Demo Room 2011-04-01: VHT Special 6 Ultra, in depth - Part 6

[2Langdon]

BRILLIANT!!!! Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put into this - got to be the most thorough investigation of any amp I've seen anywhere. I've been trying to decide about this amp and saving up to get one so this has really been a big big help. Two questions - the cab you were using, is it the one with a VHT speaker in or the Celestion G12-H ? Your demo series was made some time ago, how are you getting on with the amp now? All the best, Steve

[hermeticoguitar]

@2Langdon

Thanks. I really appreaciate that can be of help to someone.

To ask your questions:

1) yes, it's the standard VHT speaker, cheap and works awesome.

2) The amp works perfectly fine, no flaws.

[svenzia]

Ps.have you bought tubes at tube-town-net? if so - they good?

I want to find a good european supplier.

[hermeticoguitar]

@svenzia

Then not. I usually bought tubes to TAD but, If Thomann has the tube it's still cheaper there.

In Europe, you have Watfford Valves (UK) and some other in UK that I don't remember in this moment.

I am still searching for another one, since TAD is having less tube types everytime.

It seems that Wattford Valves make the intensivelly tests of the whole world. The bad part is that Pound currency...

[svenzia]

@hermeticoguitar Holla! Thanks for response. Maybe Tubetown is a good alternative dealing in euro and all. Pretty good selection. Ok,gonna check TAD homepage now. See ya,

[hermeticoguitar]

@svenzia

Seems more or less the same than TAD in prices but, has some tubes that TAD hasn't.

The oposite is also true.

[svenzia]

Yeee,love the sound. Very good sound quality with the Zoom also - real live sound. One of the best amp demos i have seen on the tube, period.

[hermeticoguitar]

@svenzia

The sound is going better everyday. Speaker drivers are already break up up to 95%, more or less. This an the pre-amp tubes swapping I did is deliverying an unbeliavable sound.

I am excited to see what a swap of this chinesse 6V6GT valve with a Tung-Sol 6V6GT can do to the sound!

I guess I will have it in place in about two or three weeks.

[svenzia]

@hermeticoguitar Yeah,about tube swap: if i wants to change the power tube to el34,does one need the adapter from VHT? They sell it on Thomann.

[hermeticoguitar]

@svenzia

Nope. I think you are wrong. What Thomann is selling is just an addapter for EL84s, not for EL34s.

This is because the number of pins for EL84s is just different.

In principle, you can swap that 6V6 with an EL34, 5881 or KT66 (or it was KT88?) withhout having to do nothing.

But be aware on two things:

- The fuse, you will need to swap it for an "slower" one, since the peaks of EL34 and the rest of big tubes is

high and blows that "fast" fuse with ease.

[svenzia]

@hermeticoguitar Of course,you are right. My bad. Thanks for the other info aswell. Perfect amp for some easy tube swapping it seams,

Bless

[cmoongo1]

@hermeticoguitar , i just bought the adapter for the el84 but i guess i need a fast fuse? what kind of fuse and where can i get one? thanks for all your help!

[hermeticoguitar]

@cmoongo1

As far as I know, the amp comes with a fast blow fuse so, you don't need it.

You need an slow blow fuse if you run higher demanding tubes, as the EL34, since they have big peaks.

So, I guess, some amperage and voltage, just "slow" instead of "fast" blow.

[hermeticoguitar]

@svenzia

The other point you need to take into consideration is the OT. The transformer is sized for really low watts (6W) but, those big tubes deliver higher power.

Accordingly to the maker, you will need to leave to rest your amp every hour, more or less, if playing with bigger tubes than the 6V6.

Swapping the stock OT with a powerfuller one fixes the issue and... this is a tweakable amp, right?

That's what I am playing in a very long future (no cash by now).

[svenzia]

@hermeticoguitar I read reviews on the Tung-Sol 6v6 Reissue - should be an awesome upgrade. Iwant this amp now : )

Modders dream!

[bikerpastor71]

1st, VERY VERY good sounding amp. I am amazed that they can sell this good of an amp at this price point. Well done demo.

[hermeticoguitar]

@bikerpastor71

And, the good thing is that it can only go better!!!.

First step would be to swap the stock tubes, a bit noisy and, granny at high gain.

Will do a demo with my choosen pre-amp tubes, in a week, more or less.

Stay tunned!