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Supercharging a V8


Verne Andru

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Hello I just got a Zoom G3X and thought what could possibly be more interesting to everyone than me recording some random noodling through the V8 preamp into the Zoom? I made one track dry and the rest with the FD Combo (Fender Twin) model.

http://soundcloud.com/wayne2/sets/cr...mino-v8-preamp

In other news I think I'm beginning to dislike the V8 poweramp, or that maybe it does need a front-mounted alnico speaker to shine as I haven't really found a way to be happy with it. Just seems kind of stiff and middy even with speakers and with different preamps feeding it. Maybe the tube is beginning to change. I don't know. I'm not sure it always sounded like this.

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The V8 has a 10" speaker and a cabinet barely big enough to hold it and the electronics. Since there is very little "cabinet sound" coming through the speaker has to carry 100% of the load. But even with a 100% efficient speaker [which doesn't exist] the V8 will never sound as "big" as a properly designed big cabinet with air around the speaker. By way of contrast, I have a little Takt amp from the 60's with a 6" speaker that sounds huge. The difference is there is a lot of cabinet and air around the speaker allowing it to breath and sound more like a really nice 12" than a 3 watt 6".

By way of experiment, try plugging your V8 into a 4x12 cabinet and see if you still don't like the V8 poweramp. I run my V8 through 2 really nice 10" speakers in separate V8 cabinets. I like that setup because I can spread the speakers apart which gives me a really big, full and throaty sound.

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Quote Originally Posted by Verne Andru View Post
The V8 has a 10" speaker and a cabinet barely big enough to hold it and the electronics. Since there is very little "cabinet sound" coming through the speaker has to carry 100% of the load. But even with a 100% efficient speaker [which doesn't exist] the V8 will never sound as "big" as a properly designed big cabinet with air around the speaker. By way of contrast, I have a little Takt amp from the 60's with a 6" speaker that sounds huge. The difference is there is a lot of cabinet and air around the speaker allowing it to breath and sound more like a really nice 12" than a 3 watt 6".

By way of experiment, try plugging your V8 into a 4x12 cabinet and see if you still don't like the V8 poweramp. I run my V8 through 2 really nice 10" speakers in separate V8 cabinets. I like that setup because I can spread the speakers apart which gives me a really big, full and throaty sound.
I've been wanting to do that forever but I don't have any other cabinets and haven't gotten around to buying one. I did once run the Crate in parallel with the Lil Buddy in my Champion 110 and it sounded better. Been thinking about getting some Cannabis Rexes in a 2 x 12" cabinet since I like the Lil Buddy so much.
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Quote Originally Posted by FinkBrau View Post
I have already, unfortunately they can't give me the characteristics of the power transformer...

I guess some people here that modded their amp should have an idea about the PCB input values?

There's a high resolution pic of the board here, if that's any help. The schematic is somewhere earlier in this thread. I think Verne has it on his site.
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For a change I went back to the original Palomino speaker and Groove Tubes.  Hey :heart:!

I think for this cabinet the stock speaker is actually very well matched.  I'm going strat --> MXR 10 band --> effect in and loving the sound.  Real nice warm clean.

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I recall this thread now. Back in the day, I was wondering why people were going nuts over Crates. Since then, I've test driven a V32 (used) and it was pretty cool. cool.png

 

 

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