HX/DA lack of sizzle

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Guitarcal

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Nov 25, 2016
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Hi, I’ve owned a PRS hx/da for 10 years or so.

I would like to mod the amp to get more presence and sizzle. Trying to get into EVH territory. With the master volume, presence, mids, and treble cranked, it is missing the upper end chirp and sizzle. Feels more like a super bass circuit instead of a super lead circuit.

Any tips and tricks to get it there? Maybe it’s as simple as installing a higher bright cap value, although with master cranked I assume that is bypassed.

Running it through a basketweave cab with early 70s greenbacks. Have also tried different IRs through a load box, but it’s still missing something.

Thanks!
 
What guitars/pickups are you running through the amp? Don't know anything about that amp, but the guitar is an important part of the equation.
 
As a fellow HXDA owner for about the same amount of time, I have a few thoughts that might help, though you may have already tried them.

I changed out the Winged C power tubes for NOS Siemens EL34s; they added more bite and upper midrange push, and made the bass less predominant.

I tubed the preamp with NOS Mullard 12AX7s because I wanted a smoother sound than the stock JJs, so not what you want, but shows that the tube choices matter. If you want a lot of sizzle, inexpensive Chinese tubes might do the trick, I find them way too bite-y, but you may not.

Old Greenbacks mellow out the tone. I mainly use my HXDA with a PRS cab that’s similar to a Mesa Recto cab in dimensions that’s got V30s. It has more bite, as you’d expect. I also use the amp with several other cabs, and get a different vibe with each one. So I’d say speaker choice matters.

Thing is, all the old Superbass amps like Duane’s sounded different from one another, as did the old Superleads. So a lot of the HXDA thing is inherent to the actual amp they cloned, and to Eric Johnson’s specific amp they emulated via the HX switches.

In any case, I’d start with the tubes and speakers and go from there. Even JJ makes several different 12AX7 versions, and they all sound a little different.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
Aka, Timmy!
Click to expand...
I don’t use overdrive pedals with my HXDA. Fuzz is a different story, as with any old Plexi.

But speaking only for myself, the HXDA doesn’t benefit from the added sauce of any overdrive pedal. I’ve tried a bunch. Clean boosts, yes if they aren’t too bassy.

Overdrives kind of defeat the purpose and unique tone of this amp..

The HDRX might be a different thing. The DG30 likes pedals, too. HXDA, not so much, but then it already is what most pedals aspire to be.
 
László said:
I don’t use overdrive pedals with my HXDA. Fuzz is a different story, as with any old Plexi.

But speaking only for myself, the HXDA doesn’t benefit from the added sauce of any overdrive pedal. I’ve tried a bunch. Clean boosts, yes if they aren’t too bassy.

Overdrives kind of defeat the purpose and unique tone of this amp..

The HDRX might be a different thing. The DG30 likes pedals, too. HXDA, not so much, but then it already is what most pedals aspire to be.
Click to expand...
It actually may work for what he needs it. Almost all overdrive pedals are cutting the bass and adding a yappy midrange. But generally, I'm in your camp, why would I trash a decent amp natural drive with a pedal?
 
Simon Says said:
It actually may work for what he needs it. Almost all overdrive pedals are cutting the bass and adding a yappy midrange. But generally, I'm in your camp, why would I trash a decent amp natural drive with a pedal?
Click to expand...
That’s why I recommend the Timmy. It doesn’t add mids, but offers bass and treble controls, and adding some zing is what I use it for.
 
Guitarcal said:
Hi, I’ve owned a PRS hx/da for 10 years or so.

I would like to mod the amp to get more presence and sizzle. Trying to get into EVH territory. With the master volume, presence, mids, and treble cranked, it is missing the upper end chirp and sizzle. Feels more like a super bass circuit instead of a super lead circuit.

Any tips and tricks to get it there? Maybe it’s as simple as installing a higher bright cap value, although with master cranked I assume that is bypassed.

Running it through a basketweave cab with early 70s greenbacks. Have also tried different IRs through a load box, but it’s still missing something.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Where are you located?
 
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