I finally scored an Ecstasy 101B!

mrbush

Member
Oh my god you guys. So after multiple failed attempts and one horrendous experience I have finally got my hands on a Ecstasy 101B!! This model is from 1998 and has definitely seen some miles on her, but regardless I'm pretty stoked! If any of you have any tips or settings you'd like share please do. This amp is so versatile I'm sure I'll need to spend a lot of time with this amp to fully figure everything out.

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Congratulations try using gain on clean as the volume and the volume maxed. Old secret that puts that channels design fairly in the BF camp, and sounds much better to most this way.
They used tapered pots and so the EQ can be set low and not be ‘subtracting’ so much. Lukather uses his 101b with the TMB on red/blue all set between 9 oclock and 11 oclock.
Remember as well that not all EL34 work well in those because high plate voltage. Ruby bht is what Bogner recommended, though they often come with JJ which can handle it too.
Lastly, when you switch to half power on that amp you should cut speaker ohms along with it.
A 98 is a great year for those. Good job.
 
Same year as mine!!!! Congrats man!!

If you switch to class A, I recommend running the amp on a variac at 115VAC because if your wall voltage is any higher, you’ll run into a bias runaway scenario.

Check to make sure it has the mercury magnetics iron, amps of that year should be loaded with them.

I’ll send some settings you way with what I like to use. I found it to be a fairly hard amp to dial in - I’d set something I thought I liked, come back the next day and still need to change a few things. I’ve got if where I like it now though - all is good.

Post some clips!!

Edit: I just realized yours didn’t come with a Class A/AB switch.
 
Congratulations try using gain on clean as the volume and the volume maxed. Old secret that puts that channels design fairly in the BF camp, and sounds much better to most this way.
They used tapered pots and so the EQ can be set low and not be ‘subtracting’ so much. Lukather uses his 101b with the TMB on red/blue all set between 9 oclock and 11 oclock.
Remember as well that not all EL34 work well in those because high plate voltage. Ruby bht is what Bogner recommended, though they often come with JJ which can handle it too.
Lastly, when you switch to half power on that amp you should cut speaker ohms along with it.
A 98 is a great year for those. Good job.
Oh cool, I know that trick from other amps so I’ll give it a try. I’ll have to check to see what kind of tubes the previous owner put in. What kind of sound difference would tubes other than what you mentioned make?
Same year as mine!!!! Congrats man!!

If you switch to class A, I recommend running the amp on a variac at 115VAC because if your wall voltage is any higher, you’ll run into a bias runaway scenario.

Check to make sure it has the mercury magnetics iron, amps of that year should be loaded with them.

I’ll send some settings you way with what I like to use. I found it to be a fairly hard amp to dial in - I’d set something I thought I liked, come back the next day and still need to change a few things. I’ve got if where I like it now though - all is good.

Post some clips!!

Edit: I just realized yours didn’t come with a Class A/AB switch.
Thanks 😊 I’ve heard about the mercury transformers, how do I check and know for sure?
 
They should be labeled on each core with an ID tag, should be able to take the back off and see?
 
My settings through Greenbacks. See if you like these?
 

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The mercury loaded ones just seem to have a really different tonal variation to them, just more sinister and modern. I sought one out when looking for a 101B.

When I swapped my 5150 to a mercury OT it changed the bass response and overall character for the better. I have no doubt the huge B+ combined with the MM iron is what gets these late 90’s models going like no other. The Bogner is probably the loudest amp I own - way, WAY louder than my 74 Marshall. Still undecided with the 71 Superbass, I have a feeling the B+ on it is massive just like the Bogner
 
Hi guys, I have got one yesterday and I have to say that's one impressive amplifier. However I have noticed that there is sound coming from inside the amp. Its high pitch ice picking like resonance sound when I hit the strings, especially on red channel. I heard that in my previous amps but this one is twice as loud. I'm using Boss Waza TAE for recording in my room and this sound is pretty distracting. Is it normal in this amps.
 
I forgot to mention that this kind of rattling sound increases as I increase volume. When I lower the volume at 12o'clock and lower it disappears but I lose that sweet power saturation
 
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