New SLO100 day!

[godgrinder]

What's better than one Soldano? Two Soldanos:

Been sort of GASing for a SLO100 since I've got the HR50+. Looked for it casually during the last year or so, the right deal finally popped up. Got a clean 2010 specimen.

The lead channel does have a bit more clarity than the HR50+. However it also have more treble sizzle than the HR, wasn't sure wether by design or contributed by the Shuguang pre's in it.

I changed the pre's in the HR50+ to JJ ECC83MG and Svetlana 12AX7 a while ago. Definitely liked the result for my application, tightened it up a bit and slightly knocked back the (over-)saturation.

So I changed V1-V3 to JJ ECC83MG and V4 to JJ ECC83S in the SLO, similar result, also tamed the sizzle slightly (but still there, so I guess it was by design?).

Gonna get a matched triode ECC83S for the PI sometime.

The crunch channel with bright switch on definitely sounds more badass than the crunch channel on the HR.

Will do a comparison video when I get around to it.

PS: does anyone have any experience on installing PPIMV or power scaling on a Soldano?

 

[Racerxrated]

Congrats! One of my favorite amps....had an HR100 but it paled in comparison to the SLO.

 

[FourT6and2]

Turn the treble and presence down and push the mids up high and you'll tame the fizz.

 

[godgrinder]

Turn the treble and presence down and push the mids up high and you'll tame the fizz.

Just tried that, thanks for the tips.

Seems like the EQ on the SLO acts rather differently than the HR? I run the treble and presence on the HR fairly high (the photo shows the actual setting I use) and I really don't get much fizz.

 

[Hard&Heavy]

Nice , the one amp I will own again.

 

[FourT6and2]

Turn the treble and presence down and push the mids up high and you'll tame the fizz.

Just tried that, thanks for the tips.

Seems like the EQ on the SLO acts rather differently than the HR? I run the treble and presence on the HR fairly high (the photo shows the actual setting I use) and I really don't get much fizz.

Depth control helps too. If you have it, run that up around 10:00 and dial the bass down. It will add more lower mids and help thicken up the amp more.

 

[jjcor]

Nice! Thats one amp I still have to get. Very jealous!

 

[godgrinder]

Depth control helps too. If you have it, run that up around 10:00 and dial the bass down. It will add more lower mids and help thicken up the amp more.

Not on the SLO but I'm planning to get it added. Probably gonna add an FX loop bypass switch too.

My HR has depth control, with that all the way off it's still has a lot less fizz than the SLO on the same setting though.

 

[LP Freak]

HNAD l still need to pick one of these up. Someday....

 

[Mr. Willy]

Congrats on the new amp. I've got a SLO. I love mine. I don't think they need any mods, but that's just MHO. I don't get wanting to add low mids. The mid voicing is perfect and is part of its signature sound. If I wanted more low mids, I'd just get a Dual Rectifier. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[d1469d]

cool

 

[cecilbag]

Congrats, still one of my dream amps

 

[godgrinder]

Congrats on the new amp. I've got a SLO. I love mine. I don't think they need any mods, but that's just MHO. I don't get wanting to add low mids. The mid voicing is perfect and is part of its signature sound. If I wanted more low mids, I'd just get a Dual Rectifier. Different strokes for different folks.

I think the depth control is out of the circuit when turned all the way down, or at least that what it sounds like on my HR. The XL mod some people go for is probably a bad idea tho, it's the equivalent of having the depth control stuck in one position.

The loop bypass mod sounds like it removes a little cloudiness (and the loop is not that usable anyway, might as well just go W/D with the slave out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2ryUeGZj4

 

[VoodooChild24]

Nice! Congrats man, always wanted a SLO.

 

[FourT6and2]

Congrats on the new amp. I've got a SLO. I love mine. I don't think they need any mods, but that's just MHO. I don't get wanting to add low mids. The mid voicing is perfect and is part of its signature sound. If I wanted more low mids, I'd just get a Dual Rectifier. Different strokes for different folks.

I think the depth control is out of the circuit when turned all the way down, or at least that what it sounds like on my HR. The XL mod some people go for is probably a bad idea tho, it's the equivalent of having the depth control stuck in one position.

The loop bypass mod sounds like it removes a little cloudiness (and the loop is not that usable anyway, might as well just go W/D with the slave out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2ryUeGZj4

Yeah, with depth at 0, it's basically out of the circuit. I've been wanting to add the loop bypass to my clone. But there are two different ways to do it that each sound slightly different and I can't decide which one to try lol.

 

[Rick Lee]

I know the feeling.

A while back we had an outdoor gig where we got to play really loud, like with my OD volume at 7. It sounded so heavenly. So I got a Jettentuator. It started smoking as soon as I plugged it in and cranked the head to 7. I called Mike and he said the Jettenuator was best suited to 50w heads and to pull two power tubes and halve the impedance. So I did. It works perfectly now and I always have a spare set of matched power tubes for when the installed ones die.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

Try some different pre-amp tube combinations

I bought my SLO used and the guy who owned it before me experimented with the tubes to cut the sharp highs.

Mine it not bright at all, in fact i feel it's almost lacking in bite
I'd have to go look at what tubes are in it, but goes to show experimenting can make a huge difference

 

[Crunchity]

Congrats! I only first had the opportunity to mess around with an SLO a little over a year ago...and I knew it was special immediately, the mids had this character that I never exactly heard before when sampling an amp, it was one of those 'damn, listen to that' moments lol. I bought it the same day and have been thrilled with the purchase ever since, best lead tones amp I've ever owned. Never feel it's too bright, it just has teeth, which I love, really works in a mix setting. Anyway...HNAD!!

 

[godgrinder]

I know the feeling.
A while back we had an outdoor gig where we got to play really loud, like with my OD volume at 7. It sounded so heavenly. So I got a Jettentuator. It started smoking as soon as I plugged it in and cranked the head to 7. I called Mike and he said the Jettenuator was best suited to 50w heads and to pull two power tubes and halve the impedance. So I did. It works perfectly now and I always have a spare set of matched power tubes for when the installed ones die.

Yeah I found the treble sizzle softens a bit when the amp is turned up loud, still there but not as piercing as when at lower volume. But I can't play at that volume for long without earplugs haha...

Try some different pre-amp tube combinations
I bought my SLO used and the guy who owned it before me experimented with the tubes to cut the sharp highs.
Mine it not bright at all, in fact i feel it's almost lacking in bite
I'd have to go look at what tubes are in it, but goes to show experimenting can make a huge difference

I swapped the stock (?) Shuguang's to JJ's which did make some difference. Would be curious to see what pre's are in yours!

I run it through a greenback cab and never felt it was bright. It just has teeth, which I love, really works in a mix setting.

Tried it through my GB-loaded Orange cab. The lower sensitivity and slightly darker nature of the GB's definitely made it less holocaustic deafening.

 

[FourT6and2]

Try a JJ ECC803S (not the ECC83) in V2.