Man that MT15 just &!$$#$ me off!! ..... (rant)

[Huggy Love]

.... and no it's not about hiss/hum issues people have posted threads about cause I don't own one. In fact I just spent a long session at a GC with one and that never even came to mind, I was just so taken at how good it sounds in the gain channel.

That's not what pisses me off, ......... IT'S JUST SO FRICKEN LOUD!!

I really took some time with the piece, me and another guy tried out about 6-7 different PRSi and a couple other types of guitars, wanking till the GC clerk told us to turn it down, sounded great tho. Which brings me to another thing I noticed, the ratio of the low end of the volume pot is really steep, It goes from no sound to chip your teeth within a minor turn of the knob. It was really driven home when I went in the high end room and some cat was tweaking around on a 100w Deizel head and got it to sound pretty amazing at what I would easily call bedroom levels, futz with the knobs as I may on the HT15 and I couldn't achieve that.

After selling my Recto and not gelling with any distortion stompboxes with my solid state jazz head, I've been looking at low watt tube heads and I'm not being biased, the HT15 sounds the best to me. If it had a 1-2 Watt setting on the power switch instead of half power or a better volume control situation I'd be posting a NAD thread instead of this.

Just a rant, cause I've tried a bunch of lunchbox heads lately and the HT15 sounded *SO MUCH* better than all of them so far, including the ones that cost more. ................It's just too loud, even at half power.

Dammit Paul!!

(*Any mention of Modelers, attenuators, or pedals are prohibited from this thread.)

 

[Rider1260]

I was able to get some killer tones at lower volumes when I was setting the Bias for Brian C going to EL34s, I have also found I like smaller amps with bigger cabs ( 4x12s ) they seem to my ear to sound better when they have to push harder ( My Egnator tweaker 15 sounded best with my 4x12 marshall cab )

 

[andy474x]

(*Any mention of Modelers, attenuators, or pedals are prohibited from this thread.)

Can we add this disclaimer to all threads?

Yeah, I totally agree with your criticisms of the pot tapers on the MV and bass knobs. In fact I was about to start a thread about it, but you did it for me! Of the 3 PRS amps I’ve owned, the MV issue is isolated to the MT15, but the bass taper has been ultra aggressive on all of them, and both issues do make it difficult to dial the amps. I just took my MT15 to the studio, and when I set up the EQ with the bass at about 9:00, the engineer grabbed the knob and turned it to about 2:00. Then he had me play and looked at the EQ analyzer on his screen... I said, “you want me to turn that bass back down, don’t you?” And he said “Uhhhh, yeah, definitely.” The last band that recorded with him used a 20w 6505 mini head and he said it lacked a lot of low end, so I think the MT15 knocked him for a loop.

Side note, he still had the Peavey in the studio for re-amping stuff, I picked it up and it weighed MUCH less than the MT15 - cheap iron!

 

[dmatthews]

So I was thinking about an attenuator... you know, so that....
Oh wait....

 

[Tone-y]

I use a Cornford Carrera for my bedroom tones. 6-8 wattish. Either a 9 pin or 8 pin output tube, so el84, or a 6l6/el34. I prefer using the el84 for the cleaner sounds and an el34 for all the gainier stuff. Nice smooth master volume control that comes on gradually so it's easy to dial in a low volume sound. Can easily rock out at normal conversation volumes. I also have a Cornford hurricane. 18 Watts and the master volume comes on straight away. Much harder to dial in bedroom level volumes especially with any gain on.

 

[bodia]

T, not sure what your budget is, but if you dig the MT-15 id suggest a used Archon. Better cleans, the gain is the cousin of the MT and the volume taper is much, much better. Coming from a guy that has both.

 

[Boogie]

In the immortal words of David Grissom, “put a guitar case in front of it or turn the damned thing around!”.

Solved. Done. Now bring it home and buy a big-a$$ed pillow to lay it on.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

While I don’t really want two amps that are very similar, I’ve considered an MT15 several times. Even had a trade offer I almost made for one a while back. But this volume control is enough of a reason for me not to buy it. If I didn’t have an Archon, I’d be all over it. I get away with playing relatively loudly at home, but the thought that this might be harder, not easier, to tame than the Archon makes me not that interested.

That said, it’s a simple fix. I’d probably call PRS and ask what pot they would put in there and just replace the volume pot. If I really wanted or needed this amp and that was my only issue, that is what I’d do.

 

[Huggy Love]

That said, it’s a simple fix. I’d probably call PRS and ask what pot they would put in there and just replace the volume pot.

Yea I kinda wonder about that one, if a pot with a less aggressive ratio would do the trick, from what I've got a grasp of on these low watt tube heads is that the mids don't kick in until you get some volume going. Maybe it's an ear perception thing or the tubes are just starting to saturate with signal at that point, I'm just guessing cause I'm kinda stone age when it comes to tech.

I spent some time with the EVH equal today, the overdrive was a little harsh compared to the MT but it also suffers from the same volume issues. What I did learn today while futzing around with it and a Tremonti SE, if you start with the EQ all the way down and only raise them up a hair, just enough to shape a decent tone, then you can get it to function at a slightly manageable level.

Only problem is that the first stages of high gain on the lowest end of the volume pot has a real fizzy tone and not until it gets beyond apartment level that the mids catch up to the high fizz and even it out to the balanced (raw but hornlike) overdrive that I strive for.

If I figured out how to make a tube amp behave well under low volume conditions I'd be rich enough to buy Paul out and own the factory.

 

[Huggy Love]

If it had a 1-2 Watt setting on the power switch instead of half power

I still stand by this statement, 15w for practice & small gigs, 1w or 2w for recording, .... done.
Who needs a half power setting that's too loud for home use and not strong enough to gig or practice with.

I bet if I ran the amp design dept at PRS they'd sell even more of em.

 

[pac90]

since the start of this month they have been shipping with a home level kit...

for family and neighbours








Lots of guys here with have good things to write about the archons' master volume, which is kinda counter-intuitive as you already wrote, but they more available in states than europe, worth a look

 

[elvis]

Even 1 Watt can be quite loud. I've gigged 25W amps without using the PA in small-ish clubs. The key is in the master and also the overall design. A low-power amp may be designed to lean on the power tubes more than a 100W amp, so the 100W amp will tend to sound more similar at low volume vs. medium volume. I think this is why the volume control in the MT acts so differently from the Archon.

 

[László]

(*Any mention of Modelers, attenuators, or pedals are prohibited from this thread.)

Amen! I should put that disclaimer on my amp threads!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Yea I kinda wonder about that one, if a pot with a less aggressive ratio would do the trick, from what I've got a grasp of on these low watt tube heads is that the mids don't kick in until you get some volume going. Maybe it's an ear perception thing or the tubes are just starting to saturate with signal at that point, I'm just guessing cause I'm kinda stone age when it comes to tech.

I spent some time with the EVH equal today, the overdrive was a little harsh compared to the MT but it also suffers from the same volume issues. What I did learn today while futzing around with it and a Tremonti SE, if you start with the EQ all the way down and only raise them up a hair, just enough to shape a decent tone, then you can get it to function at a slightly manageable level.

Only problem is that the first stages of high gain on the lowest end of the volume pot has a real fizzy tone and not until it gets beyond apartment level that the mids catch up to the high fizz and even it out to the balanced (raw but hornlike) overdrive that I strive for.

If I figured out how to make a tube amp behave well under low volume conditions I'd be rich enough to buy Paul out and own the factory.

The alternative, and you'd want to get Bodia or others who have one involved, is to try a 5751 in V3. That will tame the gain some and smooth the ramping up of the volume. However, part of what you're addressing IS the tubes coming on. I'm convinced that a volume pot replacement is the #1 choice though, as it wouldn't affect the gain structure, just the sweep of the volume/output section coming on. IF you have an issue with gain coming on too fast, the 5751 in V3 is what I'd try first. If you have an issue with both, do both. Tube swap is obviously way easier, but any tech can do a volume pot easily. I'm wondering if, after constant chatter about this, PRS might just change it at some point. Might just take one guy getting it done, then posting here and at TGP about how much better and more usable the amp is...

"Coming soon to a PRS Accessories Shop near you!"

 

[Huggy Love]

The alternative, and you'd want to get Bodia or others who have one involved, is to try a 5751 in V3. That will tame the gain some and smooth the ramping up of the volume. However, part of what you're addressing IS the tubes coming on. I'm convinced that a volume pot replacement is the #1 choice though, as it wouldn't affect the gain structure, just the sweep of the volume/output section coming on. IF you have an issue with gain coming on too fast, the 5751 in V3 is what I'd try first. If you have an issue with both, do both. Tube swap is obviously way easier, but any tech can do a volume pot easily. I'm wondering if, after constant chatter about this, PRS might just change it at some point. Might just take one guy getting it done, then posting here and at TGP about how much better and more usable the amp is...

"Coming soon to a PRS Accessories Shop near you!"

Okay................ I think you missed the part where I said I was a tech neanderthal . I don't know a V3 from a hole in the ground. I think I might do some research with an amp tech about this pot vs tube load mystery.

But yes, if they do make a model updated with my specs they can call it the Huggy B *Bedroom* Edition.

 

[WA Paul]

Anyone try the Orange Rocker 15? It is supposed to be pretty good and has a 0.5 watt and 1 watt setting. I haven’t tried one though.

 

[Huggy Love]

Anyone try the Orange Rocker 15? It is supposed to be pretty good and has a 0.5 watt and 1 watt setting. I haven’t tried one though.

Not that one but I did tryout a couple Orange amps in the past and never bonded with the sound, too raspy to my ear. If it's like the blackstar 1w, that's a workable volume, it's been an option in the back of my head but I didn't fall in love with their gain tone either.

That's why a 1w power setting on the MT would work IMHO.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Okay................ I think you missed the part where I said I was a tech neanderthal . I don't know a V3 from a hole in the ground. I think I might do some research with an amp tech about this pot vs tube load mystery.

But yes, if they do make a model updated with my specs they can call it the Huggy B *Bedroom* Edition.

V3 is just the third 12ax7 in the signal path. Easy tube swap.

 

[Huggy Love]

Not to derail but I ran across this in my web surfing travels on this little amp subject and thought it was a funny review, the opening song is smokin' too.

Little fizzy solid state things.

"

 

[bodia]

Check out the Bogner Atma. Might be what you're looking for. Although, the price is pretty steep. You could get an Archon for what they're asking. There I go on about the Archon, again!