Thoughts VH2's with 6L6s not KT77s and Cabinet Recommendation

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Anxiety Serum

Anxiety Serum

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Looks like most if not all the new VH2s on the market are shipping with 6L6s. Called a few shops and they said KT77s (just quoting the manufacturers specs online). I asked them to look inside and they were like..."you are right its 6L6s".

Would you all be hesitate to buy one of these (i.e. wait for supply chain issues to allow Diezel to bring back the KT77s)?
Is it easy to switch down the line?
Anyone played with both tubes in same amp that can talk to the tonal differences?

Also does anyone have a cabinet suggestion for someone who will play mostly at home (front or rear loaded...V30s or K100s). I know I should try for myself, but where I live is a dessert for Diezel gear, so I have to order remote.
 
I wouldn't hesitate to buy the amp just because the tubes are different. Those can easily be swapped in and out.

Deciding on the right cab isn't as easy as us just telling you which one to get. We need some info from you first...what style do you play, what tunings, etc?
 
Apex1Rg7X said:
I wouldn't hesitate to buy the amp just because the tubes are different. Those can easily be swapped in and out.

Deciding on the right cab isn't as easy as us just telling you which one to get. We need some info from you first...what style do you play, what tunings, etc?
Click to expand...
Thx.

I play a lot of clean but also a lot of Drop D heavy stuff.

I play in a 10x14 room. Low vol when family is home and louder when they are not. Usually they are home.

Biggest complaint in current rig, Mesa mark V 25 in 1x12 wide body cab with C90s is it sounds good right off to side of the amp but 6 feet away directly in front (where others would sit and listen) sounds terrible. No clarity in drop d chords and very flubby bass.
 
In case it helps others, this is what Diezel got back to me with on these questions.
1. I am a home player (play lots of clean and dirty) and wondering which cabinet you recommend. Rear or front, V30 or K100?
2. What was used in this video: Diezel VH2 with Peter Diezel & Peter Stapfer (link below)
3. Also, most the new Amps I am seeing have 6L6s in them. What does that do to tone vs KT77.


Answer:
In that video a 412FL V30 was used.

Speaker selection is a very subjective thing and depending on your style and experience I would suggest the following:

212RL Semi Open G1265H - Best tone all around, less “hi-fi” but wonderful mids, clarity and punch. Sounds awesome on low volume but it’s a bit stiff so very hard to play as it shows every mistakes.
212RL V30 Closed - Another very good tone all around, it’s more directional but easier to play and with a typical mid-high spike that you either love or hate depending
412F K100 - is more hifi but even more stiffer and directional, I wouldn’t use it for home but again it depends on your style, best suited to very low tuning.
412R V30 - is another classic, similar to 212RL but more 3D and a bit more open sounding.

Please note that all Diezel sounds extremely good even in front of the speaker because of the unique power amp section (by dialing presence and depth control). Yes by directional I mean that it would sound different in front relative to the side, but it doesn’t really mean bad.

As for 6L6 vs KT77 they are similar, 6L6 are a bit more scooped and open, you can change it really easily even just to try them out and check if that’s something you like more!


 
Didn't play 6L6 with diezel but it's a great tube, so no issue here, I'm sure they work as good, if not better than KT77 or EL34.

Regarding cabs, I had both: 2x12 FL and 4x12 FL. Eventually traded my 2x12 for 4x12, so I have stereo rig with two Herberts and two 2x12 cabs.

If you planning to play only at home I'd recommend 2x12: it's a bit less stiff as far as construction goes(less inner baffling) so you get more woody tone playing quietly. For apartment 4x12FL might be a bit stiffer than 2x12FL, but 4x12 holds up better, more focused with the band when played loud, if you play replay loud 2x12 get I bit more dirty than 4x12.

Bottom line
4x12 will have more bass and more treble, sound bugger and stiffer.
2x12 have more mids and more woody tone. also 2x12 is very light and portable.
Both equally great cabs.

I'd personally go(and actually went) for 4x12 either way. little more stiffness didn't bugged me.
 
here is video I recorded long time ago, fist is my 4x12 loaded with Eminence governor (they similar to v30), second is 2x12 with V30.




Obviously speakers are different, but cab construction has bigger impact.
 
belensky said:
here is video I recorded long time ago, fist is my 4x12 loaded with Eminence governor (they similar to v30), second is 2x12 with V30.




Obviously speakers are different, but cab construction has bigger impact.
Click to expand...

have to admit I like the 2x12 more, playing with band from my perspective still good enough and on stage you anyhow have a mic (quite some impact) and a FOH mixer..., just my opinion...
 
belensky said:
here is video I recorded long time ago, fist is my 4x12 loaded with Eminence governor (they similar to v30), second is 2x12 with V30.




Obviously speakers are different, but cab construction has bigger impact.
Click to expand...

Dude this was perfect, thanks. Just what I needed. I actually like the sound in that 2x12 better, which matches what I thought I might like better based on reading your description.

My issue now is that there are no Diezel cabs around for months and the few used ones are local pick up only (no where near where I live).

Thinking I may grab a Bogner Helios 2x12.
 
Anxiety Serum said:
Dude this was perfect, thanks. Just what I needed. I actually like the sound in that 2x12 better, which matches what I thought I might like better based on reading your description.

My issue now is that there are no Diezel cabs around for months and the few used ones are local pick up only (no where near where I live).

Thinking I may grab a Bogner Helios 2x12.
Click to expand...
I would wait. I had 4 Diezel cabs in total(now two), something always showed up. but l live in EU, I guess it's easier to get them here, Germany is two hour drive from me.
 
zeen said:
have to admit I like the 2x12 more, playing with band from my perspective still good enough and on stage you anyhow have a mic (quite some impact) and a FOH mixer..., just my opinion...
Click to expand...
for me 2x12 with V30 is more squishy, with blurry low end. where 4x12 with Eminence Governor speakers is more raw, and tigher. I had much better results in band, with governors than V30.
 
belensky said:
I would wait. I had 4 Diezel cabs in total(now two), something always showed up. but l live in EU, I guess it's easier to get them here, Germany is two hour drive from me.
Click to expand...
Yeah in the US there is nothing. Heard the local California factory had a fire or something. Everyone is saying late 6-8 weeks (but they were also saying that 2-3 weeks ago and it keeps extending).

Don't want to buy the amp and then have it sit in a box for 2 months.
 
Then Bogner is a good choice, from what I know Helios is their more vintage sounding amp, so I'm not sure its going to get to VH4 VH2 metal territory. Once I had Bogner Ecstasy 4x12 cab it was very nice, but more traditional sounding. Diezel FL was tigher faster, but more stiff.

maybe other option is to get something very standard like used Mesa or Marshall cab, and sell it after you get Diezel. I thing Mesa can be found cute cheap in USA. in EU they much more expensive. actually Mesa traditional actually can be really nice with VH4/2. James Hetfield plays Vh4 through Mesa 4x12 cab. I would avoid OS version, unless a little more loose slower response is your thing.
 
Thanks. Found a 2x12 Diezel RV 30s deep in the classifieds. Posting was 6 months stale but he still had it.

Hope to have it in this week.
 
belensky said:
for me 2x12 with V30 is more squishy, with blurry low end. where 4x12 with Eminence Governor speakers is more raw, and tigher. I had much better results in band, with governors than V30.
Click to expand...
admit, I love the 4x12" more when playing together, but taking into account that in live situations its not the cab pressing the sound to the audience but the Mic on one single speaker the 2x12" and the rest is more for yourself on stage the 2x12" is much easier to handle. Like always, matter of personal feeling.

I basically love the depth knob on Diezel for that reason. Playing on my own it's quite high, as soon as the bass guitar joins in full setup I turn it down...
 
zeen said:
I basically love the depth knob on Diezel for that reason. Playing on my own it's quite high, as soon as the bass guitar joins in full setup I turn it down...
Click to expand...
same thing. deep at 3 when in my own, 11-12 with bass, but if im only guitar player in band I can have a bit more.
 
My head gets in today, cab tomorrow. Any nuances I should know about this amp and settings (other the Deep knob advice above)?

I know with my current Mark V 25, as Gain goes up, Bass needs to go down. Does Diezel have any EQ quirks like that. Or is everything at noon and dial-to-taste the way to go?

And what's the deal with the dual master volumes? My Mark only has gain and master. The VH2 has gain, volume and master. Is that just to give you a boost on the foot switch? Do they both do the exact same thig or does one impact the tone in a different way?
 
Anxiety Serum said:
My head gets in today, cab tomorrow. Any nuances I should know about this amp and settings (other the Deep knob advice above)?

I know with my current Mark V 25, as Gain goes up, Bass needs to go down. Does Diezel have any EQ quirks like that. Or is everything at noon and dial-to-taste the way to go?
Click to expand...

Like always a matter of taste, but from my experience I would start CH2 / CH3 with all settings around 1 (clockwise) or slightly below. The Mids are quite interesting on the Diezel, you can really try to max them but also cut them, both is nice depending on your wishes...

start with noon-1, play around for some time before tweaking...

and let us know your thoughts ;)
 
Only played it an hour, but some initial thoughts. Keep in mind I haven't even cranked it...this is all below 80db so far.

1. Any concerns I had about bedroom volumes are 100% gone. Much easier to dial in to low volume than my lower watt Mark V 25 head. I am a convert to the "if price and size is not an issue, just get the 100 watt version" (as long as the master is good, like the Diezel).

2. Loving the more simple EQ. Not just 1 EQ vs 2, but dialing up the gain doesn't mean I have to dial down the bass, or cut gain if I dial up the mids ect. ect.

3. Tone is much more even than with the Mark V 25. I don't like lot of treble on a clean channel, but when I dial it down on the Mark it can be too bass heavy on the Fat channel (but I love it). On the VH2 I can dial it down and the treble doesn't go away. That Mesa is still fantastic though so...to be determined... need more than an hour and play with EQ more.

4. Dirty sound is much better than the VH4 pedal into my Mark V 25. Like the clean channel it is more even (still lots of bass but the highs don't disappear or get prickly if you try to dial them down or up up). The Mark always felt like I couldn't get enough or had too much treble.

5. Difference in sound between side of cab and directly in front is still there, but much more consistent than with the Mark. I A/B ed the Mark into the Deizel cab and it was a touch more consistent, but still way different than sitting off to the side of the amp. So I think the 2x12 cab improved the directionality by call it 15-20% and the amp improved it another 60%. So 75%-80% consistency of what I hear on side of amp relative to the Mesa sounding completely different depending on seating location.

6. Overall I think it feels a bit more squishy (not sure if I am describing that right). Need to get used to the single notes on the dirty channel. They don't feel as easy to play. The Drop D power cords are much easier and smoother to play though...very liquid feeling. Which one would be described as a stiffer amp?

One issue:
Had an initial hiccup. First minute I played (which was on the dirty channel) the sound was waving in and out for a minute. It went away, but when I switched to clean, it did that for a few seconds as well. I played another hour and no issues. So I hope it was just an initial turn on quirk.

Anyone got any thoughts on that issue? I hope its not something serious.

AMP 1.jpg
 
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