Falling out of love with MTS perhaps?

[Kapo_Polenton]

Recently I am not sure what it is, but I am playing my Lynchbox less compared to my JCM800. I am starting to hear what others have heard and that is the MTS "fizz" factor. I wonder if the power section of these amps are a little "stiffer" to suit the variety of players and modules that are tuned to more aggressive playing. Anyone else feel this? I know that i like the feel of a 47k NFR in anything Marshall and have often gotten rid of the 100k in 2204 type circuits because they make the amp grind a little too much and tight for me. I'm now seriously considering doing some small tweaks ( like the infamous "fizz cap" )to my LB and wondered if any of you who had your RM100's modded, felt changes to the amp itself vastly improved the tone? I remember asking DF what/if he did anything to Lynch's Randalls and he said, nothing was done to them. Then in other threads, it is my understanding that he changes transformers and chokes as an upgrade. Do any of these things make much of a diff to the feel of the amp? I don't hate the amp but i am not totally in love with it either at the moment.

Modules I am playing:

DF Brahma
Judge
My own modded Brahma
Scary (don't play it at all - fizzy)

Cab : RI greenbacks / weber legacy in X pattern in a vintage Avatar.

Discuss!

 

[Totenkampf]

does the LB benefit from the presense/density board upgrade like the RM50 and RM100? Is this something that you have already done?

 

[Mattfig]

I have felt this from time to time myself...I have a Lynch Box modded with Orange Drops (half value on a toggle for extra tightness) and a density tweak (toggled OD values) as well as Mercury Magnetic trans, etc. Next to my other two RM100s it sounds better...Not night and day, just smoother and cleaner...They all sound similar but less fizz on the Lynch Box for sure...I'm guessing the Mercury Magnetics stuff has more to do with that than the Orange Drops but you never know...Could be a combo effect....

The new Salvation Density/Presence boards should be an interesting update for many of us with these issues as well...

I hear what you are saying though and if you start tweaking, please keep us posted!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Good, so it isn't just me. there is just something there.. I can't put my finger on it but definitely has that quality to it. I remember my laney Pro Tubes having a similar thing. I am about to put it back together but with slightly tweaked values so i will see if that persists. If it does, than we know that the "issue" (being a matter of taste) is likely the flavour of the transformers. I want to try some of those classic tone transformers down the line as well, affordable and have been getting good reviews. I'm just afraid to open the amp up and see the insides of a spaceship is all lol. With all the switching, I am not sure how accessible stuff is on the board etc.. changing transformers might be a total *****.

As for the presence/density board, that affects mostly the perception of high end. Mine already had the correct values and it does cut more than enough. Interesting to see what if anything the salvation boards will do as I would think the fizz more a product of the circuit or transformers.

 

[Jaded Faith]

Don't hesitate to look at other things in the equation, particularly the speakers and cab. They are the biggest variable in the impact of tone and feel, far more so than any tube or transformer. I have a fleet of amps, cabs and speakers here and there are magic combinations and some that are flat out terrible. Even my RM22 can kill through the right cab, more than enough to hang with a band.

 

[needtopractice]

It's been a long time since I had an rm100 but with the VHT 2150/egnater m4 rig there is absolutely nothing wrong with the tone. Just sounds like a really good amp. Not an impersonation of one.

 

[joey_truelove]

Maybe you just need some variation? With so many stock modules and modified ones available to you, you can basically nail any tone available out there and then some.

Then possibly the pre-amp(s) or something else in the signal path doesn't quite do what you wanted it to or what you thought it was doing. It was that way for me, until I just turned the gain down - I thought it sounded killer but eventually my hearing or preference just must have changed as I didn't like the tone of it anymore.

Definitely go over every piece of gear in your rig, from the guitars and pickups, choice of pre-amp and output valves, speakers and cabs... and don't be affraid to be tough on your tone or question your preference of tone. I've found that sometimes going with the not so obvious can actually be better and benefit your tone, as we so often seem to stick with what we know and tried and tested combinations of gear

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Problem for me is that i compare it to the Traynor YBA-1 with JTM45 mods i did (and just sold) and my 82 JCM800 and though the Randall can hang with those well enough, it just seems to be lacking something through the same cab and with the same guitar. Sometimes you also have to be realistic and not make excuses for an amp either. I am interested in this new Salvation board though..we'll see what that is all about. Maybe it adds that 10% to the tone that I feel is missing.