Quiet?

[nickt]

I compared my Lightning clone with my 5E3 clone today and was surprised that the Lightning seems way louder (but less sweet sounding) both through the same Sammi speaker.

The 5E3 uses Weber iron with GZ34 rectifier (with bias adjused) and 12AX7 in the first socket while the Lightning uses WestLabs and is pretty much stock.

Am I hearing the OT quality or am I hearing 6V6 vs EL84?

Thanks

[nickt]

5E3 quieter than expected?

Bump - pretty please with sugar on top?

[Chuck H]

Your most likely hearing frequency response. The lightning seems louder because it has more upper midrange. The 5E3 has more lower midrange. The lower the freq., the more power it takes to make it. If you played them side by side in a band situation you would probably think the lightning sounded thin and weak by comparison to the 5E3.

Other than that it could be how each amp has the tubes biased. Or you could be interpeting "clean headroom" for power. The 5E3 has less clean headroom than alot of amps. So you won't get a very loud clean tone from it. But if you play cranked up a bit, your 5E3 should be plenty loud.

Chuck

[nickt]

Your most likely hearing frequency response. The lightning seems louder because it has more upper midrange. The 5E3 has more lower midrange. The lower the freq., the more power it takes to make it. If you played them side by side in a band situation you would probably think the lightning sounded thin and weak by comparison to the 5E3.

Other than that it could be how each amp has the tubes biased. Or you could be interpeting "clean headroom" for power. The 5E3 has less clean headroom than alot of amps. So you won't get a very loud clean tone from it. But if you play cranked up a bit, your 5E3 should be plenty loud.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck,

I don't think it's frequency or clean head room here. The 5E3 is just a LOT quieter. Sounds more like 3 or 4 watts than 25. When cranked it's still not loud - distorted yes, sweet yes, but loud? nah...

Wish there was an easy way to quantify this - hmmm may be I'll try measuring low E output jolts tomorrow (too many females around just now ).

[Steve Conner]

Maybe it's broken, or you never put it together right in the first place.

[nickt]

Maybe it's broken, or you never put it together right in the first place.

I'll go through component by component tomorrow but as far as I can tell it's fine. Having said that - what you're saying has crossed my mind.

So far volts check out (if maybe a tad high)

6V6's
Plate 450V,
Screen 426V
Cathode 30V

PI
Plate 260V
Cathode 66V

Recovery
Plate 208V
Cathode 1.8V

Input
Plate 212V
Cathode 1.8V

I suspect the OT but have no other 5E3 experience to compare.
Perhaps the bypass cap on the cathode bias?

More as it comes to hand...

[nickt]

Ok looks like it *was* perception vs reality. Measured the output to speaker with both amps and there's not much difference - both are around 10-11V into 8ohms. Amazing...

Thanks to those who commented.

[Chuck H]

Are you measuring AC or DC volts?

[nickt]

Are you measuring AC or DC volts?

DC - they are high because I'm using a GZ34 not the regular rectifier.
Bias resistor is 470R giving 30mA per tube.

[TD_Madden]

speakers use AC.......

[nickt]

speakers use AC.......

Yes I measured AC on the speakers