So the Bad Cat has been causing pretty much any EL34 to red plate. The idle current draw of even the lowest we've tried to put in is about 40-45 watts where it should be 25. It's been a bummer. The cathode bias makes it tougher to really adjust that via the amp, so we realized that we need a stronger tube. The EL34s just can't handle a little more heat than they're used to.

We know we have a tube that will have a nice low current draw and would be able to handle a little bit of overheating. So yeah, I'm throwing KT88s in that motherfucker.

Timing is absolutely insane since we're in studio starting tomorrow. So I'm going to do scratch tracks with my ENGL and the studio's Soldano SLO-100 and my Bad Cat will be ready for when I track.

I don't know why I'm offering all of this information via RttP. I miss you babby.

The point is. I'm excited to hear my Bad Cat with KT88s.

I see you. Now see me.

88s? Really? Interesting. Gonna have to get some surrrious work done for that, eh?

Dave, my amp dude, doesn't think so. We'll have to remove the weird capacitor restraints they have around the tube socket for some reason, but otherwise, as it's Class A, you pretty much just plug in the tubes and check the current draw. As KT88s can dissipate 35watts, they'll last longer.

I'll have a ton more headroom, but I have a ton of gain headroom left for the way I play it anyhow.

You speak truth. 88s are the frickin kings of headroom. I'm sure it'll sound like a steamroller when its done.

Is the Bad Cat designed around the use of EL34s? There's probably something wrong with the amp if a tube is suddenly drawing more current (I assume you meant mAmps or Amps, not Watts for idle current draw) than it was before. Something's probably shorted or burnt out.

people use different standards for measuring current draw. The amp needs tubes with 17-19 mA draw by Antique Electronics Supply. My tech described it to me in watts.

Your tech described the idle current draw in units of power...? I hope he's a good tech in practice.
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FAIL

Watts = Amps x Volts

the wattage he was describing is just heat...watts can be a measurement of heat.

but watts ≠ amps
I'm a third year electrical engineering major. If I didn't know that P=VI by now, I might as well have already killed myself

I think we're just arguing semantics. You can't say THE CURRENT WAS 5 WATTS. because that can never ever happen. You could say THE IDLE POWER CONSUMPTION WAS 5 WATTS. That makes sense.

Now fix your amp.

right, but the problem is that it's red plating, so that's why he chose to explain it that way to me.

wait...he was describing the dissipation in watts.

well shit

he actually didn't give me the actual current draw of the tubes I've been trying to use. Just the recommended, and that's in mA per tube.

bear in mind, I'm not en electrical engineer, (shocking, I know)

I do appreciate this, heir Martins, as I'm about to call the President of Bad Cat to ask for some advice. I'd rather not sound like an idiot.

My tech is awesome. Actually.

Dave Martinka
http://www.b-sharpmusic.com

haha, ya I hate looking like an idiot in front of important people. I do it every day.

i've been waiting for my kt88 powered jcm 800 to be made since june. time to call sean and see whats up.

Just got a question for ya blue. I know you've seen my rig so I just wanted to ask you seeing as you are a gear head.

I'm running a full stack now both cabs can run 8ohms with my head( randall RH1500-G3) just want to know if I should worry about blowing speakers or even my head. I believe the head runs 150 watts. And has both a preamp tube and is solidstate. My problem is that I don't really know how many ohms my head is running, there is a switch in the back witth two diferent choices, one being "GND" and the other "LFT". I dontknow if they really have anything to do with my ohm outputtage. If you have as to not a clue I was hoping you or someone else here could point me in the right direction.

Snoogens

This should help you: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showth...d-lift-on-Randall-amp-What-s-it-for

Aye

Well, I ain't Blue, but here's my take. As long as your output section is solid state (which I believe it is) you should be fine. 2 x 8ohm cabs give you a total load of 4 ohms, which any self-respecting amp can handle. And your speakers should be fine, unless you've got them loaded with low power drivers, which I really don't think Randall would do. As far as the ground lift, try both positions, see which one's quieter. Dig it.

(from that page.)
"it should never be lifted UNLESS you have hum/noise issues

lifting the ground makes equipment much easier to fry with a power surge

noise and 60hz hum can be transmitted through the ground wiring, the purpose of the switch is to break that connection in a pinch, ie a show with bad power"

so don't turn it on unless u have noise problems... as far as the resistance of your head (ohms) i assume the name of your amp is a type-o, is it the "randall RH150-G3"? if it is, then this is what i found:

@8ohms its 100watts
@4ohms its 150watts

and from what people are saying online, it looks like it should have two different outputs... one for 8ohms, and one for 4 ohms... Do the two speaker outs have numbers next to em?

Also, in places with REALLY bad power, you may get a shock through your strings if the ground is lifted. So in that case, deal with the noise. Best thing you can do is invest in a quality surge suppressor/power strip like a furman or some shit. The one I've got has a ground fault indicator built into it.

yes it definately has two different "ohm" inputs... it makes all the more sense to me. I have also definately got shocked through the strings. fun times.

thanks for the halp guys.
feels good to know more about the equipment you use..

Bradsauce...or ouch...

whats your take on a head cutting out then cutting back in randomly.. after youve changed all your instrument cables? faulty tube? wiring?

i have a warranty with GC still but everyone knows they're a bunch of texas faggots. i got a prepaid mailing invoice to ship it. said slip is paid for, for only 10#. wondering if paying a shop to fix it would be worth my time more then shipping it to maryland to be rapaired and paying whatever else i have to pay for its weight not included in the prepaid invoice.?

Brian, that was the issue I was having with my old head (cutting in and out). When I got a power conditioner that problem was taken care of. If you're around on Wednesday you can use my power conditioner for a bit to see if that helps out.

that's what friends are FOR!!!

My Bad Cat is too strong for the tubes it was meant to be powered by thread is now a Randall thread.

SERENITY NOW

Thanks mahk. For my sake it hasn't cut out in a while. But there was one night where the lil fagget decided to do it ever time I did an open palm mute.. ill see you then.

***I would love it if someone would back up this statement, as i'm 90% sure it's true, but i've been playing drums now for so long, i haven't had to set up a a rig in a while.

Well, one thing you should really check is how you have both of your cabs connected to your head... If they're both 8ohms cabs, you should run them parallel from the 4ohm output. Which means that both of them will be run from that one 4ohm out, or in other words, that your second cab will just be wired from the first.

You're absolutely correct, sir, as long as the cabs have through jacks. Some (maybe most now) Marshall cabs just have separate inputs for 16 or 4 ohms mono and 8 ohms stereo.

cool

Well then, my work here is done