A quick amp question about biasing
- Thread starter Chazzy
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Re: A quick amp question about biasing
you might notice a very slight increase in volume, but ultimately you'll have more break up at slightly lower volumes (very slightly) I used to run my 3120 pretty hot but I started going through power tubes a little fast. which in the end isnt really worth it. What amp are you using here?
you might notice a very slight increase in volume, but ultimately you'll have more break up at slightly lower volumes (very slightly) I used to run my 3120 pretty hot but I started going through power tubes a little fast. which in the end isnt really worth it. What amp are you using here?
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
Biasing the amp hot will also loosen the bottom end. If you want your lows floppy and big go for it. But its the opposite of what you want for tight metal tones.
Biasing the amp hot will also loosen the bottom end. If you want your lows floppy and big go for it. But its the opposite of what you want for tight metal tones.
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
If you bias the amp "hotter" and it is still tracking linear, I would think the amp would have more headroom.
You just have to try with each amp. There is not one answer that fits all situations.
good luck
It is always going to depend. As soon as your amp is not operating on the linear part of the curve, you will start to get distortion on the Negative and Positive halves of the wave.
If you bias the amp "hotter" and it is still tracking linear, I would think the amp would have more headroom.
You just have to try with each amp. There is not one answer that fits all situations.
good luck
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
Its a 6534+ i use it once a year and want to get a year out of the 6ca7 tubes that are being put in, and for the power tubes to break up around 3-4 on the volume, thats the current volume i run but the amp sounds cold and horrid, im hoping if its biased hotter i get a more tube character at that same volume maybe a little more marshal-esque and less ice picky...
Its a 6534+ i use it once a year and want to get a year out of the 6ca7 tubes that are being put in, and for the power tubes to break up around 3-4 on the volume, thats the current volume i run but the amp sounds cold and horrid, im hoping if its biased hotter i get a more tube character at that same volume maybe a little more marshal-esque and less ice picky...
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
You are so much better off just biasing for the correct bias rather than trying to push it hotter. The new tubes themselves should help your problems. A hotter bias wont fix what you are trying to do.
In many ways you are fighting against what a 5150 is and does. trying to make one more marshallesque is like trying to make a les paul into a strat.
new tubes should help some with the fizziness, keep in mind the preamp design on the 5150 is fizzy by nature so you can improve it but it will always be there to some degree.
get the new tubes in it and biased correctly, get a decent cab... then go from there.
You are so much better off just biasing for the correct bias rather than trying to push it hotter. The new tubes themselves should help your problems. A hotter bias wont fix what you are trying to do.
In many ways you are fighting against what a 5150 is and does. trying to make one more marshallesque is like trying to make a les paul into a strat.
new tubes should help some with the fizziness, keep in mind the preamp design on the 5150 is fizzy by nature so you can improve it but it will always be there to some degree.
get the new tubes in it and biased correctly, get a decent cab... then go from there.
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
Once a year? Correct me if I'm wrong but...from what I understand tubes can go bad by just sitting in a amp for extended periods of time. Plus if you play through a new set of tubes that are biased, then don't play it for another year...that would explain why they sound lifeless and comparably different from the last time you played through it...
Once a year? Correct me if I'm wrong but...from what I understand tubes can go bad by just sitting in a amp for extended periods of time. Plus if you play through a new set of tubes that are biased, then don't play it for another year...that would explain why they sound lifeless and comparably different from the last time you played through it...
El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
I reckon nominal bias sounds the best. I really like amps that have bias pots and multimeter terminals. Saves a lot of hassle and money (because you need to buy certain equipment without the terminals). Some fixed bias amps (Mesa Dual Rec for example) are notorious for being a bit cold so changing the tube type makes it run closer to nominal. That's why I like KT-88s.
I reckon nominal bias sounds the best. I really like amps that have bias pots and multimeter terminals. Saves a lot of hassle and money (because you need to buy certain equipment without the terminals). Some fixed bias amps (Mesa Dual Rec for example) are notorious for being a bit cold so changing the tube type makes it run closer to nominal. That's why I like KT-88s.
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
Yeah sorry but this is incorrect. Tubes can sit unused forever. Most of my NOS tube collection is from the late 40's and 50's and are just as good now as the day they were made.
On the other hand capacitors can sometimes dry out if left unplayed for long periods of time. But then again ive seen vintage amps that are 50 years old and havent been play in 30 fire right up and sound sweeter than angel tears.
Yeah sorry but this is incorrect. Tubes can sit unused forever. Most of my NOS tube collection is from the late 40's and 50's and are just as good now as the day they were made.
On the other hand capacitors can sometimes dry out if left unplayed for long periods of time. But then again ive seen vintage amps that are 50 years old and havent been play in 30 fire right up and sound sweeter than angel tears.
EDX
New member
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
what speakers you had?, eminence texas heat or celestion creams (the 90 watts ones) are supposed to mix well with 5051 amps, shaving some fizz from the top, even there, your problem is that you're trying to get apples from an oranges tree, instead you might search for the brown sound and tweak from there
what speakers you had?, eminence texas heat or celestion creams (the 90 watts ones) are supposed to mix well with 5051 amps, shaving some fizz from the top, even there, your problem is that you're trying to get apples from an oranges tree, instead you might search for the brown sound and tweak from there
EDX
New member
Re: A quick amp question about biasing
yeah, i also wasn't interested in the bronw sound, the problem is the peavey 5150, and all the things that sound similar to it were designed for the brown sound, and getting 'em to sound right sometimes is a headche, wich becomes easy first, getting a brown sound and then tweaking with presence knob (the rest of the EQ) and an OD or a boss metal zone if you play in cannibal corpse....
by the way i'm a thrash metal guy, and having and amp constructed to sound basically like the 5150 but solid state, finding a brown sound and the boosting highs and scooping mids at prefetence is a must
yeah, i also wasn't interested in the bronw sound, the problem is the peavey 5150, and all the things that sound similar to it were designed for the brown sound, and getting 'em to sound right sometimes is a headche, wich becomes easy first, getting a brown sound and then tweaking with presence knob (the rest of the EQ) and an OD or a boss metal zone if you play in cannibal corpse....
by the way i'm a thrash metal guy, and having and amp constructed to sound basically like the 5150 but solid state, finding a brown sound and the boosting highs and scooping mids at prefetence is a must
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