Schnikeys! Glad I decided to replace my power tubes.

[Bob Zaod]

Was going through and organizing my tube collection last night and found a brand new pair of Mullard EL34's that I forgot I had. So I figured I'd put them in the DSL40c I acquired via trade and man was that sucker running hot! One side read 52ma and the other 55ma. 38.8 is 70% dissipation (450v PV on the nose) according to the weber bias calculator, so this thing was running in the danger zone.

Noticed while installing the new tubes that the amp sounded and felt it's best right around 38 so thats what I went with for each side. I should have taken a pic before I threw the old tubes away but they were both blackened at the base. Was also reminded of how sweet the green channel on this thing is. A little more modern sounding than a Plexi but such sweet Marshall goodness in this amp. So musical and inspiring to play through. With the settings I am using right now I bet most couldn't tell the difference between it and 2204 JCM800. The newer CR version of this amp has a better red channel but this amp takes any pedal analog or digital so well, and cleans up so nicely on classic crunch that there's no need for the red channel. On classic clean it's even better with pedals.

All the mods people do to these amps IMO isn't needed if you live on the green channel. Even the 70/80 speaker sounds just fine if you know how to dial this amp. I do plan to swap in a Vintage 30 at some point but I wont be surprised if I end up preferring the stock speaker. Starting to think I don't need to swap it into a head shell either, just sit it on top of my 2x12 cab that has a V30 and a G12T-75 in it.

 

[Fireproof]

Yeah, when I had my DSL40 - the green channel is where I lived for most of the music I play!

 

[la szum]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo many amps have way too much gain these days.

Give me that extra "Unuseable Compressy Mush And Fizz 18th Gian Stage!"

 

[Eagle]

Was going through and organizing my tube collection last night and found a brand new pair of Mullard EL34's that I forgot I had. So I figured I'd put them in the DSL40c I acquired via trade and man was that sucker running hot! One side read 52ma and the other 55ma. 38.8 is 70% dissipation (450v PV on the nose) according to the weber bias calculator, so this thing was running in the danger zone.

Noticed while installing the new tubes that the amp sounded and felt it's best right around 38 so thats what I went with for each side. I should have taken a pic before I threw the old tubes away but they were both blackened at the base. Was also reminded of how sweet the green channel on this thing is. A little more modern sounding than a Plexi but such sweet Marshall goodness in this amp. So musical and inspiring to play through. With the settings I am using right now I bet most couldn't tell the difference between it and 2204 JCM800. The newer CR version of this amp has a better red channel but this amp takes any pedal analog or digital so well, and cleans up so nicely on classic crunch that there's no need for the red channel. On classic clean it's even better with pedals.

All the mods people do to these amps IMO isn't needed if you live on the green channel. Even the 70/80 speaker sounds just fine if you know how to dial this amp. I do plan to swap in a Vintage 30 at some point but I wont be surprised if I end up preferring the stock speaker. Starting to think I don't need to swap it into a head shell either, just sit it on top of my 2x12 cab that has a V30 and a G12T-75 in it.

Those tubes are worth double the amp( original NOS ones I assume ). They sound dramatically better than modern ones in vintage but did you get the premium you where expecting over a matched set of modern tubes in a DSL40?