trinityamps.com

by: Brent at B-Group Music The B-Group Music "...state of the art..."

THE IDEA - to evaluate how 3 of Stephen's amps sound through a number of different speakers/cabinets in the studio!

THE PLAYERS - My assistant Garret kindly played for me. We decided we would record one clean tone and one dirty tone from each amp through all of the cabinets I have at my disposal.

The amps: My brand new TC-15, and Stephen's v6 and JTM45 prototypes



THE CABS
Trinity Amps Marshall-style 2x12 (Tone Tubby Alnico/Tone Tubby Ceramic)
Orange PPC212 2x12 Cabinet (Vintage 30)
Mesa Boogie "Oversize" Recto 4x12 Cabinet (Vintage 30)
Hiwatt SE4123 4x12 Cabinet (70's Fanes)
Marshall 1960A 4X12 Cabinet (G12T-75)
Marshall 1960AX 4x12 Cabinet (G12M-25 "Greenbacks")
Marshall 1965A 4X10 Cabinet (G10)
Fender 2X12 Cabinet (60's Oxfords)
Peavey 1x12 Cabinet (G12 "Classic Lead 80")









THE PROCESS - All the clean tones on all amps were recorded using my Fender 50th Anniversary Strat (Custom '54 pickups) in the neck position.




All the dirty tones on all amps were recorded using my Gibson Les Paul Studio Vintage Mahogany (Burstbucker Pro pickups) in the bridge position.



Before recording, I set the tones by tweaking in 3 or 4 cabs. I was looking for tones that would work across all of the cabs. Once I had settled on the tones, and started recording, I didn't touch a knob. Obviously, it would be possible to tweak the tone for each cab, but what I was trying to do is reveal the different characteristics of each cab, so for the sake of comparison, the tone couldn't change. I used a single Shure SM57 microphone pointed directly at the edge of each speaker cone. I measured to make sure that the distance from the grill to the mic was the same for each amp (I didn't account for the fact that the speakers could be mounted in each cab different distances from each one's grill, but I'm not going to lose sleep over that!!). I used a Neve-style Vintech pre-amp, and then went straight into my Mytek A/D converters with NO processing. The only thing I did after the fact was to balance the level of each clip (using Waves L2) so listening wasn't influenced by differences in level. The L2 applied NO limiting.
Notes on the clips – We ran out of time on the TC-15 clean tone so pardon that ommission… Also, in the TC-15 pic, it looks like we were using Ch.2. We were not. The TC-15 tone was the Ch.1 EF86, "Lo" input, "munch". We recorded dirty 18W tones using both the EL84 and 6V6 output tubes. The 18W clean tones were EL84 only.

Enjoy and be sure to vote for the cabs/speakers you like best!

THE POLLS

TC-15 Dirty: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1281
18 Watt v6 EL84 Clean: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1275
18 Watt v6 Dirty EL84: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1276
18 Watt v6 Dirty 6V6: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1277
JTM 45 (KT66) Clean: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1279
JTM 45 (KT66) Dirty: http://www.trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=11071#11071

Brent's Original Posting here: http://www.bgroupmusic.com/trinityspeakertest.html

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

C'mon folks. Excercise your right and vote!

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Please sign up if you want to vote. No hidden fees!!

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

What a tool you have given us!!! Man I am digging speakers I would have never thought to even look at... and hating speakers that sound inviting on paper.... THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Thanks. If we get enough interest, maybe we can extend the test to include other speakers. I'm sure the bgroup would want be interested.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Interested...

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Finally gave these all the consideration they truly deserved. This was a very good test and made me change my opininon. Interesting I never once chose a Greenback and at one time I would have recommended them #1.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

This is what I love about this - I was surprised by my preferences too. I guess there's no substitute for hearing the stuff with our own ears...

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Kudos all around folks! This was a pile of fun and very informative.

If you want to try more of this please do so!

I can feel a new set of clips coming on soon...

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Hello guys...

When words leave off, music begins....Thanks for such a interesting post.


Regards
Victoria Heden
Extreme Magic Sing USA

I just got around to listening to these. That TT Ceramic really stands out to me. It was my #1 for most of the clips. I guess maybe they're worth the big $!

Finally finished voting in all six polls.

TC-15 Dirty: Orange Vintage 30, currently at 32%
18 Watt v6 EL84 Clean: Marshall Greenback, currently 33%
18 Watt v6 Dirty EL84: Marshall Greenback, currently 31%
18 Watt v6 Dirty 6V6: Tone Tubby Ceramic, currently 29%
JTM 45 (KT66) Clean: Tone Tubby Ceramic, currently 36%
JTM 45 (KT66) Dirty: Marshall Greenback, currently 38%


Two huge impressions:

1) I'm a bit shocked that every one I voted for is the current leading vote getter. I guess our ears aren't as different as I thought.

2) I'm very, VERY surprised that all six of my votes ended up for only two speakers, neither of which I've ever owned nor really thougth about buying. I went into it not just voting for a pleasant sound, but for a sound I'd like to associate with a particular amp. In other words, I didn't judge an EL84 Marshall clean speaker based on wanting it to sound like a Fender Twin. Rather, I wanted it to sound like a clean Marshall.

Wow, who knew I had a hankering for these two speakers, both of which are ceramic 12" models. Pretty weird when you consider I own precisely zero ceramic 12" speakers at the moment. My main cab is a closed Avatar 2x12 with Celestion Golds (alnico). I have a spare Celestion Century (neo) floating around. My second "main" cab would be a Lopoline 2x10 with Eminence Ragin Cajun and Copperhead.

Shoot, maybe I should sell that Avatar on Ebay!




Edit for my crummy grammar.

_________________
Go Buckeyes!

This type of response makes the whole thing worth while for me... I love that you were surprised by your choices! I was too by my choices and it forced me to reevaluate how I approach this stuff... Anyway, glad it was useful...

I'd happily take those Golds off your hands if you just want to reload that cab. Might even have a couple of Greenbacks I could trade as part of the deal!!

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Sent you an email...

_________________
Go Buckeyes!

hmm...that's useful sharing guys. I appreciate with that info.

keep sharing more in future.


Honey
Karaoke Mic

Hello to all. This is my first post. I just wanted to ask if it's the regular 18 watter or plexi version? (or even sIII) Thanks a lot for the efforts. Tone tubbies sound great

It was the sIII.

_________________
Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

SPAM!!