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I used to own a THD UniValve, which had two different settings for plate voltage, and it sounded very different depending on which was chosen. It's nothing that could be emulated with today's features, as it changes the response of the amp and the overall dynamics. Makes it looser and flubbyer in the bass, but also does some crazy stuff to the way it reacts on feedback etc.
Yep, it's called B+ capacitance. Never used this parameter so never pay attention to that...
Ordinary B+ is the plate voltage.
Seems to be the Miller capacitance. Need access to the plate resistor to change the plate voltage.
I think this would be a very useful parameter, whether called Variax, Power supply voltage, etc. The sound of a 'starved plate' circuit is rather unique, and it is part of what makes some amps sound so different. I remember an early Mesa Mk ll circuit that used a 1 meg plate resistor on the main drive/distortion tube - that plate was certainly starved, but it sounded very good! (seemed to allow the note attacks to come through stronger & produced less fizziness) :geek:
Yep, it's called B+ capacitance. Never used this parameter so never pay attention to that...
Ordinary B+ is the plate voltage.
Seems to be the Miller capacitance.
I question the utility of this (although I voted 'yes') since there is such detailed control over the power section already (I'd still like to see a transformer headroom knob...). If implemented, there are three zones of possible control: (1) Adjusting the supply to the plates & screens only, (2) adjusting plates, screens, and splitter, and (3) adjusting the supply to the whole damn amp (best variac approximation). Essentially this becomes a virtual Power Scale control, but Kevin O'Connor might object if you call it that. If you simulate a real variac, you'll have to lower the supply rail to the heaters too, but that will sound like crap (at least in real life it does).
Option (3) will significantly change the feel and sound of the amp and likely have the most utility.
Options (1) and (2) most likely wont sound much different than adjusting the master volume to max but offer the added ability to drive the PA so hard it farts and spits piss and vinegar.
I voted yes. Actually I had started a topic about a virtual variac about a 1 1/2 year ago, but nobody "cared" if I remember correctly...
I think it would be a great addition, especially for the plexi amp sims
I have come up with a great many varieties of amazing tones. I love them all, but none that I can use for my concept album which brings me to this thread again. Call me a broken record, but the fact remains.
For my main tone which has to have more symmetrical distortion, I have homed in on a potential tonal direction in the Axe FX I can possibly use with a 5150. But the waveform is not defined enough in symmetrical shape and edge. I almost have it. But I cannot dial it in without the variac. [Edited to add the fact that the Hell beast and Metal Amps are almost there too - but both of those also need a variac if i am to have the synthesizer-like gain I need].
I cannot synthesize the waveform properly without the variac. I am close, but nothing else will suffice.
PLEASE add this and I will just shut the hell up. I know it will work 110% if modeled correctly. I have had it done to my real amp so I know its exactly the effect I need.
in theory. its not on the axe yet. you should hear the effect in real life man, its very cool - very synth-like... but the prolem is that even if you filter out lows before distortion, if you go too low on the operating voltage of the amp then is makes the amp feel a bit loose so it would be cool to be able to send a CC continouous message from an expression pedal to this theoretical variac to bring it back up to a tighter sound for machine gun riffing and when playing needs to be tighter. but lowering it on power chords and other chords introduces an awesome zapping sound - very defined!
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