Super-Champ XD

[M29]

Don't like linking to stores websites but this looks pretty cool. Found this link posted on the FDP forum.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN2331100

The Super-Champ XD with DSP effects and tube amp.

Veddy Intedesting

M29

[tot_Ou_tard]

That is interesting. What specific problems (that plague tube lovers) are they talkinging about?

[tunghaichuan]

That is interesting. What specific problems (that plague tube lovers) are they talkinging about?

If I had to guess, I would say it was the 6C10 tube in the original Super Champ. That was a great sounding high gain amp, but the 6C10 triple triode would go microphonic fairly quick. I owned one about 10 years ago and sold it right before they became super collectable. :reallymad:

The 6C10 has three high-mu triodes with the same characteristics as the 12AX7's two triodes. The 6C10 uses a funky 12-pin socket. I don't know why Paul Rivera designed it that way, it would have been better to use two 12AX7 tubes and leave one of the triodes unused. Maybe he got a great deal on 6C10s and their sockets?

tung

[tot_Ou_tard]

So the Super-Champ is designed for high gain stuff? How does it sound clean?

[tunghaichuan]

So the Super-Champ is designed for high gain stuff? How does it sound clean?

Oh yes, there is mondo gain on the drive channel.

It didn't sound bad clean, but the Deluxe Reverbs and Princeton Reverbs I've played sounded better to me clean.

The reverb all but dissappears when the high gain channel is switched in, I believe it steals a gain stage from the reverb circuit.

IMHO, the Super Champ is one of the best sounding high gain amps Fender made.

tung

[TS808]

I don't know if anyone remembers the Champ SE that Fender made probably 15-20 years ago? It was a 25 watt amp that had a solid state pre-amp and a 6L6 tube in the power amp. That was a pretty cool little amp, that unfortunately didn't sell well, despite having some pretty good tones, so I'm curious to see how this amp will go. This seems to be taking the idea a little bit farther with a few more bells and whistles.

I've seen alot of folks knock Fender amps on other forums, but I've always loved Fender amps.

[Rabies]

Is it just me, or does something seem a little fishy about this amp?

I mean, why is it that at 15 watts 'all tube', it's cheaper than a Blues Junior or Pro Junior? AND it has effects.

What is up with that?

[tunghaichuan]

Is it just me, or does something seem a little fishy about this amp?

I mean, why is it that at 15 watts 'all tube', it's cheaper than a Blues Junior or Pro Junior? AND it has effects.

What is up with that?

Yeah, I know what you mean. My guess from the description is that the 12AX7 is the phase inverter tube and the output section is two 6V6s in push pull. I'd like to see a schematic to see what topology they used. Probably half of the 12AX7 as a gain stage into the other half of the 12AX7 as a cathodyne phase inverter driving the 6V6s. The preamp is solid state, so it can't rightly be called "all tube."

If you've ever seen a silverface Princeton Reverb output transformer, you know it is dinky. Which is partly why the Princeton Reverb is a 15 watt amp and the Deluxe Reverb is a 20 watt amp.

The SC XD is most likely made inexpensively in either Mexico or China, which is why it has a low street price. The FX are all probably on a chip, very inexpensive when bought by the thousands.

tung

[Mark]

That is interesting. What specific problems (that plague tube lovers) are they talkinging about?

Its hell man with all my tube amps I spend every wakeing hour with a hot soldering iron in my pocket at the ready to address my constant tube lover problems!!:crazyguy: