Express re-wiring

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

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DaveWell
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:59 pm

Express re-wiring

Post by DaveWell »

Hi !

I start rewire my Express, taking out the pre-amp and pot control wire

I use to have Stranded silver plated and change for solid core tin plated.

I think the amp will sound less bright..more round and fat.. in theory !

My question, do I have to change the wire on the Power Cap section too ?

Is Stranded silver plated will not alter sound , cause is voltage going throw those Wire or change it with solid core too ?

Thanks All !
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Blues Hound
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:58 am

Re: Express re-wiring

Post by Blues Hound »

Funny, I just rewired my first Express that I had built back in 2006.

I had lent it to a friend in 2012 and just got it back a month ago, I built another in 2015 and it is an outstanding amp, which is with my friend who had my original build...

Anyway, when listening to the two amps, the newer one sounded a little better, tighter all around especially when being overdriven...all 20 ga. solid core...made me rethink stranded in my original build.

So today, I spent a few hours rewiring the preamp section with 20 ga. solid and I must say there is a big difference in the amp.

It sounds great, so good that I just turned it off after two and a half hours of noodling over some jam tracks and wanted to post about it.

I would recommend rewiring everything with solid...except the heaters...18 ga. stranded...

Steve
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fishy
Posts: 377
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:09 am
Location: Chandler, Az

Re: Express re-wiring

Post by fishy »

I've been down this road along with others. Different people having differing opinions and experiences.

I have an express which I rewired during my "quest for tone". Originally it was solid core PVC and it still is solid core PVC. Is there a difference? Maybe, but it is not obvious if there is one. The reason for the rewire was to replace the cap stack to the Mallorys.

I have a Liverpool built with stranded and I am very happy with that one too. You definitely have more play with stranded and are less likely to stress the wire. No desire to change.

By the time I built my Rocket I was done with the Mallorys.....that was built with solid core and is great.

I do think lead dress matters and soid core is more prone to microphonics than stranded if you don't get the dress right.

I've built amps with teflon solid core before which in hindsight I regret (microphonics) and I have built with stranded teflon which worked out great. Several other amps with solid core PVC and stranded without any real complaints.

Probably the biggest learning I had with the Express and Liverpool is patience. Months of trying different things and the amps are back to how they were originally built. Over time the brightness has dissipated and all I can say is they bring a smile to my face and anyone who has played through them. If I build another one I would be hard pressed to change anything before 200hrs unless it was an actual issue. After that, I might be up for it but it probably would not be to go from stranded to solid or visa versa unless I could pinpoint a specific reason.
andresound
Posts: 701
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 8:48 am
Location: Durban South Africa

Re: Express re-wiring

Post by andresound »

HI FISHY,
I have also posted many times that these amps NEED at least 300 hours before proper evaluation.
I too, have come full circle and my Express is back to original. My express (Kelly Schem), does not have grid stoppers on v1 or v2 and the standard single .002 coupling cap. The amp when played through a 4x12 (vintage GB's), is NOT bright and when using an LP, the bright switch is on "high". I do however have 100pf instead of the 47pf across the PI, which I will revisit and go back to 47pf as designed. Tube choice is key. I am using vintage NOS xf2 EL34 and combo of Mullard and Phillips preamp tubes.
Ken put many hours into this design 😉. RIP Ken 👍

FWIW, I am in the audiophile industry and have quite a bit of KIMBER KCAG silver (99.9999% pure silver teflon) cable lying around. I will, in the near future rewire my TW rocket with this and see what happens.
If it sounds good, it is good! Trust your ears
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