Triple Recto with KT88's?

[moltenmetalburn]

I like el34, love kt88, and I am about to try kt90 and kt120 in my 2150.

If I had a recto I would want kt88 in it.

 

[moronmountain]

I like el34, love kt88, and I am about to try kt90 and kt120 in my 2150.

If I had a recto I would want kt88 in it.

Yeah those Tungsol 120's look pretty crazy!

 

[moronmountain]

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

Yeah I've seen a coupld 2 channel amps for sale locally in the $850-1k range, and I'm sure I will be able to find one when/if I decide to go that direction. I still haven't put more than an hour or so on my Twin Jet, so it's not happening REALLY soon. I'm just thinking in the next 6 months to keep the wear and tear down on my main amps.

 

[rocknrolla]

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.

I've never played a Recto with KT88's but I have extensively A/B'd KT88's vs EL-34's in a Splawn Nitro and a Marshall.
I noticed mainly an overall increase in head room with the 88's as well as less perceived midrange from where I decided was 800hz to 2000hz (I recorded some riffs with each tube then used a parametric eq to try to match them in order to pin point the frequencies). As far as being tighter?
Meh.
The KT's may feel slightly faster because of the headroom increase but hardly noticeable. Utilizing good picking discipline makes way more difference to me.
Keep in mind that both amps I messed with were very mid-heavy, Marshall voiced to begin with. A Recto is already carved out a bit in the mid range so it may start sounding a bit hollow with the wrong tube.
I think an EQ in the loop or maybe an adjustable bias mod will get you the results you want better than KT's.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

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.

Yup, i'm not a fan at all of Eurotubes!


If somebody wants to buy 88's and put them in a Mesa on their own, then fine. But outright promoting and selling kits that go against the amp manufacturers specified tubes is not cool in my book!

 

[jsp]

Rectos with EL34s are the shiznit. Just sayin.

 

[Mr. Willy]

The jury's out for me as to whether or not power tubes are gonna make a significant difference in tone in modern amps that derive their gain from the preamp. Seems like a power tube change in amps like a Recto would have a greater impact on feel than tone.

 

[skoora]

I think an EQ in the loop or maybe an adjustable bias mod will get you the results you want better than KT's.

Bigtime. An EQ in the loop of a recto is the shiznit. Power tube choices make the slightest of changes. 98% (yes! exactly 98%…. ) of what that amp is doing is in the preamp.

RE: Eurotubes, I've had nothing but great experiences with them and when requesting EL34's for my Stiletto they were the exact same bias range as the stock Mesa's. I'll order from them anytime. Never received a bad tube and if I did I wouldn't sweat it as they communicate well.

 

[moronmountain]

The jury's out for me as to whether or not power tubes are gonna make a significant difference in tone in modern amps that derive their gain from the preamp. Seems like a power tube change in amps like a Recto would have a greater impact on feel than tone.

I'm looking for tightness, not a change in tone.

 

[garey77]

Before going AFX, Devin Townsend was using Rectos w/el34s. He's got some downright sick tone.

 

[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.

I've never played a Recto with KT88's but I have extensively A/B'd KT88's vs EL-34's in a Splawn Nitro and a Marshall.
I noticed mainly an overall increase in head room with the 88's as well as less perceived midrange from where I decided was 800hz to 2000hz (I recorded some riffs with each tube then used a parametric eq to try to match them in order to pin point the frequencies). As far as being tighter?
Meh.
The KT's may feel slightly faster because of the headroom increase but hardly noticeable. Utilizing good picking discipline makes way more difference to me.
Keep in mind that both amps I messed with were very mid-heavy, Marshall voiced to begin with. A Recto is already carved out a bit in the mid range so it may start sounding a bit hollow with the wrong tube.
I think an EQ in the loop or maybe an adjustable bias mod will get you the results you want better than KT's.

Well I can tell you that they make a HUGE difference in an Uberschall. My Twin Jet has the same pre-amp design as my rev 1 Uber, and the Twin Jet is much tighter, and more articulate. I agree that in a heavy midrange amp you won't hear as much difference, because it isn't making all the low end that my TJ or VHT have.

 

[moronmountain]

I think an EQ in the loop or maybe an adjustable bias mod will get you the results you want better than KT's.

Bigtime. An EQ in the loop of a recto is the shiznit. Power tube choices make the slightest of changes. 98% (yes! exactly 98%…. ) of what that amp is doing is in the preamp.

RE: Eurotubes, I've had nothing but great experiences with them and when requesting EL34's for my Stiletto they were the exact same bias range as the stock Mesa's. I'll order from them anytime. Never received a bad tube and if I did I wouldn't sweat it as they communicate well.

I agree as far as the amp's basic tone is concerned, but I am not trying to affect the basic tone of the amp. What I would be doing is trying to get a bit more clarity and tightness from the power section. I can tell you that even the brand of tubes used in the power section can affect this. I just recently went back to using Sovtek KT88's in my Ultra Lead, and the amp ended up being a bit tighter in the bass department. It also had more clarity, and the mids sounded better as well.

As far as Eurotubes go, I've never purchased from him, so I don't have an opinion on his business.

 

[DET1973]

A lot of the 36CF albums are Dual Racktifiers with EL34's. i love EL34's, 6550 & KT88 tubes. I would love to hear a recto with KT88's again.

 

[rocknrolla]

Well I can tell you that they make a HUGE difference in an Uberschall. My Twin Jet has the same pre-amp design as my rev 1 Uber, and the Twin Jet is much tighter, and more articulate. I agree that in a heavy midrange amp you won't hear as much difference, because it isn't making all the low end that my TJ or VHT have.

The Nitro has one of the biggest bottom ends out of any amp I've played. With the KT's it was a bit tighter but it also lost a bit of mid range character that gives the attack that bark. So as far as that goes it was a give and take.
Honestly I don't know what it would do to the feel and voice of a Recto. Try it out. If you dislike it you can always throw in other tubes.

 

[skoora]

If you want to try a Mesa and you want tight I would go with a Mark over a Rec.

 

[moronmountain]

Well I can tell you that they make a HUGE difference in an Uberschall. My Twin Jet has the same pre-amp design as my rev 1 Uber, and the Twin Jet is much tighter, and more articulate. I agree that in a heavy midrange amp you won't hear as much difference, because it isn't making all the low end that my TJ or VHT have.

The Nitro has one of the biggest bottom ends out of any amp I've played. With the KT's it was a bit tighter but it also lost a bit of mid range character that gives the attack that bark. So as far as that goes it was a give and take.
Honestly I don't know what it would do to the feel and voice of a Recto. Try it out. If you dislike it you can always throw in other tubes.

Yeah I don't own one, hence the point of the thread.

 

[moronmountain]

If you want to try a Mesa and you want tight I would go with a Mark over a Rec.

Was only interested in a Recto, because they can be had on the cheap. I don't need another amp per se, but am just looking for a cheapish practice room amp.