Devin
Well-known member
I'm still running the original tubes in my PS1 which was from the very first batch of them
H
harddriver
Well-known member
I would imagine turning those controls totally off would be like turning all your tone controls off on your plexi amp and expecting it to sound good, but I don't know what the owners manual says about them.
On the 6550 tubes they should have quite a long life as I doubt they are not being pushed very hard being used in this application and they are a very balanced tube soundwise with a wide frequency response so extreme coloring really should not be a issue. As with any attenuator or power amp some coloring is expected to a certain degree but some really great ears like Dave Friedman have used the Fryette PS-1PS2 and PS100 with glowing reviews since it's inception. I have considered one myself.
On the other hand I have read some reviews here by peoples opinions I respect that claimed there was some coloring issues they didn't like so I guess it comes down to what you personally hear.YMMV...
On the 6550 tubes they should have quite a long life as I doubt they are not being pushed very hard being used in this application and they are a very balanced tube soundwise with a wide frequency response so extreme coloring really should not be a issue. As with any attenuator or power amp some coloring is expected to a certain degree but some really great ears like Dave Friedman have used the Fryette PS-1PS2 and PS100 with glowing reviews since it's inception. I have considered one myself.
On the other hand I have read some reviews here by peoples opinions I respect that claimed there was some coloring issues they didn't like so I guess it comes down to what you personally hear.YMMV...
SpiderWars
Well-known member
I think they are an awesome piece of gear but imo you don't get that Marshall gut punch or top end slice. And without those two things it always just sounds like a really good approximation. And its a tone that actually might be easier on the ears if you're not in a band situ. But in a band situ those two things are part of what makes Marshalls so great.I would imagine turning those controls totally off would be like turning all your tone controls off on your plexi amp and expecting it to sound good, but I don't know what the owners manual says about them.
On the 6550 tubes they should have quite a long life as I doubt they are not being pushed very hard being used in this application and they are a very balanced tube soundwise with a wide frequency response so extreme coloring really should not be a issue. As with any attenuator or power amp some coloring is expected to a certain degree but some really great ears like Dave Friedman have used the Fryette PS-1PS2 and PS100 with glowing reviews since it's inception. I have considered one myself.
On the other hand I have read some reviews here by peoples opinions I respect that claimed there was some coloring issues they didn't like so I guess it comes down to what you personally hear.YMMV...
ledvedder
Well-known member
The Plexi sounds ok using the ppimv. The problem with that is I don't have an effects loop. I'm essentially using the PS for an effects loop, as well as a volume boost with the 2nd channel.
4406cuda
Well-known member
napalmdeath
Well-known member
This... That's the problem, no doubt.
stephen sawall
Well-known member
First off as others have mentioned chances of the tubes being a problem are extremely low. It would be obvious if really a issue.
All the controls on the Power Station are there for a reason. Use all of them. The idea there is a best or right and wrong way is nonsense.
This is how to use the Power Station.... I got this information from Steve Fryette.
1 - Set up your amp for the sound you want with the Power Station in Bypass.
2 - Both voicing switches and all knobs all the way down.
3 - Switch Power Station to Operate.
4 - It is now time to use your ears.
5 - Turn the Volume on the Power Station to the volume you want to use.
6 - Adjust the the Deep - Warm - Flat switch first.
7 - Next adjust the Edge- Brite-Flat switch.
8 - After that adjust the Depth knob.
9 - Last adjust the Presence knob.
*****Do not for any reason change this order. *****
After that play for a bit and fine tune the amp and Power Station. It should be very little adjustment.
How loud you are playing in the room is going to have very different settings on the Power Station.
Any way you lower the volume no matter what gear you use or don't use is going to change the sound and feel. This is just basic physics.
Your never going to completely duplicate the sound and feel of your amp with not using the Power Station. The idea is to get the best results from the gear your using.
All the controls on the Power Station are there for a reason. Use all of them. The idea there is a best or right and wrong way is nonsense.
This is how to use the Power Station.... I got this information from Steve Fryette.
1 - Set up your amp for the sound you want with the Power Station in Bypass.
2 - Both voicing switches and all knobs all the way down.
3 - Switch Power Station to Operate.
4 - It is now time to use your ears.
5 - Turn the Volume on the Power Station to the volume you want to use.
6 - Adjust the the Deep - Warm - Flat switch first.
7 - Next adjust the Edge- Brite-Flat switch.
8 - After that adjust the Depth knob.
9 - Last adjust the Presence knob.
*****Do not for any reason change this order. *****
After that play for a bit and fine tune the amp and Power Station. It should be very little adjustment.
How loud you are playing in the room is going to have very different settings on the Power Station.
Any way you lower the volume no matter what gear you use or don't use is going to change the sound and feel. This is just basic physics.
Your never going to completely duplicate the sound and feel of your amp with not using the Power Station. The idea is to get the best results from the gear your using.
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fek
Well-known member
I have a PS2 and changed the tubes a couple months ago trying to weed out a gremlin in the signal chain somewhere. Turned out it was the MXR M300 reverb that was the culprit.
I can't really tell a difference in tone with the new tubes. Maybe a touch more clarity but I moved some things around trying to find above said gremlin so probably just my brain telling me that it is better.
I can't really tell a difference in tone with the new tubes. Maybe a touch more clarity but I moved some things around trying to find above said gremlin so probably just my brain telling me that it is better.
burger
Well-known member
Great post.
errrrrl
Well-known member
I can't imagine not using the presence and depth knobs, to me its like having an eq in the loop or something. Definitely go by your ears and feel.
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
We've done quite a bit of testing with the PS and various other loads. We've found that the impedance curve (IC) of the Fryette's internal load is closest to a typical 412 cab when both Deep and Edge are selected. It's not perfect - no load is - but it's close enough for rock n' roll and closer than when the switches are in any other configuration. The IC is independent of the Pres and Deep knobs, as they are power amps controls and not load voicing options.
If re-amping, then starting with Pres and Deep knobs off and then seasoning to taste is the way to go. The load's IC is doing the heavy lifting in terms of shaping the overall tone as a cab would (a LF resonant peak and a large HF lift).
If re-amping, then starting with Pres and Deep knobs off and then seasoning to taste is the way to go. The load's IC is doing the heavy lifting in terms of shaping the overall tone as a cab would (a LF resonant peak and a large HF lift).
burger
Well-known member
Interesting. I had read that in the FLAT positions it's a straight up resistive load, so BRITE and WARM must be 'half way' between resistive and reactive.
stephen sawall
Well-known member
Your right Flat is resistive. The other settings are just different combinations that simulation different speakers. Brite and Warm Steve has mentioned what is most Celestion users tend to prefer.
As I mentioned before what volume you are using in the room will get very different settings on the Power Station. If your playing really loud you might prefer both of them Flat. If your playing very low volume or want a more modern voice you might prefer Edge and Deep. There is no wrong combination. just set them to whatever sounds best for what you are doing.
Fryette never claimed your going to get the sound and feel of your rig the same as not using the Power Station. In fact they made it clear your not. But you might get it close. They also made the range so you could go beyond what your amp can do without using the Power Station. This was very intentional. Allowing you to shape the sound and feel for what you are doing.
easstudios
Well-known member
I measured the Fryette with some poweramps a while ago, I may have left off Edge+Deep from this graph (which is definitely closest to the cab loads for me). Sometimes I like Bright and Deep, occasionally edge can be a bit much with some amps.
One other interesting I found is the load shapes are a bit different for different input impedances. From menorah, 16 ohms is more flat/less resonant than 8 ohms. Presumably 4 ohms is more resonant still.
burger
Well-known member
Killer graph this Ed. What tool/setup are you using to measure these impedance curves if you don't mind me asking?
cetanu
Well-known member
To quote a stale and overused popculture reference: This is the way.
I've a PS-100 and I don't have any problems with it but it's a surprisingly versatile unit that relies on the users listening with their ears and really understanding what it's capable of IMO. It's certainly the best loadbox I've used, it really expanded the use of my amps and preamps and judging by my experiences with the 2/90/2 I guess I'll be running the original tubes for another 5 to 20 years. I'm not even using it with my remaining tube amps atm but feed its power amp into its load for silent recording with my preamps. This is just a piece of gear that is so useful and so well designed that I'll probably never sell it even when I don't have a regular tube amp anymore. Even thought about buying another one tbh.
easstudios
Well-known member
basically making an IR of a sine going into the fx return and then out of the power amp via a DI. These graphs show the effect on the power amp (rather than the impedance curve) so they’ll vary based on which amp is in use.
Room EQ Wizard makes the graphs, you can just drag IR’s into it and it’ll do the rest.
Room EQ Wizard have an online guide somewhere that shows how to measure the impedance curve of a load, it’s a little more complicated but I’m sure you’d be more capable than me to do it! I find it interesting to know both the load, but also the effect it has when in use
burger
Well-known member
This is super cool, and a very clear explanation. The reactance of the load of course reflects back through the OT. I'll check out Room EQ Wizard.
easstudios
Well-known member
More than welcome mate. I found the impedance guide too - https://www.roomeqwizard.com/help/help_en-GB/html/impedancemeasurement.html
stephen sawall
Well-known member
I should have said ... This is the way Steve Fryette said how to use it. That would be more accurate.