U
ubermetaldood
Banned
New member
I know the Shiva 20th Anniversary needs only a piggyback resistor and re-bias to swap the KT88's with EL34's, so I was wondering if there was a also a simple mod for the XTC 20th that would allow me to change from 6L6 to EL34. I also know that the 6L6 version of the Shiva uses different transformers which do not sound good with EL34's so I'm assuming there is a similar limitation with the XTC20th, but perhaps there is a simple mod by chance? Thoughts?
Here's the deal. I absolutely love the XTC 101B. Contrary to what I read about the clean channel, I actually like the clean channel. However, the blue and red channel are freaking insane. I particularly like the blue channel. So I played a 20th Ann. XTC recently and was blown away by it. There is something really luxurious about the feel of it and the clarity which reminds me of the Shiva 20th. My impressions was that I liked the cleans and red channel better on the 20th, but preferred the blue channel on the 101B. The 20th XTC also seems to perform much better at lower volumes which is nice since I'm not a professional musician who gigs regularly.
However, I did a deal to get an XTC 20th and keep wondering if I'm going to still crave the blue channel of the 101B. I literally have dreamed about playing the shit out of the 101B blue channel. However, every time I play the 101B, I end up mostly on the red channel because it just freaking rocks so hard and does the liquid lead tones like no other.
The bottom line is that I'm afraid that I'll initially go gaga over the 6L6 version but will eventually regret not getting the 101B. Furthermore, if I have to resell it, I'll probably end up getting barely enough to buy a 101B so all of the extra $$ that I spent for the 20th will have been a waste. I'm not sure. Are EL34's in the 20th XTC really that much better than 6l6's? From what I've read, people seem to think they are despite the fact that Bogner designed the amp around 6L6's. Then again, 1/2 the owners seem feel that 6L6's don't lack any midrange or grind that the 101B has.
Here's the deal. I absolutely love the XTC 101B. Contrary to what I read about the clean channel, I actually like the clean channel. However, the blue and red channel are freaking insane. I particularly like the blue channel. So I played a 20th Ann. XTC recently and was blown away by it. There is something really luxurious about the feel of it and the clarity which reminds me of the Shiva 20th. My impressions was that I liked the cleans and red channel better on the 20th, but preferred the blue channel on the 101B. The 20th XTC also seems to perform much better at lower volumes which is nice since I'm not a professional musician who gigs regularly.
However, I did a deal to get an XTC 20th and keep wondering if I'm going to still crave the blue channel of the 101B. I literally have dreamed about playing the shit out of the 101B blue channel. However, every time I play the 101B, I end up mostly on the red channel because it just freaking rocks so hard and does the liquid lead tones like no other.
The bottom line is that I'm afraid that I'll initially go gaga over the 6L6 version but will eventually regret not getting the 101B. Furthermore, if I have to resell it, I'll probably end up getting barely enough to buy a 101B so all of the extra $$ that I spent for the 20th will have been a waste. I'm not sure. Are EL34's in the 20th XTC really that much better than 6l6's? From what I've read, people seem to think they are despite the fact that Bogner designed the amp around 6L6's. Then again, 1/2 the owners seem feel that 6L6's don't lack any midrange or grind that the 101B has.
