The long awaited GAS attack!

[Bloozcat]

Well, I knew this day was coming, but now that it's here I'm a twisted knot of indecision....

The new Epiphone Blues Custom amps are in at Musician's Friend....

Now, I need another amp like I need a hole in my head, but this amp has had me panting since I first saw the specs on it.

So now the question is...what goes so that this can come in <OR> how do I bring another amp into the house without my wife thinking I've totally lost my mind.......and she may be right for thinking it!

 

[Spudman]

Well, I knew this day was coming,
So now the question is...what goes so that this can come in <OR> how do I bring another amp into the house without my wife thinking I've totally lost my mind.......and she may be right for thinking it!

Well Blooz, we all knew it was coming too. It's just part of belonging to the Fret.

From my perspective...nothing has to go before you get your new amph. You must first acquire it, then compare it to the ones you already have before you decide which one to get rid of. This process may take up to 5 years after which time the questions from your wife about the amph will cease altogether and you can live peacefully with all of them and play at will whichever one you desire. Or if you make up your mind to release one amph earlier and do so then your wife will be less tempted to get that new velvet painting for the livingroom, you know the one with the dogs playing poker.

 

[Bloozcat]

Well Blooz, we all knew it was coming too. It's just part of belonging to the Fret.

From my perspective...nothing has to go before you get your new amph. You must first acquire it, then compare it to the ones you already have before you decide which one to get rid of. This process may take up to 5 years after which time the questions from your wife about the amph will cease altogether and you can live peacefully with all of them and play at will whichever one you desire. Or if you make up your mind to release one amph earlier and do so then your wife will be less tempted to get that new velvet painting for the livingroom, you know the one with the dogs playing poker.

OK, I 'll try that...

"But Honey, Spudman sez it was ok for me to buy the new amp and evaluate it for 5-years before I decide If I want to keep it or get rid of another one...ok?"

And she would say;

"And just who is this Spudman?"

I of course, not wanting to disclose your Super Hero undercover identity, would just simply have to say, "never mind", and just find another closet to hide the amp in.

BTW: If my wife ever brought home a velvet painting of any kind, she'd ask me herself if I'd have her committed. Hmmm...if I bring the velvet painting home and convince her that she did it, she'll be so distraught that she'll never even notice the new amp....oh yeah, that'll work.

 

[Mark]

Do what I did, I had my wife open the case to see my EC strat when it came in and hanging off the tuning peg was a nice new Emerald necklace for her. Treat her like a throughbred and she wont be a nag.

 

[duhvoodooman]

The new Epiphone Blues Custom amps are in at Musician's Friend....

BC, I think it's pretty clear that you have a moral obligation to your pals here at The Fret to buy the Blues Custom and post a comprehensive review here. I'm sure that when you explain this to the little woman, any objection she might have had will instantly evaporate! Oh, by the way, one of those winged pigs just flew by my office window here again....

 

[Bloozcat]

Do what I did, I had my wife open the case to see my EC strat when it came in and hanging off the tuning peg was a nice new Emerald necklace for her. Treat her like a throughbred and she wont be a nag.

She's already a thoroughbred....

It's just that her excesses come in smaller packages and don't take over the second bedroom like mine. That's her only real objection, and some of my stuff is a little big.

Moral obligation you say, Duhvoodooman? Well just send some of those "winged BBQ ribs" down this way...I'll have the shotgun ready...

 

[Robert]

Be sure to tell us your impression of this amp once you try it! I am very interested to hear.

 

[Mark]

Quote: It's just that her excesses come in smaller packages and don't take over the second bedroom like mine. That's her only real objection, and some of my stuff is a little big.

Dang man sounds like my house !! At least Im not alone.

 

[Bloozcat]

Be sure to tell us your impression of this amp once you try it! I am very interested to hear.

OK, I'm on the spot now. The whole fret.net is counting on me....

I just want everyone to know what a hardship this is for me....

 

[duhvoodooman]

....and hanging off the tuning peg was a nice new Emerald necklace for her.

Hey, Mark! How about those of us with emerald necklace tastes and rhinestone checking accounts??

 

[Mark]

Its the thought that counts. Actually my guitar came a week before her birthday so I just gave it to her early. Id be in the poor house if I got her jewelery everytime I had GAS.

 

[Bloozcat]

Well, the dye is cast....

Looks like I'm going to be one of the first to try out the new Epiphone Blues Custom 30. It should be here later this week.

Musician's Friend is evil, I tell you. I just enter my e-mail address and my password and they magically display all of my ordering information. With a simple click of the mouse, they've got me again. Sorcerers....

 

[Spudman]

OK, I'm on the spot now. The whole fret.net is counting on me....

I just want everyone to know what a hardship this is for me....

Thanks man. You are a real trooper going to the trenches for all of us fretters. Your shrine shall be big and prominent. Oh, if you get kicked out of the house I have an extra bedroom for you in the Les Paul wing of my house.






Don't forget to bring the amph.

 

[Bloozcat]

Thanks for the offer Spudman, but I think the work commute might be a tad long...

So, last night I went into the second bedroom, know more affectionately as "The Music Room" (by me, anyway), and went to work straightening things up. Who knew there was so much spare space in that room? There's easily enough room to absorb another amp with barely a ripple to the space time continuum (women are acutely sensitive to such distubances it seems...). My wife looked on in bemused silence, not knowing that there was a particular and specific method to my apparently frenzied madness. She's happy that the room is straightened out (and can even accomodate quests once again), and I have successfully prepared the safe house for the stealthy arrival of my latest purchase.

Six months from now, my wife may notice the new amp and in her usual way say; "I don't remember seeing this amp before. Is it new?"

And I will answer in my usual way: "This amp? Oh, I've had this for a while."

This by the way is the same conversation, we have when she displays a new pair of shoes...only in reverse. It's sort of a veiled acknowledgement of each others excesses, without upsetting the harmonious balance that makes for a happy marriage.

And so it goes...

As an aside; Who says that the gods of music no longer look down upon
we mere mortals from their lofty purchase atop Mt. Olympus? It just so happens that one of my wife's co-workers is here from DC, and will be staying at our home this week. He was a former high school music teacher in another life. Talk about the gathering of like minded allies at a critical juncture in time. For the next few days, the acceptable norms of the Bloozcat residence will be under the influences of the gods of music. And let no one speak ill of musicians and their necessary equipment while in this state of musical Kismet. Kinda like a Pax Musicana for the week (sorry for mixing Greek, Roman, and Hindu metaphors, for those who noticed... ).

(And now for the disclaimer: This post was created soley for the amusement of the readers. Any resemblence to any characters, real or fictional, is purely coincidental. No animals (or wives) were hurt in the creation of this post )

 

[Spudman]

Six months from now, my wife may notice the new amp and in her usual way say; "I don't remember seeing this amp before. Is it new?"

And I will answer in my usual way: "This amp? Oh, I've had this for a while."

Oh my gosh! This happens here too. Way, way too funny. I do exactly the same thing.

Listen up fretters, this is how you pull off your acquisitions. The pros have spoken. LOL

 

[Tim]

This is crazy. I think all women think a like. They must have one universal cosmic consciousness.

My wife uses the same time of pressure on me when I acquire new equipment. Yes, she uses the infamous “I don't remember seeing this amp before. Is it new?" She will also use the quick question of “Where did this come from?” Of course my reply is “Why dear, I have had it for a while. You’re not as observant as you use to be. You must have a lot on your mind lately”. Then I get the evil eye. And I must say that at times the eyes do turn red.

Right now I am looking for the out of production Fender-Cyber Champ like the one Justaguy bought a few months back. I am working on a plan to smuggle it (or its equivalent) in the house when I do come across one. Now that the wife has her own computer which is located in another room she seldom comes into the “Studio”

Bloozcat – It is a Studio not a music room. A Studio sounds so more professional in my opinion. It allows you to say things like; “Dear, I am going to the studio to work on a composition which I am dedicating to you”. Hey, I say go for the heart. It should give you about 30 days of uninterrupted time with your guitars and playing music. At the end of 30 days play her a chord progression and ask how she likes “her” song so far?

Fretters unite!

 

[Mark]

Come on Blooze if there was a little cloud over your wifes head like in the cartoons, her seeing you cleaning. It would have to read ..Hmmm he's cleaning the music room?......He bought something I just know it ......OOOO they are having that clothing sale this week..he will never notice another dress or two! Whoo hoo shop till I drop.

 

[Bloozcat]

Come on Blooze if there was a little cloud over your wifes head like in the cartoons, her seeing you cleaning. It would have to read ..Hmmm he's cleaning the music room?......He bought something I just know it ......OOOO they are having that clothing sale this week..he will never notice another dress or two! Whoo hoo shop till I drop.

Actually, she's been bugging me a little about having stuff all over the room every time I do some light repairs, or fool with my guitars. What was really fortuitous was the timing of our arriving house guest. It was the perfect cover for my little scheme. Soooo, it looked for all intents and purposes like I was making room for our guest. Like I said, Kismet...serendipity...whatever. Besides, my wife isn't one of those women who's suspicious about something like this, and she doesn't see things like this as items on a score card. She's not a tit-for-tat kind of woman. The truth be told, she really wouldn't care about the amp if she saw it coming in the door. All she cares about is that it isn't making the room unusable as a bed room. But that doesn't make for a good story, now does it?

“Why dear, I have had it for a while. You’re not as observant as you use to be. You must have a lot on your mind lately”. Then I get the evil eye. And I must say that at times the eyes do turn red.

Oh, Tim, Tim, Tim....

Never challenge them when you're trying to get something by them! That's like the Matador and the bull...and you know how a bull reacts when challenged by a red flag...
Think of it as dancing. They actually enjoy it when you lead them. So the goal is to become not just a good dancer, but a great one...figuratively speaking that is...

I'm refraining from calling the bedroom the music room for now. Instead, I'm lobbying for a stand alone workshop behind the house. Our home is on a large enough lot in our neighborhood that allows us to build an "in-laws" apartment with the blessing of the homeowners association. So, knowing that such an addition to the house will result in added value that is greater than the cost of building, it was an easy sell to my wife.

But that's a story better left for the open mic area, as I've digressed too much from the topic at hand...the new amp.

 

[Bloozcat]

While waiting for the amp to arrive, I thought I'd e-mail Eminence about these Lady Luck speakers. They're a new model with no data out there. here's my e-mail to them:

Greetings,

I have just purchased an Epiphone Blues Custom 30 amplifier which came with 2-12" Eminence Lady Luck speakers. As this is not a cataloged item, I can find no information on these speakers.

Can you please give me a little info on these speakers? Are they the same as, or similar to, any speakers currently in the Eminence line? Or perhaps they are the same as, or similar to some OEM speakers that you currently provide to other companies?

Any information regarding the specs and voicing of these speakers would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Regards,

Keith


Here’s Eminence’s response:

Hi Keith,

Thank you for your inquiry. Eminence and Epiphone engineers collaborated to develop the Lady Luck speaker specifically for the new line of Epiphone Amplifiers. The development and testing of this speaker has been in process for about two years. The speaker is a 16 ohm model and is rated for 70 watts RMS. Each speaker sports a custom Epiphone/Eminence finish in Mustard Yellow along with the Lady Luck label on the back. The speaker has a stamped steel frame, a
front rear sealing gasket, a 34 oz magnet, 1.75" voice coil, a full paper cone with paper edge, and a cloth dust cap. This speaker has a sensitivity of 99dB and a useable frequency range from 80Hz-5kHz. It has a very smooth response from the low-end through the mid range. It also has a very nice top end sparkle.

The speaker was engineered to exhibit very warm, and smooth break-up modes. The tonality of the amp is such that very little tonal coloration from the speaker was desired. Consequently, the speaker was engineered to provide a subtle, yet effective compliment to the amplifier.

Regards,

Anthony Lucas
Sr. Lab Technician
Eminence Speaker LLC
[email protected]
(502)845-5622 ext. 341

Kind of hard to know what to make of this reply. The efficiency of the speaker isn't all that great, meaning it won't be as loud as it could be. The tonal range sounds like it's kind of flat, with no pronounced character.

This speaker is definitely different than any other on the Eminence website.

 

[Bloozcat]

The Eagle has landed!

I was out of town (in Chicago) over the weekend when my new Epi BC arrived. I only had but a few short minutes to try the amp out last night when I got home, so I'm reserving judgement until I've had the time to put it through it's paces for at least an hour.

There's been a bit of a buzz about this amp on some other forums, and the reviews on the amps performance have been mixed. In the short time I played through it last night, I could hear what the other reviewers were talking about. I need to confirm some information that I've read - particularly the info about this amp being self biasing - and then I'll probably start experimenting with the tubes. The consensus thus far is that the Sovtek 5881's that come in the amp are really poor. Without getting into a major explanation right now, I'll just say that I'm pretty sure that I know why they sound so bad in this amp.

Anyway, first comes the trials, then comes the mods, then comes my report. I have to believe that when it's all said and done that I'll have something good to report.

 

[Cranium]

Thats weird, in the specs it sais 12AX7's and EL34's, where did the 5881 come from? Also Blooz can you post some sound clips before you make any changes, I really wanna hear it in stock form.

 

[Bloozcat]

Thats weird, in the specs it sais 12AX7's and EL34's, where did the 5881 come from? Also Blooz can you post some sound clips before you make any changes, I really wanna hear it in stock form.

The weird specs came from Musician's Friend. The Epiphone site and all the other vendor sites said 5881's. Even with that, the tubes that came in the amp are Sovteks, which are not true 5881's anyway. Sovtek's version of the 5881 is nothing more than a re-labeled 6L6WGC that was used by the Russian military in servo amps in MIG jets. The tube will take a max plate voltage of 500 volts @ 45 watts - which is slightly more than a 6L6GC can take. A real 5881/6L6WGB is rated 360 volts @ 23 watts. I've already heard that NOS Tung-Sol 5881's don't sound good at all in this amp. I'm hoping that my NOS Philips 6L6WGB's will be the ticket. These tubes were made in the 1980's and they are rated for higher voltages than true 5881/6L6WGB's. They break up earlier than almost all 6L6GC's and have a great track record when used in old Fender Tweed amps. The plate volts on this Blues Custom have been reported at 410 volts, making the OEM Sovteks an odd choice for this amp. That voltage is between a 5881 and a 6L6GC. Now that's weird.

Unfortunately, I'm not set up to do any sound clips. That'll have to be a project for later. I've only seen two other reviews on the amp so far, and neither of them had any sound clips either. About the best I'll be able to do is to describe the tone in writing as I go through the test and the mods.

 

[Cranium]

Can you show me where the other review's are? Is the sound still good for a tube amp, does it have a "big" sound? I like big round sounds, hows the bass on it?

 

[Bloozcat]

Well, I had some time last night to sit down with the amp and try out some different settings.

First off, the overall visual appearance of the amp is quite pleasing to the eye. The fit and finish of the amp is top quality all the way. For those familiar with the Valve Jr., the BC 30 has a similar look. The tolex, while quite thick and heavier than a Fender type, is expertly applied with no flaws, misfit corners, or bad edges. The control face plate is a cream color. It is layed out nicely and it's very easy to read the markings. The EQ/volume pots are of suspect quality, though. A simple flick of any of the chicken head knobs and the pot will go from zero to dimed with no resistance. That set off a little warning in my mind. The carry handle on top of the cabinet is made of very robust leather/leather-like material, and appears quite strong. It's will need to be to lift this 65 lb. amplifier. The back of the amp is a good mixture of form and function. The 15/30 A - A/B switch is located here as well as a row of speaker output jacks. There are two-4ohms, two-8ohms, and one 16ohm speaker out jacks. Adjacent to the row of speaker out jacks is a footswitch jack. The footswitch is not included with the amp (kind of cheesy IMO). A quiet mini-fan to cool the power tubes is also located on the chassis back opposite the power tubes inside. The power cord is detachable at the amp chassis by means of a recessed three-way plug. There is no effects loop. The detachable back panel extends from the base of the chassis to the bottom of the cabinet with a neat cut-out that sports a dull black metal screen to protect the tubes. It is not only functional, but very appealing to the eye as well. I'd give the overall quality of the fit and finish a 10.

I started the test with one of my Strats in the clean channel set to A/B mode. I also elected to start with the interactive EQ. The amp in this mode is very clean, clear, articulate, and lively. The bass response is stiff and lacking in bottom end depth, but still comes off fairly well with my Strat. The EQ adjustments are responsive, but only to the degree that the OEM tube configuration allows. More on that later. The reverb is very, very nice. It has a luscious, sweet, tone with depth and a long decay. As a tube driven, spring reverb, the tone is refreshingly organic. There is no comparison between this reverb and the run of the mill solid state driven reverbs of most amps in this price range. It's not quite up to a Blackface Fender reverb, but it's pretty darn good. I'd rate the clean tone channel at: 7. It would have rated higher had the bass response been more robust.

I was definitely disappointed when switching from AB to A mode. There was little difference in the tone other that to say that the amp became noticably less lively, and lost some of it's brillance and presence. Not at all what I expected from a triode class A circuit. Rating: 6.5.

Switching to channel two in this amp was most disappointing. The tone is sterile and very solid state sounding, with pronounced treble that is bright and spikey. No amount of tweaking with the bass EQ can remove this icepick tone (without turning the tone to a muted dullness). I tried the recommended amp settings from the owners manual to no avail. While each setting did mimic the targeted tone to a degree, each setting was plagued with the icepick in the ear. Humbuckers in these settings fared even worse. Another strange tone that was present throughout the high gain settings was the presence of ghost notes that were so pronounced that it sounded as if I was using an octave pedal. Strange and annoying both. Switching from AB to A mode on channel two produced tones that were only a bit more satisfying than those experienced on the clean channel. Rating: 6.

I can't even comment on the tone of the speakers as the signal going to them was probably not sufficiently good to fairly evaluate them. Rating: N/A

Now to the tube issue. The Sovtek "5881" tubes in this amp are not 5881's by any measure of tubes. They are not true 6L6GC's either, although they'll take voltages in excess of most 6L6GC tubes. These tubes were designed for use in servo amps in MIG fighter jets. They are known for their sterility and lack of musical tone in amplifier circuits. They are by many accounts (mine included), one of the worst sounding power tubes available. IMO, these tubes doomed the amp to poor tone right from the start. The only application where they are somewhat less than horrible, is in extremely high gain amps. But, a manufacturer can put them in an amp and not worry about them holding up...you can't kill 'em. This amp comes with a 5-year warranty, so tubes like this help in that regard. Add to the output tube problem, the complement of five bland Sovtek 12AX7WA pre-amp tubes, and the circle of sterile tone is complete. The Sovtek 12AX7WA has the distinguished honor of being the most replaced OEM pre-amp tube out there.

Late last night I pulled the back panel off the amp and began pulling and replacing the OEM tubes. I replaced the five Sovtek 12AX7WA's with five NOS tubes I had. V-1 got an RCA blackplate 12AX7A, V-2 a BEL 12AX7, V-3, V-4, and V-5 each got GE 12AX7WA's. I replaced the puny looking Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier tube with an NOS Philips that looked to be a third again the size of the Sovtek. I put a matched pair of Philips 6L6WGB's in place of the Sovtek 5881's. Again, the Sovtek tubes not being 5881's at all, were about 1/2" longer than the normal short bottle 5881/6L6WGB's. The amp is cathode biased, so there's no additional re-biasing needed when changing power tubes. Despite this, there still may be an issue with the milli-amp rating of the tubes installed. The only information I've been able to garner regarding the operating voltages of the amp came from another new owner. He reported the plate voltage at 410 volts. Since a real NOS Tung-Sol 5881/6L6WGB has a plate voltage max of 360 volts, it's clear that the Sovteks that came in this amp are not 5881's...and that those NOS tubes should not be used. Fortunately, my Phillips 6L6WGB's are 1980's manufacture and are rated for voltage in the upper 400 volt range. I'm hopeful that since these tubes are known for their early break-up that they may be the tube that brings this amp to life. If not, I'll have to wait until the real amp Gurus have a chance to crack one open and start evaluating the actual circuit for tweaks (the way they have for the Valve Jr.).

Epiphone has obviously done some homework here in the design of this amp. On paper, this amps circuit should be a winner, but tubes don't live in a paper world. I fully understand the motivation for choosing the Sovtek tubes in this amp - low cost - and that was an important consideration in keeping this amp at it's price point. The problem is in that most of the buying public is made up of non-modders. Most people want a plug in and play amp. They won't be able to see beyond the bad tone to realize that there's gold under the layer of crap tone.

Tonight, I'll crank her up with the new tubes installed. Since I'm going from chumps to champs on the tube scale here, I'm expecting much better results. To be quite truthful, I wasn't expecting great performance from this amp out of the box anyway. And like with the Valve Jr., I was just expecting a great platform that could be turned into a great amp. So, this is still a work in progress.

Overall average rating: 7.38
I fully expect this rating to climb to 9.0 + by the time I'm through.

BTW: Of the two other reviews I've read, mine pretty much matches the first one I read. I don't know the experience level of the second reviewer, but he didn't seem to hear what I and the first reviewer both heard.

More to com...

 

[Spudman]

Great review Blooz. I am anxious to hear what the results are.

 

[Cranium]

Dude whatever they tell you, you should still try to bias the tubes, maybe thats why the second channel sounds so thin and icy, I think you should check it if the tubes are too cold.

 

[Bloozcat]

Dude whatever they tell you, you should still try to bias the tubes, maybe thats why the second channel sounds so thin and icy, I think you should check it if the tubes are too cold.

Well, this is the way it sounds with the stock tubes, not the new ones I put in. Given the Sovtek 5881's notoriously bad reputation for tone, it's most likely the tube that responsible for the weak tone, rather than a bias problem.

Since the amp is cathode biased, it will work with a pretty wide range of tube plate currents and is self adjusting, so there is no need for manual biasing. If the circuit was a fixed bias (fixed resistor), or an adjustable bias (bias pot), then the bias or idle current would have to be adjusted.

The tubes I'm using as replacements are in a very close plate volt rating to the ones being replaced, so they will be within the range of the circuits self adjustment parameters. For these tubes to not work in this circuit would mean that the circuit was improperly designed in the first place. Since it was Pyotr Belov, a well known boutique amp builder who designed this circuit, it's not very likely that the circuit is improperly designed. Belov has a great reputation as an amp builder, and his amps have been featured in many guitar magazines. However.... there is always the possibility that the circuit is ill concieved, but that will be the last place to look. At any rate, the tubes wouldn't be damaged if the idle current is too low, they just wouldn't perform at optimum efficiency. Now if the idle current was too high...that's another story.

 

[Cranium]

So the sound is better now with the new tubes? Do you think it sounds better on clean channel with a pedal like a TS-9 or something?

 

[Bloozcat]

I love it when a plan comes together...!

Ok, I sat down tonight and ran the amp with the new tubes through the gamut. Starting with the clean channel: As before the clean is, well clean. It's clear and articulate as before, only now the bass is fuller and there's some power tube growl at higher volumes. Very nice. Clean, warm jazzy and bluesy tones come through now, with great single note definition. Switching to the class A 15 watt mode, there is now a noticable difference. There's more snap to the tone when I dug in with a strong pick attack, while the notes had a warmer rounder tone when played with a metered pace. In both modes the EQ is now more responsive. There are plenty of tones yet to be found as I didn't explore them all...yet.

On to the OD channel: Well hello, there really is an OD channel in this amp that doesn't sound like a raunchy, clipping diode solid state circuit! Suddenly there is clearly defined bass. Not just the full, deep, rounded kind, but the harder, slap kind of bass as well. You just have to dial in what you want. The thing I like about this new bass response is that it's not the least bit boomy or mushy. It is sharp, clear and punchy. Pretty cool.

After running through some of the owners manual suggested settings, I started experimenting with some of my own. My Strats will go from crisp clear, shimmering and glassy tones to really edgy OD bite. And the icepick is gone! My ears no longer feel like they've been flossed with razor wire. Every switch position on the Strats is usable...I just had to find the right EQ setting to maximize the tone. The horrible ghost tones have been reduced to a normal Strat kind of warbling sound (in high gain mode, that is). The sustain this amp now delivers make lead runs smooth and buttery. I found myself playing with a lighter touch as notes seemed to float out of the amp. When I switched to my Agile LP with the Highorders in it, a smile spread accross my face like a Chessire cat. Crisp, biting lead tones seemed to leap from the fingerboard. This guitar and these pickups never sounded this good in any of my other amps. Everything from Allman Brothers to AC/DC tones were there. Even hints of that hollow Jimmy Paige sound was there, although I didn't take the time to try to dial it in further.

It is a common notion that a rectifier tube has no bearing on an amps tone. While this is true, it has a profound effect on the sag, which in turn affects the note definition and overall shape of the tone. In this regard, the NOS Philips 5AR4 rectifier tube I put in this amp was so much better than the stock Sovtek as to make it seem that I went from a solid state rectifier to tube. There is that much of a difference.

While the speakers still have a while yet 'til they break in, at least now I can tell that they will be fine for this amp, They seem to handle all the different amp settings I tried with equal aplomb. Good job Eminence!

I did just a little tweaking with the pre-amp tubes and I'm not done yet. I changed the tubes to the RCA in V-1, a GE 5751 in V-2, the BEL in V-3, and GE 12AX7WA's in V-4, and V-5. That smoothed out the pre-amp OD a bit. I want to pick up a couple more Tung-Sol 12AX7 reissues to try out as well.

Well, with ringing ears, I'm happily off to bed for the evening. I can't wait to spend some more time with my new little jewel.

 

[Cranium]

Thats it, Im definatley getting one, do you think I should put those JJ's tubes from eurotubes.com, people say those are very good. Also after your done with all the testing of the tubes could you list the ones you found to sound best in the amp, thanks.