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just bought a UNIVALVE


bluesboy

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I think we could all agree that compared to the epi valve JR head, the univalve is very versatile, and that's what I was really talking about. I've said like 4 times in this thread already...





:mad:
:confused:
:rolleyes:
:freak:
:D



Anyways, it's actually due to arrive today, alot faster than I thought. I'm going to really tweak around with it a bit, and then I'll post my review. To be continued... :wave:

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AWESOME amplifier... im really glad it has a built in hot plate because this thing is WAY louder than my epi valve junior. It came with some tubes to mess around with. I started with an old EL34, didn't like it at all, but it coulb just a bum tube. Now i have a GT KT66 in there, and im really really liking it. High gain, but with clarity and spank. Sounds good with my SG JR and telecaster. Preamp tubes are EH12AX7's that came with it. Im very very happy with this purchase. Built in hotplate, definitely necessary!!!!!!!!!!!

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Man, +100 to the mighty 6V6 (be sure to read the little warning about running the 6V6 though... although that might just be the BiValve). I also used a THD Yellowjacket to run an EL84 in it once - holy {censored}. Instant Brian May.

The fact is that its not really a live amp, but as a studio tool, its invaluable. You can add so many different layers and flavors to your recordings - again, I learned more about sonics and tubes in the two years I had the Uni and BiValves that I had in the 20 years beforehand.

I met Aspen Pittman at NAMM in Nashville one year, and he turned me on to a guy who made a special tube grab bag for me - a blackplate 6L6, a Mullard EL34, I think, and some other new and NOS goodies - and it was an amazing time going through all that stuff. A real treat. THAT is the very special thing to the Uni to me.

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Originally posted by Jarick



BULL{censored}.


I can hear the difference. I can feel the difference. And it ain't subtle.

 

 

You can hear it, but it isn't very practical. I prefer to buy an amp that sounds the way I want with the stock tubes. It's not like you're going to swap tubes between songs when you're performing.

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this thing BLASTS through my 4X12... way loud enough for any band situation. Without the attenuator on, the volume is out of control. I like the KT66 the best (it s a GTKT66 HP) but it's too tall for the top to screw on in the back. shouldn't really be too much of a problem as long as im gentle with it. This would be good in a studio and a live situation......

oh yeah, mine is a few years old i guess, but very very nice condition, serial # 0232. I paid $729 shipped, and got extra tubes.

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Originally posted by GCDEF



You can hear it, but it isn't very practical. I prefer to buy an amp that sounds the way I want with the stock tubes. It's not like you're going to swap tubes between songs when you're performing.

 

 

Hehe...so by the same token, if I get a guitar I love but the pickups blow, it isn't practical to change them?

 

It's not a live amp for people who need a Recto and a Blackface sound and hate pedals. It's a live amp for anyone who digs the sound it makes and can use a couple pedals to alter it. Just like any other amp.

 

The guy I bought mine from played guitar in my old band and used it live a few times, and that was a metalcore band. Seemed to work just fine with a volume knob.

 

Anyways, a 4x12 is going to be terribly loud just like any other amp. It won't have as much bass as a Marshall or Mesa, but if you put in a 6L6 it can get pretty close in volume (pushing nearly 25 watts dirty). We had to turn it down and run the attenuator when playing live, and I am a really loud drummer. I can't imagine it not cutting volume-wise with the right tubes. With a 2x12 and 6V6, it'll be much quieter and smoother, with less bass and a bit less treble.

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Originally posted by bluesboy

oh yeah, i don't like the built in noise reducer... im not sure what it really does, and it sound sbetter to my ears without it.

 

 

Hey...you can change the bulb to a less amperage and get a much more natural noise reduction. I found the stock bulb to squash the notes to much. Change your noise reduction bulb to a 120mA bulb from Radio Shack PN:272-1117 = 120mA and play with the NR on....very clear in comparison to the stock but still works as NR.

 

You know about Univalve forum right????

 

 

oh yeah...pick up a Visseaux 6K6 if you get a chance - killer tube for lower volume playing.

 

Lastly...did you notice how 3-d sounding it is. I find I don't need reverb with it at all compared to my previous amps that really needed verb.

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yeah, this amp has a very complex sound to it... i don't use reverb anyways, but i like the way it sound alot. Do you by any chance know the differences between KT66, KT77, and KT88? The guy from eurotubes seems to really like JJ KT77's... just curious about them.



EDIT: thanks for the link to the univalve forum... i wasn't aware of that, and I'll try a different bulb. thanks for the tip!

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Originally posted by GCDEF



That lack of features makes it considerably less versatile than an amp with those features doesn't it. Tube swapping is a gimmick. Sure it's versatile if you don't mind taking 15 minutes to change sounds. On a stage, that's kind of impractical, doncha think.

 

 

I used mine with a 6V6 for small venues, and a KT88 for larger ones. The one time I misjudged and had to swap power tubes, it took me about 30 seconds (I used a potholder instead of bare hands).

 

15 minutes? Maybe if you don't function at normal levels it would take 15 minutes to swap a power tube.

 

Pete

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Originally posted by Stratotone

15 minutes? Maybe if you don't function at normal levels it would take 15 minutes to swap a power tube.


Pete



that included 13 3/4 minutes to bitch about the lack of effects loop and clean headroom to anybody who will listen.:p

Probably including tube warm up time

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Originally posted by GCDEF



That lack of features makes it considerably less versatile than an amp with those features doesn't it. Tube swapping is a gimmick. Sure it's versatile if you don't mind taking 15 minutes to change sounds. On a stage, that's kind of impractical, doncha think.

 

 

It's not a stage amp, although it can be used live. It's just a highly adaptable single channel amp, designed to allow you to generate a lot of fantastic tones at sensible volumes.

 

Your idea of versatile means "how many sounds can I get live on stage". Most here mean "we can get a lot of different sounds by taking time and experimenting".

 

FWIW some of the sest amp tones I've heard ANYWHERE came from a univalve.

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I can't understand why people think this isn't a gigging or stage amp. I've been using it all weekend with the band (yes it's sunday over here) and it sounded great! No volume issues at all.

If you don't play clean and can dial a slightly dirty sound, you can do heaps of gigs with it, mate I've even gigged it on the roll input with a 6K6!

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Guys, a Marshall Plexi totally isn't a gigging amp because it only has one channel, no effects loop, no master volume, and you can't swap tubes while performing.

:rolleyes:

The Uni is a more versatile amp than most of the boutique single-channels simply because you can dial it in to your sound with tube selection.

If you hate pedals or you need a super high gain sound, don't buy the {censored}ing amp. It's that simple.

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