|
Post by crabby on Feb 25, 2020 7:16:14 GMT -7
Hi all. I was able to buy back the red Stangray head I owned back in 2015 this weekend. I had originally been using it with a Z 210 and let her go as the volume was just too much. It’s in amazing shape and sounds fantastic. I have her paired up with a red Z Convertible 112 cab now loaded with a new Tone Tubby Chicago Blue. This is an Alnico 40 watt speaker that is only 94db in efficiency. It’s much quieter then a comparable Celestion Blue at 100db. I find this really helps tame the volume of the amp a bit and the speaker has a very sweet chime and Alnico flavour. The amp came to me with 4 TAD el84’s which I understand can be a bit harsh. I have ordered a quartet of the Doc’s preferred Russian Reflektor tubes and am excited to hear how the perform in the Stangray. So glad to have this amp back. I’m running the tone at noon, Cut about 9 o’clock and volume about 10 o’clock and getting a very nice clean “bedroom” level.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2020 8:20:38 GMT -7
Nice! Red head returns home!
Keep us informed when the new tubes arrive, will you please?
|
|
|
Post by crabby on Feb 25, 2020 14:22:41 GMT -7
I will for sure!
|
|
|
Post by bigboki on Feb 26, 2020 20:41:35 GMT -7
Great to hear about (re)purchase and great info about the speaker! Rock-On!
|
|
|
Post by crabby on Mar 1, 2020 9:45:32 GMT -7
Received the new quad of 6P14P tubes and installed them in my Stangray. They are exactly what I was hoping for! Smoother highs, sweet punchy articulation and less shrill then the TAD tubes. Funny thing is that I physically compared them to the TAD tubes as well as to a pair of Mesa branded El84’s and they all looks absolutely identical inside. I couldn’t see any difference in appearance at all.
But the TAD tubes were not particularly old so I was surprised at how much sweeter the Ray sounds now with the Reflector tubes. Was well worth it. Between the power tubes and the low efficiency Chicago Blue, the Stangray is just a dream to play at home now. No attenuator needed.
|
|
|
Post by perryr on Mar 6, 2020 12:49:39 GMT -7
Congrats on the freshly tuned up Stangray! Regarding 6p14p, you are right, Sovteks standard EL84 is a descendent of the 6p14p that Dr Z uses. In fact, its likely the exact same specifications and probably made at the same place (as I believe new sensor bought the russian factory). But there is a tell that is quite EZ to spot, the Reflector 6p14p (and the 6p14p-k), used tube pins that have a burnished, oxidized looking finish. The tube pins look old and crusty lol. Ive seen 6p14p from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.. they all used that crusty looking pin, and when that pin went away something changed. Probably a few things changed at the same time. Enjoy!
|
|
|
Post by crabby on Mar 8, 2020 18:26:10 GMT -7
So funny you mention this as I was wondering why the tube pins looked so old and almost corroded when I pulled the new tubes out of their boxes. The TAD’s and the Mesas had shiny polished pins. That’s a good thing to know for sure.
|
|