trinityamps.com

I'm about to build my first Lightning 15 and wondered if folks would give me the benefit of their expericence:-

1. Should i add the CUT pot?
2. What speaker should i use.
3. 1-12, or 2-12?
4. Closed or open back
5. TC-15 or regular Lightning 15?

I'm basically trying to get close to an AC15 in principal, but with a bit more versatility and grunt.

Thanks

Based on my TC-15, IMO...

1. yes
2. V30
3. 212
4. either

Hope this helps!!

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

IMO:

The cut is a very useful tool.
Speakers are pretty personal, I like Alnico speakers - Tone Tubby or Celestion Blue. I do like a 210 configuration for this amp.
If you have to move it a lot - 112, but 212 provide a richer sound [but heavy & big].

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

2 - Alnico's are popular, whether TT or Celestion . Otherwise Celestion Greenback or G12H-30. I'm told that San Rafel's are Tone Tubby's Greenback equivalent, so they may be worth trying. bgroup is very lucky to have a well worn and therefore exceptionally mellow set of Mesa V30s. Most Vintage 30s are somewhat aggressive in the high end for EL84 based amps, and therefore you seldom see them used with this type of amp. I've read good reports of Warehouse Speakers' V30 equivalent being somewhat more mellow though, and working well with EL84 amps.

5 - The TC15 is the more versatile amp, with it's additional "AC-15 meets DC30" style EF86 channel. The two preamp channels can be jumpered together for a whole range of different tones, plus the output transformer's two impedance ratios provide even more variations.

HTH

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

When I built a TC-15 for Fortis I tested it with my V30 loaded 2x12 & a much more mellow/warm Eminence Lady luck in a VJ open back cab. I liked it much better with the warmer speaker. The V30's were a little too intense.

For reference, I like the darker cabs with the Orange Tiny Terror also.

But I'm betting my V30's aren't as worn in as bgroup's...but they have had a couple of years dealing with a Laney GH100TI...

I would really love to hear a TC-15 with a 2x10 alnico cab.

I've got a closed 1x12 cab with a celestion alnico gold that sounds really good with the TC-15 (real nice break up), but I've also got a closed 2x12 with one V30 and one G12H30 that also sounds good but obviously a little different (definitely brighter but not ice-picky). I think it depends on your style of music. The TC-15 is very versatile with its range of tones, and when you add the crunch/munch, hi/lo inputs, and tube choices to the mix, you really have an amp that can do just about anything. With the sag of the tube recto though, I think this amp really shines with the alnico.

_________________
R.Y.N.O.

Thanks for all that advice.

I've only been aware of Trinity Amps for a few days and have ordered a Lighnining 15 chassis and faceplates, but over the weekend through reading the forum i've become aware of the TC-15 as apposed to the standard Lightning 15 style amp i originally intended to make.

Which one should i build? I think from what i've read i'd prefer the TC-15, but my problem is that i have already ordered AC15 transformers (power txs with 5v filament for GZ34). Is the output transformer different on the TC-15 to a standard Lightning/AC15?

I'm hoping that i've not gone too so far that i can't now steer it towards the TC-15. if i have i do a TC-15 later when i understand more about it, right now i don't fully have my mind around the differences, especially the output transformer and the crunch/munch. Is that output transformer wired for both 8k and 5k with two separate taps? I'd appreciate know ing this as i might be able to get my txs man to alter the AC15 OT he is making for me.

Not sure why everyone thinks my V30's are so darn special??!!?? I have two cabs with V30's - a stock Mesa Rectifier 412, and a stock Orange 212. I believe the Mesa has UK made V30's, and the Orange has Chinese made V30's. Save for the size difference between the two cabs, they really don't sound all THAT different - the Orange is a little darker. I bought both cabs used and have used them a lot myself, but I'm not convinced there's magic in there that another cab wouldn't have!!!

Anyway, to the original poster, if you haven't found your way to the clips just yet, I recorded my TC-15 through all the cabs I had at the time... the V30 clips were the overwhelming favourite of that bunch. If nothing else, it'll give you perspective on how different speakers can really alter your perspective of a tone.

http://trinityamps.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1281

Hope this helps!

_________________
Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

(snicker) Guess I forgot the smiley there...

Also to the original poster - if you have a few extra sheckles to spend go for the TC-15. You get the best of both worlds IMO. You get that Matchless/Vox thing & that EF86 channel is too sweet for words.

As I've said previously I wasn't expecting to like the TC-15 all that much as it's not my bag at all, but after building & playing one I have to say I really like it. It's on the list. Just wish the damn list wasn't so LONG!

You're having your transfomers custom wound? That sounds really expensive. I don't remember what the primary impedance of regular AC15 OTs is. I seem to remember it's something around 6.6k. Trinity's OT's are based on the old Radiospares OT design used in the Marshall 18W, which had an 8k primary with Ultralinear tappings. Trinity has them wound slightly differently so they have 5k primary tappings instead, which is pretty clever IMO. Matchless' 15W amps, such as the Lightning and Spitfire use a 4k primary impedance. But if it's too late to get your transformer man to wind with 8k/5k primaries, the standard "in between" AC 15 impedance will also work OK with a TC-15. It's probably also worth noting that the choke is optional with the TC-15.

IMO all of your stuff is special. I've read that Mesa's V30s are/were built to a slightly different spec vs the regular V30s being churned out by Celestion. No idea specifically about Orange's V30s . However, I'm under the impression that your V30s have been worked hard over the years, and have lost some of the upper range harshness V30s generally tend to suffer from.

_________________
Great tones come in small glass jars!

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It's been a steep learning curve, but with the help within this thread, this forum and resources and especially Stephen - i'm now on track and understand the differences between the T-15 and TC-15 and AC15.

I was initially thrown because for a long while i focused my research on building something close to an AC15 but didn't want to copy one of those exactly because though i desire them, they are not exactly cheap to re-produce. So, i set my sights on something sort of modelled on the AC15 and settled on a Matchless Lightning 15 and started gathering the bits together. Icouldn't find a schematic but i got a Ceri@tone layout and was about to start on that and ordered AC15 transfomers from Trans-tronic in Chesterfield (who BTW make all the official JMI and HiWatt transformers to original specs) then late last week whilst trying to source a Lightning chassis happened upon the hitherto hidden world of TRINITY. Between Friday and now i've been wading through the forum, sending too many emails to Stephen and in the prces of making a nuisance of myself realised that the TC-15 is 'the dog's danglies' in that it's so much more than an AC15, or a Lightning. I now know what i'm going to do and i thank you all for your kind help.

The transformers from Trans-tronic - whether custom wound or not are always cheaper than any other source in the UK. For example, a few months back i needed a new 240v mains transfomer for my Leak Stereo 50 valve hifi amp (mine originally lived in Canada with a 117v MT). Sowter quoted near £110 shipped. Trans-tronic were £57 - and they are only 13 miles down the road and fronted by one of the nicest and smartest transfomer builders in the business - Phillip Pickering. I think he'll be able to set me right for the correct TC-15 transformers.

What is the least microphonic EF86 recommended?

Thanks again!

That really surprises me. www.schematicheaven.com/newamps/matchless_lightning.pdf Anyway, you've got the TC-15's schematics and layouts to look at now.


I'm quite surprised I never heard of them before. Generally, Danbury seems to have been popular for amp builders in the UK, followed more recently by Valve Power for 18W iron.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Least microphonic tube - FWIW we use NOS Amperex. Excellent tube. No problems.

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

for tubes I use a new tung-sol EF-86 (new sensor/russian made i think) and it's not microphonic at all. but i hear that tonewise the amperex is the best and it's only 10-20 bucks more for NOS. for the EL84's i've stuck JJ's in there (not bad), but i've got a pair of NOS mullards in there now and they smoke the JJ's IMO. For the other pre's I use an EI from the 80's in V1, a new JJ in V2, and a NOS RCA for V3. I also put a 4700 pf cap on the cut per the build guide suggestion and that expands the tonal possibilities as well. for the rectifier i've got a JJ GZ34, but I think consensus is that the NOS mullard is the way to go. great amp, a real players amp.

_________________
R.Y.N.O.

on those Mullard RI

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