Reducing power on a Triple Rectifier ?Which tube to pull out

[strato88]

Sirs,
I scoured thru each and every thread on this forum about this subject for the last hour so Im sorry if the answer is right under my nose but couldnt find it.
I want to reduce my triple recto power to 100 watts or less and I just dont want to pull any 6L6 tube and regret damaging it.Which 6L6 do I need to pull out?1st two on the left?Two on the center or two on far right?Do I also need to remove any rectifier tube?I recently had the nerve to pull out the 2 tubes on the left(which is near the guitar input if your facing the front of the amp)and I heard a popping sound when I turned on the standby switch,I quickly turned off the amp.I put back those tubes and the amp seems to work fine,did I cause any damage?Sorry for the noob questions and any answer I could get from you guys will be greatly appreciated.

 

[strato88]

no takers on this query?

 

[212Mavguy]

Have you found the manual online from the mesa site for your amp model and read it yet? Gosh, I haven't either! But I did RTFM for my Mav, over and over again, know it by heart now.

Cappiche? :wink:

Peace.

 

[strato88]

yeah I did but it didnt say anything about reducing power by means of pulling out the vacuum tubes.

 

[212Mavguy]

Sorry 'bout that, I apologize. A phone call to Mesa could help.

You might wish to go another route, like using an attenuator. Even with a single pair of output tubes that amp still will still get very, very loud otherwise, to say nothing of the changes in output transformer secondary section impedance to the speakers that pulling output tubes causes. In push pull design amps such as Mesa, output tubes are arranged and need to be pulled in pairs, not one at a time...

I have a Weber MASS (http://www.tedweber.com) and it works wonderfully, several models are available, some models such as the MASS use a speaker motor for interaction with the output tranny similar to what occurs between speakers and output tranny in a normal situation, reportedly better sounding than resistor-based attenuators, which are far more common, (personally have not used resistor based types) the weber stuff is available in both types. Some models have tone controls to reshape the attenuated tone. Most common situation is a loss of treble frequencies, but that also helps in a big way to get rid of the fizzies in higher gain settings, as well as hum and other unwanted noise.

For me the money I spent for mine gave me a whole new stable of amps, can set the amp gain and volume controls for the amp's sweet sound range, then dial in the attenuator volume to tune for the room, then tweak the EQ on the attenuator if it has that capability. The amp's tone stack can also be used to compensate for the loss of highs as well. Personally I love the richness in tone that using a MASS brought to my amps. Don't have to settle for only preamp distortion, can get the power section to distort a lot, or a little for a desired "distortion mix" between the pre and power sections. Much more flexible in application than pulling tubes. First time I used mine I could not stop playing for hours... :mrgreen:

 

[LerxstLee]

Sorry 'bout that, I apologize. A phone call to Mesa could help.

You might wish to go another route, like using an attenuator. Even with a single pair of output tubes that amp still will still get very, very loud otherwise, to say nothing of the changes in output transformer secondary section impedance to the speakers that pulling output tubes causes. In push pull design amps such as Mesa, output tubes are arranged and need to be pulled in pairs, not one at a time...

I have a Weber MASS (http://www.tedweber.com) and it works wonderfully, several models are available, some models such as the MASS use a speaker motor for interaction with the output tranny similar to what occurs between speakers and output tranny in a normal situation, reportedly better sounding than resistor-based attenuators, which are far more common, (personally have not used resistor based types) the weber stuff is available in both types. Some models have tone controls to reshape the attenuated tone. Most common situation is a loss of treble frequencies, but that also helps in a big way to get rid of the fizzies in higher gain settings, as well as hum and other unwanted noise.

For me the money I spent for mine gave me a whole new stable of amps, can set the amp gain and volume controls for the amp's sweet sound range, then dial in the attenuator volume to tune for the room, then tweak the EQ on the attenuator if it has that capability. The amp's tone stack can also be used to compensate for the loss of highs as well. Personally I love the richness in tone that using a MASS brought to my amps. Don't have to settle for only preamp distortion, can get the power section to distort a lot, or a little for a desired "distortion mix" between the pre and power sections. Much more flexible in application than pulling tubes. First time I used mine I could not stop playing for hours... :mrgreen:

I have a weber mass, I ordered it with the treble boost switch.
It took some time for me to receive it, I was also remodeling my house.
It never had the switch on it, it is on the invoice as being paid for and added to the model I picked.
It does work great but I wish I did have the treble boost switch.
I lose a little bit of the highs.
Someone famous said live and learn.
I added to the saying , live and learn, and some just live
/
I should just call them and I am sure they would put the switch in, or mav could get out his hex key and open his up and send me the picture with the part specs so I could just do it. /hint
/cheers

 

[LerxstLee]

Sirs,
I scoured thru each and every thread on this forum about this subject for the last hour so Im sorry if the answer is right under my nose but couldnt find it.
I want to reduce my triple recto power to 100 watts or less and I just dont want to pull any 6L6 tube and regret damaging it.Which 6L6 do I need to pull out?1st two on the left?Two on the center or two on far right?Do I also need to remove any rectifier tube?I recently had the nerve to pull out the 2 tubes on the left(which is near the guitar input if your facing the front of the amp)and I heard a popping sound when I turned on the standby switch,I quickly turned off the amp.I put back those tubes and the amp seems to work fine,did I cause any damage?Sorry for the noob questions and any answer I could get from you guys will be greatly appreciated.

I think he is talking about pulling two tubes to get the half wattage "mode". Then he should use a different tap.
I cannot advise on that amp, but I am sure someone can. Usually the power tubes are abba. Thus you pull the outer two or the inner two and double your impedience load.
Please don't try until someone confirms your amp. I am not sure.
Well you could try it just don't yell at me if it blows up.
Or praise me if it works. :shock:

Someone will save you soon hold tight.
/cheers

 

[LerxstLee]

Sirs,
I scoured thru each and every thread on this forum about this subject for the last hour so Im sorry if the answer is right under my nose but couldnt find it.
I want to reduce my triple recto power to 100 watts or less and I just dont want to pull any 6L6 tube and regret damaging it.Which 6L6 do I need to pull out?1st two on the left?Two on the center or two on far right?Do I also need to remove any rectifier tube?I recently had the nerve to pull out the 2 tubes on the left(which is near the guitar input if your facing the front of the amp)and I heard a popping sound when I turned on the standby switch,I quickly turned off the amp.I put back those tubes and the amp seems to work fine,did I cause any damage?Sorry for the noob questions and any answer I could get from you guys will be greatly appreciated.

BTW Stato,
If you scoured through each and every thread in an hour, please send me your Evlen WoodHeads Speed Reading lesson.
I could sure use it.
He just light heartedly kidding with you.
/cheers

 

[212Mavguy]

I'd be happy to take some hi res color macro pics!

 

[emperor_black]

First off, there's not going to be that much of a difference in volume between 150 and 50 watts. i.e. its not going to sound 1/3 the volume that you were hearing at 150 watts. Please keep that in mind. My 33 watt crate sounds as loud as my mark IV if not louder.

 

[212Mavguy]

the emperor is correct.

 

[litesnsirens]

I spoke to mesa today ... and the tech advised to take the middle two tubes out... that will get you down to 100 but you can't get down to 50.