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How to get Good Mids from Tranoy YBA200-2????

T

tomas_almeida

Oct 5, 2007
403
6
Portugal
#1
Ok folks, here's the deal.

Soon I will be ordering from Germany (I live in Portugal) a Traynor YBA200-2 with the stock tubes being KT88s.

I've heard that thing amp is super mid scooped. I really want to get some good low mids from this amp, around 400hz. So what preamp tubes would get me closer to this tone? I've thought about 5751s on V1 and V2, to lower the gain so I crank the Gain knob a more in order to get more mids.

And yes, I've used the search function a lot trying to get the answer for this. :smug:

I'll be looking forward to your replies. :)
 
#2
I've just begun experimenting with a series 1. I have a 12AT in V1 and a 12ax in V2. I'm running the gain up near 3:00 on the clock dial with passive basses and that has imporved things a lot. This is with the stock Sovtek 6550's in the power section. I'm looking forward to a better set of pwr tubes shortly. The 12ax7 in V2 is known as a Chinese 'Grey Plate'. Supposedly hand selected - from what I have no idea... I got it from the US Vendor, Lord Valve - he's my go to guy for all things 'tube'.

FYI - I'm pairing the Traynor with 2 Bag End 1x15 cab's. Very efficient and very tight bass. Seeems like a good compliment to the loose low end in the YBA.

How the series 2 differs tonally from the series 1 I have no clue.
 
#4
Here's a tip I've read on a Dutch bass forum. Instead of turning the scoop button off, turn it on and set the scoop knob totally (counter)clockwise (I don't know which way is no scoop) this gives you (according to the guy who posted it) more mids than turning the scoop button off.

Hope you understand what I mean...
 
#6
Willem, if I got it well, you mean to actually put the scoop button on but to put in on 0(zero). That may have some effect.

Sean. I've also thought on putting 12AT7's in the preamp but I don't know if it would make it too clean, that's why I thought of 5751's, hey have just a tad more gain.

Would it be possible to mod the preamp on this thing, like putting new and better quality components to improve the sound? I wouldn't be doing it because I don't know nothing about electronics, I would have to ask someone to do it for me.
 
#8
I've been wondering the same. The YBA would be ever so much better if the tone stack were re-voiced ... we're talking surface mount stuff here - not point to point so the opportunities for experimentation are limited ... sadly.

Nice thing about the old point to point setup was that for the most part, mod's are reversable...
 
#11
again - we're talking surface mount here so mod's are not exactly a casual activity. I've been digging and haven't found anything on tone stack mods. At some point I'll be plying my local tech with red wine, dinner and a schematic to get his thoughts... he has good taste so this is not an inexpensive proposition... ;~)
 
#13
I'm looking forward to that. I really love my Traynor, but I wish that I was able to EQ the head exactly as I'd like without external materials. I love every aspect of the head other than the tone stack. If I was just able to boost my mids and lows beyond flat, and still center my mids with the range knob, I would be ever so thrilled. Even better (for me) would be to swap the Scoop control for a Presence control, like on the Hiwatt heads, for the really high mids. That head would be so flexible with those options...
 
#14
The scoop knob works like other passive controls as far as I can hear. I havent used it much, but to mee it seems that 0 is max scoop (mids cut) and 10 is min scoop (no mids cut).

Keep in mind that the gain section has a built in mid cut as well. The lower you set the gain, the more mids are cut. Thats why changeing to lower gain preamp tubes has such a noticable effect on mids in this amp compared to many other designs. Lower gain preamp tubes lets you set the gain higher and thusly avoid some of the mid cut in the input gain stage. You can achieve a simillar effect by setting the gain knob to 10, and control the "gain" with the volume knob on your bass. Try it!

I've had my amp modded so the the mid cut circuit is removed. According to the tech it was easy to to (took him about 20 minutes, after studying the schematic in advance). He is darn good though, so I'm not sure you would want to try it at home.
 
#15
LowB-ing said:
The scoop knob works like other passive controls as far as I can hear. I havent used it much, but to mee it seems that 0 is max scoop (mids cut) and 10 is min scoop (no mids cut).

Keep in mind that the gain section has a built in mid cut as well. The lower you set the gain, the more mids are cut. Thats why changeing to lower gain preamp tubes has such a noticable effect on mids in this amp compared to many other designs. Lower gain preamp tubes lets you set the gain higher and thusly avoid some of the mid cut in the input gain stage. You can achieve a simillar effect by setting the gain knob to 10, and control the "gain" with the volume knob on your bass. Try it!

I've had my amp modded so the the mid cut circuit is removed. According to the tech it was easy to to (took him about 20 minutes, after studying the schematic in advance). He is darn good though, so I'm not sure you would want to try it at home.
Click to expand...


That seems awsome! I wouldn't be doing the mod, I would ave to ask some tech to do it of course. So what he did what take oiut the mid cut in the gain section?


Snake Anthony, that's what I would love to, a Presence Control. Could the tech just substitute the circuitry of the scoop control with a Presence Control?
 
#18
tomas_almeida said:
LowB, if you have the chance of talking to him or seeing him again could you ask him what he done?
Click to expand...

He lives and works in another city, so it won't happen any time soon.
He did give me a schematic with the changes pencilled in though. :ninja:

I'm not going to send it to you without his permission, and it would be to much of a hassle, since I don't have scanner. :hiding:

If you're really serious you could contact him yourself. The guy is a bit busy, as he is quite well known for his amp mods. He's a very friendly, nice guy, though.

This is his website:
Invalid Link Removed

Before you put to much effort into this you should try your YBA-200 with the "gain at max trick" mentioned above, compared to "normal" operation, to see if its worth it. It's definately an improvement, but it's still a bright amp after the mod.
 

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