DSL5c - The Ultimate Lo-Power Amp

[Rocktane]

I still think I'm going get a used a used 5C, hack it up, and turn it in to a head (even though I dislike the looks of top mounted heads.) Marshall is missing the boat by not having a proper head version of this amp.

 

[Mike Russo]

Talking about biasing this amp, I replaced the stock Marshall branded (and not TAD) power tube with a balanced gold pin JJ ECC99. I had to almost crank the bias pot to get it up to 110mV. At the maximum bias pot setting it reads around 130mV. Just a hint for those who might consider this tube.

Another thing is what have been discussed many times but I just cannot express what an improvement to this combo is to replace the stock speaker with a good 12" one! Stock it sounded thin, fizzy, mushy near cr*p I would say. Classic gain was ok but ultra was really bad. I replaced all preamp tubes with Tung-Sols, 12AT7 in the V2 position but still not ok. Cranked the amp through an attenuator gave ok-ish results but still the same fizzyness. After installing a well broken in Rola GT12-65 I was like wow that's a whole different amp and one killer tone! I didn't have time/chance to crank it yet but still on low volume it sounds much much better. I would say that for the first try, 90% of what I hated in this amp is gone.
The speaker swap is a definite must to do on this amp to get a good Marshall tone.

Question...what did you do with the screws for the 10"? I assume that they protrude....did u cut them out? How did you secure the 12"? Thanks

 

[paul-e-mann]

Micky why did you get rid of your DSL5C?

 

[Micky]

Micky why did you get rid of your DSL5C?

I haven't gotten rid of it... yet.

I don't play it much, and I am downsizing.
I figured it would be easy to sell the small stuff, but I think I was wrong.
Still for sale. It is sitting right beside me here in my office, poor little lonely thing...

 

[paul-e-mann]

I haven't gotten rid of it... yet.

I don't play it much, and I am downsizing.
I figured it would be easy to sell the small stuff, but I think I was wrong.
Still for sale. It is sitting right beside me here in my office, poor little lonely thing...

Why don't you play it much? Do you have something that you like better?

 

[stillrockin]

and about a mini evh?

 

[Mike Russo]

Question...what did you do with the screws for the 10"? I assume that they protrude....did u cut them out? How did you secure the 12"? Thanks

Bump

 

[Frankiepags]

Great pictures of a 12 inch installed in this thread , ppl just put the 12 over the 10 inch baffle and re screw it in...some have cut out the baffle for the 12, to each there own.. hope that helps a lil check the pics , they should help.

 

[Mike Russo]

Great pictures of a 12 inch installed in this thread , ppl just put the 12 over the 10 inch baffle and re screw it in...some have cut out the baffle for the 12, to each there own.. hope that helps a lil check the pics , they should help.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[JAC]

Micky without an "e", what the heck did you do to make the DS-1 pack a punch as you posted sir? Inquiring tonehounds like me want to know.

 

[stillrockin]

5w ok but when i played with it
the sound was good but not amazing and i played loud

 

[Micky]

Micky without an "e", what the heck did you do to make the DS-1 pack a punch as you posted sir? Inquiring tonehounds like me want to know.

I did a few small mods, a couple caps here and there and changed the clipping diodes. Everything I did is on the Internet somewhere, It was so long ago I can't remember where I found everything...

 

[Mike Russo]

I just put a new 12" greenback in my new dsl5c...day and night difference between the stock 10" and the 12" greenback. Louder, fuller more bold easily keeps up with rehearsal levels (drums, bass, 2 guitars). I no longer need to hump the dsl40c to practice! I did something different however, I did not cut a slot at the bottom of the box, instead I used a disk sander and removed enough metal on the speaker frame to sit low enough in the box...other than the 4 new screw holes no mods were needed.

 

[jbird5150]

Hey guys--just picked one of these up and am loving it so far. But all the while I'm thinking "I'd love to have chorus and delay pedals for this, maybe a reverb too." Then I spotted my old Roland Cube 20X in the corner, with all those effects (and more) built in...

Anybody else rig the Cube effects up to a DSL5C or similar? Or should I just sell the Roland and get a couple of used pedals? Be gentle...I've never messed with effects or pedals before, so talk to me in your best "amps and effects for dummies" tone...

 

[Frankiepags]

That's actually a great Idea Russo , just grind the bottom of the speaker to fit , any pics , still need to get around to putting my 12inch speaker in, also have some tungsol 12ax7 and some ruby 12ax5hg to roll in this amp ,anyone use these tubes in there dsl5c?

 

[Mike Russo]

That's actually a great Idea Russo , just grind the bottom of the speaker to fit , any pics , still need to get around to putting my 12inch speaker in, also have some tungsol 12ax7 and some ruby 12ax5hg to roll in this amp ,anyone use these tubes in there dsl5c?

I sent you a private message with cell number to send pics. I can't seem to upload pics from my phone as media

 

[Ozark]

Hey guys--just picked one of these up and am loving it so far. But all the while I'm thinking "I'd love to have chorus and delay pedals for this, maybe a reverb too." Then I spotted my old Roland Cube 20X in the corner, with all those effects (and more) built in...

Anybody else rig the Cube effects up to a DSL5C or similar? Or should I just sell the Roland and get a couple of used pedals? Be gentle...I've never messed with effects or pedals before, so talk to me in your best "amps and effects for dummies" tone...

Am using the Zoom MS50G (Multi-stomp box) into the 'FX Loop' at the back of my DSL5C and it sounds great! Most of the time, I am using 'Delay' though. Chorus and Reverb also sounded great too.

Watch the DSL5C review by Rob Chapman & the Captain at Andertons, they did mentioned that you can run cheap chorus and delay effects pedals and it will sound good too.

That's what the 'FX Loop' at the back of the DSL5C is for, and probably some other use too.

 

[Micky]

That's actually a great Idea Russo , just grind the bottom of the speaker to fit , any pics , still need to get around to putting my 12inch speaker in, also have some tungsol 12ax7 and some ruby 12ax5hg to roll in this amp ,anyone use these tubes in there dsl5c?

Read the whole thread. There are lots who use these tubes...

 

[jbird5150]

Am using the Zoom MS50G (Multi-stomp box) into the 'FX Loop' at the back of my DSL5C and it sounds great! Most of the time, I am using 'Delay' though. Chorus and Reverb also sounded great too.

Watch the DSL5C review by Rob Chapman & the Captain at Andertons, they did mentioned that you can run cheap chorus and delay effects pedals and it will sound good too.

That's what the 'FX Loop' at the back of the DSL5C is for, and probably some other use too.

Thanks. I found a guy on CL who's almost giving away a Boss ME-70 so I'm going to snag that. Way more than I need, but isn't most of the stuff we buy that way?

 

[Frankiepags]

A tip to using those multi effects pedals is to turn off any amp simulation or it will color the amp way to much..besides that it should sound fine, boss has been in the game a long time..enjoy , nothing better than finding a killer deal.