Komet Constellation 30

[dayn]

Anybody else care to chime in on the Constellation? I would love to hear more on the amp (what this thread started as) than to keep reading the silly back and forth. Komet's have a great reputation and I want to hear more about why...not about some guy who makes a suspect comment, about an amp that may have problems (probably due to something as simple as bad tubes or owner error..i.e. turning the amp on without a load, etc) or about he said/she said. Tell me why these amps kiss A$$ and why I should choose a Connie over a 60 or Concorde.

[RichSZ]

Originally Posted by clarkram

My guess is we get this stuff from people who say that a tube amp has serious issues without checking the tubes. Even novices know that 99% of problems with tube amps can be traced to tube issues.

Sweet dude, thanks for the advice! One day I I'll better diagnose tube issues. Thanks for helping me get there!

-Rich

[dayn]

Here is a question in relation to the Connie and speakers/attenuator that I haven't found an answer for in searching past posts.

I play primarily at home but love good tone. Until Komet makes a lower wattage amp, I will need to use an attenuator and an inefficient speaker. I am considering using a single 20 watt Celestion G12m with a Connie, and with an attenuator either as a parallel load or between the amp and speaker down a few clicks.

Question: With either setup with the attenuator is the speaker "seeing" the 30+ watts of the Connie and merely handling the volume or is the attenuator actually making it so the speaker "sees" less wattage...like 15 watts or less? If it is seeing less wattage is it safe to run a single greenback or a single blue as a speaker without it being damaged (as long as the attenuator is always used?

Thsi will be VERY helpful in my Komet quest! Thanks!

[cffluntouch]

Originally Posted by dayn

Here is a question in relation to the Connie and speakers/attenuator that I haven't found an answer for in searching past posts.

I play primarily at home but love good tone. Until Komet makes a lower wattage amp, I will need to use an attenuator and an inefficient speaker. I am considering using a single 20 watt Celestion G12m with a Connie, and with an attenuator either as a parallel load or between the amp and speaker down a few clicks.

Question: With either setup with the attenuator is the speaker "seeing" the 30+ watts of the Connie and merely handling the volume or is the attenuator actually making it so the speaker "sees" less wattage...like 15 watts or less? If it is seeing less wattage is it safe to run a single greenback or a single blue as a speaker without it being damaged (as long as the attenuator is always used?

Thsi will be VERY helpful in my Komet quest! Thanks!

Dayn, that is exactly what I do as I mentioned earlier. I use the single Heritage celestion and the Komet or THD attenuator between it and the amp. It's fine that way. If you run the amp with volume up high without an attenuator you will most likely blow that speaker. The Connie is rated around 33 Watts but probably can produce more and the speaker can handle up to 20. 20 watts is very loud without a band and drummer. My 18 watt 1974x is very loud as well and it has the one Celestion. So that speaker can take a lot of volume. And it really sounds sweet. If I need more volume I use the 2x12 with higher rated speakers and have the attenuator just a click down if at all. It's very loud for 30+ watts. If you go on the Komet website the clips will give you a great example of the variety of tones you can get, especially emphasizing each guitar. Lots of amps are versatile, I think the ability to blend the 2 channels is what sets it apart and makes it especially unique.

[wsaraceni]

Originally Posted by cffluntouch

Dayn, that is exactly what I do as I mentioned earlier. I use the single Heritage celestion and the Komet or THD attenuator between it and the amp. It's fine that way. If you run the amp with volume up high without an attenuator you will most likely blow that speaker. The Connie is rated around 33 Watts but probably can produce more and the speaker can handle up to 20. 20 watts is very loud without a band and drummer. My 18 watt 1974x is very loud as well and it has the one Celestion. So that speaker can take a lot of volume. And it really sounds sweet. If I need more volume I use the 2x12 with higher rated speakers and have the attenuator just a click down if at all. It's very loud for 30+ watts. If you go on the Komet website the clips will give you a great example of the variety of tones you can get, especially emphasizing each guitar. Lots of amps are versatile, I think the ability to blend the 2 channels is what sets it apart and makes it especially unique.

i see you have 2 komets. not sure if you mentioned it or not before but how would you compare them? ive only played the komet 60. still my favorite amp to play ever as of yet.

[cffluntouch]

Originally Posted by wsaraceni

i see you have 2 komets. not sure if you mentioned it or not before but how would you compare them? ive only played the komet 60. still my favorite amp to play ever as of yet.

They don't sound the same but have the same Komet characteristics ie: touch response, feel, tons of controllable gain, fantastic harmonic feedback etc. A simple way but not completely accurate way to compare is Vox versus Plexi, ie. EL84s in the Constellation and 34's in the Concorde. The Concorde has a fuller bottom end and the fast/gradual mode switch takes it from Plexi amounts of gain in gradual to trainwreck wild gain in fast mode. But rolling the volume back gives you beautiful shades of clean to grit to crunch as you roll up. I love them both but the reason I gravitate a little more to the Constellation is volume control and I like the way the 84's give it that sweet Voxy cut in my particular situation. Some people don't like the top end chime of EL84's, I love it. I can't wait though to have an outdoor gig and let the Concorde loose, because it is tonal nirvana, albeit it seems I have come close to glass shattering in my basement with the sliding glass door 10 feet away! I sold my JCM800 and Shiva when I got the Concorde because I just thought it sounded so much better for that type of EL34 tone, and I really like the Shiva. The Concorde is very versatile too with the gradual/fast switch, and the tone controls are very effective. Again, the website clips for both are accurate in the bit of separation between them. I have played a 60 but only for a few minutes and I thought the Concorde had a bit fuller tighter bottom (rectifier maybe) and breaks up earlier and isn't quite as loud. But with EL34's they are more similar than either is to the Constellation. Hope that helps.

[LeftyLang]

I found this review on the Constellation...I don't like X-Men, but I think I would like the C30 the more I read and hear....
http://www.ultimateguitargear.com/to...ellation30.htm

[allynmey]

Dayn...don't do it!!!! The Connie is rated at 33 watts. That is CLEAN! If you've heard one, you probably found out that it gets dirty pretty quick! It probably puts out over 50 watts dimed! The Concorde...forget it!!! It's probably putting out about 80-90W Dimed!!!! Rating are on the amp before distortion! You'll forget the setting on the attenuator one day and boom....off to the store for another speaker!

[GAT]

I've had all three Komets, all are great.

The Airbrake will cut the power enough to run a G12M, I've done it.

TRUST ME!!!

[allynmey]

Originally Posted by BrewBeck

bah humbug

envelopes are meant to be pushed

i'd go for a single cele gold myself btw

so allyn ...are you our new komet expert here at tgp?



good luck!

Brew, that goes for just about all amps! With regards to Komet amps, I've seen a few and made a few. They are made with good ingredients and sound pretty good. The price??? only the purchaser is qualified to make that decision. If your trying to drag me into an idiots internet fight don't bother! I've read some of your posts regarding Komets. Do you get a free one for being a sycophant?

Good luck in your hunt for a sparring partner!

[thelionsden]

Originally Posted by fzfwyv

Now please don't bash me anymore. My internet feelings are getting hurt.

-Rich

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your internet feelings. I apologize. Apparently, I have inadvertantly joined the "clique" of multiple people who don't know each other at all that have found your comments on this thread a bit, dare I say, brash and subsequently unrepentant.... It won't happen again. Its only words on a page.. I am just having fun participating... :BEER

On topic.. in answer to the question above when you use two speakers of the same impedance, they split the power handling. If you use the airbrake in parallel it will indeed take a portion of the power away from the speaker you use. I am not sure exactly how much as it will depend on the impedance of the attenuator. Also there probably is a consideration for the fact that a speaker impedance changes while it is in use and an attenuator remains fixed I think so the division of power may fluctuate in use.

[cffluntouch]

Don't hesitate, attenuate!! ( I gotta figure out how to get that in a song)

[trisonic]

Originally Posted by thelionsden

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your internet feelings. I apologize. Apparently, I have inadvertantly joined the "clique" of multiple people who don't know each other at all that have found your comments on this thread a bit, dare I say, brash and subsequently unrepentant.... It won't happen again. Its only words on a page.. I am just having fun participating... :BEER

Sometimes it reminds me of Spongebob Squarepants (yep, I have a young daughter) - there's an episode about Kevin who heads up the Jellyfishing Club. If you are familiar with it you know exactly what I mean.......

It's probably best just to hint when somebody is being crass.......don't know you but I do know Brewbeck ; only electronically, but he is a nice guy. Btw a Constellation owned by Blueser in NYC happens to be one of the best amps I've heard ever. I've been around a bit too!

Best, Pete.

[thelionsden]

Originally Posted by trisonic

Sometimes it reminds me of Spongebob Squarepants (yep, I have a young daughter) - there's an episode about Kevin who heads up the Jellyfishing Club. If you are familiar with it you know exactly what I mean.......

Is this it here? Google is an amazing thing, eh? :

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~goodw...t_fanatic.html

It's probably best just to hint when somebody is being crass.......don't know you but I do know Brewbeck ; only electronically, but he is a nice guy.

I am a nice guy too, just ask me!

Btw a Constellation owned by Blueser in NYC happens to be one of the best amps I've heard ever. I've been around a bit too!

Best, Pete.

I just recently picked one up and it truly is a very high quality amplifier indeed.

Blessings

Dennis

[dayn]

Seems to be differing opinions on the attenuators question.

i'd go for a single cele gold myself btw -BrewBeck

Seems like this may be the best alternative with the Connie. The only problem is its efficiency making it louder than a g12m?