Band now owns a JCM800...

[Van Cleef]

if you can't get an awesome sound out of an all original jcm 800 - you're doing it wrong

[TESLA_EL34]

to me the amp sounds good now after some knob tweaking. its very bright if you play it without the band but in a bandmix it gets better. i found out the master needs to cranked up as much as possible. also crank the preamp as loud as you can on the low input...the louder the better. but when it was loud, it was... too loud!

while it sounded good i thought its too overpowering in a bandmix. our setup with the lower wattage amps results in a MUCH better overall bandsound. we gigged a lot and i noticed the difference everytime. i liked the JCM sound but its a bit too loud right now. maybe the 2x12 with greenbacks will help to reduce the volume.

seriously, the rocker30 has a very good stage volume. its hard to hear yourself with a louder amp on the monitors. thats what i found out. whenever i play the matamp i get massive tone but i have trouble hearing myself singing.

for me: 30-40 watt amps ftw these days. ac30, rocker30, ampeg vt40 and ad30 were winners in terms of perfect stage volume/tube cooking sound. most clubs dont have the PA power for the big iron amps. its just the truth.

[a.hun]

for me: 30-40 watt amps ftw these days. ac30, rocker30, ampeg vt40 and ad30 were winners in terms of perfect stage volume/tube cooking sound... its just the truth.

Totally. A good 100W Marshall is going to be really loud when cooking. (Marshalls are especially 'loud' for their actual wattage IMO.) A 50 watter will easily do, some will still be too loud. A great 30 - 40 watt amp through good speakers is going to be killer on stage.

I'd pull a couple of valves and slap the output impedance selector a notch down to compensate. At least 50 watts will be closer to usable. That or take a few dB off with a good attenuator. Either way you'll be able to get the best out of the amp without killing too many small furry critters, let alone fans or your own brain cells.


Andy.

[baytamusic]

Andy makes a good point. If it's a 100w pull two power tubes and adjust impedance accordingly . You really need to get these things cooking to sound good. They fatten up and mellow out when they are up louder.

[TESLA_EL34]

Its a 50watter.... still too loud with two valves and that loud 2x12. Maybe we try a more quiet 2x12!
Should take care of the problem.

But i still think an amp with attenuator will sound thinner than a cranked up 30-40watt amp.
Maybe someone thinks the opposite ?

[fiveightandten]

Its a 50watter.... still too loud with two valves and that loud 2x12. Maybe we try a more quiet 2x12!
Should take care of the problem.

But i still think an amp with attenuator will sound thinner than a cranked up 30-40watt amp.
Maybe someone thinks the opposite ?

I have yet to hear an attenuator that doesn't alter the tone and response of an amp in a negative way. There's really no substitute for just using an amp that has the proper amount of power for what you need.

Even amps with very good master volumes just plain sound better cranked up. That's the nature of the beast. A 50W JCM800 is quite loud, and doesn't sound good unless it's cranked up just about all the way. Sounds like it's not the right amp for your band.

-Nick

[a.hun]

Its a 50watter.... still too loud

Oops, missed that. Oh well, can't run it on one...


Andy.