jose high vs. low gain?? ocean mod?? modern mod?

[scottosan]

Cameron Atomica - 3 gain stages plus cathode follower (production amp is a hybrid, no MM xfers, off the shelf MC xfers and 50% Cameron)


Cameron Old Bitch - 4 gain stages no cathode follower (this amp is a hybrid, no MM xfers, off the shelf MC xfers and 50% Cameron)

Can someone explain to me the above bold underlined abbreviations please...Thanks.

I would say my biggest observation would be while the preamps may be similar, those has the Dave style BE voiced NFB circuits, while Mark has his own Punch/Depth/Freq variations that he does. IMHO the magic to many amps, including Bogner and Cameron is that their NFB circuit is absolutely critical to the signature tone.

 

[NewReligion]

Cameron Atomica - 3 gain stages plus cathode follower (production amp is a hybrid, no MM xfers, off the shelf MC xfers and 50% Cameron)


Cameron Old Bitch - 4 gain stages no cathode follower (this amp is a hybrid, no MM xfers, off the shelf MC xfers and 50% Cameron)

Can someone explain to me the above bold underlined abbreviations please...Thanks.

I would say my biggest observation would be while the preamps may be similar, those has the Dave style BE voiced NFB circuits, while Mark has his own Punch/Depth/Freq variations that he does. IMHO the magic to many amps, including Bogner and Cameron is that their NFB circuit is absolutely critical to the signature tone.

Agreed, Presence-NFB-Resonance assemblies are key.

 

[EXPcustom]

 

[Longo]

Maybe, but I can answer it for you...the Atomica and Old Bitch hybrid amps (hybrid as not 100% Mark design, but a blend of Mark and Dave Friendman and assembled by George Metropolous) used Heyboer PT and Magnetic Components choke and OT. This was during a period Friedman was adding additional taps to the transformers for channel switching/relys, etc. For whatever reason, I'm assuming because the chassis were all punched with specific holes, Friedman did not want the footprint changed, but when you add more and more stuff, something hs to give. In the end was horribly designed PT which was noisy and generated extra heat. Likewise, the amps were built wrong a Metropolous (filter cap grounds not installed, bright cap switches installed incorrect, incorrect cathode resistors, wrong values, etc). It was a cluster fuck and people paid good money for those amps. I know many were sent back to be fixed.

The Cameron/Friedman Atomica andOld Bitch should have been installed with the following from the factory and again, NOT Mark's normal Mercury Magnetics transformer (xfer) set.

PT - Heyboer - HTS-8205-1 DF
Choke - Magnetic Components - 40-18058
OT - 40-18026

really ...
What is the correct way to wire the bright caps switch?
I have to check my atomica brad era ...

 

[jdzialak]

"Aldrich - just not the amp for me as the way the circuit input feeds produces a fizz I don't care for."

That's the great thing about amps and uitar players. Everyone has their own tone in their head. For me, I'm a high-gain whore and I like the fizzies and sizzle ala Doug Aldrich tone (Randy Rhoads had this on the top end also).

"Mark sometimes put clippers in the Aldrich. I had one that did."

I can check my notes, but have had multiple Cameron's and don't believe any of them had peaker caps on them.

"Mark told me he did that to a couple and has built 2-3 three channel Aldrich's as well."

Yes, I had one from a dude out of Hawaii that I blueprinted. The three channels are: Plexi (2 gain + CF), Jose HG (3 gain + CF), Aldrich (4 gains).

"One of my Aldrich's had a 5 way rotary switch with different rated pf I think 220-800 caps to change the freq grind off of V2a/b."

Hmm, that's funny. I've never seen or heard of a 5-way. I did have a 1-off with like a 10-way, but it didn't function that way. Anyway, a guy asked me what he thought it was and I told him to change the frequency of the voltage divider to the second gain stage (similar to what you are talking about) and he liked it!!! lol

"would like to try some others but at 2K a pop it is a risky transaction to get a unmolested Cameron at this point as everyone wants to dig into them then flip them. "

That might me true, but I think risk is low. The price of the Cameron's stays high and you should be able to resale for the same or more than you paid. I have done this with every Cameron I've had even selling recent and have always MADE money on them even on $4,000 selling prices!!! :O Due to the reverse-engineering and what not that goes on and Mark being anal about his designs, I do not think any of the amps he's been producing the last few years contains the "total" designs for his fear of people stealing it. I've seen gut shots of newer builds of what is supposed to be some of his named MODs and they are not right.

"As an owner of both, the Aldrich modded Marshalls (by Mark) and the Cameron Old Bitches sound nothing alike."

That would be correct as the OB has a lot of Friedman influence in it, but more rounded. Mark's complete MOD or builds are tighter and more aggressive...which I like, but must say, once the OB has the appropriate iron in it and wired right and what not, it sounded really, really good!

Enjoyable read and perspective... thank you.

?? I had 4 Aldrich and a one off, and one of my Aldrich's was an early mod, and had a 5 way rotary on the back. Not sure what it did in the circuit but seemed to brighten or darken, taking it into modern territory if needed. He did this amp back in 93 I was told. One of the first 3 he did.

I have a Mig 100 Ocean incoming, and when this amp was for sale here long ago it was mentioned that Mark could no longer do the true Ocean mod anymore because of an unavailable part, and that this amp was an early Ocean.
I've heard Ocean's are very close to a Jose. Never had a Jose, really looking forward to this amp.

I have a new build Ocean. I have no idea what the Ocean circuit is, Jose?
I just know it rips.