Overdrive channel in tube amps...

[Kommerzbassist]

Is the overdrive channel in tube amps the same like an effect pedal or is it working with tubes too?
thanks

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

bump... another old thread... but still no answer

 

[rinse_master]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

It depends on the amp, I think most are valve driven od's, but I know some get distortion by clipping a diode (a bit like a dist pedal), I think some JCM800's were set up like this.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

Ah yes.. ok thanks

 

[James Rock]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

It depends on the amp, I think most are valve driven od's, but I know some get distortion by clipping a diode (a bit like a dist pedal), I think some JCM800's were set up like this.

Most JCM 800 used diodes except the much loved 2203 (which were released before the JCM 800 series was)

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

Most JCM 800 used diodes except the much loved 2203 (which were released before the JCM 800 series was)

ANd 2204

But they weren´t released before the JCM 800 series, the 2203 and 2204 are JCM 800 amps.

But there are 2 kinds, horizontal input and Vertical input.... THe Vertical Inputs are IIRC actually almost the same thing as the JMPs which were released earlier, and the horizontal ones were redesigned.

I´m not 100% sure, but I think all the JCM 800s actually got their distortion from pure tube clipping, ant the diodes were what made the 900s sound too fizzy by comparison..... But my Marshall history is a bit rusty....

*Edit* But to answer the original question, the overdrive in a pure tube amp is exactly that, overdriven tubes, I.e Tubes that are trying to put out more power than they can......

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

*Edit* But to answer the original question, the overdrive in a pure tube amp is exactly that, overdriven tubes, I.e Tubes that are trying to put out more power than they can......

This actually wasn't what I wanted to know but this may be cause my question was formulated wrong...
What I really wanted to ask is how do you get the overdrive channel in a tube amp? I mean is there a device that raises the amplitude of the signal before it gets into the amp or is there an extra "distortion tube" that needs less power to overdrive?

 

[James Rock]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

ANd 2204

But they weren´t released before the JCM 800 series, the 2203 and 2204 are JCM 800 amps.

But there are 2 kinds, horizontal input and Vertical input.... THe Vertical Inputs are IIRC actually almost the same thing as the JMPs which were released earlier, and the horizontal ones were redesigned.

I´m not 100% sure, but I think all the JCM 800s actually got their distortion from pure tube clipping, ant the diodes were what made the 900s sound too fizzy by comparison..... But my Marshall history is a bit rusty....

Yeh Ok I think ur right I was not sure I just heard that 2203 were originally labelled JCM 800 but that is just what I heard so I don't know for a fact

 

[James Rock]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

correction (i made a mistake) here is the message again

ANd 2204

But they weren´t released before the JCM 800 series, the 2203 and 2204 are JCM 800 amps.

But there are 2 kinds, horizontal input and Vertical input.... THe Vertical Inputs are IIRC actually almost the same thing as the JMPs which were released earlier, and the horizontal ones were redesigned.

I´m not 100% sure, but I think all the JCM 800s actually got their distortion from pure tube clipping, ant the diodes were what made the 900s sound too fizzy by comparison..... But my Marshall history is a bit rusty....

Yeh Ok I think ur right I was not sure I just heard that 2203 weren't originally labelled JCM 800 but that is just what I heard so I don't know for a fact

 

[saladin]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

Yes the distortion channel on some amps is exactly like a distortion pedal. The later model JCM800 and JCM900 used diode clipping to get their distortion. My Carvin MTS uses diodes as well although the Legacy uses cascading preamp tubes much like Mesa Boogie.

 

[benjaturner]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

This is a really cool question. That's what I love about the SD forum. I find answers to questions I didn't even know I wanted to ask. Hope that makes sense, started to verbally trip over myself a little there.

So does that mean that in most cheaper valve amps the 2nd channel isn't really tube amp distortion at all? Just the same as a pedal? But if you turn the master volume up, that is tube distiortion?

I'd really appreciate someone clearing this up in layman's terms for me. I'd really like to know the answer to this.

Thanks,
Benja

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Overdrive channel in tube amps...

So does that mean that in most cheaper valve amps the 2nd channel isn't really tube amp distortion at all? Just the same as a pedal? But if you turn the master volume up, that is tube distiortion?

I'd really appreciate someone clearing this up in layman's terms for me. I'd really like to know the answer to this.

Thanks,
Benja

+1

And if someone could tell me how it works in the DSLs that would be fine too

thanks