Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

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Surgeon
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Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Surgeon » Wed Mar 14, 2018 11:55 pm

Or course, my point was simply that they built incredibly high-quality gear across their line-up. The Diablo, while very modern, was very versatile considering it was a 2-channel amp. The Pearl, from what I remember was much more vintage-oriented but sounded godly too and, based on the diablo, would be built very robustly and sound darn good. Enjoy!

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Fri Mar 16, 2018 12:02 am

Got to spend some time with it.

The fx loop is line level and unusable. I'll need to get and ebtech line level shifter or something else.

Otherwise..... the amp is so sweet!!!! Really great sounding. The clean can sound near identical to my Rockerverb 50 depending on settings. But there's much more to it, it's so flexible tone wise.

I'm very impressed.

It has much less gain than the AD15, so I'll need to adapt to that to make it work for me. Can't wait to play it with the band to see How it fares with drummer and full band setting. :)
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Les Paul Lover
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Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Mon Mar 19, 2018 11:50 pm

I didn't mention it, but I had noticed something doing a clonk noise inside the amp chassis when moving it around.

Since the chap who sold me the amp gave me a non original footswitch, I did wonder if some Muppet stuck the original footswitch in there.....

Anyway, the only way to find out was to open it.

I took a few pics of interesting construction point along the way.
This amp has an EL84 fan (And probably REALLY needs it, seeing the stickers on the EL84 are fairly brown). Also note the valve retainers!!!!! Let me tell you - no one is changing a valve in hurry on that amp!!!!

Image

Also, the spring reverb tank is inside a very nice bag - all details that are expensive and add up quite quickly.

Image

Then I found the clonking culprit. A loose choke, as it would happen. :o

Image

Thankfully, someone attempted to fix this. I'll call him Mr Duct-Tape.

Mr Duct-Tape tried to put the choke back in place with...... A wood screw. Bless him. That was nice.

Image

Note that, obviously, there's no nut with the wood screw to hold the choke firmly in place. Probably because no one makes nuts for wood screws. I suppose Mr Duct-Tape didn't know that.

Anyway, what's nicer than a wood screw without a nut to hold your choke firmly in place? Well, Mr Duct-Tape had a guess, and a try. I will not let you wait any longer.

Image

DUCT TAPE! :lol: :roll:
That will hold that wood screw, and therefore the choke, nicely in place!
I wish in could meet Mr Duct-Tape in person. What a lovely caring fellow.
Something tells me that wasn't the seller (could be though, who knows!).

Anyway, I'm a man, and therefore keeps stashes of odd screws and nuts and bolts from discarded rubbish, just in case it might come in handy one day.

Today was that day. It totally makes collecting 5 years worth of odd screws and bits worthwhile.
Found a couple of screws with anti vibrations nuts, drilled the original holes a touch bigger, and now the choke doesn't go clonk anymore. :mrgreen:


One final gut shot- not very good quality pic though.

Image

I really like the lay out on that amp. It looks like turret board construction on PCB. Overall, it looks very well made.

The top of the combo is shielded too, a nice touch i thought. I've never seen that before.

A lot of attention to details there.

I reassembled it, plugged it, and it made a low whirring noise. Thought I'd buggered it...... almost went to switch it off, then remembered it has a fan...... :lol:

Played it again, that thing is such a beast!!! Best kept away from Mr Duct-Tape's hands though.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Jondog
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Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Jondog » Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:29 am

Build quality looks good...besides the wood screw/duct tape scenario :? :lol:
Those tube retainers look are great to have in a combo where the tubes are so close to the speaker, could solve a lot of potential issues. Is that a small transformer on the PCB? Perhaps for the reverb?
Image

Les Paul Lover
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Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:03 am

It sure looks like a transformer, or a small choke, and most likely is for the reverb as it's located where the reverb wires arrive.

I'm still so happy witj this amp.
Totally vintage voice, and so many lovely different tones available with the voice switch. 2 of the voicing aren't my cup of tea (bright and thick) but still sound very nice, and i love the other 3 voicing.

Deep is fender like, natural is vox like, and dark is the Black Pearl own voicing.
When I say fender or vox like, it's not an exact replica, but they sound superb.

Now I'll have to decide if the AD15 stays in the house or not.....
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Surgeon
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Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Surgeon » Tue Mar 20, 2018 1:55 pm

Looks like the Inside of my former Diablo: sturdy, well made stuff. The retainers, while being a pain in the buttocks to work fast, are amazing IMHO, secure as heck.

You already know but I'll say it again: that brand knew how to build reliable/robust amps and they were great quality. They just, imho again, never found their niche tonewise and therefore never got the recognition they deserved.

Enjoy!

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:01 pm

Surgeon wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 1:55 pm
Looks like the Inside of my former Diablo: sturdy, well made stuff. The retainers, while being a pain in the buttocks to work fast, are amazing IMHO, secure as heck.

You already know but I'll say it again: that brand knew how to build reliable/robust amps and they were great quality. They just, imho again, never found their niche tonewise and therefore never got the recognition they deserved.

Enjoy!

It really us a shame they stopped making guitar amp. The Diablo can be bought for peanuts too, usually cheaper even than the Black Pearl. It's pretty crazy!
And I'm very impressed indeed by the build quality. It really looks like they haven t skipped anything to go cheap.

The only thing I don't like are the connectors, but they are clearly labelled on each side, telling you even want voltage it should read if any!!!!
If something went wrong there, it should be reasonably easy to diagnose.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:07 pm

I've put it up side by side next to the AD15 tonight and had a qu8cj run through. They can be made to sound much the same..... but can't copy one another.

The Black Pearl sounds more vintage, it makes the AD15 almost aound modern in comparison.... that's funny.

The AD15 just has much more gain on tap. The Black Pearl sounds bigger and has more chime....

I really wanted to keep one only...... but deciding which one to keep might be really hard!!!!!!!
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Jondog
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Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Jondog » Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:09 pm

Try plugging that Red Fang into your Oranges. I love my Red Fang.
Image

Hubaxe
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Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Hubaxe » Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:07 am

Les Paul Lover wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:07 pm
...
I really wanted to keep one only...... but deciding which one to keep might be really hard!!!!!!!
Don't do that, keep both of them! Even better, play stereo :wink:
Image

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Sat Mar 24, 2018 10:55 pm

Jondog wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:09 pm
Try plugging that Red Fang into your Oranges. I love my Red Fang.
Well, i have plugged the black pearl into
the Orange PPC212 and I must say it sounded way better through its single 12" red fang!
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Sat Mar 24, 2018 11:10 pm

Hubaxe wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:07 am
Les Paul Lover wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:07 pm
...
I really wanted to keep one only...... but deciding which one to keep might be really hard!!!!!!!
Don't do that, keep both of them! Even better, play stereo :wink:
I'll see how it goes...
I love both amps for sure...

I was hoping the black pearl would replace the AD15, but they both excel differently. There is some overlap.... but I'll have to give it a few months/band practices before I decide.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: Incoming NAD!!!! I'm pretty stocked!!!!

Post by Les Paul Lover » Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:29 pm

I thought I'd give an update.

I've replaced the EL84 with Russian NOS 6P14P EV, and the amp sounds astounding now. Beautiful crystal like top end with a strat, amazing rounded low end, it sounds very full and pretty amazing.

I needed to make the FX Loop with my stomp boxes, and convert its line level output to instrument level, and back to line level again after going through my stomp boxes.

For that, I bought an ebtech line level shifter lls2. Since it's passive, I does lose quite a bit of volume, probably around 10db. I was pretty shocked to start with..... until I realised that it enabled me to open up the master volume quite a bit more!!!!

I can now set the gain on the edge of break up, and use the 3rd valve gain stage from the boost to get more filth on, and have the master volume open enough for the amp to come alive, but the volume isn't as great..... that really works for me. It still has enough power left to shake the walls (I tried), but it simply means I can open the master enough for it to come properly alive.

I still don't knowing it will replace my AD15, but whilst it can sound pretty close (different, but equally good), it can do a lot more......
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

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