Tube Killer? | HiWatt DR103 Pt 1

Рет қаралды 14,860

Ай бұрын

This lovely gem returned after seven years. Is it trying to kill its tubes or are they trying to kill it?
Only one way to find out - watch this video.
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These are things I get asked about a lot :
Amp Tech Gear Used :
Hakko FX-951 soldering station
Weller SPG 80L soldering iron (chassis work)
Rigol DS1054Z digital oscilloscope
Thsinde 18B+ digital multimeters
Kester 60/40 solder
Techspray #4 No-Clean Desoldering Braid
Below are things that make this channel possible that people don’t usually think about. If any of these companies want to send me new and wonderful toys, I’m open to that. I can’t take free stuff when it comes to the amps I review, etc, but for the stuff below, bribe away!
Microphones/Audio Equipment :
Guitar Amps : Royer R-10 Hot Rod and/or Shure SM57 (noted in videos)
Voiceover Bench : sE Audio sE8 (small diaphragm condenser)
Voiceover Streaming : Shure SM57 with shockmount and windscreen
Voiceover Mic Arms : Elgato Wave Mic arms
Guitar Mic Stand : Gator Frameworks short weighted base stand with boom
Mic Cables and Guitar Cables : Mogami/Neutrik
Mic pre : MOTU M2
DAW : Logic Pro II on MacBook Pro 16 running Sonoma 14.5
Plugins : No effects other than level matching/normalization unless a recording
specifically has reverb etc added in post (rare, various Waves plugins)
Monitors : Yamaha HS7s
Monitor Stands : Gator Frameworks Desktop Clamp-On Stands
Monitor Isolation Mounts : IsoAcoustics Iso-Puck Minis
Headphones : Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (main)
Headphones : Sony MDR-7506 (alternate)
Video Equipment :
Camera : Sony ZVE-10 with SmallRig Cage (main)
Lens : Sigma f2.8 18-50mm (main)
Lens : Sony ZVE10 kit lens (rarely used)
B Camera : Apple iPhone 13 Pro (rarely used)
Tripod : SmallRig 71” with SmallRig Fluid Video Head
Streaming Mount : Elgato Master Mount S with SmallRig Ballhead
Bench Light : SmallRig RC 120D
Bench Light Diffusor : SmallRig Lantern Softbox
Bench C-Stands (light and overhead camera) : Neewer Pro SS Heavy Duty
Streaming Light : SmallRig RC 120B
Streaming Diffusor : SmallRig Parabolic Softbox
Streaming Light Mount : SmallRig 148CM Wall Mount Boom with Triangle Base
Various Other Lights : Neewer LED Panels with Neewer Softboxes
Video Software :
Davinci Resolve 19
Phantom LUTs
Paul Leeming LUTs
Adobe Illustrator 28
Adobe Photoshop 25
Ecamm Live (streaming software)

Пікірлер: 67

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

Update the next morning: the EL34L that vibrates when shaken is the culprit. With that out and the other three tubes in, the voltage at pin 5 is -42VDC at each socket. With that tube in, its pair goes down to -27VDC and the other side to -37VDC. The amp itself remains healthy. Whew.

@jayoh13 Ай бұрын

I don’t suffer from anxiety, but 35 years ago I opened up my Gibson GA-35 RVT amp and broke out in a cold sweat and started hyperventilating when I saw the wiring mess inside. Looking at this Hiwatt is somewhat a very calming, Zen type feeling. That is beyond neat and well laid out. Thanks for showing it!

@aaronatwood9298 Ай бұрын

From the jj vendor in the NW, the El34L is recommended to have screen grid resistors of 1k or greater because of either premature failure or damage to the amp. They have very hungry screens that will draw a lot of current. I've had 5 different amplifiers come across my bench, including my own, that had screen grid resistors from 100-700 ohm up to 5 watt, all burn components or just totally fail. My own amplifier is a 2017, peavey VB-MA (sister to the VB-3), uses 8 el34 tubes, with 509v on the plates, 493v on the screens, it was biased at 55%ish with 5 watt 700 ohm ceramic screen resistors. Hooked in conventional pentode configuration fed by regulated SMPS. I had 3 fail and burn up screen resistors. My check up on it one month prior had no burning at all, and I've had it since new. Jj el34l is never a recommendation.

@Renshen1957 Ай бұрын

HiWatt went to KT77 tubes from EL34 and these were EL34 back in the day, (nothing against JJ) to deal with heat issues associated with the 100 Watt. The harder vacuum power tube was also a cleaner tube as Reeves and Joyce wanted a louder cleaner amp. I made this recommendation for a DC30 amp that was going through power, even NOS EL34…to switch to KT77, and these were JJ’s… problem solved and it worked for the band as they were a country group.

@Renshen1957 Ай бұрын

@@jayoh13Joyce used military loom technique in some early Hiwatts and switched to PCBs before other companies.

@aaronatwood9298 Ай бұрын

@@Renshen1957 KT77 are good tubes, amazing sound and clarity. However, per datasheet, they are only rated for a 400v max on screens in standard pentode mode. They were intended to be ran in UL configuration. I've had JJ and Russian ones fail with 425 on screens. They are just fussy on how they want to run . But i thought the later Hi-watt went to KT88 for the high clean output, not kt77?

@joemcgraw5529 Ай бұрын

This has to be the prettiest wiring on a Amp I have ever seen ,maybe he was a Competent Electrician and or A very good Electronics Technician ,I love how the wires are bent ,I used to do Automated Lighting Panels this way its clean and shows quality work very nice

@michaelcottle6270 Ай бұрын

I was going to say the same thing. Hiwatt has a reputation for mil spec wiring but this really is beautiful.

@mattjohnson6916 Ай бұрын

Oh wow!!! So interesting to see a vintage Hiwatt on your bench like that. This is going to be an interesting series of videos. That bias board you made looks awesome too.

@soapboxearth2 Ай бұрын

Lyle, your content is quickly becoming my favorite of anything on KZfaq! Great stuff

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

For years now, I've been torn between Ted Woodford and Lyle as my favorite channel!

@waltimedes Ай бұрын

I love seeing the internals of old Hi Watts. Really interesting video. I'm appreciating your text overlays in the last few videos, it helps me follow along.

@GetTheLedOut8585 Ай бұрын

JJ Killer, better run, run, run, run, run, run, run away... Every right to be proud of that work Lyle! I wish people would tread as lightly on Lupe's work as you've done here with Harry's. A really great way to implement that mod.

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

I wonder if JJ has resolved the quality problems they've had of late? I've been avoiding them after seeing Brad get so many bad ones, they used to be among my favorites.

@Satchmoeddie Ай бұрын

@@socallars3748 Of late? Back when Tesla changed to JJ I had a bunches of 6L6s and EL34s biasing weird on me. Some tubes were ice cold and the others were red plating. Yay, another bad batch!

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

@@Satchmoeddie Bummer. Yeah, I had a 6V6 from a matched pair red plating right out of the box...popped a pair of Electro-Harmonix in the same amp and they work fine. Happily the vendor replaced them without a fight, but I'm not too eager to order more.

@stringlocker Ай бұрын

This confirms what a tube junkie I am, I could sit and watch those tubes all day 😂

@glenturrell4485 Ай бұрын

Hmm! I've just had the same problem with a JCM2000 that the client had furnished with a brand new set of JJ EL34s. One of them was murdering the bias for itself and its partner. First time I've had an issue with their tubes. Thanks from Durban, South Africa for another great clip!

@scottdunn2178 Ай бұрын

This wasn't an early example with the bad motherboard was it? Those JCM2000's that weren't upgraded with the Revision 20 board will have bias issues. Lyle has a whole video on this problem.

@bambule5268 Ай бұрын

That looks stunning! Can't wait to hear it!

@mrmanch204 Ай бұрын

I like the way you present your videos, I never lose interest, your voice is easy on the ear, great stuff. Thank you.

@paulsaunders1949 Ай бұрын

You used to be able to pick these up for peanuts in the late 80s. Awesome amps but my friend's pair used to savage weak valves. I miss mine, it never gave me a minute of trouble in the years I had it.

@tonyevans9999 Ай бұрын

always a joy peeking into old Hiwatts, cheers

@victorbeebe8372 Ай бұрын

Aloha Lyle. Hiwatt always look so well organized.

@skullheadwater9839 Ай бұрын

This is a very cleanly wired amp, looks like WW2/Post war military grade wiring. The guy who built this actually cared.

@Satchmoeddie Ай бұрын

Not the first time I have had them JJs tubes do that to the bias. I have had brand new JJs do that too me. I designed some negative Zener regulated MOSFET & PNP transistor negative voltage regulators for my PSU project, and opted to not use them after a California winder designed a 300mA bias regulation and supply transformer for me. Those were de-rated in the MOSFET department from -800 VDC to -100 to -200 VDC P ch enhancement mode FETs & they have become MOSFET variable regulated DC bias supplies. A step attenuator in place of the single adjustment pot, added to a two MOSFET positive regulator and it's now a part of a very decent power scaling circuit now. Kind of fiddly to get the bias steps adjusted to match the B+ steps, but very nice. Use a BIG heat sink on the B+ regulator! Thermally coupling the Zener diodes to the FET heat sinks made them a lot more stable too.

@lordgraga Ай бұрын

So this is what they are talking about. Wow.

@wsakundi Ай бұрын

My God. It's full of stars.

@6AM_YT Ай бұрын

I used to have a vintage DR201, the one with six EL34's. I don't remember what the plate voltage was exactly, but it was in the 700's and it had no bias trim pot.

@ToddRichmond Ай бұрын

watching glowing tubes in the dark - can my day start any better? No, he said...it's can't.

@michaelinglis567 Ай бұрын

I can relate to the part about trouble with line voltage and having to use a variac on the days its way off. Ive had the same problem in my house built in 1953 (built by my grandfather, i bought it with my wife when he passed about a decade ago). Throughout the year our line voltage will dip as low as 98v and peak as high as 136v. And the thing that makes it so insidious is how quickly those cycles occur. For example theres been days where i would meaure 126v in the early morning hours and by noon it would be down to 106ish then back to 120v by 8 p.m. So I modified a variac (added a digital display that measures all the way to 0 volts (which was also a mod cause the display only read down to 40v stock) and up to around 240v and monitors current etc) that i run all my tube equipment through. Doing that was enough to get my output tubes in my main amp lasting another six months on average. So now all my tube amps, radios/receivers and even our old slide projector go through the variac. I just wish id started using the variac sooner lol. Got to love these old houses/neighborhoods.

@mathieumalaprade608 Ай бұрын

In this vidéo, listening to your voice, you seem exhausted. Hope you're fine. Greetings from France. You're great Guy... Take Care of yourself

@BGTsoundandvision Ай бұрын

I am always down for some Hiwatt content. (I have 2 Custom 50's)

@enginufuk Ай бұрын

ohhh man! While I know it wouldn't, I was expecting an explosion. The voice, the tension in the delivery ... :) Anyways...

@tonyevans9999 Ай бұрын

I have only recently acquired an EL34 equipped amp (Vadis 601) and have never had any luck with JJ tubes, and it looks like I am not alone.

@moodyga40 28 күн бұрын

good old amp

@Studio22mix Ай бұрын

Nice Amp 😃

@richardlynch5632 Ай бұрын

Amp porn is RIGHT...!!! Beautiful layout. Can't wait to hear this one 😁👍👍

@clownhands Ай бұрын

Steel String Swinger ™️

@watkinscopicat Ай бұрын

that 3rd tube looks quite loose when you’re tapping it

@shadowminister4090 Ай бұрын

I don't understand electronics, however, doesn't that amp look SO much better than a modern PCB version.

@barry_hue1552 Ай бұрын

He had some great spirit. Amp Porn😂

@NoOne-sn2si Ай бұрын

I've never had luck with Tube Depot, frankly their product and matching sux... And for a company that charges extra to get a "low noise", "matched", etc is just bad business practice, considering that their non premium tube prices are not great. To each his own...

@klepetar Ай бұрын

biggest letdown of my guitar life.. it's like playing in a big bass amp.. headroom is enormous.. you have to crank until the windows shake until you have a wisper of overdrive..

@user-iz6ry2ms6x Ай бұрын

Not sure why Lyle, but when I post a comment it does not accept the comment. Can not wait to see and hear your finished results.

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

I don’t have any big filters up. YT has its own system but it ain’t me.

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

Wow, amp porn is correct! It must be a joy to work on something laid out so beautifully, as compared to the typical Fender spaghetti. Lyle, what is the one resistor laying askew on the board, with one end not connected?

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

I’m not sure what you’re referring toto. All the resistors are connected at each end. Maybe you mean some going to the pots or to tubes?

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

@@PsionicAudio There is a resistor on the main turret board that is perpendicular to the others, connected at one end to a turret with the other end not connected. Hard to see the colors (I'm on the wrong side of 60!) but I wanna say 1M.

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

Both ends are connected.

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

@@PsionicAudio Ok, I see it now...the lead does a dogleg and connects to a turret on the same side. Like I said, old eyes! It just jumped out at me because of its orientation. One of these things is not like the others! 😁

@Laz_RS Ай бұрын

Let me stick my nose in the air and say that a Hi-Watt should really be rocking Mullard tubes anyways.

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

Well seven years ago I sent it out with Tube Store Preferred Series 34s. Which at the time were better than current production Mullards. And NOS can be a very expensive gamble.

@brettmetivier6256 Ай бұрын

Yuuup. Pure Amp Porn. My ‘75 Champ is more like an ‘80’s SITCOM 🤣🤣

@PsionicAudio Ай бұрын

Yeah, well, when I’m done it will be Macgyver…

@brettmetivier6256 Ай бұрын

I have no doubts

@socallars3748 Ай бұрын

My Danelectro Twin Twelve is like a Russ Meyers film.

@mikewithers299 Ай бұрын

My 1974 West Avalon R is like a Walking Dead episode 🤣

@jasonkirkham550 Ай бұрын

🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

@Bat21bravo Ай бұрын

CP tubes cant handle Hiwatt voltage on the screens. eh more er less. JJ's belong in the trash.

@jayletter5209 Ай бұрын

JJ 6L6's handle the 540+V screen voltage in my Ampeg V4's with ease. Their E34L's are just fine..

@Bat21bravo Ай бұрын

@@jayletter5209 Every JJ ive had or inherited spits sparks and red plates. Not worth a Feck. Piss poor eastern block entity and great way to screw up an amp. My local shop buy them in bulk and has a 50% failure rate out of the box.

@NoOne-sn2si Ай бұрын

That's because you're getting untested or factory seconds... Out of the 3 places currently making tubes, Czech tubes have the least problems out of the 3.

@BenState Ай бұрын

@@NoOne-sn2si *Slovak.