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Jule Amps Monique

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#541
chadds said:
Gigged today. Began at 7:30, yes sports fans, 7:30 A.M..:) It's called Damien's Run for Recovery. It's a 5K. The winner ran it in 14.23.
Whoa!!
I've played this run for 14 years in honor of Damien.
The guitarist had gone to bed at 3:00 A.M. He couldn't sleep after hearing Larry Graham tear down the Rams Head last night.

The Monique rackmount was awesome. Rich warm and full. It does sparkling harmonics while simultaneously delivering fat low end. (the guitarist for some reason expected a lot of funk out of me. :) )

I told BurningSkies I wasn't into tube rolling. Well okay well.......
The Monique rack has a'50s Brit rectifier, a '60s JAN black plate RCA in the second position and a '60s JAN black plate NOS GE in the first position. 6SL7.
Click to expand...

I've got mine with a USA Tung Sol 6SL7 in the v1 position and a green label Sylvania in the second position. I had two Sylvanias in, but the Tung Sol sounds by far better than the Sylvania did. Much 'more' of everything from it.

Before I close it up, does anyone know what the 12AU7 does in the circuit? Is it worth changing that out as well, or is it in a non-tone incidental place?
 
#543
BurningSkies said:
Before I close it up, does anyone know what the 12AU7 does in the circuit? Is it worth changing that out as well, or is it in a non-tone incidental place?
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I believe that the 12AU7 ramps up the output gain on the unbalanced line out. You might be able to get out output from the line out with a 12AX7. Not sure. Any thoughts, Jule?
 
#545
tombowlus said:
I believe that the 12AU7 ramps up the output gain on the unbalanced line out. You might be able to get out output from the line out with a 12AX7. Not sure. Any thoughts, Jule?
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Yes please.

Here's what Chadds posted in the past:

From Jule:

Monique has a custom configuration Cinemag transformer only on the XLR balanced side. The Line Out is a 12AU7 tube in a constant current sourced configuration. The 12AU7 became obviously necessary after working for a bit with some QSC folk, some UA folk, and after talking to Jim Bergantino. Jim is a very cool guy in my opinion.

The end result (Line Out) is not specific to QSC by any means, but they made me aware of how little "standardization" there is in the input section or the effects loop section of any of these amps. So. . . the answer is to make available a lot of current so that Monique can push any amp into wonderfull-ness. Not a lot of level, that was never an issue, but lots of current.
Click to expand...


Although if it does indeed run the Line Level, and it was safe (aka the tube voltages involved worked), I have a RCA Blackplate Triple-mica 5751 that could find its way in there. As you know, I'm having some 'growing pains' in terms of gain structuring with my setup. My next gig is Friday night, and I have a Wednesday full band rehearsal that will give me more of a feel for things.
 
#549
So chadds no problems driving your berg ip?

It sounds like it was designed to drive a variety of power amps so .775 shouldnt be any problem. Skies i wonder if a higher gain sub would work or if theres something not right with your 12au7.
 
#550
Stick with the au7. It handles/passes a lot more current than a 12ax7 which is what you want/need in that position to drive the power amp. A 12ax7 is a step in the wrong direction.
 
#551
metron said:
So chadds no problems driving your berg ip?

It sounds like it was designed to drive a variety of power amps so .775 shouldnt be any problem. Skies i wonder if a higher gain sub would work or if theres something not right with your 12au7.
Click to expand...

I do have to turn it way up like 3:00. That's loud even outside. No PA support. I got over that it means something that it's turned way up.
You know, the belief that it's powerful if it's loud at three. As long as it clean and only dirty because I want it to be, I'm good.:)
 
#552
metron said:
So chadds no problems driving your berg ip?

It sounds like it was designed to drive a variety of power amps so .775 shouldnt be any problem. Skies i wonder if a higher gain sub would work or if theres something not right with your 12au7.
Click to expand...

Well, I've tried a different 12AU7 (GE grey plate) and it retained the same levels. I'm going to try to call Jule tomorrow, once his weekend's done and see what we can put together.

Passinwind who knows much about the 12AU7 used in such circuits says that it should have plenty of gain for the setting to drive the output levels. I was just playing with my Kern and the Monique, going back and forth between the two and to get similar volume as the Kern I have to run the line out full open vs. the Kern where I've got both pre/post at 2/3 and the bass pulled back a bit.

I was using the DI on the unit too, running it into my MOTU 8-PRE and found it was a similar situation, to match the Kern DI at 2/3rds up, I had the Monique DI full up and the preamp for the channel on the MOTU turned up nearly all the way (4 o'clock) in comparison to the Kern where the MOTU was set at only 8 o'clock. The line out seems to have roughly instrument level or just a little above (aka close to unity gain when the Line Level is maxed).

****In another test, I also ran my Dingwall bass (OBP-1 equipped) directly into the power amp, then A/B'ed it with the Monique set to full Line Level and found that they're of nearly equivalent output, with the bass alone being only slightly less loud. Something's definitely not quite right.
 
#555
BurningSkies said:
Well, I've tried a different 12AU7 (GE grey plate) and it retained the same levels. I'm going to try to call Jule tomorrow, once his weekend's done and see what we can put together.

Passinwind who knows much about the 12AU7 used in such circuits says that it should have plenty of gain for the setting to drive the output levels. I was just playing with my Kern and the Monique, going back and forth between the two and to get similar volume as the Kern I have to run the line out full open vs. the Kern where I've got both pre/post at 2/3 and the bass pulled back a bit.

I was using the DI on the unit too, running it into my MOTU 8-PRE and found it was a similar situation, to match the Kern DI at 2/3rds up, I had the Monique DI full up and the preamp for the channel on the MOTU turned up nearly all the way (4 o'clock) in comparison to the Kern where the MOTU was set at only 8 o'clock. The line out seems to have roughly instrument level or just a little above (aka close to unity gain when the Line Level is maxed).

****In another test, I also ran my Dingwall bass (OBP-1 equipped) directly into the power amp, then A/B'ed it with the Monique set to full Line Level and found that they're of nearly equivalent output, with the bass alone being only slightly less loud. Something's definitely not quite right.
Click to expand...

Jule will take of you. Those levels sound insufficient.
 
#559
Munjibunga said:
...Also, as I've said many times before, the differences, if any, would be completely lost in a gigging situation. Some differences may be perceptible in studio recording.
Click to expand...

This is definitely not true IME. Not only can I tell the difference in my own playing, but since I've stopped using a Monique, I've had multiple people ask me "where's that cage thing with the blue light" because my tone wasn't as good as they remember. These are hardly audiophiles and they've only heard me with this band on two or three occasions. Most of them aren't even musicians.
 
#560
Munji?
What's the plan here?
You trying to educate us about not falling for a certain cable company's hype? That's warranted. Helping the noobies is a blessed responsibility.
But here my friend, some of us who've been playing since the middle '60s don't need such guidance. Some of us are finally able to play something with the characteristics of the great amps of yore in a very portable package. This is a niche and isn't for everyone. It's not a TB lemming fad. It seems that most of the purchasers are actual gigging musicians using the Monique on stage and studio.
Jule has been totally attentive to our needs. He has been an example of outstanding customer service.

I have been searching for this tone since I heard my first Showman that lost it all when turned past 3. The B-15 without the bulk, with increased clear mids and highs. The Sunn 2000s with D-140s before it went into distortion. The clarity and full uncompressed range of a Hiwatt.

Jule's site made some mention of Ampeg. That could have chased me off. Often live that tone is from a poorly maintained amp exhibiting gritty tone with indistinct muddy low end.
I took the chance. The Namm show sample was not helpful. The ambient noise was so high. I had a feeling though that what I wanted was in there.

There's a 30 day approval period. If you need this piece try it but hey don't be uselessly critical about some samples and telling people they aren't having the real life experience they are having.
 
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