5F1 & 5F2-A Much of a tone differenece??

[Ringwraith]

These circuits are so close & they use the same 8 inch speaker. Anyone build them both that can compare?? I have the 5F1 & was considering the 5F2-A for fun. The cab's bigger so that would affect the tone but it's just a 5F1 with a tone control & a bit different filtering. Does the overall 5F1 tone change that much? Also is the speaker 4ohm as well??

Cheers
Sean

[tubeswell]

If you are umming and arring about it, why not build a 5F2A whereby you lifted the tone stack out with a DPDT switch, so as to turn in into a 5F1 (See pic attached for where to put the switch in the schem). Cos its basically just that (and the extra reservoir filtering) that accounts for the difference between the two

[Ringwraith]

Already built a 5F1 so I was wondering if the 5F2-A has enough difference to make it worth while.

Sean

[spicoli]

Biggest difference in those two designs is probably the OT. 5F2A uses a much bigger OT than the champ. I use the 8 ohm 5f2A OT from Mercury with a 10" speaker and it makes for a pretty big sounding amp.

[pentatone]

Already built a 5F1 ...

... and if you need a bit more change I can highly recommend to get an adapter and put in a 6SL7 instead of the 12AX7 - no additional wiring is necessary - or wire in an octal socket from the beginning. These octal double triodes give the amp a tad more of a darker, "rounder", jazzier sound.

[Ringwraith]

Hmm interesting.
Who sells these adapters??

Sean

[pentatone]

oh sh**! It's late here already (Germany) and I got confused.

The adapters that I saw in the www allow to convert from 6SL7 to 12AX7 and not the other way like I mentioned. I saw several dealers advertising them in the USA (unfortunately not here) - take a look here ... http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q=...meta=&aq=f&oq=
But - you'd have to primarily wire in an octal socket following the different schematic of the 6SL7 so you'd be able to convert it to a 12AX7.

I did it the other way because I was too lazy to enlarge the hole for the socket and soldered myself an adapter for converting from 12AX7 to 6SL7 by using the bottom with the nine pins of an old 12AX7 which I soldered under a octal socket. It is a bit of a fidgeting but with some patience it is managable.
(I posted some pics in a German forum - you'd have to register to zoom the pics but maybe you get an idea ... http://www.tube-town.de/ttforum/index.php?topic=10033.0 )

Don't hesitate and send me a pm if you are interested in larger pics.

[Ringwraith]

Ahh ok. No probs.