Mini HRM/86 Special build

[rogb]

Sounds great Rog. Nice work!

Cheers mate and thanks for your support during the "recto" episode

I am in the process of trying to get some old Mullards to use in the el84 and ef86, also a Brimar 6V6GT instead of the JJ I have.

As I said I am investigating the VVR and I think I can rework my fixed bias model into a cathode bias for the 86. Seems worth a go.

Rog

[rogb]

The VVR is in and suitably modded for cathode bias - I also added a Master Vol pot in place of the mid pot, which is now a nice Piher trimmer courtesy of the VVR board

I reverted the amp to AX84 specs on pin2 of v3, Mat had 280K in there, I have a 1MA pot and 5K6 as per the notes on Colossal's schematic.

Wow, there is a LOT of control over the tone and volume and drive now.

I also received a Brimar NOS 6V6, it sounds good and warm on the clean but not too good on the drive, I think the 150R cathode resistor just suits the EL84 better. The JJ 6V6 does sound OK though!

Here are a couple of new noodles with the latest set up:

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10755135

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10755049

[10thTx]

Really nice tone! Enjoyed those soundclips. Thanks for sharing them.

with respect, 10thtx

[rogb]

Thanks Jeff, appreciate that!

TBH I'm not in the best of moods* and the notes weren't falling from my fingers today, but it's a good example of the EL84 tones available. I'll redo them sometime, I guess.

* My neighbour smashed the back of my immaculate Golf yesterday and had hassles with insurance company, car rental company, and I have no car at this minute. So I thought I would record some tunes instead of getting stressed



I should do some clean stuff with the Brimar 6V6 too.

[SoundPerf]

TBH I'm not in the best of moods* and the notes weren't falling from my fingers today, but it's a good example of the EL84 tones available. I'll redo them sometime, I guess.

Those notes are sounding quite nice to me.

Hope you get your car situation in order quickly.

[ER]

On my last single ended amp I built I used a 6AQ5a, which is a 7 pin equivalent of 6v6. I thought it sounded like a nice cross between 6v6 and EL84 because of the small bottle, kind of the best of both worlds like a 6v6 with chime.

-E

[rogb]

On my last single ended amp I built I used a 6AQ5a, which is a 7 pin equivalent of 6v6. I thought it sounded like a nice cross between 6v6 and EL84 because of the small bottle, kind of the best of both worlds like a 6v6 with chime.

-E

Interesting Thanks for the info.

Just got an old Mullard ECC83 from Ebay today, Blackburn made, put it in v1, it sure does sound good, it wasn't cheap, but I like it!

Did a quick and dirty clean track to try out the Mullard/Brimar 6V6 combo - apologies as usual for the bucket of clams - nowhere to hide when it is all so clean and touch sensitive

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10758420

[rogb]

I think I might be finally done on this project!!!!!!!

Today I added a 470R and 47uF to the octal cathode pin 8, rather than running both sockets (separately) off the EL84 150R/220uF cathode.

I found I could use a 6L6 with no problems, OT/PT cool as you like, and have found the big clean tone I wanted so I probably don't need to build a clean version right away to fit in my cab. However, that doesn't mean I don't want to

Final tubes are:

V1 Mullard ECC83
V2 Mullard EF86
V3 Philips Miniwatt EL84
(V3 octal - any from Brimar 6V6GT, JJ 6V6, TAD 6L6)

My demo Visio has now expired, and TBH, I was losing patience with it, I spent hours trying to get the PS caps right only to mess up the layers and start again. I then realised how much else I had to do.

I will soon do the layout as I built it in JSchem, not so pretty but a heck of a lot easier. There haven't been many computer programs that have defeated me over the years but Visio

Thank you all for your patience with me, and all the help TAG members have given.

Tomorrow evening I will be in Finland and I hope to meet up with my miniHRM inspiration, Mat sometime I hope he has time for a quick chat anyway.

Regards
Rog

[Structo]

Just listened to your clip Rog.
That really sounds good!

Nice full tone, hard to believe that is a little single ended amp.

[mat]

Hi Rog!

Very cool clean sounds You have there ! Nice playing too - don't be too modest.

I've been digging the clean channel while cranking the clean master. Lots of good sounds there by just adjusting the guitar volume.

I really like how the speaker is working on Your combo. Very good sounding/looking build You have in there.

It would be very nice to meet You. The only chance might be at the Puistoblues festival (http://www.puistoblues.fi/). We have too much renovation work to do at our summer house. We bought the tickets to the festival so we have to leave the 'paradise' (http://mattitee.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Laituri/ ... 7.jpg/full) at least for those days.

[rogb]

Hi Mat, sorry I missed you in Helsinki, I had a great time and the weather was fantastic! It's even Paradise in the city center ( see photo ).

Just an update:

I have been playing the 86 Special with my Dlator and TC G# 2U rack rig.

If you use this there is no need to add MVs or VVRs, as the Dlator allows you to take the volume right down - as with the larger ODSs - as a global master.
I have got the VVR and MV to use if I use the amp on its own, but having the Dlator and FX unit really adds a lot to the sound.
I tried it with the Dlator parallel in, so the Dlator acts as a wet/dry mixer, but I prefer the serial sound, as I do with the 50w head.

If you don't have a Dlator I would urge you to build one, it isn't that hard and it is so useful

[mat]

Hi Roger,

It was nice to hear You on the phone. Although You are not the slowest talking man Maybe next summer then Glad You had nice time in Helsinki !

Jonny Lang was superb at the Puistoblues. He played without a pick, something I've started to do also more and more.

The more I play the 86-Special of mine the less I seem to want a VVR on it.
I have one D-style amp with built in Dlator and one external solid stage version that I don't care too much. After I finish the 2xEL84 86-Special I'll build two tube reverb+Dlator in a box. I have all the parts but not too much time on hands.

I sent the front and back panel files to Modulus-Amps as a dxf-files made with InkScape but He cannot open them. He said He needs older version dxf's. Any idea how to save the files as 'older' version ?

I'll let You know asap I get something done.

Thanks,

[M Fowler]

I miss John Lang not being around town anymore we watched him growing up from playing at age 13 in the bars to his first album (Smokin) with Ted Larson who is now has his own band and plays with Lamont Cranston. They put on some great shows.

John Lang plays sax just as good.

Mark

[sixstringer]

It looks like a 1a slo-blo fuse is correct for the 86 Special, is that what you've used?
Thanks

[rogb]

It looks like a 1a slo-blo fuse is correct for the 86 Special, is that what you've used?
Thanks

No, might be OK for the USA, here I use 160mA slo in mains and HT, neither have blown so far. This gives maximum protection, I think.

Try 500mA first, tis only a 5 watter