Rehearsal today. 200S time!

[Isaac]

Going to the second rehearsal for my newest band. Last time, I played through a Sentura II into a Concert PA cabinet with one JBL D130 driver. Sounded fine, as I knew it would, but I think I'll take the 200S today. I'm guessing that no one will notice the different 'cept maybe me.

[Walt-Dogg]

I bet if there was at least one tone junkie in your band he was probably taken back by the 200S's sound.

[Isaac]

I was impressed by the 200S's sound. Unfortunately, it blew a fuse not long after we started. Good thing I brought the Sentura along as backup. I've had fuse troubles with the 200S lately. Haven't been able to locate the problem, but I think it is likely associated with the capacitor bank I installed a few years ago to replace the can cap.

[EdBass]

Just wrap a little aluminum foil around that fuse Isaac; good as new, and if it blows again you have a SERIOUS problem...

Surely I'm joking. What value is the fuse you are using? I can't imagine that beefing up the filters would draw that much more current, if it were me I'd upgrade the fuse a smidgen and watch/smell for magic smoke carefully until I was pretty sure everything was copacetic.

Of course I also had a 3' X 4' poster of Mickey Mouse over my shop bench in the 70's that was put there by my boss. When I told him I thought it was funny, he said "It's not meant as a joke for your amusement, it's a warning to everyone else that works here!"

Also, how would you describe the difference in sound between the Spectrum and the 200S?
I would imagine they are close, I have a 100S (non reverb), a Sceptre, and a few 200Ss, and A/B'ing them they are all pretty similar. The Sceptre has a little more gain, either because of the reverb/trem circuit or maybe just minute differences in the circuit or tube characteristics, but the 100S is pretty much spot on the 200S (with the boosts off) until you start dialing up the "contour" knob.

[Isaac]

3 amp fuse, as called for. I agree, the cap bank shouldn't draw too much extra current, but something is.

As for the sound, the 200S had a sparkle to it that really made a difference. The Sentura II didn't have it, but I replaced the 200S tubes not so very long ago, and have not done so for the Sentura recently.

[EdBass]

This is probably a silly question, but a 3 amp slow blow right?

[Isaac]

No, regular. Thanks for pointing that out. You'd think I'd have noticed that on the schematic - I would have thought I'd have noticed that, at least! - but I missed it. And that would explain everything. Every time I turn it on, it would stress the fuse, until it gave out. Which is what seems to be happening. Time to go to the store!

[EdBass]

If you would just wrap the blown fuse in aluminum foil, you could save yourself the trip to the store...
AND never need to buy another fuse again; maybe a transformer, but no more fuses!

[Isaac]

Yeah, a bandmate destroyed my first Sceptre that way.

[loudthud]

This tube rectified Sorado from 1969 has an internal backup fuse. It's a 5A fast blow in series with the 3A slow blow. It's hard to tell if it is original or not. Anybody seen this before?

[Isaac]

I haven't seen it before, neither in any of my Sunn amps nor in any schematics.

[Isaac]

Time to try the 200S again. Update either tonight or tomorrow.

[Isaac]

200S was fine last night. Farted a bit on the loud low notes, but I suspect that was the speaker*. Other than that, it sounded great.

*I'm not using the 200S cabinet. Too big for my car (I need a new station wagon!). Instead, I'm using a Sunn Concert PA cabinet with the horn disconnected and the D130 running full range. Sounds good, if a bit light on the low end. Maybe I should try two of the PA cabinets. Probably wouldn't need it just for rehearsal, though.

[EdBass]

I've always liked the D130 for bass, except that they tend to get a bit flabby on the low loud stuff. I think they sound ultra sweet through the mids though, probably a little warmer than D140's even.
They work dandy with a B15, but that's half the power of a 200S.