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Mesa Strategy and Prodigy discontinued. Also PH cabs.

#361
20180629_075351.jpg
This is my actual rig for light event, one Sansamp Paradriver one YAMAHA NE-1, 1 kilowatt class D and four cabs like this. A 800+ could be in my plan also in the future.
 
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#363
baxter_x said:
Seriously? 5 kilowatts??
I'm the kind of guy who always enjoys playing powerful rig, but even for me, that amount of power is overkill!
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Nothing exceeds like excess. But that rack was actually mainly meant for PA duty and I've never been able to resist double dipping.
 
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#365
Leo was right said:
I can imagine you have not just a single 12'' under this...
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Right. Full stereo 2 x 15/6/1 system plus third channel w/12" cab for dirt, stupid convoluted EFX rack, processed vocals and guitar synth also running through the system. And the way I ran it I wasn't actually using anywhere close to 5kW.
 
#370
adivin said:
I wonder if the "KT-88 reliability issue" is as pronounced in amps like the Reeves 225?
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My Strategy came with Shugaung tubes like all those early ones did, I felt they were crappy, and indeed I had issues with them.
Two years ago when I found Mesa changed to JJ tubes, I bought a set and have no longer had any issues. I use the JJ KT88's in my Bass 400 without issue as well (actually bought two sets)
 
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#371
mikeswals said:
My Strategy came with Shugaung tubes like all those early ones did, I felt they were crappy, and indeed I had issues with them.
Two years ago when I found Mesa changed to JJ tubes, I bought a set and have no longer had any issues. I use the JJ KT88's in my Bass 400 without issue as well (actually bought two sets)
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The earlier Shuguang KT-88's were excellent, but there was difficulty in them holding tolerances between (and within) production lots. We would get an outstanding batch them a batch that tested good and burned in good but would drift badly in key operating specs within a hundred hours. The JJ's were more consistent, but there are still problems within production lots that don't show up until 100-200 hours into their life, just not as many on average.

This is frustrating for both the customer and us.
 
#372
agedhorse said:
The earlier Shuguang KT-88's were excellent, but there was difficulty in them holding tolerances between (and within) production lots. We would get an outstanding batch them a batch that tested good and burned in good but would drift badly in key operating specs within a hundred hours. The JJ's were more consistent, but there are still problems within production lots that don't show up until 100-200 hours into their life, just not as many on average.

This is frustrating for both the customer and us.
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I recently tried a quad of the special run Shuguang GEKT88 branded as Ruby KT88V-STR. These tubes have also been branded as Penta KT88SC and Preferred Series KT88. The initial matching was not very tight and the bias drifted significantly for a couple of weeks. They seem to have stabilized now, but I won't be surprised if they run hot the next time the amp comes into it's playing rotation. IMHO they are a bit darker than JJs.

Although the JJ KT88s are not perfect, they have been far more stable and reliable than any other KT88s I have run. The last quad of JJs I bought were perfectly matched and remained so even after being subjected to some internal arcing cause by vibration and loose tube sockets. So far I haven't come across any of the bad ones.
 
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#373
The KT-88's are in general fairly sensitive to bias drift, there are circuit enhancements that can be designed in but change the architecture somewhat. This scares some designers and especially internet tube amp experts who don't understand ANYTHING outside the box, the good old circuits complete with all the good old faults.
 
#374
agedhorse said:
The KT-88's are in general fairly sensitive to bias drift, there are circuit enhancements that can be designed in but change the architecture somewhat. This scares some designers and especially internet tube amp experts who don't understand ANYTHING outside the box, the good old circuits complete with all the good old faults.
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What do you think about automatic bias circuits some amps have?
 
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#375
agedhorse said:
The KT-88's are in general fairly sensitive to bias drift, there are circuit enhancements that can be designed in but change the architecture somewhat. This scares some designers and especially internet tube amp experts who don't understand ANYTHING outside the box, the good old circuits complete with all the good old faults.
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How about the production consistency on the 6L6 side?
 
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#376
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#377
baxter_x said:
OK, now I understand! You guys use such power for concert PA right? Not stage bass rig.
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When I was hauling that much PA I rarely bothered with a stage rig per se. In my louder days I would bi or tri amp my stage rig, and 1000 to 2000 watts total available clean amp power was generally the most I would haul. But again, that doesn't mean I actually used that much power.
 
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