New Traynor YBA 100!!

[Roxbororob]

8 ohm cab, tried 8 ohm and 4 ohm settings. Another "clue" is I think the power dropped as I played it. The two "cold" lights were on when I looked so I tweaked the bias a bit but no joy.
I should check to see if it was somehow set to 240v?
BTW the LED light on this is stoopid bright, especially on standby - anyone "fixed" that yet?
I'll try bypassing the preamp on Saturday or Sunday to see if that helps me locate what tube(s) I should try replacing.

Fingers crossed...
I havent opened mine yet but other folks on this thread have, hopefully they will chime in.
Did you pull the service manual off the website (see attached to this post)?

The only mod I have done so far is to insert felt washers under the knobs to add some drag.

 

[a-37]

WTH is up with light gray font on their website! I don't want to strain my eyes to read the specs. I'm finding this more and more on various sites. I guess they are trying to save internet ink. Maybe I just woke up feeling bitchy or maybe they don't want me to buy their product
end of rant.

Now that you mention it is indeed a bit annoying. The light grey on white is probably intended to look more stylish, maybe less aggressive than a higher contrast full black on white. Seems the contrast is a bit too low for you and close to getting too low for me as well but not quite.

Web designers probably tend to have expensive high quality displays and pretty much perfect eyesight. Most people using the sites they designed also will be like the people here who wonder how come you can't read it since they can. However, not everyone has their eyes and not everyone's issues with vision are correctable with a new pair of glasses.

If you really have trouble but also really want to read the specs you could highlight the text with the mouse which makes it look butt ugly but raises contrast considerably. Or copy & paste to a text editor to read. (I actually have to use the copy & paste trick on sites that go full bright white on black background which hurts to read and takes a moment to recover from.)

And of course it could also be a sign that you need a better monitor (or phone?) if you did not recognize yourself as one of us with poor eyesight.

Good luck!

 

[Loring]

Now that you mention it is indeed a bit annoying. The light grey on white is probably intended to look more stylish, maybe less aggressive than a higher contrast full black on white. Seems the contrast is a bit too low for you and close to getting too low for me as well but not quite.

Web designers probably tend to have expensive high quality displays and pretty much perfect eyesight. Most people using the sites they designed also will be like the people here who wonder how come you can't read it since they can. However, not everyone has their eyes and not everyone's issues with vision are correctable with a new pair of glasses.

If you really have trouble but also really want to read the specs you could highlight the text with the mouse which makes it look butt ugly but raises contrast considerably. Or copy & paste to a text editor to read. (I actually have to use the copy & paste trick on sites that go full bright white on black background which hurts to read and takes a moment to recover from.)

And of course it could also be a sign that you need a better monitor (or phone?) if you did not recognize yourself as one of us with poor eyesight.

Good luck!

It may also depend on which browser you are using.

 

[RoadRanger]

Fingers crossed...
I havent opened mine yet but other folks on this thread have, hopefully they will chime in.
Did you pull the service manual off the website (see attached to this post)?

The only mod I have done so far is to insert felt washers under the knobs to add some drag.

Yes, got the service manual but it doesn't say where the preamp tubes are on the YBA100 nor how you get to them?

 

[JonathanSV]

Yes, got the service manual but it doesn't say where the preamp tubes are on the YBA100 nor how you get to them?

The preamp tubes are under the amp. Remove the screw securing the flat plate under the amp. Be careful the screws are the amp weakness...

 

[RoadRanger]

I'm surprised no one has opened theirs up and taken some photos?

 

[BucketOfFish]

This is the page I was looking at. I can read it but, I am not likely to do so. Yes the pictures above this portion were bold and black
I generally like to peruse the specs for my own education. I already have two Traynor amps a YBA-1 and a YGM-3, both early '70's, both keepers.

 

[BucketOfFish]

Thanks, Karen. Would you like to speak to the manager?

Well "sweetie", I'm not your "Karen" but, I'm sure that if you keep looking you'll find you true loverboy.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

I'm surprised no one has opened theirs up and taken some photos?

Tubes are easily accessible once you remove the cover.
I had swapped out with the JJs in my V4B last fall, as I suspected a noisy tube...
I'm not an expert with tube amps - I wore my nitrile gloves and stayed "alert"...

 

[GrapeBass]

Tubes are easily accessible once you remove the cover.
I had swapped out with the JJs in my V4B last fall, as I suspected a noisy tube...
I'm not an expert with tube amps - I wore my nitrile gloves and stayed "alert"...

View attachment 4217921

That picture of the rear chassis is NOT a YBA100 (although the pict of the PCB is)

I'm confused

Edit: ahh, the pict of the rear chassis is the 4B (Loud Technologies).

 

[Koshchei]

That picture of the rear chassis is NOT a YBA100 (although the pict of the PCB is)

I'm confused

Edit: ahh, the pict of the rear chassis is the 4B (Loud Technologies).

Yeah - the YBA-100's power tubes are oriented upwards in the chassis. You get to them by removing the 12 mini screws.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

I'm confused

Clearly I was too!!
edited to avoid further confusion....
(those thumbnails are so hard to distinguish on a 4k laptop!!)

 

[astheshipsails]

I’m wondering if anyone has considered upgrading the transformers in their YBA100? After reading several reports of underwhelming output/volume for a 100 watt head, that has me wondering if the transformer set is not quite up to the task. Had anyone looked into this, is there room inside the casing to replace the with good quality iron transformers? Maybe the power could be brought up to 120 watts?

This could be a pricey upgrade, but I wonder if you could still come out under or close to the cost of the 100w alternatives on the market?

 

[Koshchei]

I’m wondering if anyone has considered upgrading the transformers in their YBA100? After reading several reports of underwhelming output/volume for a 100 watt head, that has me wondering if the transformer set is not quite up to the task. Had anyone looked into this, is there room inside the casing to replace the with good quality iron transformers? Maybe the power could be brought up to 120 watts?

This could be a pricey upgrade, but I wonder if you could still come out under or close to the cost of the 100w alternatives on the market?

If you're noticing lower output, you'd be better off investing in more efficient speakers/cabinets if you want more volume. Traynor makes some fantastic cabinets that L&M sells for bargain basement prices when they cycle them out of their rental pool - they even come with a warranty *hint hint*

 

[PillO]

If you're noticing lower output, you'd be better off investing in more efficient speakers/cabinets if you want more volume. Traynor makes some fantastic cabinets that L&M sells for bargain basement prices when they cycle them out of their rental pool - they even come with a warranty *hint hint*

I have gotten a coule of bargains on cabinets from L&M. Not from the rental pool, but many years old. The 410 (C$250) had clearly had two drivers replaced. It looked like it lived as the backline in a bar. Probably 10-15 years old, but in fine working condition. The 1510 was even cheaper. It looked like it lived in someone's basement for 15-20 years.

 

[Murch]

I have gotten a coule of bargains on cabinets from L&M. Not from the rental pool, but many years old. The 410 (C$250) had clearly had two drivers replaced. It looked like it lived as the backline in a bar. Probably 10-15 years old, but in fine working condition. The 1510 was even cheaper. It looked like it lived in someone's basement for 15-20 years.

Was that Mesa 4x10 cab at the Burlington L&M? If so, I remember seeing it and thinking that was a great deal. I recently scored a nice Bag End 2x10 for $99 at the Brampton store.

 

[astheshipsails]

If you're noticing lower output, you'd be better off investing in more efficient speakers/cabinets if you want more volume. Traynor makes some fantastic cabinets that L&M sells for bargain basement prices when they cycle them out of their rental pool - they even come with a warranty *hint hint*

I don’t own a YBA100, but I am interested in it. Good point about efficient cabs. I’m building a cab with a kappalite 3015, so that’s about as efficient as it gets for a small cab, and I could always add a second one for 103db of sensitivity.

My interest in a transformer upgrade has to do with output volume, but also headroom, and low end heft at higher volumes. Some have reported that it gets farty as it’s pushed into overdrive. And I’m sure that has a lot to do with the circuit design and the choice of tubes, but I’m curious about possible improvements in tone, headroom, and punch with a PT & OT upgrade. And also interested in how accommodating the chassis and PCB would be.

 

[PillO]

Was that Mesa 4x10 cab at the Burlington L&M? If so, I remember seeing it and thinking that was a great deal. I recently scored a nice Bag End 2x10 for $99 at the Brampton store.

It was at the L&M Burlington. One of the Mesa Boogie "Road Ready" ones. I had let them know I was in the market for an inexpensive used cab so they called me the day it came in. I paid for it right away, but it took me about a week to pick it up. The 1510 I saw the day it came in and bought it right away (and picked it up a week later). My teacher told me that had he seen it earlier in the day, he would have bought it.

The guys at my L&M are awesome. Let them know what you are looking for and they will keep an eye out for it.

 

[Murch]

It was at the L&M Burlington. One of the Mesa Boogie "Road Ready" ones. I had let them know I was in the market for an inexpensive used cab so they called me the day it came in. I paid for it right away, but it took me about a week to pick it up. The 1510 I saw the day it came in and bought it right away (and picked it up a week later). My teacher told me that had he seen it earlier in the day, he would have bought it.

The guys at my L&M are awesome. Let them know what you are looking for and they will keep an eye out for it.

I was in at the Burlington store on Friday. They have a used YBA300 for $599, so tempting but way overkill for my needs.

 

[Koshchei]

I was in at the Burlington store on Friday. They have a used YBA300 for $599, so tempting but way overkill for my needs.

And a million dollars to re-tube