What 1x12 combo... Thinking of going for a DSL401C.

CHrisP86

I have been thinking about trying to find an MJW Goldstar.

@welshboyo don’t worry, the ATMA is a brilliant amp!   I literally just want a combo as it’s less to move around.

Titch

Rivera Clubster45 is a good option

CHrisP86

Bit disappointed by what Andertons have just released in the Black Friday sale.  Not really even one suitable combo in my price range!

CHrisP86

I'm now thinking of going for a DSL401C as a cheaper option.

With regards to the overheating issue, I've read that 'newer' ones don't have the problem.  Is that actually true?  It sounds like they were just biased colder from the factory.

I was also wondering whether pulling two of the EL84's would help the problem.

timmysoft

considered a tubemeister 36 combo?

ICBM

CHrisP86 said:

I'm now thinking of going for a DSL401C as a cheaper option.

With regards to the overheating issue, I've read that 'newer' ones don't have the problem.  Is that actually true?  It sounds like they were just biased colder from the factory.

I was also wondering whether pulling two of the EL84's would help the problem.

The overheating problem is only partly related to the power valve bias - the actual component which overheats (and desolders itself) is the bridge rectifier for the preamp valve filament circuit.

The proper solution to this is to fit a bolt-on heatsink to the rectifier - that's what the hole in the middle is for . Marshall never did this even on the later amps.

Biasing cooler is a good idea anyway, simply because the factory setting is too hot and wears the valves out. The service info calls for 1.375V across the 10-ohm resistor at the test point - the best setting is about 0.8V in my opinion.

I also fit two large rubber grommets around the upper rear chassis bolts, to increase the cooling gap - there is one anyway, but it's quite small.

You can pull two power valves if you want, which effectively turns it into a DSL201. Reset the impedance to 8 ohms to run the 16-ohm speaker. That would reduce the heat generated a bit, but I would probably do the other stuff first.

CHrisP86

Thanks @ICBM.  Is fitting the heatsink something I could do or is it really a tech job?

@timmysoft the H&K stuff looks good but I've got my mind set on trying a couple of 'vintage' marshall amps.

ICBM

CHrisP86 said:

Thanks @ICBM.  Is fitting the heatsink something I could do or is it really a tech job?

It's a tech job really. To do it you have to unsolder the rectifier and remount it, and you may or may not choose to drill through the board to bolt the rectifier down tightly and help the joints stay tight (which involves jumpering a trace that's in the way), or leave it higher up to aid cooling with the bolt above the board. Either requires getting the board out, which while not a huge job once you know how, can be tricky if you don't.

fastonebaz

+1 to this thread.  It's exactly my dilemma too.  I tried the victory v45 the count at Andertons this weekend but it is a little less exciting then I'd hoped for. Also the reverb was terrible.   They didn't have any marshall combos to try.  They did have a couple of PRS combos though but i didn't try them.  Any one know anything about the prs combos? 

CHrisP86

Never tried the PRS sonzera. Did consider the 20w as an option before deciding to go down the Marshall route.

Just typical that I have cash, have decided what amp I want but there are none around...

CHrisP86

@ICBM Anything wrong with the JCM900 2101?

Randomly GAK have one at the moment.

ICBM

CHrisP86 said:

@ICBM Anything wrong with the JCM900 2101?

Randomly GAK have one at the moment.

Not really - pretty good amp, although surprisingly heavy for such a small thing .

Just the usual JCM900 problems of the 'choke' resistor occasionally desoldering itself or failing, and sometimes the next one (22K I think) in the HT chain, and the crap pots. The transformers are sometimes known to blow, but they seem better than the JCM2000s.

Be careful if you want to connect an extension cab to it - the selector gives 8 or *4* ohms and not 16 as it implies - it's probably the single worst piece of labelling on any amp I can think of, and I always carefully remove the bracketed figure with some solvent when I work on them to avoid confusion...

Voxman

ICBM said:

CHrisP86 said:

Thanks @ICBM.  Is fitting the heatsink something I could do or is it really a tech job?

It's a tech job really. To do it you have to unsolder the rectifier and remount it, and you may or may not choose to drill through the board to bolt the rectifier down tightly and help the joints stay tight (which involves jumpering a trace that's in the way), or leave it higher up to aid cooling with the bolt above the board. Either requires getting the board out, which while not a huge job once you know how, can be tricky if you don't.

Had mine (DSL401) done a few years back - been bullet proof ever since, plus upgraded the speaker to a Classic Lead 80 which is a big improvement over the stock speaker and its noticeably louder too. 

CHrisP86

@Voxman do you remember how much it all cost?

I’m guessing you like it?  Have you played it against any other amps?

@Icbm thanks for the info. 

Voxman

CHrisP86 said:

@Voxman do you remember how much it all cost?

I’m guessing you like it?  Have you played it against any other amps?

@Icbm thanks for the info. 

It wasn't expensive - I was charged £40 I think.  I tried the DSL40c (around £600 at the time) but just didn't like it - it was too 'hi-fi' sounding to my ears. A used DSL401 came up at less than half that price, and it had more grunt and sounded much more Marshally to my ears with much more of the Marshall crunch that I liked, so I bought it.

My other amps are a Marshall Valvestate 8080 with a 1x12" G12T75 speaker (still a cracking little amp, & Marshall's top selling amp of all time), a Class A Laney VC30-210 with 2x10" Jensen C10Q16 speakers, Laney Cub 12R (revalved with hand-selected JJ tubes and the stock Celestion Rocket 50 speaker swapped for a Celestion Century Vintage 30), and a Vox Valvetronix AD120VTX 2x12" combo with 2x12" Celestion ('Neodog') Century Vintage Neodymium speakers.  

I jump the FX loop with a short patch lead in the DSL401, which you can't do in the DSL40c, and it kicks up the volume and gives a more gutsier tone.  The foot-pedal lets me go from 'green' clean to 'amber' OD1 crunch to 'red' OD2 Crunch on stage, and unlike the DSL40C it's a true 2-channel amp with independent EQ. 

It's also surprisingly loud for a 1x12 40w amp. Some years back I did an open-air gig and took the DSL401 which was supposed to be miked up to the PA, but the PA had a problem and kept cutting out, so I had to go pure 'back-line' playing classic rock with a heavy drummer.  I was worried the DSL401 wouldn't be loud enough & cut through the band mix. I needn't have worried and did the gig with volume levels set at only half - I actually had to turn the volume down!:

ICBM

Voxman said:

a Class A Laney VC30-210

It’s not Class A .

They may say it is... but it’s a standard cathode-biased Class AB, just like an AC30 and all the others based on that power stage design.

Sorry, pet peeve .

CHrisP86

Picking up a DSL401 tomorrow.

Have a Neo Creamback I can put in it, so that’s the speaker upgrade done.

Will try jumping the fx loop as well.

Will make sure it’s a keeper before doing the heat sink but will keep a fan close by! 

Any other tips for eq’ing or getting a ‘good’ sound out of it? 

ICBM

CHrisP86 said:

Any other tips for eq’ing or getting a ‘good’ sound out of it? 

Bias it correctly. The factory setting is *way* too hot, which affects both the reliability and the tone.

The stock setting is 1.375V at the meter connector - aim for 0.8V instead.

All the DSL/TSLs are biased too hot, but this one is the worst.

Voxman

ICBM said:8

Voxman said:

a Class A Laney VC30-210

It’s not Class A .

They may say it is... but it’s a standard cathode-biased Class AB, just like an AC30 and all the others based on that power stage design.

Sorry, pet peeve .

I know, I know...its tehnically class A/B...but it was described as class A by Laney just as the Vox AC30 was originally described as Class A by Vox. I just said class A as 'coloquial' to indicate the type of tone it produces. 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/valve-amps/valve-combos/laney-vc30-112-vc

viz

Carvin Nomad