Score! Crate GX-212 for $7...
Last post by joecool85 - March 20, 2024, 09:01:36 AM
Rock on!  I remember looking at Crate amps when I was a beginning guitarist almost 25 years ago.  I always thought they looked cool.  Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but they sure do get loud!
#43
Amplifier Discussion / Re: Watts vs Volume (db)
Last post by JonnyDeth - March 20, 2024, 08:56:50 AM
The problem with this perspective is ultimately useable volume and wattage when you do a more thorough test of 100 Hz, 1 Khz, and 10 Khz with a sine wave. 1-watt @1 meter is using a 1 Khz sine wave, so it's dB rating isn't always the most reliable in terms of overall performance and projection.

Relative to this is the hardware distorting within a certain pitch range, as well as the speaker. You have to be prepared for potential crossover distortion, and many amps greatly lose efficiency in the lower frequencies at any volume. I agree that the speaker is one of the most important components regarding performance all across the board, and changing speakers may give you better performance and with a few more dB of useable volume, and that's a lot.

You must also take into realization that RMS/Peak wattage isn't telling you a whole lot in again, relationship to 100 Hz, 1 Khz and 10 Khz. Once you incorporate a speaker as the load on the circuit, you aren't dealing with watts, but the VAR of a resonant circuit. This is the precise point at which current and voltage meet in phase, and you get the most power transfer.
I've seen the most efficient systems built by using 100 Hz instead of 1 Khz exclusively to rate a speaker as well as the amp, and the VAR in equivalent effective wattage might be 10 watts compared to a 1 Khz sine wave resonating at 100 VAR(watts), or it might still be 100 VAR(watts) when using a 100 Hz sine wave, and that's phenomenal.

This is the final attribute where you also start to realize efficiency is overrated. I would rather have 100 effective watts of Class-A @ 100 Hz than Class-A/B or worse yet, Class-D. A really well-designed Class-A amp focused on VAR for 100 Hz resonance just as much as 1 Khz will be an animal not much can compete with. It's why some of these really old tube amps that weigh 150lbs will be just 30 or 40 watts, but they can compete with a modern Class-A/B or D that's full blast and rated 200.
#44
Preamps and Effects / Tube effects loop out into So...
Last post by monte - March 20, 2024, 08:40:04 AM
Hi all,

I am quite new to amplifiers, I get the basics but have a little technical question. I just got an Orange Micro Dark hybrid (tube preamp/ SS power amp) that I am plugging into a 2x12 cab and that's quite nice for practicing at home. The Orange MD has an effects loop and I had an idea of splitting the loop signal into wet/dry and sending the wet (mostly for delay) into another practice amp I have, a Roland Cube 20 (an 80s, orange version one) and dry into the Orange power amp (as usual). The thing is, the Roland doesn't have an effects loop, so I would have to send the wet into the amps line in. Is this at all doable? I figure I'd ask before I blow up my Roland, which I like quite a lot.

And in general, is it ok to plug an effects loop out into the line in of another amp (tube or solid state)? From what I understand, the preamp stage of an amp functions in a similar way than an OD/Preamp pedal, so that should be fine?

Any thoughts/concerns/ideas are welcome!

Thank you so much!
#45
Amplifier Discussion / Score! Crate GX-212 for $70
Last post by JonnyDeth - March 20, 2024, 08:35:18 AM
100% American made, 30 years old and with the Crate speakers that replaced the flimsy Celestion Rockets they previously used(I have some of those too). I hit the cabinet with a degreaser, and it's electrically still a beast. They even had the casters for it, but no foot switch which I can easily build if I truly desire one; I don't.

This is probably the most "sterile" of their SS series, but still ear bleeding loud and the wattage is 100% useable when maxed out. I designed my very first distortion pedal directly around this preamp's lead channel, and have used it ever since on every piece of gear including 2024 digital modelers for 15 years now.
I can crank gain through the roof for sweeping and shredding, and don't even have ground buzz and without a noise gate using the overdrive I designed. It gives me something to use in my gym or roll outside onto the deck or into the front yard and rain hell down on my neighbors  ;D
#46
Amplifier Discussion / Re: SZ13C zener replacement fo...
Last post by Tassieviking - March 20, 2024, 08:08:24 AM
That one looks good to use, If you look on Ebay or similar you will find many stud mounted diodes you can use, just make sure you get one with the correct orientation.
The stud mounted diodes are still used but mainly in industrial situations where higher power is involved.
Old car alternators used to have stud mounted diodes in them as well.
I have replaced some that had a 16mm thread on them when I worked as a maintenance electrician for a large manufacturing company.
#48
Amplifier Discussion / Re: SZ13C zener replacement fo...
Last post by joecool85 - March 20, 2024, 07:36:36 AM
Quote from: fazeka on March 19, 2024, 05:11:11 PMThanks Tessieviking for this!

FWIW/FYR: here's the broken one that came out of the amp:



How's this through-hole axial look as a replacement?

Would like a stud mount like the original but me thinks these went the way of the dinosaurs...  :o

Looks good to me!  I think you're right about stud mount, I don't think I've ever seen those for sale in the 20+ years I've been doing this.
#49
Amplifier Discussion / Re: Marshall VS100R transistor...
Last post by markorock37 - March 20, 2024, 01:56:07 AM
That helps, will report back with my findings..
#50
Tubes and Hybrids / Re: Tube Amp Trouble
Last post by saturated - March 19, 2024, 09:37:33 PM
Thanks guys you ROCK  8)



I was gonna name this thread something like the trials and tribulations of tubes
:P
Then it got me thinking about a particular TV show episode.

Then I was gonna post a picture joking that it showed a rare sighting of some of our top ssguitar techs

I can only speculate who is who.  :)

You cannot view this attachment.

 :P