Randall RT2 50 vs return of head (friedman runt or Marshall)

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keg8605

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Currently been using a Power Station as my power amp and wondering what something EL34 might be like. Thinking of trying out the RT2 or just grabbing a good head to use everything with? Looking for your thoughts.
 
my opinion is that any number of heads could sound ok to great depending on what you like. My RT2/50 sounds amazing, however and while I'm not a gigging player so much as I am a chaser of good tone, the tube swap capability makes for a world of goodness. Couple that with Jaded Faith's mods to it, and it could be an absolute incomparable beast. It can handle your Marshall, your Fender, your whatever type mods and you'll get the best of modular power

The only thing is as with all modular is the blanket effect, lows are not pure lows and the highs still don't uncover pure rich brilliance on the higher end, leaving some frequencies sounding muted or lacking, maybe even not there. I have yet to determine whether this is on the preamp side or the power side.

One great amp could easily beat one of the mods but can it beat 4 at once?

plus they're cheap
 
I also clearly notice the "blanket effect" on modular systems.
However, compared to the M4 (I had one), in the new Syn2, this effect is felt much less. All my modules sound much lively and brighter on the new Syn2 than on the old M4. I think that the main problem lies precisely in the preamp, and not in RT2 / 50. Many switching switches, somehow worsen (detach) the sound. In addition, an additional tube at the M4 output (in my opinion) also strongly influences the character of the sound of the M4. In the Synergy line, many of these problems are resolved, and in the end I sold M4 and bought Syn2.
Now I use it with my RT2 / 50 (MDA mod) and very satisfied!

Yes ... I only use Salvation Audio modules, they are the best for me))).

I hope that helps


Max
 
maxxstock said:
Now I use it with my RT2 / 50 (MDA mod) and i am very satisfied.
Max

How did you get the MDA mod done?
Did you have to send the RT2/50 to Salvation?
 
Good to hear about the Syn2 difference from the M4 Maxx. I'm enjoying the syn2 alot and just trying to figure out what will be the best way to use it. The randall seems like the last stop of power amp to tryout before just using the SYN2 with a favored head. Especially being able to go between el34s and 6L6's.

When I first picked up the syn 2 it worked pretty good with a friedman Runt but I sold that off to grab a power station. I think I'm just leaning to keep a traditional head of some sort around to have.

Also regarding the MDA mod, is there a cost estimate to that? Have to look into the jadedfaith mod as well. I could see negative feedback adjustment being very useful.
 
I believe the MDA mod is a DIY thing? Looks just like a simple board swap. I was actually looking at that last night.
 
In fact, this is not the full MDA mode (in the RM50/100 and MOD50/100 is much more functional). However, the MDA mode for the RT2 / 50, there was no demand and Anthony did not create a new circuit board. Therefore, he shipped me a few details and I myself replaced them in my RT2 / 50.
Even after such a modification, I noticed an improvement in tone.
 
I think the problem with the MDA mod and the RT2/50 is that the tone control circuit board is connected to the Bias points, so you cant make a simple drop in replacement like on the other MTS amps.
 
shortlife said:
I think the problem with the MDA mod and the RT2/50 is that the tone control circuit board is connected to the Bias points, so you cant make a simple drop in replacement like on the other MTS amps.

Exactly!
 
Stock, my RT2/50 is far better than my RM50 in terms of depth, presence which has a Fog Lifter. I heard that the RT2/50's were d4signed with the Lynch type board and that the specs in that are more to what an MDA or Fog Lifter was designed to. So, the improvement in using one of these alone may not be worth it, if this is true

What is worth shipping to Jaded Faith is the Negative Feedback control and the extra gain stage. kind of makes the amp fully convertible.
 
My stock RT2/50 sounds much more lively and organic than MDA RM100 I used to have. I experience pretty much the opposite of the blanket effect people talk about when using the power amp.
 
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