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Post by juancarlos on Aug 4, 2009 14:16:42 GMT -7
For those of you who have tried the 5u4 as a rectifier, do you prefer it to the GZ34, heavily prefer it, or not so much? Trying to decide whether to switch and since I would need to have a tech rebias, it is not as easy for me to switch back and forth. Thanks.
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Post by taswegian on Aug 5, 2009 2:52:16 GMT -7
Haven't tried the 5U4, I'd be very interested to, but I certainly don't want less headroom from my 66 so I'll be sticking with the GZ34.
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Post by smolder on Aug 5, 2009 5:10:29 GMT -7
have not looked back since installing and re-bias. Love it.
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Post by juancarlos on Aug 5, 2009 8:47:43 GMT -7
Thanks. Smolder, what do you prefer about the 5u4? Earlier breakup or more/less sag , touch sensitivity? Does it change the tone or texture of the sound? All very subjective, I know.
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Post by smolder on Aug 6, 2009 6:55:32 GMT -7
the touch sensitivity was a welcome surprise to me - that is what I always loved about my Ghia... now I have more with the 66 as well. I did it mostly to get better tone at lower volume. While I do play out and push it... I always wanted it to sound more like that at home. Now it does. I also like the slight compression and resulting sustain. You can get some earlier break up with out a 5U4 just by using the tone controls... past noon they really start to increase the gain more than effect the tone.
Actually, there is nothing I don't like about the way it sounds now. Even attenuated it sounds better. (clearly I have must have drunk the cool aid here)
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Post by juancarlos on Aug 7, 2009 12:38:47 GMT -7
Tried the 5u4 Koolaide last night and I really like it. I think I got lucky, I plugged in 60s NOS RCA 5u4 and even without a rebias, heard some of the very attributes that you and the doctor have identified. I was surprised that it was still very present and open (no blanket effect here) despite no change in the bias. Moved slightly in the direction of a Fender Tweed in terms of touch sensitivity and sag. Great Beano style distortion with Les Paul and all knobs at 2pm. I can now play at home with the volume between 12 and 3 without ear bleed though my dogs are not happy.
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Post by zdogma on Aug 25, 2009 19:30:44 GMT -7
Yeah, I have a GE 5U4GB in mine and it only needed a tiny bias adustment. Its been in for about 3 months and so far I like it a lot.
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bartc
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by bartc on Sept 17, 2009 17:32:15 GMT -7
I really like the 5U4GB as the rectifier tube. I have a 5 different ones, but like the new EV the best. My NOS ones are good, but just don't keep it as clean. I don't really notice a drop in overall volume, but the headroom goes away quickly. I have also tried the Weber copper cap rectifiers, and find both the 5U4GB and the GZ34 to work fine. The ccopper caps gives you sag, but not the current draw, so the amp is a little louder and cleaner before10 o'clock. I do like the 5U4GB Tube the best.
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pzaxtl
Junior Member
Posts: 63
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Post by pzaxtl on Sept 29, 2009 19:42:03 GMT -7
I just made the switch to a 5U4GB. Didn't think it was possible, but I love this amp even more! Bought a couple NOS Sylvania's from KCNOS, installed, rebaised... and, WOW! Beautiful!
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Post by troutstrat on Sept 29, 2010 10:27:36 GMT -7
I put the EH 5U4GB in mine last weekend. Re-biased to about 38mA per tube (Gold Lions RI's), and the volts were near 415. I tried lower numbers like 32mA but there it sounded sterile to me. I played as I biased and up to 38 was nice IMHO. Weber BiasRite used.
Anyone find specs on the Gold Lion KT66 Reissues? Wondering what wattage they are rated at so I don't go overboard in the bias.
I am still unsure about the 5U4GB, I may put the JJ GZ34 back in and find out all over again. Can I dare say that I think with the 5U4GB the Route 66 lost a wee bit of Marshall sound?
What are your experiences?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2010 13:14:41 GMT -7
Anyone find specs on the Gold Lion KT66 Reissues? Wondering what wattage they are rated at so I don't go overboard in the bias. The Gold Lions are a 30 watt tube.
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Post by troutstrat on Sept 29, 2010 17:15:39 GMT -7
Anyone find specs on the Gold Lion KT66 Reissues? Wondering what wattage they are rated at so I don't go overboard in the bias. The Gold Lions are a 30 watt tube. Thanks for the info! So am I doing the math correctly? If 30w / 415v * 70% = 50.6mA, then 38mA per tube would be just under 55%. Why do many others set amps like Marshalls and Fenders just under 70%, and Z's seem to always be stock at around 50%? Regardless, 55% was where it sounded best to me.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2010 19:29:41 GMT -7
Thanks for the info! So am I doing the math correctly? If 30w / 415v * 70% = 50.6mA, then 38mA per tube would be just under 55%. Why do many others set amps like Marshalls and Fenders just under 70%, and Zs seem to always be stock at around 50%? Regardless, 55% was where it sounded best to me. Your math is correct. If you like the amp cooler go with 50%. If you like the amp a little hotter you can go with 70 or even 80%. It's really a matter of preference as to how you want the amp biased. Of course the hotter the tube is biased the shorter it's life expectancy. Typically I prefer right around 60% myself. Myles Rose made excel sheet that is very useful for biasing amps. I've attached it in case you would like to use it. Here are a few tips for using Myles' Anode Loading Chart: On line 6: (Anode voltage) you'll see a number entered. Change that to the voltage you see on the plate of your output tube. Line 7: Is the Maximum design anode rating for that particular tube, i.e., 30 watts in the case of the Gold Lion. Then click on line 17: KT66 = 25 watts. Line 11: Heat Meter-will automatically change to the proper mA. Match up line 9 to whatever % you prefer to bias to with the mA on line 11.. Remember to double check the plate voltage as that will change each time you adjust the bias pot.
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Post by strictlydrz on Sept 30, 2010 10:59:42 GMT -7
It made the difference between keeping this one, that came stock with the 5U4, and letting the last one go.
What everyone said, +1. Much more usable now, for me, but I don't gig with it either.
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Post by troutstrat on Oct 5, 2010 17:33:34 GMT -7
Keeping the 5U4GB in the R66. It's just nice.
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Post by dixiechicken on Oct 10, 2010 1:52:07 GMT -7
DC here! A bit late into the thread here guys. I did the switch to 5U4GB - and played it for few months - but I swithced back to the GZ34. Its true the volume dropped a bit and theres was a bit more sag and less headroom. But I didn't like that very much. Finally switched back to the GZ34. For me there were two things mainly for going back - 1) I did not like the lowered headroom 2) I thought the soundscape of the amp changed. To my ears the tone/soundscape of the Route66 is big bold rounded out it simply fills the soundstage around you and sits just right within the mix. With the 5U5GB I felt that the sound shrank down norrowed somehow - (yes yes I know - very vague and hardly a scientific description)loosing that nice fullbodied feel. YMMV! Cheers: Dixiechicken!
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Post by miroslav on Oct 23, 2010 9:35:01 GMT -7
I prefer the 5U4GB too...for most of the reasons given already. I didn't really see a "big" drop in headroom, nothing to write home about ...and with the GZ34 it was just too *hard* sounding, especially at higher volumes, but now it's just right for my taste....much more organic sounding.
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tga3
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by tga3 on Dec 12, 2010 7:27:01 GMT -7
I have a 2004 Route 66 with a GZ 34 rectifier and the one blue cap filter on the board. I played a new 66 at Make 'n' Music in Chicago yesterday and liked it much better. It had the increased filtering, there was no hint of ghost notes, wasn't quite as loud as mine, I literally had everything dimed and was able to stay in the small demo room, and it had a great feel to it, and I'm attributing that to the 5U4 that is supposed to be in the new set-up. Whatever the case, I'll be converting mine or selling it to get a new one. I had an original one in the late 90's, and I have followed the evolution of this great amp, and I much prefer the latest/current version. FWIW, Rick
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