I'm finished with combos!

[Keith Kline]

There’s nothing quite like paying $1800 for a brand new amp and getting tube rattle from it right away. This is why I swore off combos, damnit! Should have spent the extra $400 for the stack.

 

[JK1965]

What is the amp?

 

[gulliver]

There’s nothing quite like paying $1800 for a brand new amp and getting tube rattle from it right away. This is why I swore off combos, damnit! Should have spent the extra $400 for the stack.

Just to be clear, when you say tube rattle, do you mean a rattle noise actually coming through the speaker?

 

[JCW308]

 

[rollyfoster]

Heads can rattle, too. I’ve had mine set aside from the cabinet and the vibrations still got to it.

 

[Echoplexi]

That annoys me too. Or the back panel vibrating on a tweed combo

 

[R2-DD2]

amen brother. ive bought my last combo. also why limit yourself to one cabinet/speaker option? get the head and mix and match to your heart's content.

 

[deech54]

amen brother. ive bought my last combo. also why limit yourself to one cabinet/speaker option? get the head and mix and match to your heart's content.

Yep! I like to use a a 2X12 but sometimes a 1X12 can tame them down a bit. But, to be clear, my combos aren't going anywhere either.

 

[Head+Cab]

“I’m Head+Cab, and I approve of this message.”

(Disclaimer: I only buy combos when heads are not an option, like my YCV50Blue and DSL40C, and for pedal platforms at home, my Jazz Chorus 40 and Blues Cube Hot Boss Drive Special.)

 

[Keith Kline]

Crisis averted! I just put a tube dampening ring on it, and it complete silenced the rattle. Just cranked it loud enough to rattle everything else in the house, but no nasty rattles from the amp!

It’s a Mesa Boogie California Tweed. It's an amazing amp - other than that tube rattle, which I guess is pretty unavoidable in combos.

 

[Keith Kline]

Heads can rattle, too. I’ve had mine set aside from the cabinet and the vibrations still got to it.

Yep, turn it up loud enough and a bunch of random stuff in the house will start to rattle! It just happens at lower volumes with combos, I think.

 

[itguy61]

Having the amp chassis inside the cabinet is bound to affect reliability and may cause issues long term. Having the amp chassis in another box outside of this direct vibration and sound waves seems to be a more reliable solution to me. I have seen comments from amp builders stating the same thing. Combos are for convenience.

 

[gulliver]

I think if someone has a fairly large number of amps, it really does pay to try to stick to head + cab. As mentioned, there are more options. Also, I think it's healthier to take two trips with two medium weight items than take one trip with one heavy thing.

 

[ClickClack]

I think your post should specify that you are finished with TUBE combo amps.

 

[MHG]

I wholeheartedly agree with all of the above! Head + Cab!!! I like to have at least one Ceramic, and one Alnico cab for each of my amps. Well, that's how it started at least, as I now how quite a few 12" and 10" Ceramic and Alnico cab options for each of my amps. I love speakers just as much as I do amps. I can't imagine limiting myself to just one, as which is my favorite for any given amp often varies from day to day. Having a few different options keeps things fresh, which in turn also aids in keeping GAS at bay.

 

[JPH118]

Crisis averted! I just put a tube dampening ring on it, and it complete silenced the rattle. Just cranked it loud enough to rattle everything else in the house, but no nasty rattles from the amp!

It’s a Mesa Boogie California Tweed. It's an amazing amp - other than that tube rattle, which I guess is pretty unavoidable in combos.

You’ll find that tube rattle tends to follow around certain tube brands more than others... JJ EL84 & 6V6 are the worst offenders I’ve found. Mesa rebrands other tubes from the same factories as JJ, EHX/New Sensor, and Shaguang (basically the last three tube factories in the world). What tubes are in your amp?

The vibration from combos can induce the rattle, but it’ll happen in heads as well. Sometimes a dampening ring works, sometimes it doesn’t. You got lucky!

 

[DV52]

Crisis averted! I just put a tube dampening ring on it, and it complete silenced the rattle. Just cranked it loud enough to rattle everything else in the house, but no nasty rattles from the amp!

It’s a Mesa Boogie California Tweed. It's an amazing amp - other than that tube rattle, which I guess is pretty unavoidable in combos.

It is an amazing amp . It should not rattle , but since you have silenced the racket continue to tune up the rest of the house and have the wifey poo come out and adjust your tone (volume knob ) .

 

[David Garner]

I won't say I'm done with head/cab setups, but I sure do prefer combos these days. I love the look of a nice head and cab onstage but I hate loading them in and out.

When I make it big I'll get roadies. Until then I'm playing the Down Brownie and Deluxe Reverb and loading in with one trip.

 

[Keith Kline]

I think your post should specify that you are finished with TUBE combo amps.

Is there another kind?

 

[Les Paul Lover]

- other than that tube rattle, which I guess is pretty unavoidable in combos.

Tube rattle only highlights a microphonic valve. If all the valves are good, no rattle or other microphonic noises should be heard.

So here, your grievances is more against microphonic valves, and misdirected to combo amps.

Certainly, combos are more exacting of the manufacture output. Anything slightly loose could rattle and become an annoyance. I once found a washer between the speaker cone and speaker spider/frame.... that made quite an alarming racket at volume.......