Finally dialed in the Victoria 35115

mad dog

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Got this amp in trade last year (plus an outboard reverb unit) for a Clark Tyger. I already have a tweed pro type (Sewell Wampus Cat), so figured I'd mess with the Vicky, then trade it.

As received, it was sweet sounding but rather quiet. 12ay7 in V1, vintage C15N speaker, NOS GE 6L6s. Power tubes first. The GEs sounded thin, no umph. In go Phillips 6L6WGB (longtime favorites). Then tried a bunch of old 12ax7s in the preamp. Replaced the C15N with an Eminence Legend 151 ceramic. Big difference. Way better. But still not up to the mojo in that Sewell. So I rarely play the Vicky. Heard clips of a vintage tweed pro with alnico speaker, which make me nuts it sounded so good. Actually tried to trade the 35115 for it. No go. So now I'm guessing I may be one good alnico speaker away from that fat, juicy tweed pro sound. It's the sound I always wanted, but haven't gotten yet.

And so it was. Ordered a Weber 15A150 50 watt. Out of the box it sounds great, which is a real surprise. Oh man, why did I wait this long? This amp has come alive with old school tone. Moral of the story for me is: Don't make easy assumptions about amp sound. For years I've preferred ceramics in older amps, for volume and headroom purposes. In the process, I missed something really obvious. That some of these old style amps sound best with original spec speakers, or close to it. The other moral is, every amp has a sweet spot, if you have the patience (and budget) to find it.

MD
 

capnjuan

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Hi Michael; for all their warts and flaws, I think alnicos enhance tube chime - at times a cathedral-like sense of space and depth. I have a Jensen '59 C12Q in an amp that, for design reasons, needs what ceramics do. But thank you for your post; I have a black-frame Jensen P12N that I bought from Valcotone (thank you Sean!) some time ago that's been sitting in its box ... now I'm pumped to get it fired up! John
 

caveman

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Thanks for the insight, Mad Dog. Looking at a Super or Pro-type for myself in the future too, and there are very few to be found around my parts. I do know a guy who makes custom amps, but knowing in advance what speakers could work is a big advantage !
 

mad dog

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With 3 1x15 amps around here, I've gotten conversant with those speakers. These are the ones I tried in the 35115:

vintage C15N smooth cone
weber 15F150
weber reconed JBL D130
CTS square magnet ceramic
Emi Legend 151
Emi Big Ben

And lastly, that weber 15A150. Some nice tones with the others, but bliss with the alnico. I'm sure it will break in further, but great from the start. Here it is, only an hour of play time. Basement blues, a tribute to Chuck Berry. Peerless wizard (P-90s), a little Timmy, a little delay, reverberato:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=8383016
 
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