Help deciding power amp, recto, 295 etc.

[user 19640]

Hi.

Tried the search function, but didnt really find what I looked for.

I have a Quad, and my question is about power amp. I do have a Krank which I now use as poweramp (6550's), but I want more "personality".

Buy a dual rectifier, roadster, 295, strategy 400, ?
These are some of my alternatives.

I want a smooth tone, a bit of 6L6 and EL34. And responsive and sharp attack.


Thanks folks!

 

[zodiac272]

the 2:90 is really good. plus i think you can put EL-34's in 4 sc spots too.

scott

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

I believe the 2:90 is a better match for the Quad.

 

[dbone]

I picked up a Quad a while back and borrowed my 2:90 from my Triaixs to check it out.
It sounds great with the 2:90 in my opinion I also enjoy the switching functions.
Any old school mesa quad fan would likely tell you to start looking for a Mesa 295 power amp.295 would be my first choice they built it for the quad.

 

[user 19640]

Thanks for the replies!

So, in other words, a dedicated power amp like 2:90 and 295 would be a better choice than for intance say a power stage from a Roadster or dual rectifier ?

 

[zodiac272]

i think for me, I would rather pair the quad with a power amp unit rather than a head, even though having a roadster will offer much more flexibility. At mesa, when they work on preamps, I was told they use the 2:90. I used to have a quad, and i was great with my 2:90. So you already have a 2:90? you should be set then, give it a good test, and see how you like it.

scott

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

The Quad was developed when Stategy power amps were being made and therefore it's what going to suit the original intention for the Quad. Additionally you might look for an old 50/50 to pair it with. And yes I know it's only 50 watts a side right?...the difference between 50 and 100 watts is about 3dbs at full volume. The main difference is the headroom.

 

[user 19640]

That's great folks!

I am thinking back and forth here…

I tend to scoop the mids a bit, thou I want a tone that cuts trough a mix. Scooping the mids too much, and the clarity and the tonality suffers.

What I mostly want is brute, quick and big sounding body, and the least I want is high-end fizz above 10Khz.
It's not that my Krank with 6550's (efx return in )sound bad on my 2x12 cab. Quite the opposite. But if one layers 6,8, or even 10 guitar tracks, the power amp stage will also make its mark on a mix.

 

[Darth Bacelar]

The 50/50 works great too. I don't try it with 2:90, probably sounds nice, but I don't know how works the modes with the Quad.

Time ago I ask for something similar, and probably the best choice for a Quad/Studio will be 295 or strategy 400. The only bad thing is weight, of course.
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=45059

 

[crane]

My Quad never sounded greater than with the 295. 50/50 come second and 20/20 definitely not made for it, even with the deep mod.

 

[Wylde861]

The 295 will be a little heavier, but well worth it. It has a tone that IMO the others don't match.

 

[user 19640]

Thanks for helping guys! My 295 arrived today. Very dusty inside. Seemed like it was the factory tubes too (Tesla EL34 and Mesa blue 6L6). Did a quick test, and each channel and switching seemed to work fine. No scratchy level pot, even the fan was quiter than I expected, as the amp has been travelling across the atlantic...

Since I use a stepdown transformer, I came up with a theory. Not sure if it works thou...

To get the "head/combo" feel of a ordinary amp, I will try using both the 295 and Quad on the same StepdownUS/EU transformer, feeding power to both, versus having a own 100W transf. for the Quad and a 500W transf. for the 295. Not sure, maybe it wouldn't affect the feel of the rig... I will look into that.

Even thou the powertubes in the 295 looked tired and old, running Quad for a quick sound check sounded far better than the Krank Rev's 6550 powerstage I used previously.

 

[Jackie]

Even thou the powertubes in the 295 looked tired and old

If you can and have the dough, replace those old tubes ASAP. I have tubes older than Mother Earth in my 2:90 too and they were fine for a while, just now my tone went totally muddy. I'm still kicking myself for not investing money into a full retube when I bought it because right now my MESA rig is practically useless. I'm sure it's the 2:90s tubes because I ran the TriAxis (which has new tubes) through my JVM's power section and it sounded fine.

 

[user 19640]

If you can and have the dough, replace those old tubes ASAP. .

Yeah, new complete tube set is ordered and on its way! TAD 6L6GC-STR and Tung Sol EL34B along with Tung sol Gold ECC803-S driver tubes! :wink:

 

[Jackie]

Great. I kept having this feeling my tubes we're keeping me from realizing the rig's full potential. Now I KNOW it's the tubes limiting the whole thing's tone, I know some amps (MESA especially) tend to be on the dark side, but no amp should (again, MESA especially) should sound this muddy.
Glad you're doing yourself a favor! :mrgreen:

 

[user 19640]

Indeed. The cool thing about tube amps is that you can change the carachteristics of the sound.
I have been really satisfied with Tung Sol. Maybe next time I will go for some "up-market" Genalex Gold Lion tubes, B759/ECC83 in V1's, and maybe their KT77's in the 295.

 

[user 19640]

Indeed. The cool thing about tube amps is that you can change the carachteristics of the sound by swapping different tube makes and types.
I have been really satisfied with Tung Sol. Maybe next time I will go for some "up-market" Genalex Gold Lion tubes, B759/ECC83 in V1's, and maybe their KT77's in the 295.

 

[little-b]

Ive had a quad and triaxis-into- the 295,290,and now the 500..sure the 500 is serious power, but to me its more 3 dimentional than the others..but theyre all good..

 

[user 19640]

...but to me its more 3 dimentional than the others..but theyre all good..

You mean the Strategy 500 or the 295?

 

[Jackie]

Maybe next time I will go for some "up-market" Genalex Gold Lion tubes

I don't think they're worth the cash. They seem like a very expensive TungSol to me.