Simul-Satellite

[tim6string]

I have a simul-satelitte purchased somewhere around 1990.

The question is, can I put 6V6s in it and follow the same process and instructions as stated in my Mark IV manual?

I am trying to make a blues combo, want some output tube overdrive without the loud volumes and mostly like what these amps have to offer, plus it probably should not be sitting around collecting dust.

 

[Boogiebabies]

As long as it has Tweed and Simul-Class, yes. All you are doing is dropping the plate voltage to where a modern 6V6 will not burn up too fast.

 

[tim6string]

Thanks, it has all that. I will give it a try.
I wanted to play around with EL34s, maybe try some Yellow Jackets and EL84 and 6V6s.

It is actually a pretty cool amp considering the virtually non-existant preamp it has. But it has the 5-band EQ as well and I have some pre-amp options available to me.

 

[Boogiebabies]

Yes, it's like a simul class power amp. The EQ is icing on the cake.

 

[tim6string]

Any thoughts on running just 2 6V6s in Class A.
The manual says 4 in Simul-class, but the whole goal is to reduce the wattage.
It also mentions that the 8 ohm speaker should be plugged into the 4ohm jack, my plan was to run 2 8ohm thiel cabs in the 2 4ohm jacks.

I have also heard that most 6V6s now a days are crappy. Any opinion on my chasing this option.

 

[Hamer95USA]

Hey tim6string,

I was wondering if you can help me out. I just purchased a used mid '90s (?) Mesa Boogie Simul-Satellite combo amp. I called Mesa Boogie to try to obtain an owners manual. The factory doesn't have them on file and they only sent me a promotional brochure for the amp. If you have an owners manual for a Simul-Satellite combo amp, can you scan and e-mail me a copy? It would be greatly appreciated. I don't understand why the factory doesn't have the manual on file or on their website.

Guitar George

 

[tim6string]

I never had a manual with mine either. I think I called them and they sent me the one page as well. It looks like it has the Tweed switch, so it is probably a Mark IV type power section and the pre-amp is pretty minimal.

There really isn't too much too them.
They are actually great little amps. Great clean sound and I put my Keely mod TS9 in front of it, it can rock. I mainly use it as a power amp for my Rocktron Voodu valve.

 

[Russ]

Is this what I am supposed to plug into that jack next to my tranny? In the MarkIVa manual it talks about a powered satellite speaker. I would assume it would have minimal controls like this and look similar to a combo like this does. If so, what do these go for? It would be cool to run stereo effects into with the Mark IV.

 

[tim6string]

That is what they were made for.
Run effects loop out, left into the left effects return, right into the right effects return and satellite out to the simul-sattelite.

I have an orignal Mark IV (a) and it doesn't have the simul send jack, so I just ran into my effects, left back to the mark IV return and right to the simul-satellite return. It worked great.

 

[Hamer95USA]

Hey Russ,

I paid $500.00 used for mine from a local musician in Sonora, CA.

Hey tim6string,

Thanks for answering my question. I was able to find some documentation in the Mark IV owners manual. Now I have another question. Which tubes can you switch out if you use the Tweed power or Class A settings? Is the 2 inner tubes or 2 outer tubes? Can you use the EL-34 or 6V6 power tubes in the positions that are switched?

Guitar George

 

[Russ]

Cool I will have to start shopping for one.

As far as the implementation of the 6V6 you have to run in triode tweed according to the manual. I would assume that they go in the outer sockets also as the tweed runs the outer pair cut down. If you are not in triode tweed then you will surely fry something.

 

[Russ]

Oh and the EL-34 goes in the outer sockets only.

 

[Hamer95USA]

Cool I will have to start shopping for one.

As far as the implementation of the 6V6 you have to run in triode tweed according to the manual. I would assume that they go in the outer sockets also as the tweed runs the outer pair cut down. If you are not in triode tweed then you will surely fry something. Oh and the EL-34 goes in the outer sockets only.

Hey Russ,

Thank you for the tube placement information. The previous owner wasn't sure which pair of tubes that you could switch out and I wasn't going to take any chances with bad advice. :shock: Good luck on your search for a Simul-Satellite combo amp. I don't see them up for sale on E-bay too often, but if you want one, I will PM you when I find one up for sale since you're interested in buying one.

Guitar George

 

[Russ]

Thanks

 

[joegold]

As long as it has Tweed and Simul-Class, yes. All you are doing is dropping the plate voltage to where a modern 6V6 will not burn up too fast.

I hope you're right about that because the original (minimal) materials that came with my Simul-Satellite said nothing about using 6V6's in that amp. But what you say makes sense though.

And you mean that he needs to run 4 6V6's not just 2 in the outer sockets, right?
And he should not use Full Power or the Class A setting. Always Tweed Power, right?
And he should also only use the 4 ohm speaker output (with an 8 ohm speaker connected) when using the 2 pairs of 6V6's, right?

Well that's what the MKIV manual says about using 6V6's in that amp, and the Simul-Sat has has a very similar (although not idendical) power amp.

 

[joegold]

Cool I will have to start shopping for one.

As far as the implementation of the 6V6 you have to run in triode tweed according to the manual. I would assume that they go in the outer sockets also as the tweed runs the outer pair cut down. If you are not in triode tweed then you will surely fry something.

The Simul-Satellite dos not have a Triode/Pentode switch. the outer tube sockets are wired for Pentode/Class AB operation but they have a weird bias voltage that makes them behave somewhat like the Class A/Triode sockets on earlier Mesa Simul-Class amps (like the MKIIB, MKIIC, and early MKIII's).

The MKIV does have a Pentode/Triode switch and I assume that when that amp is switched to Triode mode the outer sockets are indeed in a true Class A/Triode configuration.

And the MKIV manual says nothing about needing the outer pair switched to triode mode when using 6V6's in that amp. All it says is that the amp should be in Tweed Power mode (not Full Power) as well as in Simul-Class mode (not Class A mode). My guess is that triode mode for the outer pair is probably not a good idea with 6V6's in there. It also says that an 8 ohm speaker should be plugged into the 4 ohm speaker output so that the 6V6 tubes won't burn out too quickly. They also say that they won't warranty it to work.

 

[mrmax]

I've been using the same 6v6 Quartet (Ruby Tubes)in my MK IV for several years without any problems. I prefer triode mode. As for the manual for the simuclass satellite call Boogie and ask for the cardboard cheatsheet that attached to the top of the amp. That's how I got my "manual" :wink:

 

[dmt]

I have KT66 tubes in my Simul-Satellite. Sounds Killer. Some adjustments had to be made to the plate volatage i think.

 

[mrmax]

Way Cool! I love experimenting myself !

 

[dmt]

My Simul_Satelite has a Switch in the back that changes from Class A to Simul Class. Isnt that the Triode / Pentode Switch?