NAD!! Returning member under new handle

[biddifour]

Hey,

I couldn't remember my old log in and the "forgot password" thing never sent me a new password. So, I made a new account.

I owned a 2002 Dual Rec till 2012, then had a Roadster for 8 months in 2013.

Had a Krank, a Laney, and most recently a 5150 III 50w combo. Needless to say, nothing compares. (not even the Roadster, for me anyway)

My wife had had enough of me not being happy and insisted I make the investment.
Got a new Reborn, or Multi-watt, or whatever we're calling it, Dual Rectifier and 412 Rectifier cab.

Holy poop! This thing is waaayyy better than my '02 recto. Better cleans. All the modes are better actually. Just amazing.

Got a couple questions:

Where should the send level be? Noon?

At startup, I hear a faint tube sucking, rattling kind of sound. It only lasts for maybe a minute or so. I seems to be coming from the rectifier side of the tubes. Anyone hear that before? It's the actual tube making the noise. Not coming through the speakers.

What's the preferred way to use the 50/100 watt feature? I understand the concept of being able to push the power tubes a bit, but at lower volumes, I don't really hear a big difference.

I have ordered fresh JJ preamp tubes 3 hi-gain for V1, V2, V3 then standard and balanced plus 2 rectifier tubes. I'm going to wait a while to decide on power tubes as I always used EL34 before. I want to see how the 6L6's work for me.

I'm also considering a boost. Never used one before. I may go with Boss SD-1. Trying to be cheap after what I just spent.

Anyhoo, glad to be back

 

[screamingdaisy]

Where should the send level be? Noon?

Technically, noon, but I think mine's at 3:00. Some of us have started running it higher than recommended and I think it improves the sound at lower volumes. I can't remember why, but AFU did a whole big writeup on it on his blog:

https://warpedmusician.wordpress.com

At startup, I hear a faint tube sucking, rattling kind of sound. It only lasts for maybe a minute or so. I seems to be coming from the rectifier side of the tubes. Anyone hear that before? It's the actual tube making the noise. Not coming through the speakers.

Does it sound like an old TV warming up? Mine does that sometimes.

What's the preferred way to use the 50/100 watt feature? I understand the concept of being able to push the power tubes a bit, but at lower volumes, I don't really hear a big difference.

IMO, I like 50w mode for the clean channels. I think it's a good fit for tweed/brit modes with the tube rectifier, and running fat clean at 50w knocks down the headroom a bit and narrows the sound, which helps balance it's perceived volume it against the more compressed high gain channels.

I have ordered fresh JJ preamp tubes 3 hi-gain for V1, V2, V3 then standard and balanced plus 2 rectifier tubes. I'm going to wait a while to decide on power tubes as I always used EL34 before. I want to see how the 6L6's work for me.

Mesa's come stock with JJ preamp tubes. I didn't like JJ rectifier tubes as I found them too stiff sounding. The stock rectifier tubes have more sag.

I'm also considering a boost. Never used one before. I may go with Boss SD-1. Trying to be cheap after what I just spent.

On the cheap side the SD-1 will work fine. I like the Mesa Tone-Burst since it kicks things up a notch without changing the sound.

Anyhoo, glad to be back

8)

 

[biddifour]

Thanks ScreaminDaisy. As for the noise, it sounds like distant light rattling. What's even more strange is I owned a mint used Roadster for a bit that made the same noise and I had an extra rectifier tube laying around, so I put it in. The noise stopped. So that's why I ordered new.
I know it comes with JJ's, but back in '02, when I didn't know that, I ordered new JJ's and the difference was amazing. So every 6 months, I would retube the whole thing and I perceived a difference. Plus, Even though the amp was bought new, the manufacture date is 5/13. So who knows how many times the amp was turned on and off improperly for demoing, and I don't know that Mesa puts high gain tubes in V1-V3, As great as the amp sounds, I am wanting just a tad more sustain.