BesaMoogie
Well-known member
So I`m currently working on a DIY 2203 clone and trying to tweak it to my liking. Doing this, I am comparing it to my JCM800 2204 from 82.
On thing that bothers me is, that I can`t get the lowend to respond the way I would like. There seemed to be a layer of low harmonics giving the lowend a rather spongy/saggy feel and taking away the grind I get from my original 2204. The lowend on the 2204 is focused, percussive and fast whereas the clone has more of a bouncing thing going on. I immediately relax my picking hand, when switching to the 2204 whereas with the clone, I compensate the saggy response by picking and muting harder. Me don`t like this.
I made a "clipping system" on the turret board and already played around with different cap brand (NOS Philips MKT, Sozo, Mojo, Ceramics, Mallory) as well as with different resistor meterials (CC,CF,MF) with some improvement, but I am starting to think, that maybe the filter caps are the missing link in this?
The clone has currently TAD filter caps which are their take on the LCRs, but they are from a different manufacturer than ARS.
The clone has a PV of 450V and an OT made by Dagnall. The JCM800 2204 has a lower PV of 390V, but still feels more percussive.
Tubes in the preamp are the same on both amps, the 2204 has TungSol EL34, the clone has TAD el34.
So people with experience on ARS filter caps, please chime in. Why do you like or dislike them and how did they affect the response and tone in your amps?
PS: when done with this project, I am planing to make a thread about the findings I made during the build.
On thing that bothers me is, that I can`t get the lowend to respond the way I would like. There seemed to be a layer of low harmonics giving the lowend a rather spongy/saggy feel and taking away the grind I get from my original 2204. The lowend on the 2204 is focused, percussive and fast whereas the clone has more of a bouncing thing going on. I immediately relax my picking hand, when switching to the 2204 whereas with the clone, I compensate the saggy response by picking and muting harder. Me don`t like this.
I made a "clipping system" on the turret board and already played around with different cap brand (NOS Philips MKT, Sozo, Mojo, Ceramics, Mallory) as well as with different resistor meterials (CC,CF,MF) with some improvement, but I am starting to think, that maybe the filter caps are the missing link in this?
The clone has currently TAD filter caps which are their take on the LCRs, but they are from a different manufacturer than ARS.
The clone has a PV of 450V and an OT made by Dagnall. The JCM800 2204 has a lower PV of 390V, but still feels more percussive.
Tubes in the preamp are the same on both amps, the 2204 has TungSol EL34, the clone has TAD el34.
So people with experience on ARS filter caps, please chime in. Why do you like or dislike them and how did they affect the response and tone in your amps?
PS: when done with this project, I am planing to make a thread about the findings I made during the build.