New Electra Dyne

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Hey tom8595!
Got my Dyne from Sweetwater too a few months ago, a 1x12 combo. Only took about 3 days (seriously!) - great service, stuff arrives in awesome shape!
Loving my Dyne more and more!
 
tom8595 said:
Hello all. It has been a while since my first post. I just thought
You all should know that me ED is alive and well. I have never
had any problem with her. My only issue is the wife has
Problems with the volume. But that's my problem! :twisted:

Funny thing, I have that same problem as well.
I think if I have one serious problem with the Electra Dyne, it is the volume. I just wear hearing protection to practice.
 
Hi Elvis, what kind of power attenuator do you use? I do not know much about them. I understand what
they are supposed to do though. Thanks for any info you can share.
 
He is going to recommend the Rivera Rock Crusher for he hefty sum of $500.

I was looking into Fluxtone's variable efficiency 'electromagnet' speakers and Eminence's FDM technology. A variable efficiency speaker would be cool if the tone of the speaker was something I liked to begin with!
 
It is a lot of coin for an attenuator but the Electra Dyne is definitely a LOUD amp. I only use it on 45 watts; the 90 watt option would be entirely unnecessary if the feel wasn't so awesome.

The Electra Dyne is also capable of so many different tones depending on how the volume and master are set. An attenuator will only serve to provide access to many more of these sounds. I particularly like the tone of the preamp and prefer to keep my master set at or below 9:00. I also find that for gigging, you never EVER need it to be any louder. BUT, for more vintage tones, you have to crank it up to get the power section involved and this is where an attenuator kicks serious ***!
 
Did you just talk yourself into getting an attenuator ? :lol:

I have had to use 90 watts at a number gigs as the clean side can run out of head room (using my 2x12 Stiletto cab). I have measured the output of my ED and this may surprise people, but 18 watts RMS is where it starts clipping in 45 watt mode. Cranked 30 watts RMS is max output. 90 Watt mode hits 70 watts RMS at clip onset and 100 watts RMS cranked.
 
18 'real' watts is a lot of power when speakers are pushing 100db / watt / metre of midrange frequencies.
I think the Electra Dyne is designed specifically for early clip onset of the power section so that you can get those 'overdriven' tones at manageable volumes. The 90 watt mode is for people who like the sound of the preamp while the 45watt mode is for people who want the power section to crunch or need lower volumes.

The jury is still out on an attenuator. I'm waiting for my Electra Dyne 1 x 12 extension cab I ordered to show up; hopefully it pushes less air than my oversized 2 x 12.

Another possible solution for neutering this amp would be getting a custom tube set that has an earlier onset for clipping. I just like how it sounds now so I am not so inclined to muck about.
 
YJ is correct about my response...

JJ, it was interesting to see your results on power. I was very surprised, until I remembered that the power stage is simul-class. It looks like the 45W mode is the inefficient half, and the 90W mode adds the efficient half. I wonder if it changes the bias as well.

I would guess that the guys at Mesa didn't really think about it that way when they labeled it. Either that, or they thought people would think that a 20W mode was too little.
 
YJ, I don't notice much volume change between my 1x12 cabs and my 2x12. The 1x12 does get going earlier though and you may find that you are happy with the master a bit lower because the speaker is reacting better. Since I have had my JTM45 clone working I am finding that I am not liking preamp distorion from the ED so much on Vintage lo. It does sound somewhat buzzy. After watching what the JTM does from stage to stage I was surprised to find that the power stage is what overdrives and there was no sign of preamp distorsion. At low volume I'll take the ED anyday though as the JTM has to be crazy loud to get good crunch.

18 watts is still not enough if you need a good clean, clean tone.

Elvis, the pair of tubes that run in 45 watt mode are biased to 48ma and the other pair that join in for 90 watt mode are 34ma. The bias and plate voltages do not change between modes. I spoke with a Mesa tech about my measurements and he confirmed within a few watts of what I get.

I think it is just marketing from Mesa and 45/90 looks and sounds better than 20/90. My Express 5:25 is the same and should be called the 2:25. Its 5 watt mode never even gets to 2 watts though 25 watt mode still only sounds about twice as loud.
 
elvis said:
YJ is correct about my response...

JJ, it was interesting to see your results on power. I was very surprised, until I remembered that the power stage is simul-class. It looks like the 45W mode is the inefficient half, and the 90W mode adds the efficient half. I wonder if it changes the bias as well.

I would guess that the guys at Mesa didn't really think about it that way when they labeled it. Either that, or they thought people would think that a 20W mode was too little.

Yes. Thanks to Sony (and other stereo manufacturers) dishonest power measurements, the average person has the perception that 20watts is grossly underpowered. In reality, it is hella LOUD, ESPECIALLY for crunch tones. I even find that channel to be almost unmanageably loud. It rivals 100 watts worth of Dual Rectifier.

J.J said:
YJ, I don't notice much volume change between my 1x12 cabs and my 2x12. The 1x12 does get going earlier though and you may find that you are happy with the master a bit lower because the speaker is reacting better. Since I have had my JTM45 clone working I am finding that I am not liking preamp distorion from the ED so much on Vintage lo. It does sound somewhat buzzy. After watching what the JTM does from stage to stage I was surprised to find that the power stage is what overdrives and there was no sign of preamp distorsion. At low volume I'll take the ED anyday though as the JTM has to be crazy loud to get good crunch.

I personally think loads of power amp distortion gets really muddy and undefined for chording. I find I prefer the tone of an overdriven preamp with just a hair of power amp clip for good measure. The Electra Dyne is definitely buzzy at low volumes, just like all mesas. The speakers just need to roar to make the amp come alive. From what I recall the 'Dyne 1 x 12 is tailor made for the amp and it really works well with it. Looking forward.

18 watts is still not enough if you need a good clean, clean tone.

My opinion is rapidly changing on this. With a Recto, you NEED a good clean, clean tone. There are far too many gain stages to make adequate use of the volume knob on the guitar.
With the Electra Dyne, I think a lot about how I use dynamics on Cello and Piano when I play. With Vintage low, I prefer to use the volume knob on the guitar to adjust the amount of crunch I have while playing. I prefer relying on pick sensitivity to vary whether I get a good clean clean tone or I have some sparkle or even crunch. The Edge of Breakup on the recto sounds bassy, flubby, and awful, or thin and grating, but the edge of breakup with the Dyne is so beautiful. Been spending LOTS of time there!

Elvis, the pair of tubes that run in 45 watt mode are biased to 48ma and the other pair that join in for 90 watt mode are 34ma. The bias and plate voltages do not change between modes. I spoke with a Mesa tech about my measurements and he confirmed within a few watts of what I get.

I think it is just marketing from Mesa and 45/90 looks and sounds better than 20/90. My Express 5:25 is the same and should be called the 2:25. Its 5 watt mode never even gets to 2 watts though 25 watt mode still only sounds about twice as loud.

Ya. Numbers unfortunately sell amps. What people don't realize is how little power it takes to make A LOT of noise with guitar speakers. Hence why there are attenuators as well as variable efficiency speakers coming out. I hope there is enough demand for variable efficiency speakers so that the technology can be developed further. I think it is a promising technology and it would solve a lot of grievances between guitarists and the rest of the world!
 
YellowJacket said:
My opinion is rapidly changing on this. With a Recto, you NEED a good clean, clean tone. There are far too many gain stages to make adequate use of the volume knob on the guitar.
With the Electra Dyne, I think a lot about how I use dynamics on Cello and Piano when I play. With Vintage low, I prefer to use the volume knob on the guitar to adjust the amount of crunch I have while playing. I prefer relying on pick sensitivity to vary whether I get a good clean clean tone or I have some sparkle or even crunch. The Edge of Breakup on the recto sounds bassy, flubby, and awful, or thin and grating, but the edge of breakup with the Dyne is so beautiful. Been spending LOTS of time there!

You would probably find the crunch tones to have more power behind them, probably closer to 30 watts RMS and that will get you within about 5 dB of a 100 watt amp.

I personally think loads of power amp distortion gets really muddy and undefined for chording. I find I prefer the tone of an overdriven preamp with just a hair of power amp clip for good measure. The Electra Dyne is definitely buzzy at low volumes, just like all mesas. The speakers just need to roar to make the amp come alive. From what I recall the 'Dyne 1 x 12 is tailor made for the amp and it really works well with it. Looking forward.

Thats exactly what drove me to the ED, the dynamics of Vintage low. Listening to Peter Green playing on The blues breakers "Hard Road" album is probably my best reference. You can hear him playing very cleanly and then jumping into super crunchy notes just by how he plays. The JTM45 is king at this (and is what greeny used), but needs the volume at between 7 and 10. It can get flubby if pushed to far, but by the time you get there its at the limit. I have been playing with the EDs volume down as low as 8:30 in Vintage low, but by the time it cleans up enough I can't get the crunch back (at reasonable volume). Take the master to 12:00 and the crunch comes back, then you have the same problem as the JTM, your ears will bleed.

On a side note my music shop had a Clapton signature '57 Deluxe amp which I tried recently. 12 watts of 6V6 goodness. I could not beleive all the vintage tone and dynamics it had and the volume level was pretty decent. The ED in 45 watt mode would drown it out ! It has a half power mode and a 95dB/watt/Meter speaker. I'd love one, for home and small gigs, but at a best price of $2700 here I can't justify it.
 
Ya, things are more compressed at low volumes. I compensate for this by riding my volume knob. Putting knew caps and pots in my Les Paul was the best mod ever!
 
I prefer the Electradyne over the Royal Atlantic for this reason....les gain and better dynamics. I already have two amps that are great at bedroom volumes, my 20th Bogner Shiva and PWE Event Horizon, I needed an amp with less gain and more dynamic, hence the ED.....which reminds me a lot of an old JMP.

One note, I never noticed any difference in many years of swapping caps in guitars so all my LPs are stock now except I swap out the bridge volume pot with a CTS Audio taper, because I prefer the taper....but outside of that I notice no difference. If an LP sounds good, leave it. :)
 
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