Ultra XL not for me?

[electricevil]

I have an RM20hb with the UltraXL module. I finally got to bring it out to a jam session and it was awesome! dudes who say the 20w head isn't enough are on drugs IMO. but I did find that The UXL just has too much gain on tap? i mean I'm running the gain at 12 o,clock and its sick...I turn up the gain and its just too much, I don't know how anyone could need that much distortion.

I love the sound of the XL, but maybe theres a module out there that can give me that same UXL crunch (comparable to the UXL's gain at 12) but also allows me to roll it back for better cleans?

I'm thinking maybe the SL+ or Regular Ultra?

any Ideas? if anyone can give there opinions on the SL+ that would be great.

Blako

 

[Rellik]

I'm hoping to get an Ultra XL soon to see how it sounds. For now, though, I'm using an SL+ and it gets a pretty crunchy tone with my Les Paul. I would also say that it rolls back on volume quite well. Of course, I cannot compare the Ultra XL with the SL+ as I have never played it.

Here's a video I did through my camera, so the sound quality isn't all that great. It is my RM50B with SL+ and Blackface modules. Unfortunately, I do not have anything recorded of rolling back the volume knob. Gain, treble, and middle are all at 12 o'clock. The bass is around 9 o'clock. Master is at about 1 o'clock, and level is about 7 or 8 o'clock. (Just a little over enough to get sound out of the amp) Presence is at about 2-3 and density is about 9-10 o'clock.

Drop D
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nYByzJJq8ec

Standard
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mrtJ1Y-5PKs&feature=related

 

[crankyrayhanky]

You could get that clean rolll off sound with the SL+ set to moderate gain, use a pedal tfor extra crunch- I use a Wylde overdrive for this application to ggod results; though I'm not sure whether or not you'll get that over the top "UltraGain" satuartion, more like a hotrodded Marshall gain

 

[reilly]

ill trade you my moded Ultra for the XL. I did the warmth and clarity mods, tightened up the bass and put a blue LED in it

 

[JKD]

I don't wanna mess up a solid trade deal..but the Ultra has the same amount of gain as the UltraXL.

I'd go SL+ or Plexi/Brahma with a pedal.

 

[reilly]

good to know

 

[goldwing68nv]

I don't wanna mess up a solid trade deal..but the Ultra has the same amount of gain as the UltraXL.

I'd go SL+ or Plexi/Brahma with a pedal.

gain-wise,that's correct!!!

+1 on the SL+

 

[okstrat]

ill trade you my moded Ultra for the XL. I did the warmth and clarity mods, tightened up the bass and put a blue LED in it

I'm curious here, what warmth and clarity mods did you do?

 

[NCdan]

Better too much gain than too little gain . If you think about it, the demand for extreme, face melting gain is quite high (whether extreme gain is a good thing or not is a debate in itself...), and if Randall can outdo everyone else, their sales are bound to increase, because word will get out. At least that's how I look at it.

 

[reilly]

i replaced all the the caps with orange drops as well as changed a few values, i also used better resistors (xicons)and experimented with a different value for the mids, Im know expert im sure its not as good as yours pete but i noticed a big difference in the dynamics as well as clarity and the bass is tighter. And i changed the led to blue which looks BA. Pete if you want some more specifics to what i did pm me and ill try and be a little more specific.

 

[okstrat]

i replaced all the the caps with orange drops as well as changed a few values, i also used better resistors (xicons)and experimented with a different value for the mids, Im know expert im sure its not as good as yours pete but i noticed a big difference in the dynamics as well as clarity and the bass is tighter. And i changed the led to blue which looks BA. Pete if you want some more specifics to what i did pm me and ill try and be a little more specific.

Nah, just wondering if I should patent 'warmth and clarity mods'.



Pete

 

[electricevil]

I guess instead of looking elsewhere (ie. different module) I could change a preamp tube or something in the XL? I love the tone of the module but I want a little less gain and the ability to roll it off for better cleans...

Is there a tube I could get to do this? possibly both? I just have the stock JJecc83's in there right now.

Thanks

Blako

 

[JKD]

Can't you use the RM20 'Boost Channel' also?

I mean set the UXL gain really low (9 o'clock or less) for cleaner stuff (in conjunction with volume control) with the RM20HB Gain Boost control higher....and then slam on the Boost when you want more crunchberries?

I still don't think the UXL is ideal for this..it is best suited to high gain...but another option to consider.

 

[okstrat]

I was using a brown module (modded, duh) in my RM20 head at band practice tonight... into an ADA 2x12 with the Warehouse Speakers V30 clones.

Set the gain to about 2/3, gave crunch, rolled volume back, cleaned up, hit the footswitch and could gain it up considerably.

It's amazing how different the head into a sealed cab sounds than the combo - I was getting VERY nice tones with this rig, and I could carry my amp in one hand, guitar in the other (in a gig bag with cables and such).

Pete

 

[Soulinsane]

ill trade you my moded Ultra for the XL. I did the warmth and clarity mods, tightened up the bass and put a blue LED in it

I'm curious here, what warmth and clarity mods did you do?

Many people have asked you the same question and what do you normally say? You do nice work from what I have seen and that is a service worth charging, but I don't see a patent. You are not the only person to tweak an amp or in this case its modules. You can make after market parts for MTS and sell part replacement services but you cant patent a modification to a design you don't own.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I'm sorry if I do. I've been drinking :wink: You do good work Pete, you really do. It has brought a smile to me more than once after seeing and hearing your work, but claiming to have some secret knowledge about the MTS that only you can improve is ridiculous :roll:

 

[okstrat]

ill trade you my moded Ultra for the XL. I did the warmth and clarity mods, tightened up the bass and put a blue LED in it

I'm curious here, what warmth and clarity mods did you do?

Many people have asked you the same question and what do you normally say? You do nice work from what I have seen and that is a service worth charging, but I don't see a patent. You are not the only person to tweak an amp or in this case its modules. You can make after market parts for MTS and sell part replacement services but you cant patent a modification to a design you don't own.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I'm sorry if I do. I've been drinking :wink: You do good work Pete, you really do. It has brought a smile to me more than once after seeing and hearing your work, but claiming to have some secret knowledge about the MTS that only you can improve is ridiculous :roll:

I put a smiley after the second one, I could give a rat's *** about a patent, just I was the first person to mention clarity and warmth mods quite awhile back, so when I see someone using it my ears perk up a bit.

Maybe you shouldn't post when you've been drinking?

 

[crankyrayhanky]

out of line Soul, it's clear okstart was jovial
Time to get out this smily face this morning

 

[Soulinsane]

Indeed I'm awake and tired. I'm in the shop now and not sure what I was thinking last night. Got to love old shipmates and booz. Sorry I was rude, Pete. You got your own thing happening and I think that's great. I didn't mean to bust your balls. I seen the word patent and locked on for some reason lol.

To add to the thread, I'm going to upgraded the ceramic disc caps to NPO class on my XL. They should drift less with heat. I also plan to try adding a 470pF at C10 for better separation and sparkle.