Switchable 4/6 SolidState Gain Stage

[glpg80]

This was a project I was working on that I hadn’t intended much hope sonically but it came out great.

I’ve designed and built 6 total gain stages for Abaddon and the first gain stage is still all analog just as it should be.

This won’t be standalone but rather hopefully an option that can be chosen if desired.

Clips soon to come.

 

[glpg80]

Be sure to set the quality to 1080p:

 

[glpg80]

Not that this was already insane enough, Abaddon is now 6 gain stages.

It’s tighter, punchier, and it really brings out a bigger, beefier sound. It just stands on more authority.

I’ll be changing it to 4/6 gain stage switching. Clips soon to come.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Not that this was already insane enough, Abaddon is now 6 gain stages.

It’s tighter, punchier, and it really brings out a bigger, beefier sound. It just stands on more authority.

I’ll be changing it to 4/6 gain stage switching. Clips soon to come.

With any amps but yours, i generally find 3-4 gain stages to be the key and just hit the amp with volume and let your heavy right hand do the rest. It keeps the microphonics low and the clarity...

But your amps sound so interesting. Definitely looking forward to the next clip

 

[CrystalSky]

Be sure to set the quality to 1080p:

Yesss! More of these! And close mic’ed stuff please. Great!

Not that this was already insane enough, Abaddon is now 6 gain stages.

It’s tighter, punchier, and it really brings out a bigger, beefier sound. It just stands on more authority.

I’ll be changing it to 4/6 gain stage switching. Clips soon to come.

HELL YEAH

 

[glpg80]

With any amps but yours, i generally find 3-4 gain stages to be the key and just hit the amp with volume and let your heavy right hand do the rest. It keeps the microphonics low and the clarity...

But your amps sound so interesting. Definitely looking forward to the next clip

Really appreciate those words as it means a lot. By interesting I assume that’s in a good way

3-4 is typical of most designs and although I haven’t recorded it at all, Enmity is more along those lines too. You can get where you need to in voltage levels easily with 3-4 but I always felt even Abaddon’s 4 stage design just wasn’t enough. It hits hard enough with palm muting but you have to run the gain levels stupid high with the noise levels increasing with it to get the gain of turned down 5 stages. Very few people are doing 6 stages and the best way to describe it is that it sounds like hi definition 5 stages. Punchier, bigger.

Abaddon wears the name because it’s some of the wildest shit I’ve come up with modding amps and what I know from circuit design. No matter how hard people try, it’s not going to have what Abaddon offers.

At 4 stages the amp sounds more naturally scooped and not as aggressive in the highs. At 6 stages those low mids and lows carry more authority, the top end is extended, and what you say is exactly what’s coming through in the clips - the amp sounds more alive and balanced. It’s just more powerful as I can do a lot of tone shaping to recoup what I believe is lost in the voicing. Throw more volume at it and it gets bigger and better, not thinner and weaker.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Really appreciate those words as it means a lot. By interesting I assume that’s in a good way

3-4 is typical of most designs and although I haven’t recorded it at all, Enmity is more along those lines too. You can get where you need to in voltage levels easily with 3-4 but I always felt even Abaddon’s 4 stage design just wasn’t enough. It hits hard enough with palm muting but you have to run the gain levels stupid high with the noise levels increasing with it to get the gain of turned down 5 stages. Very few people are doing 6 stages and the best way to describe it is that it sounds like hi definition 5 stages. Punchier, bigger.

Abaddon wears the name because it’s some of the wildest shit I’ve come up with modding amps and what I know from circuit design. No matter how hard people try, it’s not going to have what Abaddon offers.

At 4 stages the amp sounds more naturally scooped and not as aggressive in the highs. At 6 stages those low mids and lows carry more authority, the top end is extended, and what you say is exactly what’s coming through in the clips - the amp sounds more alive and balanced. It’s just more powerful as I can do a lot of tone shaping to recoup what I believe is lost in the voicing. Throw more volume at it and it gets bigger and better, not thinner and weaker.

My limited scope of amp design is anecdotal and i know what I don't know. What I do know is how badass that amp sounds in the clips. And I definitely need to try it in person because it just sounds right. It sounds like it punches harder than anything I have played

 

[glpg80]

My limited scope of amp design is anecdotal and i know what I don't know. What I do know is how badass that amp sounds in the clips. And I definitely need to try it in person because it just sounds right. It sounds like it punches harder than anything I have played

Fly up here and check it out. Or let’s plan something with you and Matt at his place.

It’s an experience

You want to know something funny? That slant cab isn’t even connected and never has been. This isn’t through V30s or anything high power - it’s through 25W greenbacks.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Fly up here and check it out. Or let’s plan something with you and Matt at his place.

It’s an experience.

You want to know something funny? That slant cab isn’t even connected and never has been. This isn’t through V30s or anything high power - it’s through 25W greenbacks.

Jesus. I would love to hear that through redbacks

 

[glpg80]

Jesus. I would love to hear that through redbacks

It definitely overpowers this cabinet too. The baffle will rattle if I really push it. The master volume in this video was around 3.5.

I have recording gear but people don’t understand recording the big character is an advanced level of recording I don’t have. I won’t name names but a professional on the forum reached out and mentioned all that would be necessary to record it and it’s way above and beyond an SM57.

 

[Devin]

Neat idea kimg

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

It definitely overpowers this cabinet too. The baffle will rattle if I really push it. The master volume in this video was around 3.5.

I have recording gear but people don’t understand recording the big character is an advanced level of recording I don’t have. I won’t name names but a professional on the forum reached out and mentioned all that would be necessary to record it and it’s way above and beyond an SM57.

I have close micd and have made phone recordings. I can tell by the phone recording that something special is going on. I dgaf about an sm57 or anything else. It is time to play the fucking thing

 

[glpg80]

I have close micd and have made phone recordings. I can tell by the phone recording that something special is going on. I dgaf about an sm57 or anything else. It is time to play the fucking thing

I sent you a PM.

 

[glpg80]

Quick 6GS video. Master volumes a bit lower this time.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Fucking massive. But this one really clipped your phone mic. Maybe try putting phone on top of the cab next time. It will be out of the blast radius, and it actually can pick up a lot there, believe it or not

 

[glpg80]

Fucking massive. But this one really clipped your phone mic. Maybe try putting phone on top of the cab next time. It will be out of the blast radius, and it actually can pick up a lot there, believe it or not

You’re totally right and I appreciate the feedback! It’s near impossible to record this thing approaching this level of gain. It needs volume for clarity (otherwise it’s all mush) and it has highs AND lows. The low end clips the mic and then makes it sound way smaller than it is in the room

Appreciate the comments and she’s a monster

There’s obviously some voicing differences between this design and the 5GS - but now hopefully the difference that 6GS offers over the 5GS are at least apparent such as the authority I spoke of. It just sounds bigger, more percussive. I think it’s coming through here in the video has more low mids but in the room it sounds just bigger.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

You’re totally right and I appreciate the feedback! It’s near impossible to record this thing approaching this level of gain. It needs volume for clarity (otherwise it’s all mush) and it has highs AND lows. The low end clips the mic and then makes it sound way smaller than it is in the room

Appreciate the comments and she’s a monster

There’s obviously some voicing differences between this design and the 5GS - but now hopefully the difference that 6GS offers over the 5GS are at least apparent such as the authority I spoke of. It just sounds bigger, more percussive. I think it’s coming through here in the video has more low mids but in the room it sounds just bigger.

It is frustrating trying to relay the room sound. I have struggled with it many times. That is why I think I know what you have on your hands. It is exciting