New owner of a 2009 Dual Rectifier

[CHATTERBOX]

I'm thinking this thing may suit my needs! I've been looking for a Mark 4 or 5 head to NO availe and thought I'd give a DR a chance. Channels 2 and 3 - Oh yeah! Question is, if I swap ot the 6L6's for El-34's will I get a better clean and more headroom from Channel 1?

 

[screamingdaisy]

I'm thinking this thing may suit my needs! I've been looking for a Mark 4 or 5 head to NO availe and thought I'd give a DR a chance. Channels 2 and 3 - Oh yeah! Question is, if I swap ot the 6L6's for El-34's will I get a better clean and more headroom from Channel 1?

In general...

EL34s - More middy cleans with less headroom.

6L6s - Wider cleans with more top/bottom end and more headroom.

The best thing you can do if it has the stock JJ preamp tubes is replace the V1 with a TongSol. It'll open up the cleans a bit and add some more detail. As a bonus, it'll do the same for the dirt channels too.

 

[CHATTERBOX]

I'm thinking this thing may suit my needs! I've been looking for a Mark 4 or 5 head to NO availe and thought I'd give a DR a chance. Channels 2 and 3 - Oh yeah! Question is, if I swap ot the 6L6's for El-34's will I get a better clean and more headroom from Channel 1?

In general...

EL34s - More middy cleans with less headroom.

6L6s - Wider cleans with more top/bottom end and more headroom.

The best thing you can do if it has the stock JJ preamp tubes is replace the V1 with a TongSol. It'll open up the cleans a bit and add some more detail. As a bonus, it'll do the same for the dirt channels too.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot.
I may throw in one of the GrooveTubes I have laying around here.

 

[droptrd]

Its worth it IMO to get some 34s. They rule in rectos

 

[fluff191]

I would throw away the JJ preamp tubes and put Electro-Harmonix ones in. Tung-Sol's do sound good as well, but I personally found them a bit too bright in the regular Rectifier (as opposed to the Roadster). Just my opinion.

 

[cradlefish]

go for el34 preferably SED EL34's. I love the breakup for the distorted channels...as for more headroom? I can't tell. Cleans still have a good amount of headroom except with more mids to cut through.

 

[fluff191]

go for el34 preferably SED EL34's.

+100

If you are going to go the EL34 route, those are the ones to get. Insane sounding tube.

 

[CHATTERBOX]

Well, I got her all cleaned up from the previous owner. He bought it new, had it for a year and by the looks of it, it sat on the corner of a dirty old bar with no cover on it! I've had 10 year old amps in cleaner condition! LOL! A little elbow grease, compressed air, Goo-Gone, and Autosol it looks better than brand new!
Gotta a question though. While cleaning the chassis I removed each tube and noticed that the power tubes may be in the wrong place as far as matchings. There are two Mesa 6L6 greens and two 6L6 yellows. The order goes green, yellow, green, yellow. Shouldn't the tubes be matched as yellow, green, green, yellow or vice/versa? Can you get matched tubes as one yellow and one green in a boxed matched set? hmmm....

 

[screamingdaisy]

Yellow/Green/Green/Yellow.

Or the reverse... doesn't really matter.

 

[CHATTERBOX]

Yellow/Green/Green/Yellow.

Or the reverse... doesn't really matter.

Thanks. I can assume that the existing tubes were put in incorrectly and I should be able to move the existing tubes into the correct placements without harming the amp? No new bias adjustments required?

 

[screamingdaisy]

Yellow/Green/Green/Yellow.

Or the reverse... doesn't really matter.

Thanks. I can assume that the existing tubes were put in incorrectly and I should be able to move the existing tubes into the correct placements without harming the amp? No new bias adjustments required?

Mesa's have a non-adjustable bias, so no re-bias required. All Mesa tubes are comparable with all their amps, the colour coding is simply there so you pair them up correctly.... a fact that seems to have been lost on the previous owner. :lol:

 

[CHATTERBOX]

Yellow/Green/Green/Yellow.

Or the reverse... doesn't really matter.

Thanks. I can assume that the existing tubes were put in incorrectly and I should be able to move the existing tubes into the correct placements without harming the amp? No new bias adjustments required?

Mesa's have a non-adjustable bias, so no re-bias required. All Mesa tubes are comparable with all their amps, the colour coding is simply there so you pair them up correctly.... a fact that seems to have been lost on the previous owner. :lol:

LMAO!! Yep. I already talked to a Mesa service guy and he told me basically the same thing. But now I gotta pick some fuses. I was going back and forth between BOLD and SPONGY to hear the difference (switched to standby first) and blew the fuse. Oops! No doubt won't be the last! Can I pick these up anywhere? i.e. Walmart, Canadian Tire?

 

[fluff191]

But now I gotta pick some fuses. I was going back and forth between BOLD and SPONGY to hear the difference (switched to standby first) and blew the fuse. Oops! No doubt won't be the last! Can I pick these up anywhere? i.e. Walmart, Canadian Tire?

You can find them at Radio Shack or a hardware store, but they are kind of expensive. For the long term, get on Amazon.com and order a bunch for cheap.

And you don't have to switch to stand by to toggle between Bold and Spongy. Just flip away!

 

[CHATTERBOX]

But now I gotta pick some fuses. I was going back and forth between BOLD and SPONGY to hear the difference (switched to standby first) and blew the fuse. Oops! No doubt won't be the last! Can I pick these up anywhere? i.e. Walmart, Canadian Tire?

You can find them at Radio Shack or a hardware store, but they are kind of expensive. For the long term, get on Amazon.com and order a bunch for cheap.

And you don't have to switch to stand by to toggle between Bold and Spongy. Just flip away!

Will do. Any reason why that fuse would have blown? I was only on 2nd channel mid volume, mid to low gain...

 

[pinhedgtr]

I'm not sure what caused the fuse to blow, but that happened to me as well when switching from bold to spongy. It only happened that one time (the first day I got my amp) but now everytime I am switching from bold to spongy or back I get a little scared it's gonna happen again.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Will do. Any reason why that fuse would have blown? I was only on 2nd channel mid volume, mid to low gain...

Don't switch between bold/spongy while the amp is on. Same goes for tube/solid state rectifier. From what I understand it causes power spikes.

I usually pick mine up at Radio Shack... although I think it's called the Source or something like that now. They usually have a couple racks of small electronics parts in the back corner.

 

[fluff191]

Don't switch between bold/spongy while the amp is on. Same goes for tube/solid state rectifier. From what I understand it causes power spikes.

I usually pick mine up at Radio Shack... although I think it's called the Source or something like that now. They usually have a couple racks of small electronics parts in the back corner.

I got curious and called Mesa. They said all the switches (with the exception of the Bias switch of course) are meant to be played with while the amp is in operating conditions.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I got curious and called Mesa. They said all the switches (with the exception of the Bias switch of course) are meant to be played with while the amp is in operating conditions.

Guess they changed it. On the 2 channels I was told it was a big no-no.

 

[fluff191]

I was told the same thing with my old 2 Channel as well. Interesting.

 

[YellowJacket]

I like spongy for low volume situations because it gives more tube breakup. Aside from that, it simply isn't aggressive enough for my tastes.