2101 tube distortion

[Jmpj50]

There is something wrong with the tube distortion. Something don’t sound right. I don’t think it has the crunch it should have. I have read on other forums how good the tube distortion is. If you look at the schematic it is very close to the ada mp1. I have ada mp1 and the tube distortion on it is incredible. So you would think the 2101 would sound pretty close since the tube circuity on the 2101 and ada match really close. They both have opamps driving the first tube the only difference the ada has diodes in the feed back loop I guess that’s making a huge difference. There is something else going on with the 2101 I would think the tube distortion should sound a lot better. I have a 2112 to even the tube distortion on it blows the 2101 away. And the 2112 only uses 1 tube for the distortion but it has 5 diodes right before the tube.

[Jmpj50]

Here is the ada mp1 schematic you can see how close they are.

[Jon Snell]

The trouble is, it is a digital system and without information on how the algorhythms vary ... who knows.

[tschrama]

eh? These tubes sections are very different from each other.

Is the 2101 defective, or you just dont like the sound of it?

BTW what is a "2101" ? also a 19inch preamp? And like Jon says: whos know what kind of post distortion EQing is going on with the 2101 ?

[g1]

Have you found this to be a problem with more than one of the 2101 units? If not, maybe there is something wrong with it.

[Jmpj50]

It a digitech 2101 rack unit

[Jmpj50]

I don’t like the way it sounds. The solid state distortion in the 2101 sounds good. Just the tube distortion don’t sound right. It’s got 2 separate gain controls like the ada mp1. I have tried different tubes in it don’t make that much difference in sound. The digital side of the 2101 everything works perfect.

[Enzo]

Oh, I had in my mind that a 2101 was part of the 2100/2500 series of Marshall amps. So GSP2101

[g1]

Full schematic attached.

[J M Fahey]

Donīt know about you but it is very sad for me seeing this jewel of Technology and all it means.

Memories when US Designers were justified investing Tons of money, time, effort and mainly talent to design this stuff.

Worth it because it would later sell so as to compensate for that, it peaked in the90īs and then fell like a sack of potatoes over a cliff because China entered the game.

With all the dirty tricks, loaded dice, marked cards, the works.

US designers/Companies at first still US designed, then OEM in China (Taiwan/Korea/Singapore/Malaysia/Vietnam/India: same thing) but that was swiftly swept under the rug, then only US investors remained, who couldnīt cares less, beyond making a quick buck.

They became simple retailers.

[Jon Snell]

This is where the magical bit starts ...
The SAA7360 is the Analogue to Digital convertor and the chip at the bottom of the diagramme determines how it modifies the audio before it is passed througn many control gates and signal modifivation programmes and then through a summing amplifier that uses a valve to make people think it is powered with valves then out into the amplifier providing the preset desired sound.
I personally have great success with a pair of EF86 valves. I can achieve compression that is soft and subtle .. OK it doesn't use a digital delay but I only want the true valve sound in my designs.
Behringer ... you have a lot to answer for!