DSL20HR home run

[Ufoscorpion]

Glad youre liking it, its a near perfect amp, just a bit too scooped for my liking even with the mids dimed so I sent it back. If a mod was found to make the tone more open I'd be all over one again. Enjoy it buddy!

If an amp has a loop ( the dsl probably does ) put an eq in it to fine tune , works a treat . With my evh lbx for instance, if I want it to sound more Marshall like I just push the 1.6 and 3.2 hz up and there it is .

 

[tresmarshallz]

Wow man , that is definitely a “ton of gain” buddy. Did you maybe mean to type 3, not 3:00? Because 3:00 is 3/4 of the way up.

Good catch, there I meant 10 0'clock, not even halfway up.

 

[scozz]

If an amp has a loop ( the dsl probably does ) put an eq in it to fine tune , works a treat . With my evh lbx for instance, if I want it to sound more Marshall like I just push the 1.6 and 3.2 hz up and there it is .

Good suggestion, eq pedals work great in the loop, you can shape your tone anyway you like. I have one on my board, I’m not using it currently, but they’re probably the best way to add or subtract or make subtle adjustments to your tone.

 

[VanR]

I just picked up a used DSL20HR head. Sounds great through a Peavey 2x12 with Greenbacks.

 

[ronmail65]

My $0.02

I have the DSL20HR and the DSL20OR. Very different amps. I prefer the articulation and bigger tone of the Origin, but it doesn't have much gain unless really cranked. If you have a good dirt pedal, and/or the tolerance to really turn up an amp, and like vintage voicing; the Origin 20 is well worth looking into.

I got the DSL20HR as a more portable non-combo amp to take to a practice space that already has a guitar cab - instead of trucking around a DSL40C (I got the Origin later - in case you're wondering why I'm not using it instead). I find myself seeking a level of gain on the DSL that sits somewhere between diming the gain mode of the green channel and a very low setting on the red channel. As a result, I generally stay on the red and use my guitar volume to keep the gain down a little bit. For band practice, I run the red channel gain just below 9 o'clock, volume around 11 o'clock, resonance and presence near noon, bass and mid around 2 or 3 o'clock, and treble nearly all the way down. I use a Helix in 4CM mode with an EQ in the loop for solo boosts. Because I can set up the FX chain however I like, I program other effects before and within the loop in a fairly standard way.

Lastly, I did swap out the pre-amp tubes (based on some TGP threads). I think I swapped out the gain tube on the red channel with a 12AX7U in an attempt to bring down the gain and round out the tone. Besides introducing some hiss, this didn't make a big difference. I may switch back to the original tubes.

Overall, I find the DSL20HR plenty loud for jamming with a band. I find it rather bright (but tame-able), not as rounded / robust sounding as the DSL40C that I have, and it will get quite hot after a few hours of loud playing. Despite these criticisms, I like the amp and use it frequently - but it's not always my first choice.

 

[tresmarshallz]

@ronmail65, always good to hear others take on amps, I also had an origin 50 head, but for my purposes the dsl20 works out way better. The origin had so little gain I was having to hit it with several boosts to get it even close to what I needed. Even with no boost, the Origin always sounded like it was on the edge of breakup, almost like a built in fuzz.

 

[Brek]

I appreciate the input and details on what you have done. I would love to try modding but I will prob screw something up. I can try the EQ thing, on an MXR 6 band what frequency do you think would cut to get rid of the issue? THanks!

Yeah, i was same a couple years ago, made a bit of an effort to learn how to solder. So far i have rehoused a pedal from an awful shaped box to a square one and changed the dual gang bass treble to two separate pots. Modded one of my origin 5 amps to be more 'plexi', used lyle caudwells class 5 work as the basis for that. Soldering is the first key skill, if done wrong the jobs knackered before you start. Been reading a lot, first two times through was gobbledegook, third time i am starting to understand some basic stuff now.

 

[PelliX]

Lastly, I did swap out the pre-amp tubes (based on some TGP threads). I think I swapped out the gain tube on the red channel with a 12AX7U in an attempt to bring down the gain and round out the tone. Besides introducing some hiss, this didn't make a big difference. I may switch back to the original tubes.

I tackled this problem with a JJ ECC823 in V1, it's half gain factor 100 and half gain factor 70-ish. That leaves green as/is and tames the first red stage. I guess one could extend this to V2, but I haven't felt the need. They also make an ECC832 which is the inverse. Just an idea.

 

[fitz]

I tackled this problem with a JJ ECC823 in V1, it's half gain factor 100 and half gain factor 70-ish. That leaves green as/is and tames the first red stage. I guess one could extend this to V2, but I haven't felt the need. They also make an ECC832 which is the inverse. Just an idea.

Yep. Got an 823 in the DSL to tame the gain on ultra & an 832 in the Haze to keep the normal channel clean.

 

[ITburst]

I keep reading about people swapping out the stock valves for different ones to mod. But I have also read that the DSL20HR has a fixed bias which can't be altered. Does this not create a potential problem?

 

[gregr]

You mean to say cathode biased.

In extreme cases, sure, but generally not a problem assuming you buy the correct tubes.

Fixed bias simply means the bias voltage is held constant. The actual voltage can be adjusted and generally needs to be adjusted when tubes are swapped. It should always be checked.

 

[ITburst]

Yes, cathode biased. I’m new to the whole valve thing. Thanks. So swapping valves is safe providing they are correct. And how does one determine what is “correct” if I may ask?

 

[fitz]

I keep reading about people swapping out the stock valves for different ones to mod. But I have also read that the DSL20HR has a fixed bias which can't be altered. Does this not create a potential problem?

No, the DSL20 is cathode biased, and it makes power tubes swapping easy.
Cathode biased means there's no need to manually adjust the bias on a new set of tubes, just plug and play.
Fixed bias need to be set manually to balance the tubes.
But if you are shopping for different power tubes, get a "matched pair" and the amp won't need to compensate as much.

 

[gregr]

And how does one determine what is “correct” if I may ask?

That’s a good question and I really should walk my previous answer back a bit.

I’ll defer to
https://www.aikenamps.com/the-last-word-on-biasing

Do cathode-biased amplifiers need to be biased? The short answer is yes. The cathode biasing method is self-regulating, to an extent, because increases in cathode current create a larger voltage drop across the cathode resistor, which in turn, creates a larger negative grid-to-cathode voltage, which counteracts the increase in current. The tube will reach a stable point of equilibrium and stay there. However, just as different tubes from different manufacturers will draw varying amounts of current in a fixed-bias amplifier, the same is true of a cathode-biased amplifier. For this reason, the bias should always be checked, even with cathode-biased amplifiers.

 

[fitz]

Yes, cathode biased. I’m new to the whole valve thing. Thanks. So swapping valves is safe providing they are correct. And how does one determine what is “correct” if I may ask?

There are a few different power tube types that are compatible with the EL34.
Here's a link that describes more than I feel like typing...
www.thetubestore.com - EL34 / 6CA7 / KT77 Tubes

 

[gregr]

By “correct tubes” I was thinking along the lines of this video:



1:20 in.

Though I don’t think it would be a problem experimenting around the edges to decide what you like best.