really are tube amps that dangerous ? i was always scared of them its really high voltage, scarry. i had one tube amp 10 years ago i was always afraid ot it even that i did not have any reason to it was working. guitarists usually are talking like tube amps are better and stuff i am not really sure.
Tube amps were designed earlier in time. Therefore they had issues with the way the mains were wired, and components breaking down. The tubes run hot, and they are glass. You can't take them outside when it's cold without allowing them to cool right down. Water can explode a hot tube. As an amplifier that has been properly maintained, they pose no additional danger.
Better? I don't know. They have a different sound. If you want that sound, you use a tube amp. Yamaha amps are less noisy and cleaner. Use a pedal for generating the sound you want. Same as your amp. If it is clean enough, the effects unit determines what it sounds like, although tube overdrive is totally different.
Tube amps have more frequent, more expensive maintenance. Solid state can be less expensive and more reliable. You can kill either.
My favorite amps are the Fender Twins. You can get so many different sounds out of them, or play really clean. All Marshalls do is crunch. Then there are the little Champs for practice, and they can be miked in the studio for a unique sound. Some wail away with the larger combos in a warehouse with a mic going to the console to get that sound. So many ways to get various sounds.
What's best? What sound do you like and how deep are your pockets?
Better? I don't know. They have a different sound. If you want that sound, you use a tube amp. Yamaha amps are less noisy and cleaner. Use a pedal for generating the sound you want. Same as your amp. If it is clean enough, the effects unit determines what it sounds like, although tube overdrive is totally different.
Tube amps have more frequent, more expensive maintenance. Solid state can be less expensive and more reliable. You can kill either.
My favorite amps are the Fender Twins. You can get so many different sounds out of them, or play really clean. All Marshalls do is crunch. Then there are the little Champs for practice, and they can be miked in the studio for a unique sound. Some wail away with the larger combos in a warehouse with a mic going to the console to get that sound. So many ways to get various sounds.
What's best? What sound do you like and how deep are your pockets?
The “danger” of open circuit speaker connections on tube amps isn’t so much to the user, as it is for the output transformer. If it arcs between turns on the primary where all the voltage is it will cost a lot more than two 2N3055’s a couple of drivers and handful of resistors to fix. The currents are limited by the tubes so there won’t be an explosion - just a dead $100+ transformer. If you held the speaker wires in your hand during the event you’d probably feel it. The tubes and transformer feel it a lot more. Another reason to use speakons. I mess with solid state amps that can kill you dead if you touched the speaker wires at war volume. With speakons you can hot swap - with a solid state amp anyway.
It is possible to add open circuit protection to a tube amp, but events which cause excess voltage peaking will be damped down. This is audible, and not what one wants in a guitar amp. For general PA duty its well worth it. This amp of yours ls lacks short circuit protection, so don’t short it again. Stronger output devices would probably take a momentary short, but not todays 2N3055’s. A pair of original 2N6259’s would probably play all afternoon into a short.
It is possible to add open circuit protection to a tube amp, but events which cause excess voltage peaking will be damped down. This is audible, and not what one wants in a guitar amp. For general PA duty its well worth it. This amp of yours ls lacks short circuit protection, so don’t short it again. Stronger output devices would probably take a momentary short, but not todays 2N3055’s. A pair of original 2N6259’s would probably play all afternoon into a short.
Hi wg_ski,
Exactly right on the tube amp output transformers. +$100 for sure for an audio amplifier, maybe around there for a guitar amp output of medium power.
As for hot swapping a big solid state PA amp at war volumes, nope. Not even a speakon will survive that amount of current breaking, not and be good for home audio anyway. You most certainly will feel this across your hand as we are talking about over 200 V p-p and much higher. 200 watt tube amps (and higher) will really get you open circuit - and it will die quickly as you watch the banks of KT-88 tubes arc (or bigger tubes). A 1960's 200 watt Dukane is a force (PA amp).
Yeah, speaker load problems kill more amplifiers.
Exactly right on the tube amp output transformers. +$100 for sure for an audio amplifier, maybe around there for a guitar amp output of medium power.
As for hot swapping a big solid state PA amp at war volumes, nope. Not even a speakon will survive that amount of current breaking, not and be good for home audio anyway. You most certainly will feel this across your hand as we are talking about over 200 V p-p and much higher. 200 watt tube amps (and higher) will really get you open circuit - and it will die quickly as you watch the banks of KT-88 tubes arc (or bigger tubes). A 1960's 200 watt Dukane is a force (PA amp).
Yeah, speaker load problems kill more amplifiers.
its good to know all this. btw i never conenct and dissconect cables while amp is working i never did that for 10 years i am doign music production in studio. btw i mentioned before that i do that just in case plug pin jams in socket. but anyways about amp, i added new pot 50k it works good, rarely i can hear buzz but when i mount it on seel front plate where i will connect other stuff like pw switch input and output it will be more grounded. also this amp does not have ground wire from plug only hot and neutral wires so sometime i hear radio xdd it also happend on my professional studio monitor speakers while working on not grounded power strip. i dont know if and how i can add ground wire to the amp its not designed for that i think.
You can ground the case, connect the audio / circuit common through a 10 to 100 R resistor. Tat shields the circuit, and provides solid protection for you.
Pots can inject hum if their case / shaft are not grounded. The chassis will be fine, don't connect circuit ground as well to the case.
Pots can inject hum if their case / shaft are not grounded. The chassis will be fine, don't connect circuit ground as well to the case.
