What are your thoughts with this set up?

Tim Bridges · Post by **Tim Bridges** » 8 Apr 2005 4:35 am

I'm thinking about the following rig:
-Tubeworks Blues Tube II RT-924 Preamp, all tube, has steel guitar mod
-Mosvalve MV-962 Power Amp 80 Watts per Channel
-Digital effects processor (mainly reverb & chorus
-2 Weber California 15" alnico cabs

Please shoot holes in this set up, or confirm if you think it will work well. I need to pull the trigger in about 9.5 hrs. Current time is 7:46 am CDST. Thanks!

Al Carmichael · Post by **Al Carmichael** » 8 Apr 2005 5:15 am

Tim--The only piece that you list that I use is the Mosvalve. I have the same one. Recently, I had to get ready to actually gig with my steel, so I built a cab for the Mosvalve and a 15" speaker I got out of a Peavy 'Blues Classic 50". That combo sounded real good and was more than loud enough on a big stage with a cranked up band. I elected to use a Genesis 3 modeler as the preamp and effects unit. It all worked well.

A lot of guys are using the PodXT and raving about it. As for speakers, I know the Weber's are nice for guitar, but I don't know how they would be for steel. I guess the bottom line is what kind of a deal you are getting on all that gear? Compare that to the price of a dedicated steel amp.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 8 Apr 2005 7:04 am

Tim,
I think you would be very happy with that setup. I use a Blue Tube II and a 982 amp. That is the same amp as the 962 only in a one space configuration. I also use a Tube Works spring reverb but they're a little hard to come by. I use a Lexicon effects unit for a little bit of delay and chorus. However, Lexicons are noted for their reverbs so you could use this for reverb and chorus.
Erv

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 8 Apr 2005 8:01 am

I'd want a more powerful amp, for clarity. If you decide to go for it, let us know how it works out.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 8 Apr 2005 9:39 am

I'd have to agree with David, 80 watts a side is great for practice but a bit on the shy side for stage use, unless you have a full stage monitor system and can get some volume through that.

Otherwise it looks like sweetness.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 8 Apr 2005 10:53 am

I'd expect it to sound real good. Of that list, I've used the Mosvalve and the Cali speakers. Depends on your needs and uses as to the power limitations----I've run just one side of the Mosvalve, mono (I think it bridges to 100w, mono) into one 15" Cali and had plenty enough for a loud small-bar gig. I'd think you'd have plenty there with 2 x 80w into a pair of Calis.
Haven't used this rig in a while--Mr. Fender & Mr. Webb have sort of taken over.

---btw....just reread your post and saw that you are using alnico Calis. Never tried them (I've got 10, 12 and 15" ceramic Calis.) I'd be interested to hear about your impressions of these speakers.[This message was edited by Jon Light on 08 April 2005 at 11:58 AM.]

Tim Bridges · Post by **Tim Bridges** » 8 Apr 2005 11:21 am

Thanks for all the replies. Jon, as far as the Alnico California 15's by Weber, I think they sound great. They have aluminum dust covers and sound as good as any JBL I've heard. The only drawback that I'm faced with is the power limitations on the speakers. I thimk 100 watts is max. So, that's why I'm looking at this setup. I've heard several steels played through this speaker and it's absolutely killer! Bill Stafford played through this cabinet and a second cab that had a Blue Dog/Silver Bell combo (like Brad Paisley plays through) and it sounded great. Bill seemed to be very interested in the sound quality.
Well, I figured if my Nashville 400, 200 watts RMS, can blow the doors off the hinges, why can't I achieve the sound at a suitable output level at 80 watts per channel. Heck, I could bridge the channels and have 160 watts. Now I'm not an electronics type thinker, but couldn't I have 4 ohm/100watts speakers run prallel out of a bridged amp at 160 watts, or run each 4 ohm speaker out of separate channels at 80 watts each? This is where I may be way off base. I don't want to blow anything, or not have satisfactory power.

Again, hammer me as hard as you prefer. If I'm really about to screw up, let me know. Last question, what is the breaking point for power for an amp suitable for steel guitar?

[This message was edited by Tim Bridges on 08 April 2005 at 12:22 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 8 Apr 2005 11:29 am

the answer to your question lies in just how the power amp is set up and this is frankly above and beyond my meager comprehension of the issue. But one thing about the Mosvalve is that I don't believe you can actually bridge to mono. But if you run just the left side it puts out 100w. I once wrote to them (Genz Benz is the current company and they aren't real helpful about older product lines) and I believe this is what they told me. As to the output impedance, I just don't know nuthin'.

ahhhh---I just found the email reply from them on this:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>The MV962 is not a bridgeable amp, however, if you us only one channel of
it
> it will put out about 110 watts into a 4 ohm load and about 80 watts into
a
> 8 ohm load. I hope this helps and thank you for choosing Tube Works.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>[This message was edited by Jon Light on 08 April 2005 at 12:31 PM.]

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 8 Apr 2005 1:24 pm

Tim, my only concern would be the power rating. I use the big MosValve 500 [942] amp rig with the 924 BTI and the sound is fabulous, but the RT921 Reverb that Erv mentioned is the heart [or maybe a little lower down, anatomically] of my Tube Works sysem. More than just a reverb effect, it has 4 stages of tube enhancement [12AX7A], 3 band eq for each side and a lot more.
My system sounds puny with this unit bypassed. Highly recommended for the Tube Works rigs if you can find one.
Here is some "propoganda" out of some Tube Works literature I have for the BK Butler designed 942 and 962 regarding impedance and bridging.

Very conservatively rated at 80 watt per side into 4 ohms 3dB before clip (3dB equals twice the volume), the 962 is actually designed at 6 ohms and works equally well with 4 or 8 ohm loads

.

About bridging: The first part of the following applies to the 942 with a statement [my bold type] regarding the 962 in ( ).

A stereo/mono switch allows the user to bridge the input signal from channel "A" to channel "B" (mono mode) and use both sides of the amp with different cabinets using the same mono signal. The stereo mode can be used to shut off the "B" side when only using one cabinet or running the amp with two discreet signals (stereo) and using two or more cabinets. (An automatic input-bridging jack in the 962 does the same thing.)

This is what the booklet states. You'll have to find someone with way more electronics savvy than me to translate what this means in practical terms tho.

:

Hope you find something helpful here.
[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 08 April 2005 at 02:28 PM.]

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 8 Apr 2005 2:15 pm

I have a MosValve 962 running into two BW 15" cabs at 4 ohms. The pre amp changes all the time....
I have plenty of volume....I don't think I would ever have to dime it to keep up, if so, I wouldn't want to be around that kind of volume anyway...., but I guess the crucial point is what context you will be using it...loud drummer, bass player, etc.

I would recomment some sort of tube circuit in there somewhere, it helps.

Jay