Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
- Thread starter Dooogz
- Start date
darkshadow54321
New member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
I know a way to make it better!
Sell it, and buy a super cool amazing amp!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry that didn't help..... but you could always go to one of those US modders, except since you're in the UK that would be very expensive and not worth it. You could try modding it yourself, but that's a bit risky.
Good luck anyway!
I know a way to make it better!
Sell it, and buy a super cool amazing amp!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry that didn't help..... but you could always go to one of those US modders, except since you're in the UK that would be very expensive and not worth it. You could try modding it yourself, but that's a bit risky.
Good luck anyway!
darkshadow54321
New member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Oh yeah, you could also try changing the speaker, but that's not particularly cheap.
Oh yeah, you could also try changing the speaker, but that's not particularly cheap.
NecroPolo
New member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
I was a 8080 abuser for almost a decade. If you learn how to live with it, it can kick a$$. The good thing, its capability of producing tone is way too underestimated so it is cheap
The bad thing, it is super easy to set an icepick sound 
hint#1 - re-solder the major connections (plug inserts 2 the board, wires 2 the board etc)
hint#2 - 7025 tube instead of 12AX7. Some like it, some not but it pumps into the amp some extra warmth and much juice, it might worth a try
hint#3 - change all the front panel plug connectors
hint#4 - for a decent volume with hi-gain without losing definition, try this: gain- max, low- near max, mid- at noon, treble- from zero to 2 ot 3 (above 3 the treble pick will stab your back), contour- at noon, volume- max, master volume- noon.
hint#5 - With the aforementioned setting NEVER dial the master above 2o'clock (you'll lose definition and if you crank it more, possibly fry some output power transistor or two)
hint#6 - leave out FX boards and stompboxes for distortion, especially true for digital thingies. For dirty sound this crate sounds best with its own lead channel alone. If you decide using some external distortion you slap immediately an EQ pedal after the distortion box that can cut the lethal treble and push some defining mids.
hint#7 - EQ pedal in the FX loop
hint#8 - for a treble setting, always start from zero. It is a trebly thing by default.
hint#9 - get a battered 4x12" 100-150W cab, wire it 8 ohms and enjoy
hint#10 - when recording just cover the back of the open box with something. Even a blanket can make it better sounding when miced out in an isolated environment.
Cheers!
I was a 8080 abuser for almost a decade. If you learn how to live with it, it can kick a$$. The good thing, its capability of producing tone is way too underestimated so it is cheap
The bad thing, it is super easy to set an icepick sound hint#1 - re-solder the major connections (plug inserts 2 the board, wires 2 the board etc)
hint#2 - 7025 tube instead of 12AX7. Some like it, some not but it pumps into the amp some extra warmth and much juice, it might worth a try
hint#3 - change all the front panel plug connectors
hint#4 - for a decent volume with hi-gain without losing definition, try this: gain- max, low- near max, mid- at noon, treble- from zero to 2 ot 3 (above 3 the treble pick will stab your back), contour- at noon, volume- max, master volume- noon.
hint#5 - With the aforementioned setting NEVER dial the master above 2o'clock (you'll lose definition and if you crank it more, possibly fry some output power transistor or two)
hint#6 - leave out FX boards and stompboxes for distortion, especially true for digital thingies. For dirty sound this crate sounds best with its own lead channel alone. If you decide using some external distortion you slap immediately an EQ pedal after the distortion box that can cut the lethal treble and push some defining mids.
hint#7 - EQ pedal in the FX loop
hint#8 - for a treble setting, always start from zero. It is a trebly thing by default.
hint#9 - get a battered 4x12" 100-150W cab, wire it 8 ohms and enjoy
hint#10 - when recording just cover the back of the open box with something. Even a blanket can make it better sounding when miced out in an isolated environment.
Cheers!
Last edited:
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
jmh151 read my mind; I was gonna say try a BBE, Aphex Aural Exciter, or similar.
Also, Doogz (mench
)... try this: set the Marshall's gain to 1/2 and then fill in the disortion to tatse with your new Ratt pedal!!
And, finally, I personally do not put any EQ settings above 5 ... you will find this lends a very natural tone to the amp, too.
jmh151 read my mind; I was gonna say try a BBE, Aphex Aural Exciter, or similar.
Also, Doogz (mench
)... try this: set the Marshall's gain to 1/2 and then fill in the disortion to tatse with your new Ratt pedal!! And, finally, I personally do not put any EQ settings above 5 ... you will find this lends a very natural tone to the amp, too.
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Hint #2 didn't work for me
I ordered a 7025 from thetubestore.com, I am assuming the tube is good and not faulty.
The distortion is way over the top but the volume is extremely low, sounds like someone is raping the amp (literally like i'm putting speaker level volume into the input jack and its overloading something.
the electroharmonix tube currently in there says 7025/12ax7, so maybe my new tube IS bad. I don't know.
TLDR; If you don't have much money, don't buy a new tube unless you are sure you need it, the problem I was trying to solve was really a dirty pot problem, so I had to take the amp part anyway to clean the pots, figured I would order a tube in case that was the problem, but it wasn't.
Good advice though, hint #1 was taken care of by the previous owner, and hint #4 is a great baseline to get a decent tone out of the amp.
I also want to brag that I picked mine up for $100!
Hint #2 didn't work for me
I ordered a 7025 from thetubestore.com, I am assuming the tube is good and not faulty.
The distortion is way over the top but the volume is extremely low, sounds like someone is raping the amp (literally like i'm putting speaker level volume into the input jack and its overloading something.
the electroharmonix tube currently in there says 7025/12ax7, so maybe my new tube IS bad. I don't know.
TLDR; If you don't have much money, don't buy a new tube unless you are sure you need it, the problem I was trying to solve was really a dirty pot problem, so I had to take the amp part anyway to clean the pots, figured I would order a tube in case that was the problem, but it wasn't.
Good advice though, hint #1 was taken care of by the previous owner, and hint #4 is a great baseline to get a decent tone out of the amp.
I also want to brag that I picked mine up for $100!
I was a 8080 abuser for almost a decade. If you learn how to live with it, it can kick a$$. The good thing, its capability of producing tone is way too underestimated so it is cheap
hint#1 - re-solder the major connections (plug inserts 2 the board, wires 2 the board etc)
hint#2 - 7025 tube instead of 12AX7. Some like it, some not but it pumps into the amp some extra warmth and much juice, it might worth a try
hint#3 - change all the front panel plug connectors
hint#4 - for a decent volume with hi-gain without losing definition, try this: gain- max, low- near max, mid- at noon, treble- from zero to 2 ot 3 (above 3 the treble pick will stab your back), contour- at noon, volume- max, master volume- noon.
hint#5 - With the aforementioned setting NEVER dial the master above 2o'clock (you'll lose definition and if you crank it more, possibly fry some output power transistor or two)
hint#6 - leave out FX boards and stompboxes for distortion, especially true for digital thingies. For dirty sound this crate sounds best with its own lead channel alone. If you decide using some external distortion you slap immediately an EQ pedal after the distortion box that can cut the lethal treble and push some defining mids.
hint#7 - EQ pedal in the FX loop
hint#8 - for a treble setting, always start from zero. It is a trebly thing by default.
hint#9 - get a battered 4x12" 100-150W cab, wire it 8 ohms and enjoy
hint#10 - when recording just cover the back of the open box with something. Even a blanket can make it better sounding when miced out in an isolated environment.
Cheers!
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Welcome to the forum, greenMIM.
Super hot input signal yielding feeble output signal could be dying valve. More likely, it indicates dry solder joints or failing op amp chip.
Welcome to the forum, greenMIM.
Super hot input signal yielding feeble output signal could be dying valve. More likely, it indicates dry solder joints or failing op amp chip.
chadd
New member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
I fried four different Valvestate amps, they really don't like to be pushed.
I fried four different Valvestate amps, they really don't like to be pushed.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Find a used POD and run that in the loop - works just great in mine.
Find a used POD and run that in the loop - works just great in mine.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
Did you realize this is a zombie thread? If not its awesome that you post the same reply 10 years later!!!! :bigok:
Did you realize this is a zombie thread? If not its awesome that you post the same reply 10 years later!!!! :bigok:
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
The only meaningful answer was the first reply anyway. Even if it was ten years ago. It's really a "no-brainer". He only paid $100 for it and it sounds like crap. Why invest more money than the amp is worth in a sonic maximizer just to end up with slightly better sounding crap ("polished turd syndrome" at its best).
The only meaningful answer was the first reply anyway. Even if it was ten years ago. It's really a "no-brainer". He only paid $100 for it and it sounds like crap. Why invest more money than the amp is worth in a sonic maximizer just to end up with slightly better sounding crap ("polished turd syndrome" at its best).
jmh151
Active member
Re: Valvestate 8080 - any ideas to make it better!
My bad- I didn't see the prior posts from my iPhone... But yes- I would give the same advice.. A sonic maximizer on a valve state is much more brutal than in an all valve marshall
My bad- I didn't see the prior posts from my iPhone... But yes- I would give the same advice.. A sonic maximizer on a valve state is much more brutal than in an all valve marshall