VOX ToneLab Patch Exchange

Yeah, I totally need to try a few different ones.

100 watts seems a bit much for basement use. Even my 50 watt head is way to loud. That's the main reason i was thinking of going with the 20/20, and because it's only takes up 1 rack space.

I have some grove tube EL84s I'm gonna throw in my Single rec just to see how it sounds. I haven't had much experience on EL84s though.

Why don´t ya try out the Marshalls??? 9100 2x50w, 9200 2x100w, EL34 50/50 or 100/100?? All valve powerAmps.

The 9100 and9200 poweramps have 5881 valves instead of EL34:s.

I´ve got a 9200 and it sounds awesome with the TLSE. You have the ability to connect up to FOUR 4x12 cabs to it 8 and 16Ohm outputs, Volume and Precense controls, A total of 12 valves. Two ECC83, two ECC81 and eight EL34/5881 in the power section.

There´s allso the older 9005 series with the same specs, only abit bigger and black instead of gold.

Follw the link to take a look at it.

http://www.ampangel.com/marshall_9200.htm

Doesnt a mesa single rectifier use 6l6's. If so, you want be able to use el84's in that amp.

For what its worth, I love el84's. This is the tube used in the 18 watt marshall as well as the vox ac 15 and 30. Matchless uses these tubes in some of thier amps. It sound and feels simular to an el34 in that it has a nice bright top end and distorts great. Compared to a 6l6 it is brighter and more detailed. Of course, the circuit around the tubes has a lot to do with thier sound, so take this as a general description. By the way, 2 el84's in a push pull circuit wi generate about 15- 20 watts. This is a little less than half the power of a 50watt amp, which is LOUD when cranked. If you half the power of a 50 watter, you dont get half the volume, you get a decrease of -6db of sound pressure level. -6 db is an audible difference but not by much. What you will get with more power is head room. This may be very important to you. Remember, you only have to turn up the power to get a desired volume level. Just 'cause its got 100watts doesnt mean you have to use it.

6l6's and el34's can be swapped. The el34 uses a pin that the 6l6 doesnt use and on some amps that use 6l6's, the extra socket pin is used to ancher a component. Fenders for example. On those amps you can lift that anchor and adjust the bias and then use el34's. I believe the mesa rectifier allows you to flip a switch, which adjust the bias for el34's. If not, you'll need to check this out.

With proper bias adjustment, there are many power tubes that can be used.

Here's a find for you

an ADA MonoBlock
Item# 270279299588

ADA was just about to get into the tube amp business full-on when their cash supply ran out...

Mesa's 20/20 with 2 single 12 Avatar is what I use when not running 2 Fender Blues Deluxes.

You can't go wrong with the 20/20...1 rack space, super light weight, and fair amount of power. You can also do a "Deep Mod" which disables the Dynawatt fuction. If you run through FOH, you should have no problem with volume. I also run my guitar in the monitors regardless of what amp configuration I use. Gotta have the tone cranked!

Chico

http://www.myspace.com/thefabuloushouserockers

"When the power of love is greater than the love of power, there will be world peace." -Jimi Hendrix

I'm surprised you found the Triaxis clean to be sterile. John Petrucci recorded most of Images and Words with it (if you're familiar with the album)

All I'm looking to do is rock out anyways, so it's alright

I love the Mk series Mesas more than life itself and wish they still made them (I'm hoping for a reissue someday) but I don't have the $$$$$$$ to afford all of them

Mesa stopping making the original preamps because the parts were hard to source and $$$$, same with the old 50/50s

I've heard the TriAxis is pretty hard to dial in and takes some work, I could use some help when I get one. After owning one for 8 years, I'm sure you squeezed every little gram of "amazing" out of it that you could.

It was a 2.0 (first edition with the Recto path placed in the Red Channel). Mesa Sent me the owners guide, replete with setting guides. This 40+ page book told you what worked best and what didn't work at all with EQ and gain settings for each channel.

And yes, before selling it, I tried multiple combinations of tubes. At the time I was a manager at a local shop where I had access to tubes from "amps in the attic" where there were RCA, GE and the like from the 60s to experiment with (of course I had a tube tester as well). The yellow "clean" channel was my favorite of the two options, but it still wasn't there. And regardless if I tried putting a "clean" channel maxed out or backing off on any of the other 6 (3 colors per rythm and lead) it could not produce that grinding blues "I'm-strangling-your-cat" sound. Neither could the Rocktron FWIW.

Unfortunately for me, I could not find nor afford the asking price of the 2:90 simul-class they designed to go with the TriAxis. That would have probably been a lot better. I got the TX in trade for a Universe. The guy bought the TX off a buddy, remembered that I owned it (it was his first 7-string) and he made me an offer I could not refuse.

The other downer was no matter what I put in the effects loops, the (white) noise was "horrid". Being the 3rd owner of this preamp, I doubt getting it properly fixed would have been $200 or more if there was a problem. Now when I would run TX to FX to PowerAmp, everything was beautiful. I kept thinking to myself nothing this expensive should have the kind of hiss I was experiencing. This was present regardless of "channel"

FWIW I used (and still use) an ISOBAR 4-outlet power strip where everything is on its own "filter bank".

Holy crap, TriAxis for 500!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I would crap in the middle of the road on live TV to get a TriAxis for that price!

well I got a video camera... we can put it on youtube

www.selfdistruction.com
http://groups.google.com/group/tonelab-patch-exchange

I've pretty much decided now... Triaxis+ 2:90 = <3<3<3<3

I'm making mad cash this weekend from work, and the boss accidentally cut me 200 short on my last paycheck! Should be pullin in close to 900 bucks this week. I have a buyer for my Mesa too.

Anyone know if I can use the TL MIDI to control rack effects?

AWESOME. I was thinking I might have to buy another controller.

Would you be willing to help me out on the process of programming the thing? It seems very daunting and I've never worked with MIDI controlled stuff before.

It was a total "God thing" with the TriAxis. One of those opportunities that you know could not have happened any other way.
And if you think that was a sweet day, here's the story behind my #1 guitar since 1994. A "pre-factory" 1993 PRS MapleTop CE-24. After doing some "consulting work" for a friend that owned a pawn shop, I bought it through him for $350.

And I didn't even have all the money for it when he told me to get it out of his sight (a guy was late on his rent and pawned it for $250. He told me later (the previous owner) that it was his least favorite of all his guitars when he did it). I have probably put more into the guitar in upkeep than what I paid for it.

That would be your best scenario.
When I had "the fridge" I ran my MIDI cables in the same order I ran my audio path. Much easier to keep track of that way. I don't think it made much difference with how fast the MIDI sent the info to each piece.