Amp experiments

Spyke

Picked up my new little toy over the weekend, a small Behringer AC108 Vintager practice amp.
15w with a valve preamp.

Very nice, I'm quite impressed with the sound from such a small amp. The valve does lend a little warmth to the tone, elevating it from a potentially nasty solidstate overdrive.

Having read a few reviews about the AC108 and heard that there's some room for improvement by merely switching out the tube, I decided that this is something I should try.

I'll be getting hold of some replacement tubes in the upcoming week or so and try post some sound clips along the way. This isn't the epic Epi refinish, this one will be short and quick.

Here's the Behringer branded 12AX7A.

I'm thinking of getting hold of a 5751 JAN for the princely sum of R170.

DonovanB

I've heard the valves made in Russia are the best. I'm not sure, but the Fender Bassman I had used a 12AT7. looked similar to yours.

I'm no specialist though. What is the point of such a small amp?

Spyke

Band practices have come to a grinding halt, so there's no need to drown out the drummer. Plus my 40w Leem is on it's last legs, it's served me well over the last 10 or so years.

This is ideal for practice in my apartment, I can get a nice tone without pissing off the neighbours.

Squonk

Hi Spyke

The amp looks quite good. I am also interested in a small valve amp.
What is the price like?

cain

Its not that vavles made in russia are the best, its that they are the origonal. As far as i know when the rest of the world was moving over to transistors etc russia was still in the days of the valve and years after the Soviet union was gone they found warehouses packed with the stuff.

Spyke

Squonk wrote Hi Spyke

The amp looks quite good. I am also interested in a small valve amp.
What is the price like?

You're not going to believe this...

1. I didn't pay for it, my folks bought it for me as a gift.
2. This exact one (used, but mint) cost R357.00 at a local Cash Converters.

Score? I think so. ?

EDIT: Remember, it's only a valve preamp, not full valve.

That said there's no point is spending R420 on a Milspec Goldpin 5751.

Squonk

I'll be visiting cashcrusaders/converters soon ?

Heath

be interesting to see @ what voltage they run the valve . if they running it at the correct voltage i would definetly look at one .

Spyke

For a preamp valve it lights up quite a bit. I wasn't expecting any visual change from a preamp, so I guess they must be running sufficient voltage through the heater at least.