2 questions: R2 vol mod/rackmount config

[SonicProvocateur]

Question the first:

My 60 watt blue stripe has the R2 vol mod (done by phyrexia); my band is going to be recording in February/March professionally and our producer is going to want to DI the amp (i've already discussed this with him). My question is since my R2 mod replaced my DO knob, is my amp now wired for 100% output volume from the jack or zero? Is it even going to be possible to DI the amp??? I'm concerned. How are we going to be able to do this, and how is the amps DI function going to work in studio.

Question the second:

When I rack up my MK III, should I take out my power tubes or leave them in? I'm going to be using a Mosvalve-962 as a power amp for live, and not the Marks internal amp. My secondary tech told me I should probably take them out and not leave the tubes in cooking. I said I didn't know since I figured the heaters would still be on and didn't know if that could do damage by not having tubes in and power going to them (despite being bypassed through the preamp out - I've never ran the amp like that before). I wasn't sure so I figured I should ask you guys.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Restless Rocks]

Not sure if Phy used a resistor to connect your slave out or not. It is possible to a 10 - 25K resistor instead of the pot, depending on how hot you wish the signal to be. If you pull the power tubes the output section will of course be disabled and there will be no signal from the slave output anyway. You would have to use the FX send which comes before the Master Volume and the Pull Deep stage. Your lead master and R2 master would work but you would have no master for the clean channel. The slave out of the Mark III is NOT compensated like the Mark IV and I've found is not the best place for a recording signal. And of course you know that if you're using the slave out you MUST keep a speaker or an adequate load connected to the output or your output tranny will quickly be toast.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Ok, so...

1) mine is a non-GEQ and I use a MXR 6-band to scoop my mids and run the classic "V" for my metal tones: so you're saying I might be recording from the end of the FX loop (post EQ) and my Pull Deep (which I do use) won't be active...

2) no tubes, but run a dummy load anyway.

 

[MrMarkIII]

Dude, the tubes are the part of the amplifier that, well, amplifies.
No tubes, no amplification, no output, no sound.

 

[Joel]

I like Mosvalve and their mosfet power amps, but I still don't think they can compete with the Mark III power section.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Yeah, I haven't had the chance to actually hook the whole rig up and see how the whole shebang is gonna sound yet, but I do play prog-metal, so I'm not sure how exactly its all going to react to my style (think BTBAM/DT). I am a little worried its going to take a little of its "Mesa-ness" away though. For sure.

update: Talked to phyrexia today, and turns out that since my Mark III was previously a converted combo, he actually used the reverb knob to do the R2 mod, so my Direct Out level knob remains (sorry, couldn't remember since its been in the shop for awhile...) so thats actually once problem solved...

Secondary update! - I may be acquiring a Quad to add to the rig in the next couple of days and wondering if I should run it in a wet/dry/wet configuration or just A/B it for tons of channel switching options? ...I'm wondering with the solid state amp if the wet/dry/wet config would give it some of its "Mesa-ness" back or just increase the gain saturation/color the tone more... either way, it should be waaay cool!

Thanks for all the help guys!
-Jay