# Power tube distorsion



## GuyB (May 2, 2008)

I have some questions regarding distortion.

How do you make power tube distortion ? I have a Traynor YCV 50 Blue. As I understand it, if I want distortion from the power tubes, I should turn the master volume to the maximum and then, crank the volume of the clean channel ?

Is it the master volume that generates power tubes distortion ?

Does the gain and/or the volume of the "dirty" channel create pre-amp distortion ? What's the difference between the gain and the volume ?

And what part plays the pickup volume on the guitar regarding distortion ?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

No, turning the master volume up full does not create power-tube distortion. It works the other way. When the master is turned down, and the gain is turned up, what you are hearing mostly is the preamp tube distortion. To hear power-tube distortion, the power tubes need to be pushed hard. You do that by removing any attenuation between the preamp and power amp (this is why the master volume is turned up full).


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

You will start having power tube overdrive with the master vol dimed (or at least pass 8) and the channel vol pass 6-7. With these settings and the pickup volume dimed you should have a nice dirt. You can clean up the tone a bit by reducing the pickup volume.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

It really depends on the amp cct ( ohmic value of the vol pot being important but not the only thing of importance ) and the tubes used and what the bias setting is on the tubes.

To break it down to the simply explanation... preamps are approx .5 watts and are used to drive power amps which are on average somewhere from 20 - 100 watts. For any tube to distort the signal must be reach it's clipping point. for a .5 watt preamp thats not very loud... for a 100 watt power amp... thats pretty LOUD.

If you want to hear power amp tube distortion only keep you preamp between 1-3 on average... you know your amp better than me... set the preamp to where it just begins to add distortion then back it off a little till it's cleaned up. Now for the fun part... roll your master/global volumn... in other words turn it up till you hear some distortion start to occur... depending on the three things I mentioned above this could happen at about the half ( 4-6 0 way mark or not until you've reached near the maximum mark ( 8-10 ).


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## FrogRick12 (Feb 21, 2006)

If it's power tube distortion you want without permanently damaging your hearing (been there - done that), get yourself an attenuator (Power Soak, Air Brake, Koch Load Box etc.etc.) and put it between the speaker and the power amp output. Crank up the master volume and then the input volume.


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*smaller amp*

Ii prefer the sound of power tube distortion, but it's tough to get (at reasonable volumes). I would characterize the BEANO sound from John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (feat Eric Clapton) as great power tube distortion. 

But from a 50W amp, your goging to do damage to something, your hearing, the windows in your house, or your relationship with neighbors.

Even my 5W Ep Jr is LOUD when pushed into a 12" speaker. Stupid loud in the house. But, doable for recording or a small gig with a good PA to mike the speaker.

50W is tough, get an attenuator if you want that tone.

g.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

FYI...

10 watts is half as loud as 100 watts... 

1 watt is 1/4 ( yes one quarter ) as loud as 100 watts...

Remember this the next time you plug in a 5 watt head to a 4x12 cab... it's still gonna be pretty darn loud.

A matter of preferance...
I prefer global volumn over power attenuators but just the same I like the Koch Load Box.


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## GuyB (May 2, 2008)

Thank you guys for all your answers. And yes, Gene Machine, I understand very clearly what you mean by "damage". In my case, it's everything you said, plus... my wife :smile:


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

remember kids;

attenuate!


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*maybe today*

I'm thinking about usiing my 5W Epi Jr today for a gig. It's outside, but right downtown were there is tons of reflection off buildings etc. we will have a soundman, so i can mike it through the PA, turn it up to 3 o'clock and listen to the tube crunch... maybe.... 

i also have a 5W champ 600, which is fine for practice, it gives a great Derek and Dominoes sound, but i wouldn't call it usable in a live situation. maybe with the extension cabinet...


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## JSX/6505 (Nov 18, 2007)

I was just playing my 120 watt full stack in my house at break neck levels for about a half hour. Master volume at 7 ultra channel volume at 4. No big deal. Sure it's loud as shit, but come on guys, grow a pair!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

and buy ear plugs!

btw, the JSX is actually 72W apparently, they just go by the number of power tubes. which explains why a 60W VHT is just as loud lol


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## JSX/6505 (Nov 18, 2007)

Budda said:


> and buy ear plugs!
> 
> btw, the JSX is actually 72W apparently, they just go by the number of power tubes. which explains why a 60W VHT is just as loud lol


That's fine with me, because 30 tube watts is plenty for any application. I think the JSX has a perfect amount of wattage for what I do.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

i agree completely


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*?*



JSX/6505 said:


> I was just playing my 120 watt full stack in my house at break neck levels for about a half hour. Master volume at 7 ultra channel volume at 4. No big deal. Sure it's loud as shit, but come on guys, grow a pair!




WHAT?!




YOU WANT ME TO KISS YOUR BROTHER JAKE?!




WELL I WON'T DO IT!


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I also have a YCV50, and to tell you the truth, I can't really say that I feel the sound is lacking anything, even with a generous helping of master volume attenuation-I don't feel a burning need to hear the power tubes breaking up-I think the pre tubes glowin' sound just fine. Of course, getting the chance to open it up once in a while is great, too!
-Mikey


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Spikezone said:


> I also have a YCV50, and to tell you the truth, I can't really say that I feel the sound is lacking anything, even with a generous helping of master volume attenuation-I don't feel a burning need to hear the power tubes breaking up-I think the pre tubes glowin' sound just fine. Of course, getting the chance to open it up once in a while is great, too!
> -Mikey


Hey, whatever blows your skirt up! It's all personal taste. You're likely a younger guy. The world went all Yngwie in the mid 80's and those whose formative years date from then are usually quite happy with just preamp distortion.

I mean, how else can you make a "diad" chord work?:smile:

Older guys like me don't really mind anyone having different tastes. We just can't abide bullcrap claims that you can nail classic or geezer rock tone with a master volume cut back. It's impossible to do without the power tubes working hard. The very idea is as silly as a soup sandwich!

:food-smiley-004:


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> Hey, whatever blows your skirt up! It's all personal taste. You're likely a younger guy. The world went all Yngwie in the mid 80's and those whose formative years date from then are usually quite happy with just preamp distortion.
> 
> I mean, how else can you make a "diad" chord work?:smile:
> 
> ...


You have to be really, really fast to eat a soup sandwich!!!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

DID SOMEONE SAY SOUP SANDWHICH?

because my sister just came home from work w/ my dad, bearing soup and a sammich lol.

oh and im "young", but i prefer drive from both sections.. call me crazy.. i also enjoy classic rock and death metal..


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> Hey, whatever blows your skirt up! It's all personal taste. You're likely a younger guy. The world went all Yngwie in the mid 80's and those whose formative years date from then are usually quite happy with just preamp distortion.
> 
> I mean, how else can you make a "diad" chord work?:smile:
> 
> ...


It's posts like these make me realize just how old I am. I wouldn't even look at an MV amp for years!


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> Hey, whatever blows your skirt up! It's all personal taste. You're likely a younger guy. The world went all Yngwie in the mid 80's and those whose formative years date from then are usually quite happy with just preamp distortion.
> 
> I mean, how else can you make a "diad" chord work?:smile:
> 
> ...


Actually, I'll be 51 in a couple of days (I bought the BLUE last summer with my 50th birthday loot), so maybe since I'm only 50 right now, I'm still a young guy??? LOL! Really, all I can say is that I haven't had too much luck making this amp sound bad with any of my guitars. It IS all personal taste, and I have heard young guys say that the BLUE doesn't cut it for THEM.
-Mikey


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