Triple Recto with KT88's?

[moronmountain]

So has anyone ever modded their Recto (dual or triple) to accept KT88's? I want to get a less expensive, but still quality, amp that I can leave at our practice space, so I can keep my Ultra Lead and Twin Jet at home. The Recto's are nice amps, but a little flubby on the bottom end for my tastes. I've come to realize over the years that I really prefer most high gain heads with the KT88's. Recto's are easily found for $900 in new condition these days, and thought this could be a fairly cheap way to get a nice practice rig IMO. Thoughts??????

 

[rocknrolla]

I'd call Mesa directly with that question.
You can get a Recto super tight if you turn the bass and gain down a bit and turn the mid range up.

 

[jiveturkey]

I have a tremoverb with 6l6s. ZERO flubbiness whatsoever. I am not really sure what other people's definition of flubby is, beyond OP; as it seems like everyone mentions it when asking about them. Keep the bass at 0 and bring up to taste with mids up high as Rocknrolla suggested and you will be good.

 

[moronmountain]

I'd call Mesa directly with that question.
You can get a Recto super tight if you turn the bass and gain down a bit and turn the mid range up.

Yeah I'm just not a huge fan of 6L6's in general to be honest. KT88's are my favorite, followed by 6550's and EL34's. I like the amp to either be really tight, or really crunchy, and to me 6L6's are in the middle somewhere.

 

[moronmountain]

I have a tremoverb with 6l6s. ZERO flubbiness whatsoever. I am not really sure what other people's definition of flubby is, beyond OP; as it seems like everyone mentions it when asking about them. Keep the bass at 0 and bring up to taste with mids up high as Rocknrolla suggested and you will be good.

Yeah it I hear ya, but it seems sad that you can't set the eq anyway you want on these amps, but still have some tight, punchy bass. I want to be able to use whatever EQ setting I want, and still have a tight, punchy, focussed sound. I guess I'm just spoiled after years of playing my VHT. Flubbiness (is that a word lol?) is subjective really, but most amps are on the flubby side sitting next to the Ultra Lead.

 

[DET1973]

I know someone who did but then his amp was stolen. if you can check out a band called "ONE" my friend john was the guitar player and his triple was modded with KKT88's.

 

[The Traveller]

I put the KT88 & KT66 tube set from Eurotubes in my Roadster. It sounds fucking great! No mods needed. And after a little over a year and a half no issues what so ever.

 

[moronmountain]

I put the KT88 & KT66 tube set from Eurotubes in my Roadster. It sounds fucking great! No mods needed. And after a little over a year and a half no issues what so ever.

Yeah I've seen that set before. Did you get increased clarity in your amp would you say? I normally run Sovteks because they are so clear, but I've run the JJ's once before, and would consider it again if it meant I wouldn't have to mod the amp.

 

[thegame]

I'd image KT88s would further scoop out the mids, in an already rather scooped out amp.

 

[The Traveller]

I put the KT88 & KT66 tube set from Eurotubes in my Roadster. It sounds fucking great! No mods needed. And after a little over a year and a half no issues what so ever.

Yeah I've seen that set before. Did you get increased clarity in your amp would you say? I normally run Sovteks because they are so clear, but I've run the JJ's once before, and would consider it again if it meant I wouldn't have to mod the amp.

I should have said that you don't have to mod your amp if you buy the set from Eurotubes. If you buy them anywhere else you'll have to get it modded.
To me made the amp a little brighter (don't get me wrong it's still a dark amp). A bit of a boost in the mids and tightened it up a bit as well. I don't think I'll ever go back to 6l6s or EL34s in this amp. I'll see if I can find a clip I can post.

 

[rocknrolla]

I have yet to receive a set of tubes from Eurotubes that were actually matched. Let alone trust them to get the bias range correct for a Mesa.
Call mesa.

 

[JCDenton6]

Do you have a reborn Triple or older 3 ch Triple?

 

[moronmountain]

I'd image KT88s would further scoop out the mids, in an already rather scooped out amp.

Um I don't think that they would personally. They don't sound scooped in either of my other amps.

 

[moronmountain]

I put the KT88 & KT66 tube set from Eurotubes in my Roadster. It sounds fucking great! No mods needed. And after a little over a year and a half no issues what so ever.

Yeah I've seen that set before. Did you get increased clarity in your amp would you say? I normally run Sovteks because they are so clear, but I've run the JJ's once before, and would consider it again if it meant I wouldn't have to mod the amp.

I should have said that you don't have to mod your amp if you buy the set from Eurotubes. If you buy them anywhere else you'll have to get it modded.
To me made the amp a little brighter (don't get me wrong it's still a dark amp). A bit of a boost in the mids and tightened it up a bit as well. I don't think I'll ever go back to 6l6s or EL34s in this amp. I'll see if I can find a clip I can post.

I understood that you wouldn't have to. That's why I said I would consider JJ's when I would otherwise go with Sovteks.

 

[rocknrolla]

Your other amps are voiced for KT88's. A Recto isn't.

 

[moronmountain]

Do you have a reborn Triple or older 3 ch Triple?

I don't have one at all. Just trying to gather info in case I decide to get one in the future for a "permanent practice amp."

 

[moronmountain]

Your other amps are voiced for KT88's. A Recto isn't.

Um I understand this, however I have a twin jet with 88's and I had a first run Uberschall with 34's, and the 34's were more scooped. Also I have played Marshalls with all 3 variations of tubes eg. el34's, 6L6's, and 6550's and didn't find the 6550's scooped compared to the other 2 tube types. I know how to turn a mid knob up as well if need be. Have you tried a recto with KT88's in it? I'm really just looking for real world experience to see if the 88's added tightness and clarity to a recto.

 

[Ventura]

I know this fourm is pretty EL34'centric, but I've always thought 88/6550 tubes had the power, balls and brawn compared to many other tubesets out there. They've got big bottoms, potent tops, balanced mids, but just scream like none other. Helps too that they're typically married to a circuit that allows them to pump out a lot of wattage per bottle.

And this coming from a guy who typically "likes" EL34 voiced amps, and owns several.

 

[moronmountain]

I know this fourm is pretty EL34'centric, but I've always thought 88/6550 tubes had the power, balls and brawn compared to many other tubesets out there. They've got big bottoms, potent tops, balanced mids, but just scream like none other. Helps too that they're typically married to a circuit that allows them to pump out a lot of wattage per bottle.

And this coming from a guy who typically "likes" EL34 voiced amps, and owns several.

I like EL34's too, and I love KT88's. I'm just not super fond of 6L6's for the most part.

 

[JCDenton6]

Ah ok, I'd say try to score a 2 ch or reborn head if possible, I'll explain.

With the old 3 ch heads, a lot of them came installed with 100k gain pots when the schematic called for 250k, (My previous 3 ch duals had 100k gain pots and so did some others on the boogie board)
I think they did this to increase the usability of gain taper for lower gain sounds (why do this when the amp has vintage and raw modes), but this increased the flubiness and muddiness (along with the new circuitry for the new modes)

A bias mod wouldn't be to hard to do on these heads, just would have to find a spot on the chassis for the pot (most replace the slave out with the bias pot)
The 3 channel heads have more versatility but if you're going for high gain the 2 ch amps is where it's at!

I reverted my 2 ch Triple to Rev C specs and it slays man, I would've been fine with the stock Rev G setup