Tone Changes as amp warms up

[ChrisManuel]

I've had a new Express 5:25 10" for about a month now: best Boogie I've had (previously Mark IV and 50 Caliber +). After several years of trying to make a Deluxe Reverb Re-issue back into a Boogie by trying too many pedals it's great to be back with the tone and feel of a Boogie.

I know our perception of tone is often quite subjective depending on mood, etc., but I feel like the Express's lead channel, especially on the Burn setting, seems to smooth out after running the amp for at least half an hour. Anyone else have that perception? I know my Mark IV sounded different from day-to-day but I pretty much put that down to the fact that I could never stop tweaking it.

Chris

 

[Don]

I've noticed that with other amps but not my 5:50.
There are a lot of components that react to heat.

Could it be hearing fatigue?

 

[xrocker]

That's a big issue for me too. Sounds great one day, crappy the next.

Hearing fatigue, temperature and humidity all enter in to it. I used to throw blankets over my amps until showtime if the room didn't feel hot.

As for hearing fatigue, just tweak for 20 minutes then take a break and come back to it. It's very easy to get lost inside your own tweaking and start chasing your tail.

 

[MusicManJP6]

it takes a good 10 - 15 minutes for tubes to heat up completely. Usually you won't notice the change, but some tubes are more sensitive to heat performance than others. Usually the fully heated tube will sound better - fuller (perhaps darker) and less thin, harsh, trebley, etc...

 

[fredm]

I would agree with Chris (the poster of this thread) that my 5:25 sounds different (nicer) when it's warmed up, say after a half hour of playing.

When I first used to start playing I had this urge to start tweaking the settings because it just wasn't quite right to my ears. This used to bug the hell out of me as it took me ages to find the sound I wanted. However, I now resist that urge and by the time I have warmed up the fingers with a few scales etc. I find I don't think about tweaking anymore.

Thinking about it now, I did mess with things constantly when I first got the Express, letting it warm up would have possibly prevented a bit of frustration. Things have been a lot better too since I got a hotplate which now allows me to get the amp cooking properly.

 

[ChrisManuel]

I had my first full band gig with the 5:25 last night. I'm really pleased with the tone and volume (and compactness). However, at one point the volume faded in and out a few times. It was like someone was slowly turning the master down and then up - this on the clean channel. There was no noise or distortion with the volume change. I know it wasn't just my ears as my bandmates all turned to look to see what was going on.

It cleared up by itself and I played another set without incident.

Any thoughts? Tubes?

 

[nomad100hd]

u guys do know the resistance of the speaker changes after it's warms up from use. which would change your tone a little bit.

 

[Old BF Shred]

I had my first full band gig with the 5:25 last night. I'm really pleased with the tone and volume (and compactness). However, at one point the volume faded in and out a few times. It was like someone was slowly turning the master down and then up - this on the clean channel. There was no noise or distortion with the volume change. I know it wasn't just my ears as my bandmates all turned to look to see what was going on.

It cleared up by itself and I played another set without incident.

Any thoughts? Tubes?

Tubes are likely, but.... I had a similar problem with my Ace, that turned out to be a power supply capacitor (it is entirely possible your amp has one from the same bad batch). However, this problem did result in noticeable distortion and you say that is not the case, so you may want to start swapping tubes, best to do one at a time, starting with the input tube (v1) and on down the line. Also see if it happens on the other channels/modes to see if you can narrow it down.

Also, do not overlook a possibly poor connection in one of your cable plugs or amp jacks. Maybe try a different cable for a while to see...

If it is an very intermittent problem, as tubes can cause, it may take a while to determine.
Good luck!

 

[thunda1216]

over the last several decades, I have found that every tube amp I have used, regardless of manufacturer, sounds different after the tubes get good and hot - especially after 1-2 hours of playing. Some might put this down to ear fatigue, but it seems to occur even at low volumes. They seem to get louder and smooth out. I think that as heat builds up in the chassis, the components' values start to change and thus the tone is affected.

ty