Morgan AC20 and EF86 AC15 question

[fish22]

So right now I have an amp, from what I can see is an exact AC15 (ef86) normal channel only, clone. There is just something about it I don't like. I don't want to post the builders name, because he is small shop guy...

Last year I had a Morgan AC20Deluxe head, which is also a Normal channel (ac30?) clone I think. That was the best sounding amp I've owned (In that style amp, RJ Rocket being the first...). I really miss the AC20. It was like a more full, AC15 with a little more gain and wasn't as shrill.

SO, I found a gut shot of the AC20D and compare it to my current amps gutshot.
They look nearly identical to the naked (my untrained) eye, which gets me to thinking how can I love one and dislike another when they are basically the same thing?

I'm still an amp building newbie, so any help or ideas would be great.

If I could sell the AC15 and go back to the Morgan I would but considering the Morgan is an $1800 AC15 (30?) head I don't wanna spend the money if my $700 amp is a few changes away from being the same thing...

[xtian]

Let's say these two boxes have identical schematics (ignoring the VVR), and you're playing thru the same speaker. They might sound different for many reasons.

From most significant to least:

Something IS actually different
Voltages
Output transformer
Tubes
components, especially film caps
lead dress
builder's mojo

[vibratoking]

How did mojo make the list?

[xtian]

You'll notice "mojo" is at the far "least significant" end of the list...but it exists!

[lord preset]

My amps are made with absolutely no mojo but I think they sound fine.

But re the OPs question, the amps are really not the same. For one the Morgan has one more filter cap than your amp. The Morgan has more stuff going on besides just the VVR - it has switchable EF86 and 12ax7s and the company says it was voiced darker than a Vox. The gut shot is a bit fuzzy so spotting different component values is a bit tough but I'm sure there are differences. With different caps, transformers, component values etc, you are not going to get your amp to sound exactly like the Morgan or any other amp. But if you think about what makes the Morgan sound better to there may be tweaks your existing amp in that direction. You mentioned it was a bit shrill. What is the value of the bright cap solder to the volume pot?

[Masco]

The cathode R for EF86 in the top amp is 22k, the one in the bottom is 3.3k. 220k vs, 100k plate R another difference. Should I keep going?

[menger66]

looks like the same Filter caps Miec that I use, you might try some thing simple like some tube rolling, how about those transformer are they the same size? I have a genalax z729 that makes a whole world of difference in any amp I pop it into.