Your Post-Holiday Savings Purchase Posts...

Did you get the Apple one? I have the black version and it's fantastic.

The white-silver Apple. Black one cost an additional $15, and the white-silver cost $10 cheaper than than Apple website. Happy owner. Doesn't have a USB port for wired mouse, but no worries. Folks who reviewed the non-Apple ones didn't give them as high marks. Have trusted Apple products because of their quality.
 
I recall that my 1st amp ever was a Peavey Classic 50W 2x12 combo, with Sheffield/Black Widow speakers. Clean, crunchy, smooth....loud! I think the power tubes lasted me over 15 years service before I ever needed changing them. (Played the amp maybe once/twice a week for 40 minutes at a time). I'd heard the XXX only once in Daddy's Junky Music several towns away back in the mid/late 90s. DJM has mostly folded locally and exists only in Boston and Nashua, NH, nowadays...

Like you, I prefer 6L6 or EL34s, usually settling on the 6L6s because of their clean warm headroom. EL34s were a tad too tight...I prefer the sag the 6L6s exhibit, because it adds to the tone, instead of tightens or brightens it. Of course, its easy to dial back the bass when you wish to tighten up lower frequencies...a good EQ does the same without needing swap tubes... I've not heard KT77s, so can't comment on these, but would like to hear your thoughts of why you prefer these over the other power tubes.

And lastly, sorry to hear of your friend's passing; he gave you something of value that will keep you happy for quite a while. I'd tweak the amp to your tastes and just rock it on into the next decade...it'll serve you well for a while.

Thanks.

The XXX has a ton of gain to begin with.

I guess as I got older and my tastes have changed a bit and I went back to playing the XXX and in the gain channels it was too fizzy for my taste. I couldnt seem to dial back the fizz enough with the EQ. I tried some different preamp tubes but couldnt get rid of it, just too much gain for my taste.
The clean channel with the 6L6's is awesome with plenty of headroom and went well with pedals, but I wanted to use the gain channels more and the pedals a little less.

I tried a set of EL34's. That tamed the fizz, but then it just lacked the low end that I like. Tried some different preamp tubes with the EL's but couldnt get enough low end back.

So I read that the KT77's were close to the middle of the 6L6 and EL34.
They still sound like EL-34's but have a bit of top-end sparkle a tighter low end. I found they are a nice middle ground with lots of headroom and enough lows and sparkle without the fizz. I added a 12DW7 in the V2 (1st gain stage) preamp slot to help tame the gain and give it more headroom.

I've also heard the XXX was picky about cabs/speakers so thats why I am going to experiment with a few configurations.

Should be fun....
 
Thanks.

The XXX has a ton of gain to begin with.

I guess as I got older and my tastes have changed a bit and I went back to playing the XXX and in the gain channels it was too fizzy for my taste. I couldnt seem to dial back the fizz enough with the EQ. I tried some different preamp tubes but couldnt get rid of it, just too much gain for my taste.
The clean channel with the 6L6's is awesome with plenty of headroom and went well with pedals, but I wanted to use the gain channels more and the pedals a little less.

I tried a set of EL34's. That tamed the fizz, but then it just lacked the low end that I like. Tried some different preamp tubes with the EL's but couldnt get enough low end back.

So I read that the KT77's were close to the middle of the 6L6 and EL34.
They still sound like EL-34's but have a bit of top-end sparkle a tighter low end. I found they are a nice middle ground with lots of headroom and enough lows and sparkle without the fizz. I added a 12DW7 in the V2 (1st gain stage) preamp slot to help tame the gain and give it more headroom.

I've also heard the XXX was picky about cabs/speakers so thats why I am going to experiment with a few configurations.

Should be fun....

OK, just don't go too long with the beer goggles on. And don't drink all the energy drinks in the fridge. I'll need some to keep up with you youngsters tomorrow.
 
Year’s end was good to me. I’m looking hard at a new 594, and with the recent news about Mesa, perhaps not a bad time to get my first one of those, too. Just waiting for the 1/14 announcement to finalize plans!


Ordered up a 2x12 custom built speaker cab.
It'll be a couple weeks before it arrives so that gives me time to decide what speakers to put in it...thinking maybe a combination of a creamback and a vintage 30.

The Creamback 65 is a great speaker, but the V30 may drown it out, as the Creamback 65 is lower sensitivity. If you want to go crazy, the Alnico Cream would sound good and balance well with a V30, and give a vintage nod, but the Creamback 75 would probably be cool too.
 
The Creamback 65 is a great speaker, but the V30 may drown it out, as the Creamback 65 is lower sensitivity. If you want to go crazy, the Alnico Cream would sound good and balance well with a V30, and give a vintage nod, but the Creamback 75 would probably be cool too.

Thanks Andy, great advice. I was trying to keep the sensitivity with 3db, but if it does drown it out, I'll go with something closer matched.
 
Listen to this man... he knows whereof he speaks. Well, at least on this topic he does.

LOL...will def put the burgers and chili dogs on the menu sometime next week. Especially for Scott and DTR...

Gotta give you folks a heads ups about something that happened to me this afternoon..

I had one guy under his breath while grocery shopping while I was within earshot say, "bag of dirt" in my direction. Not reacting, I merely walked away and didn't reply to the trash talk. I could have said, "Excuse me?" or "Your mother," but didn't bite the hook, otherwise it could have been worse.

My feeling was, it was likely some nerd who'd been bullied when he was a kid and is now the bully. Not sure why people act out this way, but I don't deal with the folks who do. It also could also been some hack looking for trouble. Could have told him to get a haircut and be kinder.

IOW, be kind to those who try to upset you. A sense of humor can be both diffusing and disarming, and you don't have to play their game. Just pay your bills and taxes, obey the law, and you'll do well.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Regards deadman walking, the respect needs to be there. Not because the guy is slated for "execution," but because my cheesecake mindset is a like a combination lock firewall that says, "access denied!" :D

And yes, it's late, and I'm tired. See you gents in the morning...
 
Bob,
I’m rarely serious with you, and I know you don’t always like that, but I’m serious now. (At least the first part...).

I don’t know why someone would randomly do that, but anyone who does it to someone “of a certain age,” is a POS who needs his ass kicked. If this is just some random act, then he’s just a thug and he’ll get his due.

Now, if he’s your age, then grab a wine bottle and crack him over the head with it. If that doesn’t work, RUN! :D

Oh, and I’m not sure why you’re having burgers and chili dogs because of Scott and I, but...enjoy!
 
Remember your first line of defense, if needed, is “but i plan to sell enough other stuff to pay for this.”

Them remember that “planning to” and “doing” are two different things ;)

I already did. Sold two Orange amps. Kept my pre Gibson Boogie, tho.

Tomorrow is a big talk, rolling her for past 3 days. I'm in frontline critical care so lots of field to play on
 
Chilli powder should never be used in anything. You should always mic your own flavours.

Well, I understand salt and pepper. It's nice to know that certain things in life can have a visual and cosmetic appeal, whereas your palate can discern the difference. ;)

The same way you can shape your tone utilizing a variety of manners. Back to the tone discussion at a later time.
 
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