Amps that run near 100% dissipation like the Cameron CCV?

[rcm78]

Running in Class A is going to be different than running Class AB. Class A has a slower attack, less punch and more harmonics if everything else is equal.

My amp feels like the attack is faster. The punch is smoothed out though.

 

[stephen sawall]

Faster attack does not surprise me too much....it would be slower if everything else was exactly the same. The over all design could be made faster or slower. Class AB being faster attack and more punch is just normal.... Not a rule.

.....................................

Some people prefer the sound & feel of hotter bias. I don't..... But I tend to run my power amp louder than most people. I much prefer poweramp overdive to preamp distortion most of the time. I use amps with no master volume a lot. When I said lower volumes above I am taliking about 9-1o'clock.... High volume would be running the master in the 3-5 o'clock range.

All this stuff is just personal taste....

 

[scottosan]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

 

[Racerxrated]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

 

[Nigel]

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

Yeah, exactly. I'll pay $30 every couple of weeks to sound the way I want.

 

[scottosan]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

 

[Racerxrated]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Lol. My only experiences with tubes dying were 2, an SLO that kept shorting a fuse due to bad tubes and that deliverance I mentioned. Personally I find that sweet spot within range anyway, hotter sounds worse when you go way up there with biasing. At least in the amps I've had. But to each their own. I don't know if I'd take the chance...but if the OP found an amazing tone with the bias set that way, I'd be tempted too. After all, that's what its all about right?? EVH fried how many transformers back in the day? Lol

 

[psychodave]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

 

[Zachman]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

He answers the phone, when I call him.

 

[scottosan]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

you are assuming he is using off the shelf transformers.

 

[scottosan]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

He answers the phone, when I call him.

i find say he couldn't answer a phone. I'm stating that as a business man he's got a long way to go

 

[psychodave]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

you are assuming he is using off the shelf transformers.

The CCV's use Mercury magnetics transformers. The model number is located on each transformer.

 

[Zachman]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

you are assuming he is using off the shelf transformers.

The CCV's use Mercury magnetics transformers. The model number is located on each transformer.

 

[Zachman]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

He answers the phone, when I call him.

i find say he couldn't answer a phone. I'm stating that as a business man he's got a long way to go

I highlighted what you said, and what I was responding to.

 

[psychodave]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

you are assuming he is using off the shelf transformers.

The CCV's use Mercury magnetics transformers. The model number is located on each transformer.

Of course they won't sell them to just anyone.

 

[Zachman]

I swear to god, I had KT77's biased near 100% in a Zinky with 2K screen resistors and about 550 B+ and I heard the voice of God.

Note to self.... DO not buy any amps from Nigel

This seems to me to be nothing more than a risk associated with burning tubes out much quicker, no? I've put kt88s in a deliverance to re bias and before I could turn it off the ma shot up to 98....tube fried. But no issues after adjusting the bias screw down and putting different 88s in there. Previous owner had the bias maxed, and my new 88s were obviously hot.

right and transformers never get taken out by shorting tubes, right? I'm sure nothing a call to Mark won't solve. I hear he's really responsive and are great with communication

Why would Mark have to change a transformer? Couldn't any qualified tech replace it?

you are assuming he is using off the shelf transformers.

The CCV's use Mercury magnetics transformers. The model number is located on each transformer.

Of course they won't sell them to just anyone.

That illustrates PERFECTLY why I prefer to stay cool with people like Mark. I KNOW he'd help me, if the need arose. He's very generous with his time and freely open w/ his knowledge-- with me. I wish him well.

I'd LOVE to move him out to Hawaii and have him be the in house tech at my shop. He'd be like the snack bar at the movies. EVERYONE would come to him for regular service, mods etc... and he could use it as a stepping stone to manufacturing or licensing manufacturing his own stuff too, but not have to rely on it during startup for income. Ahhh.... that would be nice!

 

[IntenseJim]

Can anyone really tell the fucking difference on their 2016 Bedroom to Living Room Tour?

Do what you want man. There's nothing inherently special about the CCV, other than it is the way Mark sets them up. Turn the MV up, run the bias up until you hear a bit of hiss, then roll it back a little and see where you are currently biased. It will be in the 80-90% range. Play until you have a tube failure. Buy new tubes. They aren't that expensive.

 

[voodooamps]

Something I can run JJ KT77's in at nearly 100% bias without them redplating and dying. I saw that CCV owners were running their tubes at 45ma+ at 550v and loving it. So, it looks like it's the only Class AB amp I could do that with.

I could be mistaken however I have a feeling what you are looking for tonally is not something you are going to find by biasing tubes at 100% MPD. There are many things that factor into great tone such as the entire amp's design but to be honest I don't think biasing an amp like this is going to make every amp sound amazing, rarely is this the case in my experience. Presuming the screen voltage is essentially the same as the plate voltage (550vdc) then biasing JJ-KT77's at 100% MPD is going to be problematic so be prepared for likely tube failures & repairs costs. As an average most larger players prefer 60% to 65% so perhaps it's worth looking at the right amp design & then biasing the amp to where it sounds & feels best.

At the end of the day go for what makes you happy tonally. It may cost you more money in tubes & repair costs but that's a choice you have to make. Best of luck to you on your tonal journey & I wish you all the best;


Trace Davis, President / Founder

 

[Beyond Black]

Try your experiment out on a Blades amp. They're known for bursting into flames anyway.

 

[sahlomonic]

Can anyone really tell the fucking difference on their 2016 Bedroom to Living Room Tour?

Do what you want man. There's nothing inherently special about the CCV, other than it is the way Mark sets them up. Turn the MV up, run the bias up until you hear a bit of hiss, then roll it back a little and see where you are currently biased. It will be in the 80-90% range. Play until you have a tube failure. Buy new tubes. They aren't that expensive.

LOLOL I was thinking about the same thing. Sometimes I have to wonder what some guys are thinking when they are looking for a very specific amp, yet it's just to play in their house for a couple times until they sell it for something else. Good lord.