Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Thanks. I think I understand a bit better now.
As the cathodes keep the incoming signal in phase - as opposed to the plate which has inverted it - there is a mismatch in gain as the two cathodes have effectively raised the gain - so the higher 100k resistor lowers the B+ voltage a bit more to compensate?
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Those look like excellent resource - thanks!
Part of the difficulty is even just understanding some of the terminology. These are going to be a great help.
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Hi all,

Long time, but thought I'd report back as coming up to a year since last post.

The amp is still going strong and getting plenty of good use.
What i notice - especially after last night where I sat in on a loud blues gig - is that it keeps its attack and edge now even when pushed. No fluffy over compression like before.
I had the volume set to 8 and it held its own with two other guitarists both on 30+watt amps.
A LOT of positive comments about it's sound. So I am extremely happy.

I still have a slight fizz in the HF (that only I notice it seems - haha) so I may up the grid stoppers in it as recommended.

Here is a clip I've just found post transformer update doing a skank/reggae/funk/calypso version of Take Five.
Both keys and guitar going into via copicat. Swap to guitar around 2.30 solo from 5.30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgli87gw0E4

Thanks again for all your help :D
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martin manning
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by martin manning »

Thanks for the report Barks; good to hear it's still going strong. I enjoyed the tune, the great playing on the solo, and the "just on the edge" distortion. It fits in very nicely with the sound of the steel drum. Looking back through this thread, it was quite an epic!
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Thanks Martin,
and thanks again to Miles for inviting me here to learn and do something productive!
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rp
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by rp »

I enjoyed that clip. Take Five sounds like it was written for Steel Drum! That 2XEL84 amp sounds terrific - Fenderish clean, plenty headroom, punchy and loud. Really must rethink running EL84 low V. Sometimes too much Trainwreck low V philosophy can be a bit of cult.

I'm sure as heck gonna stop fretting about running them at 340V that's for damn sure. Thinking back all those old 110V Voxes running these at >370V sure sounded great, reckon they burned up from lack of ventilation not the high plate V.

Thanks for the clip and the EL84 insight.
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Thanks! It's a match made in heaven with the P90 LP.
As to the voltage, remember it's running at 430V ... :D
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Hi All!

Getting back to start the next stage after a hiatus of all things amp tweak.
The amp is still going strong - lots of gigs and recordings - but I'd still like to try resolve this secondary fizz I hear.

I have yet to up the grid resistors in the EL84s so that is next - Martin M suggested even up to 15kohm, they are still at the 1k5 range as standard - so need to order some resistors as I'm not sure the 1/4 watt ones I have are beefy enough for that stage of the amp.

Attached is a solo recording - close mic with a ribbon and 57 - from a session last week where you can hear the fizz as a secondary sound. What do you think?

Barks
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martin manning
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by martin manning »

1/4W resistors are ok for a trial to see if there is any positive effect.
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Thanks Martin.

Can I use the spare pin 1 on the socket to make new Grid resistor connection point to pin 2?
Looking at the TAD tubes pin one is not connected - though the data sheet suggests not connecting unused pins externally.

http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/images/Fil ... .07.11.pdf
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sluckey
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by sluckey »

Can I use the spare pin 1 on the socket to make new Grid resistor connection point to pin 2?
I would not do that. It would be fine for some tubes. But there are others that have pin 1 and pin 2 tied together internally. The only problem would be that your grid stopper 'may' be shorted out and doing nothing. You might never even know by the amp's performance. Here's a pic of a 6BQ5 with the internal connection. I've seen one other example of modern EL84 that had the internal connection but I don't recall which manufacturer.
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martin manning
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by martin manning »

Best not to use it. That probably means waiting for some more substantial resistors that can stand on their own.
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Barks
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by Barks »

Thanks - just as well I checked!
I have some 1.2 and 2.2k 1 watt resistors I could try though these values may not make much of a difference moving the LPF point
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rp
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by rp »

iirc this amp has really high voltage for an EL84 amp so best be careful with the screens. For fizz I think I remember reading about conjunctive filters as a cure, I never tried, others can add info, but you can search here and google it. Not all 2X EL84 are fizzy IME not sure why, maybe it's a voltage thing, or a sneaky oscillation maybe. One quick option is to try a 100pf/600V cap across the PI plates - disc or mica but make sure it's rated for high voltage, order 1KV if you are buying. 100pf should audibly knock a sliver of treble off but there's more to fizz than that. If it's too much try 50pf. You can also try this across the various plate resistors or plate to ground as a kluge. You can also try a Cut control, copy it out of a Vox schematic or Trainwreck Rocket. I would hack it into the open amp and see if I like it before trying to mount it on the front panel. If you like and you always play at the same level you could also measure the pot, sub a resistor and make it permanent.

Don't you have 430V on those tubes? But then people with with much lower volagtes complain about fizz too. I never found the Matchless 2X EL84 amps fizzy, my Lightning clone isn't at all, even using the crossline MV unless you go bedroom level, again beats me, maybe compare schematics. The cure is to use 4X EL84 :) or 2x 6V6s.
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rp
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Re: Traynor YGM-3 (early) - Selmer cab

Post by rp »

Matchless are really bright, maybe fizz is not enough treble (lack of air as they'd say in HiFi). Just a thought.
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