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Post by jcat5503 on Sept 25, 2013 7:29:01 GMT -7
Hello y'all! I've got a Stang Ray head that I LOVE. By far the best sounding amp I've come across IMO.
Thing is I've been doing lower volume gigs lately and I can barely get the Vol off of 0, which sounds a little thin..
Anyone know of an amp (preferably a Z) that is in the same sonic territory that will allow better lower volume utilization?
I've used attenuators in the past and prefer to not go that route..
Cheers!
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Sept 25, 2013 7:32:54 GMT -7
The M12 is very clean like the Ray but isn't quite as dynamic. Works great with pedals!
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Sept 25, 2013 7:40:04 GMT -7
M12 probably closest. You could retrofit a PPMIV to the Ray if it's out of warranty and you're sure you're going to keep it (ie: not worried about resale value)
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Post by jesslm02 on Sept 25, 2013 7:59:22 GMT -7
M12 with w/ a GZ34 rectifier tube installed will get you in the neighborhood. Still not 100% 'Ray, but has some similar tones.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using proboards
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Post by jcat5503 on Sept 25, 2013 7:59:30 GMT -7
I thought that a PPIMV couldn't be implemented due to the CUT circuit?
The M12 is what I've been looking at... Has anyone compared them side by side? I love the authoritative spank and chime that the Ray has... Does the M12 fulfill that?
Cheers!
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Post by John on Sept 25, 2013 9:49:13 GMT -7
M12 or a Ghia....even a Maz Jr with a 5751 in V1 can get pretty close.
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Post by jesslm02 on Sept 25, 2013 10:20:34 GMT -7
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Post by telejas on Sept 25, 2013 11:18:56 GMT -7
M12 or a Ghia....even a Maz Jr with a 5751 in V1 can get pretty close. IMO, the Ghia is the farthest from a Ray (tone wise). It's a very mid-focused, darker amp that gets a really sweet overdriven tone up past noon on the volume.... Whereas the Ray is much brighter (and more low end available), isn't as mid-focused and much cleaner. Just my $.02 worth.
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Post by John on Sept 25, 2013 14:35:17 GMT -7
I guess it has been a while since I had my ray.
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Post by z4me on Sept 25, 2013 15:46:42 GMT -7
I agree that a Z amp other than a Ray with similar tones would probably be the M12. I played one in a store once and it sure did sound nice. Also, I had a Ray and a Ghia at one time and I also don't think the tones are very similar. The Ghia is gone and I still play the Ray with an air brake. I just love the Ray tones so much that I feel it is worth attempting to tame with an attenuator.
I am also using some EL844 tubes in the Ray to try to allow for a little bit more reduction in volume and allow for an earlier breakup. The volume reduction is not a lot though. Mostly the tubes reduce headroom, allowing for some hair on the notes. Though the EL844 tubes sound good, the jury is still out for me as I have realized that I still need to play with my air brake settings and Ray volume to dial it in some more now. See what happens during the next gig.
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Post by jesslm02 on Sept 26, 2013 5:33:36 GMT -7
I guess it has been a while since I had my ray. I know where John is coming from... IIRC the ghia has gone through some changes over time and I remember the doc saying he made a few changes so the ghia had some vox qualities. The ray is basically vox plus a lot more with some Z mojo. The ghia isn't as much vox as the ray but some year models do have a little more than others. So I can see where John would mention the ghia and it wouldn't be out of line IMO. Sent from my SCH-I545 using proboards
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Post by Maddog on Sept 26, 2013 5:57:43 GMT -7
You might also try less efficient speakers..... If you're using the average 100db type speaker(s), switching to something like greenbacks or a creamback in the 97 db range will cut your volume about in half.....
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Post by jcat5503 on Sept 26, 2013 7:05:45 GMT -7
I think I'm gonna get me a creamback and try that!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2014 5:51:06 GMT -7
Going to take the Ray out for her first gig tonight. I think hitting the amp with my ASAT's MFD pickups into the "LO" input with volume just shy of 2 will be tolerable?!
I love the Ray and 2x12 cab with blues, but the reality is that I may have to downsize to an M-12? I've tried both a Carmen Ghia and Airbrake (when I had my MAZ 38), and neither really spoke to me.
I'll see what my ears, band mates, and sound man think about the Ray and go from there I suppose?
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Post by Brian on Mar 20, 2014 6:53:58 GMT -7
+1 on the Creambacks
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Post by Ridgeback on Mar 20, 2014 7:26:19 GMT -7
I tried a bunch of other el-84 Z's and nothing ever really sounded like the Ray to me. Maybe I just missed the "right" settings and it was out there somewhere. The Ray just has something going on that the other circuits don't. I would have to vote in the less efficient speaker camp and I'll toss the 50 watt Blue Dog into the suggestion box (mine was ceramic). Don't know the db rating but it was less loud than either the Blue or Gold while still letting the signature tone of the Ray come through. The attenuator route didn't work for me either. Good luck.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2014 8:46:06 GMT -7
I tried a bunch of other el-84 Z's and nothing ever really sounded like the Ray to me. Maybe I just missed the "right" settings and it was out there somewhere. The Ray just has something going on that the other circuits don't. I would have to vote in the less efficient speaker camp and I'll toss the 50 watt Blue Dog into the suggestion box (mine was ceramic). Don't know the db rating but it was less loud than either the Blue or Gold while still letting the signature tone of the Ray come through. The attenuator route didn't work for me either. Good luck. That is my fear...I'm afraid the duet of EL84's just won't compare to the sound of a quartet of EL84's. I'll see how the gig goes tonight and will entertain the thought of less efficient speakers...thanks for the advice guys!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2014 7:30:44 GMT -7
I tried a bunch of other el-84 Z's and nothing ever really sounded like the Ray to me. Maybe I just missed the "right" settings and it was out there somewhere. The Ray just has something going on that the other circuits don't. I would have to vote in the less efficient speaker camp and I'll toss the 50 watt Blue Dog into the suggestion box (mine was ceramic). Don't know the db rating but it was less loud than either the Blue or Gold while still letting the signature tone of the Ray come through. The attenuator route didn't work for me either. Good luck. That is my fear...I'm afraid the duet of EL84's just won't compare to the sound of a quartet of EL84's. I'll see how the gig goes tonight and will entertain the thought of less efficient speakers...thanks for the advice guys! Well, the gig went great, and the Ray sounded even better! Even when plugged into the "LO" input with the volume at 2, the amp sounded awesome! I have a Princeton Reverb Reissue that I've taken to my last few gigs, and it sounds fantastic on it own...but when compared to the Ray with 2x12 blues, the Princeton just sounds dull and lifeless. The Ray and the blues are staying put for now!
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Post by John on Mar 22, 2014 4:56:50 GMT -7
But what speakers did you use?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2014 9:27:32 GMT -7
Going to stick with the factory blues for now.
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Post by bluzman on Mar 22, 2014 10:26:43 GMT -7
RX Jr. with a 5V4 or 5AR4 Rectifier gets you into lower wattage StangRay
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Post by mcdyasz on Nov 16, 2014 14:39:07 GMT -7
M12 with w/ a GZ34 rectifier tube installed will get you in the neighborhood. Still not 100% 'Ray, but has some similar tones. Sent from my SCH-I545 using proboards What about a Stang Ray with a M12 style 5Y3 rectifier?
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Post by z4me on Nov 20, 2014 10:35:20 GMT -7
Now that I own one, the Rx Jr is a lower powered Ray IMO. I performed a/b testing of the Ray and Rx Jr though the same cab with an amp switcher and was able to dial in the Rx Jr so very close to the Ray's tones. I was quite surprised. Made me realize how scooped the mids are in the Ray. I know the Rx Jr is no longer in production, but the Rx Jr is your lower powered Ray. Maybe Doc will consider bringing at least the Rx Jr back into production if not the ES too.
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