If You’re Good With What Ya Got...

László

Too Many Notes
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
34,507
Location
Michigan
What’s interesting to talk about in amp land once you’ve gone on and on about the amps that have been in your stable for a few years, and there’s no urgent fire to put out with something new?

Hell, I’m even happy with my tubes, cables, power supplies, speakers, power cords and cabs. I’ve exhausted the topics of amp platforms, guitar cab microphones, room mics, pedalboards, pedals, DIs, and IRs.

It’s fun to discuss amps, but I have nothin’ new to write about.

Don’t make me go and write some actual music using the damn things...;)
 
Hi Les. Given your background in pro recording as mentioned in some of your posts I’d be interested to hear what instrument and speaker cables you settled on and why. Plus what tubes you’ve decided work best and why - just general things like NOS or new, preferred brands, etc, etc.
 
What’s interesting to talk about in amp land once you’ve gone on and on about the amps that have been in your stable for a few years, and there’s no urgent fire to put out with something new?

Hell, I’m even happy with my tubes, cables, power supplies, speakers, power cords and cabs. I’ve exhausted the topics of amp platforms, guitar cab microphones, room mics, pedalboards, pedals, DIs, and IRs.

It’s fun to discuss amps, but I have nothin’ new to write about.

Don’t make me go and write some actual music using the damn things...;)

This is perhaps the deepest, loudest and most disturbing cry for an Archon that I've ever heard. I hear your cry, Les, and I want to help. You have the means. Just get one and be like a kid again! If you don't trust me, ask Bodia or Elvis or any of the other Archon owners here. Your life will not be the same. Do it!
 
Hi Les. Given your background in pro recording as mentioned in some of your posts I’d be interested to hear what instrument and speaker cables you settled on and why. Plus what tubes you’ve decided work best and why - just general things like NOS or new, preferred brands, etc, etc.

Instrument cables: PRS/Van Damme, because they’re low-capacitance (therefore retain high frequencies well), and are very flexible, so they are easy to work with for cable runs. Pedal interconnects are Van den Hul and Evidence Audio. I’d have used Van Damme, but couldn’t find a place that builds custom cable length with it. The Van den Hul and Evidence are excellent cable, though.

The rest of my studio (non-guitar) has been wired with Mogami for easily 25 years.

Speaker cables: Kimber, 2 foot length, because I like the sound. I have bunches of speaker cables around, including Mogami, Monster, Lava, and Van Damme. There’s very little difference, we’re splitting hairs here.

Power: MusicCord. Tested against everything I could get my hands on, and now not only my amps, but my studio gear is powered with them. The power cords seem to make a bigger difference than I would have thought possible.

Tubes: In HXDA, NOS 60s Mullard preamp tubes, NOS 80s Siemens EL34s. In DG30, NOS 70s Brimar preamp tubes, NOS Russian EL84M output tubes from 70s. In Lone Star, NOS 60s GE for preamp, stock new-production for output (they’re still good, the plan is to replace them with NOS Phillips 6L6 WGB). I like the less-shrill high end on NOS tubes, but I’ll use good-sounding new production, too.

Power supply: I wound up with a Furman PF1800-PR power supply because it has a 45 amp current reservoir, in addition to the usual line noise filtering junk. The reservoir is more audible with my 100 Watt Lone Star, less so with the 30 Watt amps. Seems to add to the headroom.
 
Got any war stories of amps self destructing in the heat of battle? (of course not about PRS amps!).

Not a one.

I have had tubes go bad during a gig or session only once since 1965, and replaced it and got the amp going again.

I’ve had a couple go bad just while screwing around at home, but, you know, easy fix.
 
Instrument cables: PRS/Van Damme, because they’re low-capacitance (therefore retain high frequencies well), and are very flexible, so they are easy to work with for cable runs. Pedal interconnects are Van den Hul and Evidence Audio. I’d have used Van Damme, but couldn’t find a place that builds custom cable length with it. The Van den Hul and Evidence are excellent cable, though.

The rest of my studio (non-guitar) has been wired with Mogami for easily 25 years.

Speaker cables: Kimber, 2 foot length, because I like the sound. I have bunches of speaker cables around, including Mogami, Monster, Lava, and Van Damme. There’s very little difference, we’re splitting hairs here.

Power: MusicCord. Tested against everything I could get my hands on, and now not only my amps, but my studio gear is powered with them. The power cords seem to make a bigger difference than I would have thought possible.

Tubes: In HXDA, NOS 60s Mullard preamp tubes, NOS 80s Siemens EL34s. In DG30, NOS 70s Brimar preamp tubes, NOS Russian EL84M output tubes from 70s. In Lone Star, NOS 60s GE for preamp, stock new-production for output (they’re still good, the plan is to replace them with NOS Phillips 6L6 WGB). I like the less-shrill high end on NOS tubes, but I’ll use good-sounding new production, too.

Power supply: I wound up with a Furman PF1800-PR power supply because it has a 45 amp current reservoir, in addition to the usual line noise filtering junk. The reservoir is more audible with my 100 Watt Lone Star, less so with the 30 Watt amps. Seems to add to the headroom.


Thanks Les. Thoughtful reply much appreciated. I'm just back from watching a Snowy Owl that took a wrong turn and ended up in England (they normally live in the arctic) and it's quite late here so I'll have a proper look in the morning but I wanted to say thanks for taking the time to reply.
 
Thanks Les. Thoughtful reply much appreciated. I'm just back from watching a Snowy Owl that took a wrong turn and ended up in England (they normally live in the arctic) and it's quite late here so I'll have a proper look in the morning but I wanted to say thanks for taking the time to reply.

Wait, you look at birds that aren’t attached to the fretboards of guitars?? o_O
 
I agree Les. I am quite satisfied with all my equipment and tone. No need for anything new (at least right now)
 
Now that you mention it, the last piece of kit I purchased was 2015. Guess I'm pretty happy with my situation as well.
 
for mr AP


ahem ahem

prosection would like to remind sir of the small matter of the mcsoapy and the EG...

;)
 
I’m in great shape with what I have.
I’d still be in great shape with half of what I have.

But I’ll still look at some acoustics and electrics with jfb this month and maybe pick up a few more Britt profiles...you know...just in case.
 
for mr AP


ahem ahem

prosection would like to remind sir of the small matter of the mcsoapy and the EG...

;)
I do stand corrected. But in my defense, the EG was so ridiculously low I can't hardly say I paid anything for it. The McSoapy was a push. I sold some pieces that were enough to cover the cost. Not because of a 1 in 1 out, but I was just getting rid of stuff that was no longer wanted.
 
I do stand corrected. But in my defense, the EG was so ridiculously low I can't hardly say I paid anything for it. The McSoapy was a push. I sold some pieces that were enough to cover the cost. Not because of a 1 in 1 out, but I was just getting rid of stuff that was no longer wanted.

I was only talking about amps in this thread, you are good to go!

Guitars? Pedals? That’s for another thread.

Mr. Prosecutor, case dismissed! ;)
 
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