Removing 1/2 the Power Tubes on a MK IIB

[tk]

Is it safe to remove 1/2 the power tubes on a 60 watt MK IIB? My goal would be to be able to get power tube saturation and break-up at a lower volume. Would this work and essentially turn the amp in to a more manageable 30 watter? Or would it not work or even harm the amp?

Thanks

 

[JazzRules]

Is it safe to remove 1/2 the power tubes on a 60 watt MK IIB? My goal would be to be able to get power tube saturation and break-up at a lower volume. Would this work and essentially turn the amp in to a more manageable 30 watter? Or would it not work or even harm the amp?

Thanks

There's 2 "big" tubes, right? 60 watt model, right? 100 watt models have 4 power tubes (6L6s).

No, you need BOTH tubes!!!!!!! Most amplifiers work in a "push-pull" configuration, one tube for + voltages, the other for - minus voltages. Envision a sinewave, the middle point between peak and trough being 0 volts.

With some Boogies, like my DC-3 or the Maverick, you can safely remove the outer pair of EL84 tubes and switch to the 4 ohm speaker jack. It has 4 tubes, arranged in....... you guessed it (by now) PAIRS!

However, I'm told by the Boogie folks, you CANNOT remove 2 of the 4 tubes in Simul-Class amps, like my Mark IV.

=========================================

You could opt to go for a pair of YellowJackets, to convert your 6L6s to EL84s. You could get your power down to about 15 watts. 15 vs 60 isn't that much of a difference. REmember, a 100 watt amp sounds "twice as loud" as a 10 watt amp. 10xlog(power1/power2)


The Smicz TAD offered a conversion to an 6AK6 minature tube, about 1 watt. Smicz went out of business.


2 suggestions:

An attenuator, like a Hotplate.



A nice all tube Boogie preamp that you connect to your computer and monitor via headphones. I'd be lost without my Boogie Formula Pre. Fantastic BOOGIE sound and nobody hears a thing.

 

[tk]

Is it safe to remove 1/2 the power tubes on a 60 watt MK IIB? My goal would be to be able to get power tube saturation and break-up at a lower volume. Would this work and essentially turn the amp in to a more manageable 30 watter? Or would it not work or even harm the amp?

Thanks

There's 2 "big" tubes, right? 60 watt model, right? 100 watt models have 4 power tubes (6L6s).

No, you need BOTH tubes!!!!!!! Most amplifiers work in a "push-pull" configuration, one tube for + voltages, the other for - minus voltages. Envision a sinewave, the middle point between peak and trough being 0 volts.

With some Boogies, like my DC-3 or the Maverick, you can safely remove the outer pair of EL84 tubes and switch to the 4 ohm speaker jack. It has 4 tubes, arranged in....... you guessed it (by now) PAIRS!

However, I'm told by the Boogie folks, you CANNOT remove 2 of the 4 tubes in Simul-Class amps, like my Mark IV.

=========================================

You could opt to go for a pair of YellowJackets, to convert your 6L6s to EL84s. You could get your power down to about 15 watts. 15 vs 60 isn't that much of a difference. REmember, a 100 watt amp sounds "twice as loud" as a 10 watt amp. 10xlog(power1/power2)


The Smicz TAD offered a conversion to an 6AK6 minature tube, about 1 watt. Smicz went out of business.


2 suggestions:

An attenuator, like a Hotplate.



A nice all tube Boogie preamp that you connect to your computer and monitor via headphones. I'd be lost without my Boogie Formula Pre. Fantastic BOOGIE sound and nobody hears a thing.

Thanks for the good reply JazzRules. I just read that the Mesa Texas amp goes from 30 watts to 15 (4 power tubes to 2) and also to 5 watts (1 power tube). So I wondered If I could get away with one. I think I will go with the Hotplate into the speaker out (so it does not color my sound). I already plug my 8 ohm speaker in to the 4 ohm plug and this helps a bit. I do not think I will go the Boogie pre amp route. I want the new Tonebone Tri Mode for crunch and boost of my MK IIB. Thanks again for all the good info and btw I am a jazzhead too.

 

[LHanson]

I think we need an attenuator shootout!