NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:19 pm

Ex Lion Tamer wrote: Cool little amp! Congrats!

I have four 10" alnico weber signatures in my super reverb, and they sound pretty good to my ears. They go from 30 bucks (ceramics) to 40 bucks (alnicos). I think they give a good bang for the buck.
I'm a big fan of the Weber Signature speakers, but they don't really save us Canadians much money. I bought two 50 watt 12" speakers and with the shipping and brokerage fees, I paid for the speakers twice! Not worth it as far as I'm concerned... Although the speakers are indeed great.

I think I'll check out the eminence Legends or the Copperhead. Something in the Jensen vein, without going with vintage (too pricey, and I'm too impatient to find a cheap one) or reissue (not accurate) Jensens. I might just switch the PR's speaker with one of the speakers in my Vibrolux for the time being, when I get the Vibrolux back.

Playing the amp this morning before I left, and either I'm incredibly ham-fisted with my picking or that speaker is just ridiculously wimpy! I believe it's the latter.

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:02 pm

Playing around with hooking up the amp to other speakers I have, I'm wondering if the sounds I'm getting is a mix between the amp being biased too hot and the speaker? The amp breaks up really quick, so would that make sense?

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Ex Lion Tamer
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by Ex Lion Tamer » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:15 pm

I asked an american friend to ship them to me using USPS. It's UPS and FEDEX (may damnation and disaster follow them for 10 000 years!) that ask for exorbitant fees. Usually, things sent through USPS are then taken care by Canada Post when they cross the border, and they usually don't bother asking for fees for low value items.

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:37 pm

Very true! USPS is where it's at as far cross-border shipping to Canada. You're right on the money as far as death to UPS and Fedex. The amount of money they've taken over the years could have paid for this amp several times over.

:fp:

As far as an update on the speaker/tube situation... I've come to the conclusion that the speaker in this amp actually sounds pretty good. However, what I was thinking was a wimpy-ness is actually an issue of headroom. I really think the amp needs to be re-biased as the amp overdrives waaay too earlier. The amp has even been fluctuating in volume a bit when I've been playing it and I'm not sure why that is, exactly. I really didn't want to have to take this to a tech so soon, but I think might have to...

When it's working fine, it sounds absolutely beautiful. Even the breakup sounds good, in a Jim Campilongo/Neil Young kind of way. While I like that, there's no reason the amp should be breaking up at 2 on the volume dial, me thinks. At least I've never played a PR that's done that, but maybe I'm wrong?

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by Jonesie » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:11 pm

StevenO wrote:Very true! USPS is where it's at as far cross-border shipping to Canada. You're right on the money as far as death to UPS and Fedex. The amount of money they've taken over the years could have paid for this amp several times over.



As far as an update on the speaker/tube situation... I've come to the conclusion that the speaker in this amp actually sounds pretty good. However, what I was thinking was a wimpy-ness is actually an issue of headroom. I really think the amp needs to be re-biased as the amp overdrives waaay too earlier. The amp has even been fluctuating in volume a bit when I've been playing it and I'm not sure why that is, exactly. I really didn't want to have to take this to a tech so soon, but I think might have to...

When it's working fine, it sounds absolutely beautiful. Even the breakup sounds good, in a Jim Campilongo/Neil Young kind of way. While I like that, there's no reason the amp should be breaking up at 2 on the volume dial, me thinks. At least I've never played a PR that's done that, but maybe I'm wrong?
My RI used to break up around 4 or 5, and you're right, it's a pretty nasty sound to be getting that early on a Princeton. Go in and get it fixed, you'll love it when it's working properly.

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by sookwinder » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:17 pm

Unless its been done recently, you will need to replace the electrolytic capcan capacitor and the electrolytic bias caps on the power and preamp valves ... all very easy to do yourself

I am wondering whether the early break up is anything to do with the bias, but maybe something else ... those 6V6s should be able to handle a lot more ooomph than what the PR will give them (remember a DR uses the same two 6v6s)

Having a tech go over it would be worth while, even just to change over the electrolytic caps if you can't do that yourself.

btw ... the comment a few post back about the amp being BF'd ... seems a little BS to me ... besides actual component changes from a supplier perspective, very little changed between BF and SF PR. B+ volatges went up, but I can't see someone removing the SF transformer and finding a lower voltage one to fit , just to make it BF'd
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:23 pm

I figured as much. I might take it in tomorrow, maybe. Should I see if I can get some repair money from the seller? He offered before. I feel really bad asking, but the amp isn't acting right. I mean if it's a biasing thing, then yeah, that's not the fault of the shipping, but the volume fluctuations might be... Is it unfair to ask?

As for the blackfacing, the seller agreed that it's BS. He was just relaying what the guy he bought the amp from had told him.

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by sookwinder » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:36 pm

..well if nothing really changed between BF and SF from a spec/design perspective... I sposse you could say a SF is really a BF in silver clothing :D

either way they're a great amp....
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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Jazzerstang
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by Jazzerstang » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:43 pm

congrats I have the same exact amp.

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:46 pm

Thanks guys. :)

Still looking on advice for this:
StevenO wrote:Should I see if I can get some repair money from the seller? He offered before. I feel really bad asking, but the amp isn't acting right. I mean if it's a biasing thing, then yeah, that's not the fault of the shipping, but the volume fluctuations might be... Is it unfair to ask?
:unsure:

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:21 pm

StevenO wrote:
Still looking on advice for this:
StevenO wrote:Should I see if I can get some repair money from the seller? He offered before. I feel really bad asking, but the amp isn't acting right. I mean if it's a biasing thing, then yeah, that's not the fault of the shipping, but the volume fluctuations might be... Is it unfair to ask?
My 2p - If it's not performing & sounding like it should, and if he's offered to cover repair costs, go for it.
The guy sounds like he wouldn't mind & I see no reason in you feeling bad about it.
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Fri Mar 09, 2012 4:02 am

I just sent the guy an email, not demanding he pay for the repairs but insinuating it having detailed the issues. The amp was obviously dropped or took a tumble during shipping as there's really no reason the tubes would have come loose from the amp and not only that but the strap screws that hold down the reverb tank had been freshly stripped from the wood on the cabinet. UPS is no good, folks!

I'm glad I got a deal on the amp as I wound up spending over $250 just getting this amp to my place what with the shipping and paypal fees and then the border taxes and brokerage fees. The last thing I want to do is put more money into this amp.

The good thing is that I know what the amp is capable of because when it does work it sounds absolutely beautiful!

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by wproffitt » Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:45 pm

I have a 1977 PR and I loved the way it sounded when I got it, but the breakup was actually pretty harsh and unpleasing with the hotter pickups in my guitar. Finally, I got around to taking to my (awesome) amp guy and, after caps, tubes, and a bias, it developed a gorgeous overdrive sound. That was the best money I've spent in a long time.

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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by sookwinder » Fri Mar 09, 2012 4:22 pm

I don't know what valves you have in the PR .... but at some stage you may wish to invest a little sum of $$$ and buy two NOS (or very slightly used) RCA or GE or SYLVANIA etc 6V6GTs (or GTAa) power valves ... ebay has them all the time....well worth the $$$$ and the improvement is immediate

here's some random ones I found

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955s-Matched-P ... 4cff2a83ef
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Vintage-GE-6V ... 5d32a630ea
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-Vintage-RC ... 3a717ff39d
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pair-RC ... 35ba2120ab
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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StevenO
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Re: NAD! Princeton Reverb Content

Post by StevenO » Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:46 pm

The amp actually came with new NOS tubes. Currently the amp has RCA power and preamp tubes, except I changed out V1 with a JJ as it sounded better to my ears and the rectifier is a GE. I also have a Westinghouse rectifier, two JAN 6V6 power tubes and GE preamp tubes. So I'm pretty good as far tubes go. Thanks for the links! :)

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