Is the Divided by 13 9/15 right for these tones?

[Spider-Man]

I'm looking for a "Class A" amp that matches up well with a Strat for clean and blues type distortion tones with all the classic cliche adjectives from this type of amp (chime, sparkle, bloom, swirl). I'm more intereted in the cleaner sounds and am not looking for ultra high gain.

So I'm leaning towards the 9/15 but the 10/20 looks interesting too. I've read everything on the Forum about these amps, and I have listened to as many clips as I can find, but I won't have the chance to try before I buy. So here's a few questions:

Does the low end on the 9/15 stay focused when cranked? Does the 6V6 side lean towards tweed, blackface, or something entirely new? Does the EL84 side lean towards the AC15? Are chime, sparkly, bloom, and swirl adjectives that you would use to describe the 9/15?

For those who have owned or played both the 9/15 and the 10/20, which did you prefer and why?

Which speaker(s) do you prefer with the 9/15? Will one Celestion Blue hold up OK or should I consider a 2x12?

The Bad Cat Cub IIR has me interested too, but I have read that it gets flabby when cranked. The Cub II Clips that I have heard do not reflect this. But I keep coming back to the 9/15 sound clips posted in an old thread. Those tones really appeal to me.

 

[Distortion]

Originally posted by Eric Thomas
I'm looking for a "Class A" amp that matches up well with a Strat for clean and blues type distortion tones with all the classic cliche adjectives from this type of amp (chime, sparkle, bloom, swirl). I'm more intereted in the cleaner sounds and am not looking for ultra high gain.

The 9/15 is not a class A amp, but it should meet the requirements you listed.
It has a big bottom end and in the el84 mode it has a lot of the sparkle tones you are looking for.
I have owned both the 10/20 and the 9/15.
The 10/20 is a great amp, but from what you listed the 9/15 would be a better fit for you.

 

[AK1]

The 9/15 is an awesome amp if you don't need a huge soundstage and if that's enough power for your needs.
If the strat is your main axe, I'd stay away from the Vox Blue.
I found the scumback SA12M to be an ideal match for this amp or the
Weber Alnico Silver Bell with a Tele.
Should you get this amp, do yourself a favour and get a Div.by 13 2x12
cab - makes all the difference. Closed back for punchier, thicker tones - or
open back for more detail and air.

 

[abergdahl]

I might wan't to check out Komet Constellation and Custom By Cougar Thunderbird.

Both are EL84 amps that does sound great with a strat. My favorite is the Thunderbird , it has the one of the best clean neck strat pickup tones i have heard from ANY amp, tight clear with good attack and sparkle, almost SRV-ish if you want it to but with MORE sparkle and swirl. The really amazing thing is that while the neck pickup sounds clear as glass and really cuts the bridge does NOT get icepicky at all, it's fat juicy and creamy.
One of the best amps around, I really which that more could hear it first hand. A assed feature is that the T-bird has a inbuilt GREAT attenuator so that you can get the sound you want at reanable volume.
If you listen to my clips please by aware that my amp is modded to be slightly fatter and more mid heavy than a "standard" T-bird. Tommy will tweak each amp according to the buyers which. And believe me Mr Tommy Cougar has GREAT ears and he is a true Strat blues master

 

[Timmo]

Originally posted by Distortion
The 9/15 is not a class A amp, but it should meet the requirements you listed.
It has a big bottom end and in the el84 mode it has a lot of the sparkle tones you are looking for.
I have owned both the 10/20 and the 9/15.
The 10/20 is a great amp, but from what you listed the 9/15 would be a better fit for you.

I disagree that the 9/15 is more of what you are looking for than the 10/20.
I too owned both and the 10/20 is way more amp than the 9/15 if you are talking " chime, sparkle, bloom & swirl" .
I mean, it was not even close.
The 10/20 is unbeatable.
I already miss the 10/20 and never give the 9/15 a second thought.
But hey.........that's me !

 

[Distortion]

Timmo,
I know you didn't really like your 9/15.
If I had to make a decision between the 10/20 and the 9/15 I would choose the 10/20.
But the el84 side of the 9/15 in my opinion will provide more of the " (chime, sparkle, bloom, swirl)" that Eric is looking for.

But then possibly you and I hear things a bit differently.

 

[Timmo]

Distortion:
Yes, I cannot hide my love of the 10/20 and my disappointment of the 9/15.
I still maintain that for what Eric is looking for the 10/20 fits perfectly while providing so much more in all directions.
My short opinion on the 9/15.........it could be ANY number of EL84 amps with nothing unique about it's Div. by 13 tonal signature.
I mean, plug into a Dr. Z Carmen Ghia and you have the 9/15 on the EL84 side. The 6V6 side I liked better but still not as huge sounding as the 10/20.
Nothing about the 9/15 says Divided by 13 amp to me or to anyone else I compared the two to.
The 10/20 "screams" Divided by 13 amp to me with that 13 tonal signature all over of the place.
Everytime I played the 9/15 I was wishing for the 10/20.
Ok.......I'm done and I am most certainly prejudice toward the 10/20.
But the truly lucky guys are the ones that can have the 10/20 AND the RSA 23.......

 

[Hipster Dofus]

Sounds like you want a Vox type amp. Cleans, bloom, swirl......all there. Get one with Alnico Blues of some sort. ALL IMHO>>>>

 

[Stevo57]

I've played the 10/20 and the 37 and owned the 9/15 and ert33. I would go with
another 33 in a minute or check out one of the RSA's. The 9/15 left me wanting too. When I order my next %13 it will probably be the RSA 31.

 

[Spider-Man]

OK, in answer to some of your comments:

From the /13 website for the 9/15:

9 Watt, (2) 6V6 Mode, Cathode Bias Class A
15 Watt, (2) EL84 Mode, Cathode Bias Class AB1

So I gess it's not Class A in each mode, but what I am after is the characterstics most commonly attributed to Class A amps - slight compression, chime, swirl, etc.... Whether these attribues are achieved by Class A or AB does not really make any difference to me.

I don't need a huge sound stage, and clean headroom is not an issue for me. This will be mostly used for recording and in situations that don't require a lot of volume.

Personally, I love the sound of Celestion Blues with Strats. YMMV.

Please don't suggest your favorite amps as alternatives. Threads where people go all over the place suggesting their favorite amp are not helpful at all. I want to limit this discussion to the Divided by 13 9/15 or 10/12. The Komets are fantastic by all accounts, but I'm pretty much set on trying one of Fred's amps next.

I already have a 4-EL84 amp (Budda Superdrive 30 Series I) and the clean tones on the Budda are a bit stiff (love the gain channel). So the 9/15 intersts me in that I was hoping to get the best clean tones from of both worlds (EL84 and 6V6) with the /13 magic.

Keep the comments coming, and thanks for your input so far. This is going to be a tough choice but from what I have read/heard about Freds amps both are winners!

 

[Stevo57]

The 9/15 is a great Strat amp.

 

[Timmo]

Eric:
With your last post and you "not" needing clean headroom, then by all means the 9/15 is the one you want out of these two.
There's NO clean headroom on the 9/15 whatsoever.
"The case is a sol-ved"..........

 

[Leonc]

The 9/15 does have a lot of the qualities you've describe. I'd agree that it's better with strats and single coil guitars than with humbuckers. It's got a very thick, rich sound that fares better with single coils, IMO. I prefer it to the 10/20 a little bit due to the tonal options it offers.

 

[sssmile]

I didn't think the 9/15 had much headroom.

 

[Mastervolume]

I just got done using a strat with V60lps and my 9/15.

I got it all, chimey big thick grindy killer strat tones.

I have owned the 10/20 9/15 and the 33.

I have played most of them and I have to admit that the 10/20 I owned would still be in my possession if I only had a brain.

My 9/15 isn't going anywhere. If I had to choose between the two I would pick the 9/15 because of my need for a jangly clean tone.

If reverb were important to me I would have kept the 10/20.

 

[kevin hart]

i have never tried a 10/20 so i can't compare it to the 9/15, but i've been using my 9/15 for almost a year now & i love it. i use a strat with suhr v60lp's in the neck & middle and a suhr dsv in the bridge. the tonal options available with the two different power sections make this a very versatile amp. i set the amp to get a little break up when my guitar is wide open & then use a pedal if i need more overdrive. i also use a dr z airbrake that is usually set to just the first click, which is 3db. it is a very loud & big sounding amp.

 

[Leonc]

Originally posted by sssmile
I didn't think the 9/15 had much headroom.

Yes, no one here is claiming that it does. More to the point, the fellow who was asking the questions said he wasn't concerned about it because his applications don't require it. I think many of us would recommend something different if he was looking for a huge clean sound.

 

[Timmo]

Originally posted by Mastervolume

I have played most of them and I have to admit that the 10/20 I owned would still be in my possession if I only had a brain.

I hear you man.
I'm still shocked I sold mine!

 

[Spider-Man]

Originally posted by Leonc
Yes, no one here is claiming that it does. More to the point, the fellow who was asking the questions said he wasn't concerned about it because his applications don't require it. I think many of us would recommend something different if he was looking for a huge clean sound.

Exactly. Clean headroom is of no concern to me at all, as long as there are great cleans available I don't care if it starts to break up a little early.

I'm not currently gigging, but I do play at Church every week. My Budda Superdrive works out nicely for that application because of the well designed master volume. The clean tones leave me a little flat and I think the SD sounds better with humbuckers so a great Strat amp is in my future. I love those slightly compressed sweet ringing, sustaining, clean on the edge tones that a great EL84 amp can deliver with a Strat.

As far as the 6V6 tones go, I lean towards the Tweed Deluxe side of things - especially with a Tele in open G tuning for Blues and slide. I've had a couple Victoria Deluxes, and a '53 Deluxe at one time but the low end flab has always been a problem. If the 9/15 6V6 side can deliver those types of tones without flab in addition to the EL84 tones I'll be very happy!

I also forgot to mention that I'm not at all concerned about reverb. Looks like the 9/15 would be a great fit for me.

 

[Mastervolume]

Originally posted by Eric Thomas
If the 9/15 6V6 side can deliver those types of tones without flab in addition to the EL84 tones I'll be very happy!

The 6V6 side with the stock Jan Phillips that Fred has been shipping the amps with can get pretty flabby when cranked.
I have found that this amp because of it's simple circuit design really shines with better or just different power tubes.

Currently I am using a pair of tung sols in the 6v6 side and I can pretty well crank the amp with out any flub.

Although Fred will tell you the rectifier is hardly breathing I still recommend a good Mullard GZ34. It will last for ever and I really think that it makes the amp sound better.