peavey valveking speaker question?

[super rad stuff]

ok, so as most of you know the distortion on a valveking is super dark and thick sounding, actually pretty muddy. totally opposite sounding of what the clean channel is imo. however, i've heard that this problem can be fixed with a new speaker, but i want to hear some experiences.

well, they've got a used 1x12 at GC right now for $250 and i'm thinking of selling off the drum kit to get it. having an amp with enough power to be giggable would be really cool, and might motivate me to actually go look for a band, but i want to know what i'm getting into first.

personally, i like a real punchy, midrangey distorted sound with lotsa crunch and decent enough definition for triads, more like a highly overdriven sound that's on the verge of distortion.(wow, reading that description it sounds like a want a marshall:lmao could i get that out of a valveking?

 

[FuseG4]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

The one I played was harsh and not punchy with the stock speaker. I'd, uh, look for something else man. We seem to have similar tastes a lot of the time and somehow I went for a Marshall.
I coulda picked up a valve king locally for $350 and played it a few times but it was just too thick and uninteresting. I thought the Windsor was a lot better.

IMO only a really bright, high wattage, tight speaker could save that amp and that's a gamble. That was my opinion even before ever playing my Marshall. Now I'm sure I don't like that amp.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

that may be the case, but i don't gots the marshall moniez!

 

[FuseG4]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

Did you play the VK? I mean, you might like it when I dont.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

i've played it before, though not with my current crop of pedals. i actually really, really like the clean channel. it's perfect! bright 'n' fat, with just the right amount of 'wetness' when you add a little 'verb. i just don't know what to do about the overdrive? well, i'll be going to GC this weekend to test it out with my board if i get the chance. might be a bit hectic to do so though, what with the 4th of july sale and all.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

I have a VK. Its not bad for my first tube amp. But I know what you mean about the dirt channel being thick, muddy and dark. The mids (low mids) are too thick, the bass is too flubby and boomy and the highs are too harsh. The amp has no "crunch" to it at all. If you do find a new speaker that makes the VK sound more "marshally" let me know! I was thinking about trying a tubescreamer through it because the TS cuts bass and adds mids from what I hear.......could work?? maybe??

I think the 6L6 power tubes might also be part of the problem. I think this amp would be better if it had EL34's in the power section.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

I have a VK. Its not bad for my first tube amp. But I know what you mean about the dirt channel being thick, muddy and dark. The mids (low mids) are too thick, the bass is too flubby and boomy and the highs are too harsh. The amp has no "crunch" to it at all. If you do find a new speaker that makes the VK sound more "marshally" let me know! I was thinking about trying a tubescreamer through it because the TS cuts bass and adds mids from what I hear.......could work?? maybe??

I think the 6L6 power tubes might also be part of the problem. I think this amp would be better if it had EL34's in the power section.

huh, ya know the negative stuff you're saying about the amp kinda makes me want to get it, just because i'm the kinda person who likes the challenge in tinkering with that kinda stuff. a more midrange-centric speaker, along with some el34s?:scratchch

you should try a tubescreamer or similar. actually, i've got a modded sd-1 that i would be running through it-they both boost the upper mids and don't clip the low end nearly as much resulting in the "cut bass" sound which would probably get you exactly what you're saying the amp won't give you-crunch.

btw this won't be my first tube amp, my first was a peavey windsor stack! :naughty:

edit:just put the kit on craigslist for $500, we'll see how that goes:scratchch
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/msg/1822002097.html

 

[Mattr4president]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

I would say throw a Eminence Gov'nor In there. Vintage 30 clone without the ice pick atleast to my ears. That'll get you plenty of mids. But the VK does have a lot of low end, which is why i like mine. The stock speakers are crap and while i love Peavey Amps, the speakers leave MUCh to be desired

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

I would say throw a Eminence Gov'nor In there. Vintage 30 clone without the ice pick atleast to my ears. That'll get you plenty of mids. But the VK does have a lot of low end, which is why i like mine. The stock speakers are crap and while i love Peavey Amps, the speakers leave MUCh to be desired

huh. honestly, i don't like having very much low end, even when playing by myself. low end's taken up by the bass, and i like having definition. but if all goes well, i'll be testing the amp out, buying it, and switching out some tubes 'n' a speaker:naughty:

 

[tonefreak1527]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

jj 6l6's and a govnor, or a texas heat

 

[Mattr4president]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

Go over to the peavey forums and there are plenty of people to suggest new tubes and such. Atleast my Head and 4x12 cab has good tight low end It's def not over bearing but it doesn't sound anemic. I can't speak for the 1x12. the Gov'nor has some good mid sparkle.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

The bass level doesnt bother me about the VK, its the fact that it isnt tight......its too loose. Its good for filling out a bridge pickup, but when I play rhythm stuff on the neck pickup, its a big muddy mess.

The stock speaker does have mids, but they are low mids. So that just adds to the muddy ness. The only that fixes the bass and the low mids is the "gain boost," it tighten up the low end and add more upper mids (more of a british type tone) but the sound and tone is just very thin sounding.

If I played just metal and thrash, I would give this thing a 10/10, because it does have oober amounts of gain on tap and does get pretty mean with the mids scooped...... but I dont play metal.

 

[Mattr4president]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

Yeah This is a very "modern" sounding amp. You're not going to tread into real Marshall Territory, for that you need to buy a marshall. I like it because i play mostly thrash/hardcore. There are a lot of tricks to use to get it to do what you want. Throw a 7 abnd EQ pedal in the loop and TS9 in front of her and you really open up your options. I've nailed good thrash tones and I've nailed very good blues tones. I don't play the inbetweens so haven't tried to go into classic rock or alt music territory.

 

[TSE]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

Another speaker worth looking into is the WGS Veteran 30. Another V30 clone at a real good price and no ice pick in the mids.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

The bass level doesnt bother me about the VK, its the fact that it isnt tight......its too loose. Its good for filling out a bridge pickup, but when I play rhythm stuff on the neck pickup, its a big muddy mess.

The stock speaker does have mids, but they are low mids. So that just adds to the muddy ness. The only that fixes the bass and the low mids is the "gain boost," it tighten up the low end and add more upper mids (more of a british type tone) but the sound and tone is just very thin sounding.

If I played just metal and thrash, I would give this thing a 10/10, because it does have oober amounts of gain on tap and does get pretty mean with the mids scooped...... but I dont play metal.

dude, rhythm on the neck pickup? that's usually gonna be muddy, especially if you're playing rock stuff in general, especially if the amp is voiced that way. why not use the bridge pickup?

thanks for the suggestions guys, keep'em comin'!

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

well, i got the chance to play with it with some volume today. i brought my whole board and my mockingbird with the a5/a4 phat cat and stock pearly gates in the bridge. surprisingly, i was able to get some fat punchy sounds outta the thing!

with my pedals into the clean channel with the bright switch engaged, i was able to get lotsa fat midrangey sounds that i liked(think blink 182 during TOYPaJ or untitled). turned on the big muff with the SD-1 behind it playing with the neck pickup and it was very smashing pumpkins/siamese dream sounding. with the mxr classic into the big muff, it was a fat, deep metal sound that's perfect for low end riffing. set with just the sd-1 on the neck with the wah pedal, it did a good reggae impression. not to mention straight up no pedals was a great ska sound!

switched over to the dirt channel, and it was dark like i expected, but my ds-1 modded for less distortion, more gain, and more mids fixed that right up. i set it for a clean boost, and it brought out the mids and a great amount of clarity, even with the amp's distortion maxed and the gain boost switch engaged. i wouldn't mind using the amp just the way it is, it sounded pretty cool! i mean, sure it would probably sound even better with some new tubes and a new speaker, but it's definitely not bad sounding.

looks like i'm gonna be getting a new amp soon:fingersx:

edit: crap, i didn't even bother to look where the texture(class A-class A/B) knob was set. oh well, it sounded good enough and there was enough sag for it to not feel completely stiff!

 

[FuseG4]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

yeah I really liked the texture all the way to a/b, same with the windsor. *gack* Need smoothness!!1! *hyurp* *ralph*

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

Another speaker worth looking into is the WGS Veteran 30. Another V30 clone at a real good price and no ice pick in the mids.

Yep, that's what I put in my 1x12 combo and it smoothed out those ice-pick high-mids/highs a bit. It's still there but, they don't seem to be as prevalent. The bass seemed to have tightened up a bit too. It really made the amp just sound better as a whole.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

well i'm gonna put it on layaway it tomorrow, wooh!

i sold my drum kit to my buddy and his brother today, so the money is going towards the valveking. i called right before closing time at GC(7 since it's saturday) and they said it's too late to come buy, but the manager said he would hold it for me when he got in. all is going as planned bwahahahaahaa!

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: peavey valveking speaker question?

i put $200 down on it today, can't pick it up 'til the 17th because it's still on hold. it's gonna be rad:naughty: