https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0J6Tx9zRsY
Bit of a comparison between the two amps.
The 60w is an export Blue Stripe that had its lead section modded to Red Stripe specs as the Blues and Greens change the lead section pretty significantly. There's a handful of mods to the rest of the preamp section, including the deletion a resistor and capacitor that was added in the Mark III, adding in a capacitor to the EQ circuit that was deleted in later Mark IIIs, and changing a capacitor from 470k to 680k in the lead section. It's pretty minimal overall in modding and the rest of the amp is stock. The DRG is an export Green stripe has been completely overhauled, every single component throughout the amp has been matched to a IIC+, except it's on a Mark III pcb. The mod has gone so far as to manipulate voltages to match the IIC+ as best as possible. This amp has also had a switchable "++" mod added, which I engage later in the video.
Both amps have C30 removed, which is the stock option on simul-class amps and Blue/Green Stripes, but is typically present on 60/100w Mark amps. After trying both with it, I much prefer them without this capacitor. Oddly, the Blue Stripe originally came with a 2nf capacitor here. This might have been a previous owner trying the infamous C30 mod, which is probably the biggest red herring in the amp modding world.
The 60w has two older Mesa 6L6s in it, they give a bit of a warmer sound probably due to age. The DRG has two newer Mesa 6L6s in it of the same type and two JJ EL34s. I'll be putting a pair of JJ EL34 IIs in it to get more low end, and probably in the 60w too as apparently they'll actually handle EL34s in those sockets.
There's not much post processing going on, a bit of EQ but the normal stuff you'd do to a guitar track. No surgical cutting or boosting. The DRG is a lot brighter in the upper extreme end, so there's more of a hipass on it than the 60w. Both amps are going through a Framus 4x12 with a Marshall Vintage speaker, it's a little less harsh than the other speakers in the cab which are V30s. Basically the same speakers but the Vintage is Marshall's version.
Both amps had the same settings, except the DRG was on around 3 on the presence vs 4 on the 60w. I like both amps roughly equally, I think the 60w could do with brighter power tubes, and the DRG presence needs taming a bit.
Bit of a comparison between the two amps.
The 60w is an export Blue Stripe that had its lead section modded to Red Stripe specs as the Blues and Greens change the lead section pretty significantly. There's a handful of mods to the rest of the preamp section, including the deletion a resistor and capacitor that was added in the Mark III, adding in a capacitor to the EQ circuit that was deleted in later Mark IIIs, and changing a capacitor from 470k to 680k in the lead section. It's pretty minimal overall in modding and the rest of the amp is stock. The DRG is an export Green stripe has been completely overhauled, every single component throughout the amp has been matched to a IIC+, except it's on a Mark III pcb. The mod has gone so far as to manipulate voltages to match the IIC+ as best as possible. This amp has also had a switchable "++" mod added, which I engage later in the video.
Both amps have C30 removed, which is the stock option on simul-class amps and Blue/Green Stripes, but is typically present on 60/100w Mark amps. After trying both with it, I much prefer them without this capacitor. Oddly, the Blue Stripe originally came with a 2nf capacitor here. This might have been a previous owner trying the infamous C30 mod, which is probably the biggest red herring in the amp modding world.
The 60w has two older Mesa 6L6s in it, they give a bit of a warmer sound probably due to age. The DRG has two newer Mesa 6L6s in it of the same type and two JJ EL34s. I'll be putting a pair of JJ EL34 IIs in it to get more low end, and probably in the 60w too as apparently they'll actually handle EL34s in those sockets.
There's not much post processing going on, a bit of EQ but the normal stuff you'd do to a guitar track. No surgical cutting or boosting. The DRG is a lot brighter in the upper extreme end, so there's more of a hipass on it than the 60w. Both amps are going through a Framus 4x12 with a Marshall Vintage speaker, it's a little less harsh than the other speakers in the cab which are V30s. Basically the same speakers but the Vintage is Marshall's version.
Both amps had the same settings, except the DRG was on around 3 on the presence vs 4 on the 60w. I like both amps roughly equally, I think the 60w could do with brighter power tubes, and the DRG presence needs taming a bit.
