Wow - just stumbled on a great sound

[Natan Zada]

Just had to share

 

I play through a Rivera KHR 100 with 4x12 v30

 

Sound is awesome. But practicing sucks cuz even with attenuators its just too loud

 

SO I tried running the "recording out" of my KHR into a ZVEX nano head and then into my 4x12. This way I use only the preamp section of my KHR and bypass the power amp section.... And use the 1/2 watt nano as a power amp.

 

HOLY CRAP. This is the best practice tone I've ever heard. It sounds just like my KHR cranked. But at volumes that is possible to play in an apartment at night

 

WOw this is fun. I hope I don't blow anything up

 

Just had to share...It's a good practice idea for anybody out there with a similar setup...It should work with any high watt tube amp that has a direct out or recording output .. Unless there's something I'm not thinking of...like a way of damaging the amp or something

[JohnnyL]

Cool!

 

I may have to give this a try sometime. I am currently using the KHR55 and really love it. I use a patch cord in the effects loop and am able to get pre and power tube distortion at 'play at home' volume! No attenuator necessary.

 

Take Care,

 

JohnnyL

[Jason_86_951]

 

Originally posted by Natan Zada Just had to share I play through a Rivera KHR 100 with 4x12 v30 Sound is awesome. But practicing sucks cuz even with attenuators its just too loud SO I tried running the "recording out" of my KHR into a ZVEX nano head and then into my 4x12. This way I use only the preamp section of my KHR and bypass the power amp section.... And use the 1/2 watt nano as a power amp. HOLY CRAP. This is the best practice tone I've ever heard. It sounds just like my KHR cranked. But at volumes that is possible to play in an apartment at night WOw this is fun. I hope I don't blow anything up Just had to share...It's a good practice idea for anybody out there with a similar setup...It should work with any high watt tube amp that has a direct out or recording output .. Unless there's something I'm not thinking of...like a way of damaging the amp or something

 

 

Are you saying that your running your tube amp without a speaker?

BIGTIME NONO!

You will destroy your amp if you keep this up, most amps would have already smoked. Your lucky it was a Rivera, they send the load to ground if you forget to have a speaker hooked, but even they should not be run that way.

 

Buy an attenuator! The hotplate is a great one and they cost about $200 used.

[dmk]

 

Originally posted by Jason_86_951 Are you saying that your running your tube amp with a speaker? BIGTIME NONO! You will destroy your amp if you keep this up, most amps would have already smoked. Your lucky it was a Rivera, they send the load to ground if you forget to have a speaker hooked, but even they should not be run that way. Buy an attenuator! The hotplate is a great one and they cost about $200 used.

 

 

surly you mean without a speaker?

and i think he said he's tried attenuators...

[Jason_86_951]

 

Originally posted by dmk surly you mean without a speaker? and i think he said he's tried attenuators...

 

Yep, I meant "without".

 

With a Hotplate he could set it on load and then safely do what he is doing.

 

My point was to never run a tube amp without the proper load.

[potaetoes]

 

Originally posted by Jason_86_951 Yep, I meant "without". With a Hotplate he could set it on load and then safely do what he is doing. My point was to never run a tube amp without the proper load.

 

 

riveras actually have a switching speaker jack that protects the amp... something so simple EVERY manufacturer should do it:

 

"When there is no plug inserted into the speaker Jack #1, the switch is open, and the output tubes do not conduct as the cathodes are lifted from chassis ground. Conversely, when a plug is inserted into speaker Jack #1, the cathodes conduct through this switch to chassis ground, thereby enabling the output stage to operate. This feature allows easy idle current measurement as well as protecting the amp for operating without a speaker load."

 

but it's safe to assume that there's something plugged into his speaker jack, because the recording out is taken from the OT secondary, and the OT gets no signal if there's nothing plugged into speaker jack #1.

[Natan Zada]

Thanks for watching out for me but I'm still running the speaker out to a cabinet so there are no load issues.>>But the KHR can stay in standby mode and be silent through the cab..While I play the nano through a 2nd cab

 

It's a sick setup

 

I Can even run the sub cabinet with the nano head. Because the sub level controls still work on my KHR even in standby. And since the sub cab has a solid state power section...it can do very low volume and sound great. So I just mix it in a little bit with the Nano.

 

This is absolutely the best practice tone I've ever heard. It's full tube saturation at VERY VERY low volume. IT feels just like my stack cranked

 

The only thing I can NOT get is a good crunch. FOr that...I have to run a LIne6 ubermetal straight into the Nano. Metal crunch sounds woofy at that volume. I think the Rivera el34 power section gives the good crunch..And the nano tubes don't crunch too well. They feel a little bit el84ish. But everything else sounds and feels like norma using the KHR preamp.

[Natan Zada]

 

Originally posted by potaetoes riveras actually have a switching speaker jack that protects the amp... something so simple EVERY manufacturer should do it: "When there is no plug inserted into the speaker Jack #1, the switch is open, and the output tubes do not conduct as the cathodes are lifted from chassis ground. Conversely, when a plug is inserted into speaker Jack #1, the cathodes conduct through this switch to chassis ground, thereby enabling the output stage to operate. This feature allows easy idle current measurement as well as protecting the amp for operating without a speaker load." but it's safe to assume that there's something plugged into his speaker jack, because the recording out is taken from the OT secondary, and the OT gets no signal if there's nothing plugged into speaker jack #1.

 

 

Thanks for the info

 

I didn't know that about Rivera

 

Man I love my RIveras. Been playing them since 2001 and still find cool new things to try:)

[Natan Zada]

 

Originally posted by Jason_86_951 Are you saying that your running your tube amp without a speaker? BIGTIME NONO! You will destroy your amp if you keep this up, most amps would have already smoked. Your lucky it was a Rivera, they send the load to ground if you forget to have a speaker hooked, but even they should not be run that way. Buy an attenuator! The hotplate is a great one and they cost about $200 used.

 

 

Wow that just got me thinking

 

Anybody with an amp that has a direct out...Can do what I'm doing as long as they run their amp into a Hotplate or other attenuator at load

 

HOLY CRAP...this is a sick practice setup..Anybody with a nano, a hotplate, and a direct out on their main head can copy this exact setup.

 

So it will work with way more amps than just rivera.

 

And it's relatively affordable. 600-700 dollars total. NOt a bad investment when you consider the ability to record etc and be able to practice in the middle of the night without pissing anybody off

[Natan Zada]

Whoa...wait a second

 

Since the hotplate has it's own direct out...Then people can do this setup even if they don't have a DI on their amp...as long as they are using a hotplate set to load.

 

So that means this might work with class A type amps like the ORange Ad30 etc....amps with no DI

 

HRmmm...I'll have to try this later today. I've got a hotplate and will give it a spin