Just got my Marshall 2555x…. have some questions

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MetalThrasher

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Just fired up the 2555x and played it for about an hour. It's hooked up to my Orange PPC412 cab. Is it me or does this amp not sound loud for a 100 watt amp? I have the high output selected and here's my quick settings that I tried…. From left to right. Presence 6, Bass 4, Middle 2, Treble 7, Output Master 7, Lead Master 7, Input Gain 7 pulled. I'm trying for a thrash metal tone but I'm getting close but not quite. Any suggestions on settings? I'm also boosting it with a pedal.
 
A Jube is like a basic modded JCM-800.

You might try putting the gain at "4" and Master at "5" and hit it with a clean boost [volume up & gain down]

Check all 4 power tubes in back and make sure they light up.
 
By 4 for gain and 5 for master do you mean number or clock wise? I am hitting it with a clean boost as well. I'm not doing it tonight but I haven't checked the bias of the tubes yet which I will do tomorrow.
 
Check your speaker cable. Something isn't right. I had a 2555x and it was freaking loud. Even the 25w model is loud.
 
Speaker cable is good! I'm not using the stock cable that came with the amp. I'm using a bigger gauge cable for the speaker! I just played again and it sounds good! Guess I have to break in the tubes.
 
First, always crank the output master and use the lead master as your overall volume. Turn the gain all the way up, it can sound thinner lower. Leave the clip pushed in..it acts in a similar fashion to a Jose master, in that the volume drops a bit when pulled. The Jubes come biased low from the factory, like 25 per tube and they should be 35 per/70 a pair. All you need is a multimeter and take the back panel off, the test points are right there with the adjustment knobs, and a chart showing what the bias should be for ANY 2 pairs of octal tubes. You will get the most output/volume with a cranked output master, and your power tubes biased up to the recommended level. KT88/6550s will give you the most output watts per tube, they are 30/35w per tube vs EL34s at 25/30w per tube. For a metal tone I'd even try 2 boost pedals...have fun!
 
I found that with my old jubilee the master was very even all the way through. A lot of amps the volume jumps early and doesn't do much past 12:00. My jubilee wasn't like that.
 
I just asked the exact same question on TGP. Mine came today and I was surprised that I had to crank the master over 6 before it got what I would call loud. The consensus over there was that it's normal. Not what I was expecting based on past experience with some original Jubilees and other Marshalls. Other than that it sounds spectacular.
 
Racerxrated":1oo7uch4 said:
First, always crank the output master and use the lead master as your overall volume. Turn the gain all the way up, it can sound thinner lower. Leave the clip pushed in..it acts in a similar fashion to a Jose master, in that the volume drops a bit when pulled. The Jubes come biased low from the factory, like 25 per tube and they should be 35 per/70 a pair. All you need is a multimeter and take the back panel off, the test points are right there with the adjustment knobs, and a chart showing what the bias should be for ANY 2 pairs of octal tubes. You will get the most output/volume with a cranked output master, and your power tubes biased up to the recommended level. KT88/6550s will give you the most output watts per tube, they are 30/35w per tube vs EL34s at 25/30w per tube. For a metal tone I'd even try 2 boost pedals...have fun!
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I'll try dimming the gain tomorrow!
 
Ive had an original as well as the slash reissue and the overall amp volume is controlled by the output master.. I run mine on 8.. its loud as balls... sounds just like any other jcm 800 at that point using my lead master as my volume for the dirty channel. You will have a very loud clean channel so balance things out accordingly. Its a great amp! I'm loving mine again
 
The volume taper is one of my favorite features of the 2555x. Excellent control
which makes it so gig friendly. My Power Sation hasn't seen any shows since purchasing
the Jube.


Bill
 
Normal for my 2553 as well, at band practice used to run it about 6.5 and it was cranking pretty good. The output master has a really nice taper for controlling the volume, but the problem is that unlike some other amps, it really changes significantly the sound once you find that sweet spot. Too soft and my amp sounds kind of buzzy and sterile. At 6-8, it sounds sweet and juicy. :)
 
Finally got some time to play this morning! By putting the Master on 10 and using lead volume on 4 to 6 this sucker came alive! Then pushing the rhythm clip in helped as well as long as putting the gain to 10 which I never do. Using a clean boost is a must. NOw I have a question about checking the tube bias? What is the difference between putting them between 70 or 75 on each side? I looking for more gain.
 
MetalThrasher":3bmk3r8c said:
Finally got some time to play this morning! By putting the Master on 10 and using lead volume on 4 to 6 this sucker came alive! Then pushing the rhythm clip in helped as well as long as putting the gain to 10 which I never do. Using a clean boost is a must. NOw I have a question about checking the tube bias? What is the difference between putting them between 70 or 75 on each side? I looking for more gain.
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I'm not sure biasing the amp hotter will provide more gain. In my experience doing this will soften/warm the tone and make the amp less sterile. This is a classic marshall, folks shouldn't expect it to be a high gain beast imo.
 
MetalThrasher":2fvslqy0 said:
Finally got some time to play this morning! By putting the Master on 10 and using lead volume on 4 to 6 this sucker came alive! Then pushing the rhythm clip in helped as well as long as putting the gain to 10 which I never do. Using a clean boost is a must. NOw I have a question about checking the tube bias? What is the difference between putting them between 70 or 75 on each side? I looking for more gain.
Click to expand...
With EL34s the gain doesn't really change much with the bias, the gain is already maxed if you are maxing the output master which you already have done. What does change is the tone..best way IMO is to start at 70, play at a good volume for a few, then turn it up to 75 and try it...maybe even go to 80 and do the same. See which setting you like best. Keep in mind though, that the higher the bias setting the more the tubes wear. But I would say that they still usually last a long time, just not as long as if your tubes were biased cooler.
 
Mine came with one side in the mid 70's and the other lower.. I backed it down to around 60ish but I felt it was a little too clean sounding.. put both sides to 70ma and left it there.. sounds good. I have my MXR boost/line driver arriving on tuesday.. looking forward to using it with this amp for a transparent clean boost.

plate voltage at 480 so 70 is already considered on the hot (underbiased) side... using the amp for long periods with it set any higher might lead to a softer or blurry feel.. which I dont like
 
I had an outdoor gig today and it was pretty hot. My SJ was in direct sunlight for hours, though I only had it on for about an hour. It was cranked. A few times, when switching to the clean channel, it started getting real quiet and fuzzy, nothing like the loud, clear Marshall cleans I was getting before. I figured I'd just stay on the red channel and use the volume knob on the guitar to clean it up. But then it went away. When I got the head 10 days ago, the bias on both sides was right at 75. Could that be causing this? I now have nine hours on this head, all at band volume.
 
I just put mine through the paces. It does need cranked to sound good but when you find the sweet spot it rips!
 
Rick Lee":gaderhjl said:
I had an outdoor gig today and it was pretty hot. My SJ was in direct sunlight for hours, though I only had it on for about an hour. It was cranked. A few times, when switching to the clean channel, it started getting real quiet and fuzzy, nothing like the loud, clear Marshall cleans I was getting before. I figured I'd just stay on the red channel and use the volume knob on the guitar to clean it up. But then it went away. When I got the head 10 days ago, the bias on both sides was right at 75. Could that be causing this? I now have nine hours on this head, all at band volume.
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I mean, I just think 75 is way too underbiased.. amp gets too hot and you get mush after awhile.. back it down to 62 or something and try it out again.
 
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