DRRI questions

[brad347]

Hi. I have a friend that just bought a DRRI. He wants me to help him out with it. He wants more clean volume before distortion.

So here's my first question:

What would be the most effficient speaker for this amp? Any ideas?

Second question:

Does the DRRI have built-in bias test points (i.e. one ohm cathode resistors)? Is the bias adjust easy to get to in it?

I'm also going to bring a 12AY7 and a 5751 over for him to try out in V2. And I have a moderate stash of old greyglass RCA 6V6s and I might sell him a pair.

Thanks!!

[Jon Silberman]

Replace the 6V6s with 6L6s and rebias (the reissues can handle this no problem, the transformers and caps are plenty beefy enough).

Try replacing one or more of the 12AX7s with a 5751 or 12AT7 (don't go as low as a 12AY7).

Turn the bass down - way down - when turning the volume up.

Select any more efficient speaker.

But the bottom line is the DR is designed to be somewhat ratty-ass sounding at 4 or above. That's part of its charm.

If your friend really doesn't want what the DR is designed to deliver he should return his and buy a 40W amp like a Vibrolux Reverb (deemed by some to be the best "mod" ever invented for a DR ;) ).

[brad347]

I advised him to buy a vibrolux. But he liked the deluxe better. He's a pretty prominent jazz player here in the NYC area. He likes the Deluxe but says he wishes it had a bit more headroom. Who knows.

[slider313]

They sound nothing like the originals.On that note,go with JJ6V6S tubes biased at 24ma.and change all the pre-amp tubes to NOS. For a speaker,I would go with a Weber 12F150 50 watt. This will help but it will never be as transparent or have that blackface sweet top end.

[brad347]

I know. I told him that. He asked for my advice and I tried to advise against the DRRI. But he likes it, so more power to him. I consider him lucky. Being picky is expensive.

But is the bias pot on the same place as the originals? I guess that's what I'm getting at.

[Blue Strat]

But is the bias pot on the same place as the originals? I guess that's what I'm getting at.

Yes it is, and accessible from inside or out like the originals.

[brad347]

thanks mike! Do you happen to know if it has 1-ohm cathode resistors installed from the factory?

[bug0711]

For speakers, I ended up with an Eminence Cannabis Rex ... it solved the headroom problem in my SFDR.

[Gary Brennan]

Where exactly is the bias pot access point on a DRRI?

gb

[vibroverbus]

I advised him to buy a vibrolux. But he liked the deluxe better. He's a pretty prominent jazz player here in the NYC area. He likes the Deluxe but says he wishes it had a bit more headroom. Who knows.

????WTF...

+1 on your advice...

what is up with people who decide they have to have something, then, uh, don't like it but are fanatically committed to liking it even if they... don't like it? reminds me of about 100 guitar/amp/car stories... "I love Strats and 'humbuckers suck', but I need to keep buying new booteek single coils and swapping them out in search of a fatter tone..."

also +1 on the Cannabis. Rex I mean.

[Bikedude]

Like bug0711 I also put in a CRex and a complete JJ power and pre amp re-tube. Great stuff, a little more clean headroom, but it still breaks up nicely, only now when it breaks up it's way more creamy and pleasing to the ear with the Cannabis Rex. I liked the stock speaker doing clean work, but when pushed with an OCD or BM the stock speaker sounded very frizzy. Not so with the CRex. Great mod, that speaker, oh yes and the JJ's