|
Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Mar 23, 2016 11:02:03 GMT -7
You know, between my Z-Lux, Therapy, Monza, and Maz-8, my Mini-Z doesn't get much attention at all. Feeling a little guilty and wondering if I should put it up on the BST section, I plugged my 335 into it this afternoon and had and absolute blast. Cranked to 3:00 with no attenuation, it was fat, sassy, and Mini-Proud. Then I hit the fuzz and took off to glorious, controllable 1960's feedback. I haven't seen much action in this section for a while, so I thought now was a great time to plug in and revisit the simple fun that this amp can be. Whatcha waiting for, your Mini is begging for some attention! Oh, and mine is not for sale.
|
|
|
Post by LuckyBlackCat on Mar 23, 2016 20:18:20 GMT -7
I play my Mini more than I do my Maz. Don't tell anyone, but if I had to pick only one to keep, it would be a REALLY hard decision.
3:00 is my favorite setting. Good drive but cleans up when you pick lighter. Although I do like it dimed for my poor man's Warren Haynes tone!
|
|
|
Post by jimmysmith on Mar 23, 2016 21:00:32 GMT -7
yes, i have gigged with it,a couple times, the first time with one of the xotic sl drives,, worked just fine, then again with no pedal,,i could have turned it up and i should have,, now i am faced with a horrible decision, i have an rx jr with nos tubes throughout and a tone tubby spkr, it is fantastic, AND i have my monza mater volume which works so well, but it looks like i will have to make someone a good deal on my mini z, as i am probaly getting one of the new DB4 heads and i cant justify 4!, whats a mother to do?
|
|
|
Post by supernaut on Mar 24, 2016 11:13:02 GMT -7
Just acquired a 1st gen Mini Z on Wed night. I've got a project in store, and when it's completed, I'll post pics!!
|
|
|
Post by jimmysmith on Mar 24, 2016 14:01:42 GMT -7
i decided, as i really did not want a quartet of el84s, that i am just going to wait and keep my mini,, going to wait for the el34 amp that z might do next
|
|
|
Post by pcns on Mar 25, 2016 5:14:23 GMT -7
My oldest son Michael plays the snot out of his Mini 1x10 combo.
|
|
|
Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Mar 25, 2016 10:20:18 GMT -7
My oldest son Michael plays the snot out of his Mini 1x10 combo. And sounds great doing it, too! What speaker is he running in his, Todd? I've got a Marshall 1965A 4x10 with Celestion G10L-35 speakers, and I pulled one out and tried it in my Mini. Sounds really, really good.
|
|
|
Post by pcns on Mar 25, 2016 10:21:31 GMT -7
I let Michael try a 10" Gold I have, it was dumb move on my part . . . . It is now in his Mini Z ha ha
|
|
|
Post by bloozeman on Mar 29, 2016 5:11:08 GMT -7
I really want one of these little guys. I'm wondering if I could get more volume and clean headroom if I used a head with a 12" Weber silver bell 75 watt speaker and used an rc boost to up the volume? Would using the boost instead of amp volume produce some more headroom? I'm thinking maybe 10 or so on volume and then more so with the boost pedal for more headroom?
|
|
|
Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Mar 29, 2016 7:09:28 GMT -7
I really want one of these little guys. I'm wondering if I could get more volume and clean headroom if I used a head with a 12" Weber silver bell 75 watt speaker and used an rc boost to up the volume? Would using the boost instead of amp volume produce some more headroom? I'm thinking maybe 10 or so on volume and then more so with the boost pedal for more headroom? I think hitting the front of the Mini with the RC boost would overdrive the front end of the amp sooner, but that's something I have to try out. It also depends on the guitar you use, a Strat would typically benefit from the booster more than say a Les Paul. I just looked on the Weber site to see what the efficiency of the Silver Bell is, and didn't see a spec for it. The more efficient the speaker, the higher the headroom. I've plugged my Mini into a 4x12 and it was really cool, but I wasn't going for clean headroom.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 14:21:25 GMT -7
I really want one of these little guys. I'm wondering if I could get more volume and clean headroom if I used a head with a 12" Weber silver bell 75 watt speaker and used an rc boost to up the volume? Would using the boost instead of amp volume produce some more headroom? I'm thinking maybe 10 or so on volume and then more so with the boost pedal for more headroom? If we compare Z amps with little to no headroom, I just got my hands on an RC Booster this week and ran it into the Monza. All the RC Booster did was push the amp into even more overdrive sooner, with more gain, dynamics and sustain. Pretty much made the Monza sound like a 100 watt Friedman or other 100 watt Marshall variant. A wild ride, for sure. I imagine somewhat similar results would be had with the Mini Z.
|
|
|
Post by bloozeman on Mar 30, 2016 14:35:19 GMT -7
I really want one of these little guys. I'm wondering if I could get more volume and clean headroom if I used a head with a 12" Weber silver bell 75 watt speaker and used an rc boost to up the volume? Would using the boost instead of amp volume produce some more headroom? I'm thinking maybe 10 or so on volume and then more so with the boost pedal for more headroom? If we compare Z amps with little to no headroom, I just got my hands on an RC Booster this week and ran it into the Monza. All the RC Booster did was push the amp into even more overdrive sooner, with more gain, dynamics and sustain. Pretty much made the Monza sound like a 100 watt Friedman or other 100 watt Marshall variant. A wild ride, for sure. I imagine somewhat similar results would be had with the Mini Z. even with gain at zero? how about just a pure clean boost like the flying dragon? would that increase headroom by using more of the pedal than the amps volume?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2016 15:30:26 GMT -7
If we compare Z amps with little to no headroom, I just got my hands on an RC Booster this week and ran it into the Monza. All the RC Booster did was push the amp into even more overdrive sooner, with more gain, dynamics and sustain. Pretty much made the Monza sound like a 100 watt Friedman or other 100 watt Marshall variant. A wild ride, for sure. I imagine somewhat similar results would be had with the Mini Z. even with gain at zero? how about just a pure clean boost like the flying dragon? would that increase headroom by using more of the pedal than the amps volume? It still overdrives the amp as all the RC is doing is providing a hotter signal to the front of the amp. You can keep the amp master wide open, drive and volume down and the RC overdrives the Monza even sooner. The only way you are going to get more volume is as Dave said, a more efficient speaker, or adding another cabinet.
|
|
|
Post by limenine on Mar 30, 2016 16:06:22 GMT -7
The front end of the mini seems pretty sensitive - the guitar volume and boost pedals both can make significant differences in cleanliness (or lack thereof). For example, my mini with my LP shaped guitar will tolerate about nine o'clock on the dial with the gv maxed. Turn the gv down, and the amp can be turned up. A clean boost just acts like more guitar volume here. So dialing those three things up and down in whatever combination suits your fancy, at the end of the day, gives me the same perceived max clean volume (if that makes any sense...) The real question is if that volume is at the level you need it at. The argument could be made that you could gig stadiums with it this way, properly miced and mixed. Realistically, though, if you go into mini ownership wondering about how to increase clean headroom, I think you will be dissapointed in the long run. I love my mini, but I want it to growl, spit and make antisocial noises
|
|
|
Post by pcns on Mar 31, 2016 6:18:26 GMT -7
I agree with the posts about hitting the previous amp harder and getting MORE gain and less headroom. Even a clean boost will dive the amp more. More effecient speaker would be best option to more head room. Gold or a red fang would help. Todd
|
|