NAD, Solo50

[RussB]

I've been Mesa-less for about 3 years, but today I traded my plexi clone for a v2 Single Rectifier head. I'm still in the honeymoon phase, so I won't go on and on about it...yet.


Can I get an idea of when it was made? Ser no. is S50-05551.

How about pre-amp tube choices? What are you folks liking in your amps?


gratuitous picture...

 

[greatmutah]

Sweet amp. It's definitely a series II, so it's not too old. As far as pre amp tubes, I'd go with at least a Tung Sol in V1 and I like Electro Harmonix for the rest of my 12ax7s. Very similar tubes, but the Tung Sol is a bit more gainy and smoother. I don't really recommend JJs for the v1-v3 slots as they make the amp too dark, but they're great phase inverters.

 

[RussB]

Thanks for the reply 8)

From the date codes on the filter caps, my amp looks to be from 2006

I already ordered some 9th gen Chinese tubes from KCANOS Tubes. Mike does a great job screening them, plus he's a stand-up guy. He doesn't have any Tung-Sol's right now. There was big troubles with the last batch he got. Way too many rejects.

Right now I have some Chinese tubes I bought from Lord Valve about 6 years ago, which were "NOS" back then. They are supposedly the same tubes Mesa used to use back in the 80's. I didn't like them in my MKIII, but so far so good in the Single-Rec. I have a silver-plate Ruby 7025 "select" tube in V1 and those 12AX7's in V2, V3 & V5 with a Sovtek LPS driving the loop.

 

[RussB]

I'm really liking this amp through the Lopo 2-12 cab I have. It's loaded with a pair of EVM12'L's

 

[fluff191]

The Chinese 9th gen tubes are a fantastic choice for the Recto's. I run an EH in V1 and the rest all Chinese. Sounds amazing.