KT88 Headace

[the rossness]

Back in 2009 or so, I had a chance to play a VHT SigX at a studio and fell in love. L bought it with the intention that it was my holy grail. I loved the tone and to a degree, I still do. However, every time I played the amp, it gave me a headache. It didn't seem to matter if the amp was loud or quiet. Initially, I thought it was the frequency the SigX ran at. So After 2 weeks of headaches, I sold the amp. It was unfortunate, because I really dug the tone. Fast-forward a couple of years, and I'm at a Guitar Center demoing a "DV Mark Triple Six". The Triple 6 is a Heavy Metal amp, 120 watts, powered by a pair of KT88's. I wasn't playing loud, it was a GC after all, and the amp sounded nice, but I got a big headache. It made me think that maybe my problem with the SigX wasn't the frequency the amp was using, but rather that my brain didn't like the frequency kt88 tubes ran at. I could be wrong, maybe the headaches were coincidental. With any other tube combo, the headaches don't happen. Has anyone else ever experienced something like this, or am I nuts?

 

[moltenmetalburn]

I'm going to say entirely a possibility.

Frequency and wavelength are scientifically proven to effect the brain. I've been experimenting with solfeggio frequencies lately and having interesting results.

 

[Marshall Law]

instead of asprin try 2 EL34's and call me in the morning

 

[rlord1974]

Me, I will say.....

There's a lot more to the frequencies a given amp puts out than just what power tubes are driving it.

Maybe it's GC that gave you the headache, not the amp?.....

 

[the rossness]

Me, I will say.....

There's a lot more to the frequencies a given amp puts out than just what power tubes are driving it.

Maybe it's GC that gave you the headache, not the amp?.....

I dunno. I was in one of their quiet rooms. the only thing I could hear was me and the amp.

 

[IndyWS6]

This...

 

[DoomBuggi]

My amp uses 4 KT88, and I have headaches seldom to never. Maybe it's something in your diet?

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Continuing from our discussion over at MTS forum.. maybe they emit certain frequencies that your ear/brain does not handle well. Dog whistles don't make much of a sound to our ears but dogs hear them. Very possible you are picking something up which makes you feel like superman around krypto.

 

[Ventura]

If you can seriously isolate this situation in a perfectly controlled regimen - I'd be interested to know the results.

In short, I think it's completely plausible. However, whether or not it's truly what you're experiencing and, alas, suffering from, would have to undergo more stringent evidence to support such. But yes, I think there can definitely be a correlation to any given sound source, its inherent fundamentals/harmonics, circuitry artifacts that are not perceptible to our noticed range of hearing, and negative reactions from the body to such.

 

[the rossness]

Continuing from our discussion over at MTS forum.. maybe they emit certain frequencies that your ear/brain does not handle well. Dog whistles don't make much of a sound to our ears but dogs hear them. Very possible you are picking something up which makes you feel like superman around krypto.

I couldn't have phrased it better.

 

[fluff191]

Its possible. I own a Triple 6 and KT88's bother me, but the theory is likely very real.

 

[garey77]

Everything around us, including us, is made up of vibrating particles. It's entirely possible that you are sensitive in this way. Stranger things have happened, I'm sure. I'd experiment w/different tubes to see if you can get close to the vibe you love. KT77's perhaps?

 

[Ventura]

Everything around us, including us, is made up of vibrating particles. It's entirely possible that you are sensitive in this way. Stranger things have happened, I'm sure. I'd experiment w/different tubes to see if you can get close to the vibe you love. KT77's perhaps?

Thank you

 

[Devilinside]

Try modding your ibuprofen, the standard version is no good!

 

[the rossness]

Everything around us, including us, is made up of vibrating particles. It's entirely possible that you are sensitive in this way. Stranger things have happened, I'm sure. I'd experiment w/different tubes to see if you can get close to the vibe you love. KT77's perhaps?

The reason I asked is that I'm thinking about picking up a Kemper and a SigX. If the headaches were a fluke with the KT88's it would make sense for me to get the Fryette. However, if KT88's are my Kryptonyte, than maybe I should skip it and try the Modeler. So maybe I could try KT77's, but it wouldn't make a difference unless I had the amp in my hands.

 

[BC Audio]

Tubes don't "operate at certain frequencies." They run on DC voltage (excpet for the filaments). The only thing I can think of is that both amps might have suffered from parasitic oscillation, which could emit a very high-pitched sound like Kapo's dog whistle. The fact that they both ran KT88s is most likely coincidence.

 

[garey77]

Tubes don't "operate at certain frequencies." They run on DC voltage (excpet for the filaments). The only thing I can think of is that both amps might have suffered from parasitic oscillation, which could emit a very high-pitched sound like Kapo's dog whistle. The fact that they both ran KT88s is most likely coincidence.

Yes, but they accentuate different frequency ranges upon output, which is why different guitar players seem to gravitate toward different tube types... it's just what seems to 'resonate' right for you (pun intended).