# Traynor YCV80 Opinions



## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Although I don't really need another amp, I am considering a YCV80 for one side of the room (my Orange AD30 will be on the other side). 

Does anyone here have any experience with them? If so, what did you think? I used to have the 4x10 version for a little while but cannot remember what it was like or why I moved it on. Plus, I was much less experienced when I owned it so wasn't really knowledgeable about amps.

I know there are other YCV series amps out there, and that the YCV80 will be moronically loud, but I am firmly in the 2x12 (or more) camp these days and 1x12 amps just don't do it for me. Sure, I could buy a 1x12 and add an extension cab but it is just cheaper to go with a 2x12 and the YCV80 is the only Traynor one I can think of.

I could go vintage Traynor and get a 2x12, but people are asking stupid prices these days and I just don't feel like putting up with the bullshit of haggling. Meanwhile, there is a YCV80 available through L&M for $375. If I could find a vintage one for a reasonable price without any bullshit haggling I would go that route.

But in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone had any comments on the YCV80?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I had the 212 for a few years in high school.

It was very quiet. Our bassist had a Frontman 15 bass (or traynor equivalent) and it kept up fine with my "80 tube watts!" combo in a cement bassist.

I'd find something closed back instead. If your budget allows, head and combo (egnater rebel and traynor dark horse 212?)


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I tried one once and found it really too loud for my purposes at the time, mostly small venues. If it's anything like as good as the other YCV amps (I have a 40, had a 50 and 20) it's a great amp, somewhere betwixt a Marshall and Fender in tone, only better. Built like a tank, gobs of tone, lovely reverb and drive, and all the YCV amps benefit from a second speaker either in the combo or as an extension cab (I run Eminence Cannibis Rex in mine).


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I currently have a 4x10 combo. I really like the clean channel. It's very lush. I like the reverb but only with it set below 10:00 o'clock. It gets muddy after that. I struggle with the drive channel for home use. Live it is pretty good. For home use the clean channel gets more use than my 15 watt Pro Junior. I find the clean channel works for me at any volume. I like the XLR out for recording although it doesn't sound the same because it is only the preamp. It has a headphone out with a speaker defeat switch for silent practice but for silent practice it actually sounds better into a mixer then to headphones. I've never tried the loop so I can't comment on it. The only pedals I use with it are an EQ, a BD-2, and a Green Rhino but honestly I hardly ever use them. I don't use a lot of drive and find at any volume I can get a nice blues crunch with the amp alone on the clean channel then clean it up with the guitar volume. It sounds especially good with a strat. This is my second one. After I sold the first one I missed it and eventually found this one for $350. They go really cheap. I tried a couple of the 2x12 combos but didn't like them as much. The 4x10 has more punch, especially at lower volumes. Both of mine had the stock Celestion Tube 10 speakers and I never felt the urge to change them.


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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

To my ears, it's a doubled up YCV40.

YCV40 - 2 x 6L6, 40 watts, one Celestion 70/80

YCV80 - 4 x 6L6, 80 watts, two Celestion 70/80


The 70/80s are the weak link, otherwise it a damn fine amp.
Throw in a set of Jensens and you have a Twin Reverb killer.
Throw in a set of good Celestions (I strongly recommend a pair of Neo Creambacks) and you have an amp that can hang with a Marshall.

All the while having a slightly unique, definitely Canadian tone.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

SG-Rocker said:


> To my ears, it's a doubled up YCV40.
> 
> YCV40 - 2 x 6L6, 40 watts, one Celestion 70/80
> 
> ...



I really liked the Twin I had. I got it for $550 so it was a killer deal, but when the chance came to trade it straight up for an Orange AD30 I went for it. That being said, I kind of miss the Twin even though I only had it for a little while. I've got the classic British flavour covered with my Orange, and have become something of an Orange convert (I would only get rid of it for a Hiwatt) so if I buy this YCV80 I would put Jensens in it to give me the Twin thing.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

For 550 you could just get a different model twin.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Budda said:


> For 550 you could just get a different model twin.



If I could find one for that price I would.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

colchar said:


> If I could find one for that price I would.


Look for red knobs and "the twin"s.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Budda said:


> Look for red knobs and "the twin"s.


Are they basically the same as a Twin Reverb Reissue? I have to plead ignorance with regard to Twins other than the TRRI,


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## Markus 1 (Feb 1, 2019)

I bought 2 of them in succession. 
One for 250 another for 225. Bought them out of principle. How do you say no to a tube amp at that price.

I thought the cleans were gorgeous. The reverb pretty damn good too. Crunch channel not bad but not a plexi or a boogie or such

If they were not so big I would have kept one


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I think I paid something like $150 for my 4x10 version. I am kicking myself now for ever selling it, but I got my money back plus a low wattage amp so that amp was free.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

colchar said:


> Are they basically the same as a Twin Reverb Reissue? I have to plead ignorance with regard to Twins other than the TRRI,


They can do the twin sound but not as loud. Weight is about the same. Weight is the down side of this amp for me. It would get way more use if it wasn’t such a pig to load in and out.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Kerry Brown said:


> They can do the twin sound but not as loud. Weight is about the same. Weight is the down side of this amp for me. It would get way more use if it wasn’t such a pig to load in and out.



Not as loud is good as I only play at home, which also means the weight isn't an issue as the amp will sit in one spot like a piece of furniture.

Then again, loud is relative as my AD30 is loud as hell, the TRRI was stupidly loud, and the amp that I had before that was a Marshall JCM800 2203.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

colchar said:


> Not as loud is good as I only play at home, which also means the weight isn't an issue as the amp will sit in one spot like a piece of furniture.
> 
> Then again, loud is relative as my AD30 is loud as hell, the TRRI was stupidly loud, and the amp that I had before that was a Marshall JCM800 2203.


The YCV80 can be stupidly loud. A Twin is louder than that


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## TheYanChamp (Mar 6, 2009)

Great amp on paper, but failed to deliver on most fronts. It was my first tube amp and the price point and features sold me. 

Over three years, two warrenty repairs, one out of pocket repair, crappy speakers, 'features' like line out, fx loop, boost switch, xlr out that did not work terribly well. 

I have nothing good to say about it except it didn't fail mid gig and I abused it a lot those three years. Sold it for a Tiny terror and 1x12, also got hooked on orange then stuck with a Ad30 both head and combo for 10 years.

I will say that I prefered the rental ycv80q with the 4-10s that I played during the repairs and prefered it 100%. 



Sent from my H3223 using Tapatalk


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Looks like I've arranged a deal for a vintage 1971 Silverface Twin so the Traynor question is moot. Thanks anyway folks.


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