japetus
Well-known member
I just wonder if Ed were alive and were posting. I think he'd say "I got it with the amps I made!"
DanTravis62
Moderator
The whole using the second variac as an impromtu attenuator was Chris Merren's explanation of why there were two variacs on top of the same head in 1977/78 pics, and as mentioned earlier since doing this tends to destroy output transformers this would correlate to the tales of Ed's amp blowing output transformers repeatedly in the early leg of the tour.
Is correlation causation???? Who knows? It's is an interesting correlation isn't it..........
I'm not making the argument that the tone can't be achieved 100% with a good Marshall SL/Plexi without it. I'm only saying the effects are very interesting when the variac is used this way and you really have to hear it yourself to decide what it does or doesn't bring to the table.
I've only played a double variac setup once, and it sounded almost exactly like any other cranked marshall setup i've ever played - I have a sneaking suspicion that the end result is far more dependent on the health and details around the superlead amp build/specs than it does variac/double variac/cranked/whatever kind of attenuator that's attached to make it more of a daily driver.
Basically all of these things are trying to get around the sheer volume of a superlead at the point where you get it to give up the goods, and once you get it to give up the goods, they all sound remarkably similar
In fact, the BEST sounding setups i've heard and played in this amp "genre" have either been stock superleads with newer electrolytics completely cranked, or stock superleads with newer electrolytics through a PS1 or PS2
C
Cless357
Active member
I think I read something on Sloclone forum, someone stated that when you crank a plexi on 10, the NFB doesn't really function anymore...
novosibir
Well-known member
Correct
H
harddriver
Well-known member
The entire big picture is limitless........... not to mention the effects of driving 20/25 watt greenbacks at loud volumes is another rabbit hole in itself.
H
harddriver
Well-known member
DanTravis62
Moderator
That would certainly jive with my experiences with cranked plexi setups more or less sounding the same (except for differences in the health of the amp) regardless of the avenue/attenuator/fiddle fucking around that's used to get it cranked.
The entire big picture is limitless........... not to mention the effects of driving 20/25 watt greenbacks at loud volumes is another rabbit hole in itself.
IMO the driving of the greenbacks into high SPLs is very much overlooked and a key part of that sound
novosibir
Well-known member
It may be that the sounds of the amps become similar when they are cranked.
But it could also be due to a peculiarity of our ears, because the louder noises are, the more our ears block out the highs and bass and prefer the midrange. This is a natural protective function of our ears against overload.
However, since the heights in particular are crucial for us to perceive subtle differences in the sound, it may be that at these high volumes your ears no longer perceived the actual differences in the sounds as differentiated or not at all.
And now I'll tell you a secret that will surprise you.
Do you know how I fine-tuned all my different circuits of my amps?
And how do I select preamp tubes according to their sound characteristics for the respective positions in the amp?
At bedroom level
Of corse I test my tuning at a higher volume afterwards or the next day (because I usually tune at night, when the Lady is already asleep)...
... the fine-tuning however takes place very quietly - because our ears have the highest ability to differentiate "quietly".
I'm almost convinced that other amp builders don't do it that way, but beat their amps loudly when tuning?
DanTravis62
Moderator
It may be that the sounds of the amps become similar when they are cranked.
But it could also be due to a peculiarity of our ears, because the louder noises are, the more our ears block out the highs and bass and prefer the midrange. This is a natural protective function of our ears against overload.
However, since the heights in particular are crucial for us to perceive subtle differences in the sound, it may be that at these high volumes your ears no longer perceived the actual differences in the sounds as differentiated or not at all.
And now I'll tell you a secret that will surprise you.
Do you know how I fine-tuned all my different circuits of my amps?
And how do I select preamp tubes according to their sound characteristics for the respective positions in the amp?
At bedroom level
Of corse I test my tuning at a higher volume afterwards or the next day (because I usually tune at night, when the Lady is already asleep)...
... the fine-tuning however takes place very quietly - because our ears have the highest ability to differentiate "quietly".
I'm almost convinced that other amp builders don't do it that way, but beat their amps loudly when tuning?
That does not surprise me, as the vast majority of people play at bedroom level, and that's going to be the primary use-case of amps most of the time
It's also true that I spend the vast majority of my guitar playing time at stage volume, rather than bedroom volume, which gives me a different perspective than most on the forums
novosibir
Well-known member
Haha yes that's true, that many of the guitar players never leave their living rooms with their armada of amps & cabs
With a Larry amp, this would be comparable to driving a Porsche or Lamborghini only within the city during rush hour.
DanTravis62
Moderator
Haha yes that's true, that many of the guitar players never leave their living rooms with their armada of amps & cabs
madison square bedroom
mancave-n open air festival
these are the big time venues where most of this gear gets to stretch its legs
Similar threads
- ewill52
- Rig-Talk
