Lower gain tubes for DC-5

Hello,

I'm looking to see if anyone's done a swap for the 12AX7's to something like a 12AT7 or 12AU7 to lower the overall gain of the DC-5. Currently, I only run the lead channel at about 3; anything more than that is more gain than I really want. My goal would be to lower the gain to the point where the amp has a more useable sweep on the gain pot, so whereas now I'm on 3, I could be at 6 or 7, and then have lower gain settings below.

Thoughts? I have yet to look at the DC-5's schematic to see which tube does what; I need to do that as well.

You could go with 12AT7s to drop the gain a bit. But, I don't think you'll get quite what you are looking for. The DC preamp is a cascaded high gain preamp. Not really meant to cover old 60s and 70s classic rock tones. Though it can, I think you are looking for a different amp all together.

V1-3 are the tubes that handle channel 2. V4 is Channel 1 only, V5 Reverb circuit, V6 Phase Inverter. There is no tube map in the DC5 manual, so you will have to use the DC3 manual to learn about your pre-amp positions.


Maybe a tube screamer or a boost/distortion on your clean channel will get you what you are looking for?

I wouldn't say I'm going for 60's or 70's tones, just a bit lower gain. Think Porcupine Tree, or other prof rock. That being said, after playing the 5:50+ I've been kicking the idea around of selling the DC to get one of those. They've really improved those a lot with the GEQ and the clean revoice.

polaris20 said:

I wouldn't say I'm going for 60's or 70's tones, just a bit lower gain. Think Porcupine Tree, or other prof rock. That being said, after playing the 5:50+ I've been kicking the idea around of selling the DC to get one of those. They've really improved those a lot with the GEQ and the clean revoice.

Click to expand...

Hi,

check out 12AY7 (the same used in the Deluxe Reverb) in V2 and V3. In V1 the 12AX7 SPAX for best results. I' m using this Setup with a Les Paul and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV. I can turn the gain of the lead channel at about 7 and the sound is smoother with lower gain (but enough). I like it very much.
If this is too much, try to change only V2 or V3 and listen wich sounds better with your Equipment.

Greets

to lower the gain of clean channel i tame it with a mulard cv4004 12at7 to v4 , it could work the same on dirty chan to v3, lower gain tube lower overdrive

polaris20 said:

Hello,

I'm looking to see if anyone's done a swap for the 12AX7's to something like a 12AT7 or 12AU7 to lower the overall gain of the DC-5. Currently, I only run the lead channel at about 3; anything more than that is more gain than I really want. My goal would be to lower the gain to the point where the amp has a more useable sweep on the gain pot, so whereas now I'm on 3, I could be at 6 or 7, and then have lower gain settings below.

Thoughts? I have yet to look at the DC-5's schematic to see which tube does what; I need to do that as well.

Click to expand...

Late to the party here, hope this still pertains...

But I went through the whole gamut of tube swapping, precisely to "gain down" the DC5 a bit ...just a bit too "aggressive" for me (though I was not at all looking for a vintage vibe at all as I mainly cover classic and blues-based rock to contemp pop). In short, I ended up with liking a 12AT7 in the PI spot (V5 position, IIRC), keeping a 12AX7 in the V1 (Mullard NOS), and a 5751 in the V4 in think it was (which is the Rhythm channel's gain stage right after V1).

FWIW, the AT7 in the PI position is the biggest, most noticible difference. You may want to start there; the other differences were nuances. Tone is, without saying, all subjective. But I felt this recipe left me with the perfect, warm and chimey channel 1, and the gain knob's sweep far more usable for my playing. And the Lead channel still has plenty (plenty!) of gain available (much more than I need), but the knob's sweep is likewise far more useful to me. And "gained down" as it is, I feel I get better note detail in this channel than stock setup, while still able to rock hard (ya gotta love the GEQ in the Lead channel, Boogie magic here!). Overall, the amp is more versatile than before IMHO, and covers more tonal ground this way. Hope that gives you a few things to think about

Edward