SS Rectifier option for Allen Accomplice?

[Teh Smith]

Anyone know if a SS Rectifier is an ordering option on the Allen Accomplice (or any Allen amp)?

[Blue Strat]

Originally Posted by The Smith

Anyone know if a SS Rectifier is an ordering option on the Allen Accomplice (or any Allen amp)?

Have you checked the website or contacted David Allen?

[Teh Smith]

Haven't contacted David yet; I wanted to check here first before I bugged him. Couldn't find anything on the web site.

[Teh Smith]

Thanks, TKS. That was helpful.

[xcycle]

I had a weber copper cap ss rectifier in my Accomplice to try for some extra clean headroom (replaced a JJ) and really, it was wasted money (other than the eternal lifespan of the ss rec)...no difference as far as I could tell. Not sure about other makers of ss rec's but I don't think you will see any difference IMHO on this particular amp.

Eric

[Blue Strat]

Originally Posted by xcycle

I had a weber copper cap ss rectifier in my Accomplice to try for some extra clean headroom (replaced a JJ) and really, it was wasted money (other than the eternal lifespan of the ss rec)...no difference as far as I could tell. Not sure about other makers of ss rec's but I don't think you will see any difference IMHO on this particular amp.

Eric

It depends on which Copper Cap you're talking about. Most of them are solid state "tube rectifier simulators" which should perform virtually identically to whichever tube rectifier that model mimicks. If you got a CC with a GZ34 or 5U4 designation (however the numbering works), it shouldn't be a surprise that nothing changed. If you got one with zero voltage drop, it should have provided more headroom, tighter bass and brighter highs.

Generic Solid State rectifiers have zero voltage drop and don't attemp to mimick a tube rectifier.

[xcycle]

Originally Posted by Blue Strat

It depends on which Copper Cap you're talking about. Most of them are solid state "tube rectifier simulators" which should perform virtually identical to whichever tube rectifier that model mimicks. If you got a CC with a GZ34 or 5U4 designation (however the numbering works), it shouldn't be a surprise that nothing changed. If you got one with zero voltage drop, it should have provided more headroom, tighter bass and brighter highs.

Generic Solid State rectifiers have zero voltage drop and don't attemp to mimick a tube rectifier.

You are probably right, I do remember something about the copper cap supposedly mimicking tube sag. I sold another amp and threw the cc in as an extra, so I can't tell you exactly which one it was.
Eric

[Teh Smith]

Yea, it's the tighter bass that I'm after.

[mlj_gear]

Originally Posted by Blue Strat

It depends on which Copper Cap you're talking about. Most of them are solid state "tube rectifier simulators" which should perform virtually identically to whichever tube rectifier that model mimicks. If you got a CC with a GZ34 or 5U4 designation (however the numbering works), it shouldn't be a surprise that nothing changed. If you got one with zero voltage drop, it should have provided more headroom, tighter bass and brighter highs.

Generic Solid State rectifiers have zero voltage drop and don't attemp to mimick a tube rectifier.

Also note that the Weber WS1, which is the zero-sag one, has a current inrush limiter. "Radio Daze" also sells a zero-sag one with a limiter. There are plugs out there, though, that DO NOT have current inrush limiters (I think one of them is made by Sovtek, but I'm not sure). You need to be sure to carefully use a standby switch with those, or else all the current will slam the tubes in a hurry. Supposedly this is bad! I stick with the ones with the limiters just to be sure.

[mlj_gear]

Originally Posted by The Smith

Yea, it's the tighter bass that I'm after.

I threw a Weber WS1 in an 18-watt clone, and it definitely tightened up the bass.

[Blue Strat]

Originally Posted by mlj_gear

I threw a Weber WS1 in an 18-watt clone, and it definitely tightened up the bass.

That may not be a safe swap. Did you check the resulting plate voltage and idle current?

http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/n...sp?ArticleID=3

[Phil M]

Yes, my 2nd hand Old Flame head came with a SS rectifier plug. I think it's a Sovtek.

[mlj_gear]

Originally Posted by Blue Strat

That may not be a safe swap. Did you check the resulting plate voltage and idle current?

http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/n...sp?ArticleID=3

Thanks for the heads up. It's cathode-biased, but I should probably check it out before I fry something!

[Blue Strat]

Originally Posted by mlj_gear

Thanks for the heads up. It's cathode-biased, but I should probably check it out before I fry something!

Yes you should. Cathode biasing (aka "self biasing") does not guarantee "correct biasing". In fact, in most EL84 amps the opposite is true

http://www.kcanostubes.com/categorie...EL84-7189A.htm

[xcycle]

Originally Posted by In fact, in most EL84 amps the opposite is true=quote

http://www.kcanostubes.com/categorie...EL84-7189A.htm

The Accomplice is an 6V6/6L6 based amp.

Eric