SLO gut shot. older models versus newer ones

[jasonP]

from what i recall (and in my opinion) there are no different revisions or component changes on any SLO soldano that is currently in production.

it is also common notice that alot of the techniques the SLO utilizes are out-of-style and/or outdated in engineering. non-of-them utilize any changes and can be blueprinted with the plethora of schematics floating around on the internet.

other than the common fact the filter caps drift in value over time (just like any other amplifier) a SLO from 1989 will be made the same way as a SLO made in 2009 and sound the same minus a few small differences because of the way caps are physically made.

the only difference is the rarety and the stimga of owning an older model. i have only seen 1 old SLO go for sale, and it was here on RT.

Can you name all the outdated out of style techniques that the SLO utilizes? Since cloning it would be interesting seeing if some of those changes would effect sound.

 

[JTyson]

f
it is also common notice that alot of the techniques the SLO utilizes are out-of-style and/or outdated in engineering. non-of-them utilize any changes and can be blueprinted with the plethora of schematics floating around on the internet.

Do you make FAB ulous amps? is you name Rob? haha prolly before your time genius, but anyway. You crack me up. you are so full of yourself in a helpful informative kinda way. hahaha rotflmao. you go Jr.. send me a proto with a fire extinguisher..

Uh........ thats not him......

 

[AmpliFIRE]

 

[jasonP]

f
it is also common notice that alot of the techniques the SLO utilizes are out-of-style and/or outdated in engineering. non-of-them utilize any changes and can be blueprinted with the plethora of schematics floating around on the internet.

Do you make FAB ulous amps? is you name Rob? haha prolly before your time genius, but anyway. You crack me up. you are so full of yourself in a helpful informative kinda way. hahaha rotflmao. you go Jr.. send me a proto with a fire extinguisher..

Uh........ thats not him......

Who are you talking about?

 

[Shark Diver]

I've got an '88, '89 and '09. The '88 is the 14th ever built. '89 was Great White's. The '09 was the first rack built in 15 years Mike said. And when biasing them it was obvious just from looking at them that they are different. Hard to say if they sound better or not without actually doing a test with the same tubes and same bias, etc. My '09 seems tighter, a little more compressed than either of the other 2. The earlier ones seem more open, harmonic and articulate. But unless I did a controlled test I don't know that that isn't just tubes. But visually they are different. Since they are racked up really can't take apart to get pics.

 

[Jdub]

f
it is also common notice that alot of the techniques the SLO utilizes are out-of-style and/or outdated in engineering. non-of-them utilize any changes and can be blueprinted with the plethora of schematics floating around on the internet.

Do you make FAB ulous amps? is you name Rob? haha prolly before your time genius, but anyway. You crack me up. you are so full of yourself in a helpful informative kinda way. hahaha rotflmao. you go Jr.. send me a proto with a fire extinguisher..

Uh........ thats not him......

I know it's not 'him'. it just reminds me of sir bertofabulocanuk

 

[Jdub]

I've got an '88, '89 and '09. The '88 is the 14th ever built. '89 was Great White's. The '09 was the first rack built in 15 years Mike said. And when biasing them it was obvious just from looking at them that they are different. Hard to say if they sound better or not without actually doing a test with the same tubes and same bias, etc. My '09 seems tighter, a little more compressed than either of the other 2. The earlier ones seem more open, harmonic and articulate. But unless I did a controlled test I don't know that that isn't just tubes. But visually they are different. Since they are racked up really can't take apart to get pics.

Thanks for the good post. Very interesting. I had an 89 that ( looked like Suhr added a loop and modded it slightly,) a 1991Rack mount(bought from Rick Steier of Warrant lol... a, 99 i and couple in the 201 to 2005 range.. I never had more than one at anyone time except once. My first 2 (the 89 and the 91 Rackmount.) Those two sounded a bit different to me but not a good benchmark for comparison sake. All in all, they seem ultra consistent to me and I think it is likely that any SLO is capable of sounded just like the next one with equivalent biasing, tubes etc. My desert island amp.
Thanks again..

 

[Jdub]

I've got an '88, '89 and '09. The '88 is the 14th ever built. '89 was Great White's. The '09 was the first rack built in 15 years Mike said. And when biasing them it was obvious just from looking at them that they are different. Hard to say if they sound better or not without actually doing a test with the same tubes and same bias, etc. My '09 seems tighter, a little more compressed than either of the other 2. The earlier ones seem more open, harmonic and articulate. But unless I did a controlled test I don't know that that isn't just tubes. But visually they are different. Since they are racked up really can't take apart to get pics.

Thanks for the good post. Very interesting. I had an 89 that ( looked like Suhr added a loop and modded it slightly,) a 1991Rack mount(bought from Rick Steier of Warrant lol... a, 99 i and couple in the 201 to 2005 range.. I never had more than one at anyone time except once. My first 2 (the 89 and the 91 Rackmount.) Those two sounded a bit different to me but not a good benchmark for comparison sake. All in all, they seem ultra consistent to me and I think it is likely that any SLO is capable of sounded just like the next one with equivalent biasing, tubes etc. My desert island amp.
Thanks again for your input. I hope the 92 I have coming is as you see the differences in your's. More open, harmonically rich and dynamic. That sounds better to me that tighter and compressed. Looking forward to Friday..

 

[glpg80]

from what i recall (and in my opinion) there are no different revisions or component changes on any SLO soldano that is currently in production.

it is also common notice that alot of the techniques the SLO utilizes are out-of-style and/or outdated in engineering. non-of-them utilize any changes and can be blueprinted with the plethora of schematics floating around on the internet.

other than the common fact the filter caps drift in value over time (just like any other amplifier) a SLO from 1989 will be made the same way as a SLO made in 2009 and sound the same minus a few small differences because of the way caps are physically made.

the only difference is the rarety and the stimga of owning an older model. i have only seen 1 old SLO go for sale, and it was here on RT.

Can you name all the outdated out of style techniques that the SLO utilizes? Since cloning it would be interesting seeing if some of those changes would effect sound.

depends on if you want the signature SLO sound or not. some of it has to deal with it.

examples are the effects loop it uses - just a serial in/out on the grids. get dust in those jacks and your tone will suffer. update the effects loop to be true bypass and tube buffered with serial/parallel would be nice.

the channel design is purposely designed to be 2 channels that are 180 degrees out of phase with one another. even though the lead channel is selected, the clean channel still exists and is still being played through on the lead channel.

split the channels correctly and use your choise of optocouplers or HQ relay's with grid supressing/quieting circuitry like fender uses on the 5150 III or what egnater uses on their amplifiers, and the amplifer would be up to date. the quiet grid suppressing circuitry is optional, but does control noise.

some tubes have no filament use - and his design is based on biasing the transistor outside of clipping and using it as a class C non-linear device. DC filaments for tubes using AC right now. i wont go off naming the ones i like - its not a big deal.

create individual bias points and/or self bias of each individual tube.

i can go on, and on, and on, and on. i say what i mean because half of this was not used in the time the SLO was designed. someone who could update it without changing the tone/character would improve on the SLO design - but alot of the one-off idea's like the phase relationship do add the small character to the amplifier and might have been done intentionally - wont know unless someone asks mark personally. the guys a genious in his design though. to say that it is not well engineered like it is - is stupid. its so perfectly engineered to be purposly simple that mark has not needed to update it - or doesnt want to because of the tone changes those changes could make.

there are more changes in the design that i would use for the SLO. thats the stuff i would do at least. component wise he has always used the best, and thats the whole idea. but those are small ideas that the amplifier would benefit from i believe.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

its so perfectly engineered to be purposly simple that mark has not needed to update it - or doesnt want to because of the tone changes those changes could make.

Who's "mark" ??

 

[Death by Uberschall]

its so perfectly engineered to be purposly simple that mark has not needed to update it - or doesnt want to because of the tone changes those changes could make.

Who's "mark" ??

I'm assuming he meant "Mike" Soldano

 

[blackba]

Overall the build of the SLO looks great. I am a little surprised they have not had trouble with the PCB for the power supply with those large caps on it. Since it is single sided, I would expect there to be potential for the pads to lift at some point in the life of the amp.

The SLO is one of those on my list to try out amps, but like most of them, I probably will never get the chance...

 

[glpg80]

its so perfectly engineered to be purposly simple that mark has not needed to update it - or doesnt want to because of the tone changes those changes could make.

Who's "mark" ??

I'm assuming he meant "Mike" Soldano

yeah spelling error's that i didnt catch - not used to referencing him by his first name - sorry!

 

[jasonP]

i can go on, and on, and on, and on.

Dude not trying to be a dick at all ... I just don't understand the attitude.

 

[glpg80]

Dude not trying to be a dick at all ... I just don't understand the attitude.

Do you make FAB ulous amps? is you name Rob? haha prolly before your time genius, but anyway. You crack me up. you are so full of yourself in a helpful informative kinda way. hahaha rotflmao. you go Jr.. send me a proto with a fire extinguisher..

when you get shit like this as a reply, then maybe you would be hot/aggrevated as well.

 

[Shark Diver]

Honestly if I was Mike I wouldn't change a damn thing. Over 2 decades with no major changes and still one of the best amps ever. Maybe a whole different model? But changing anything on the SLO to 'modernize" it reminds me of "New Coke".