Soldano SLO 100 Retube

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RockyStar
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Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by RockyStar »

I am going to be buying some tubes (both power and pre) for a few of my amps and to have some extras laying around for a rainy day and remembered I haven't retubed my SLO. It currently has KT-66's in it. I am not opposed to 5881's or something else.

What Power and Pre tubes work best and why do you like them?
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by WGAFISHOME »

RockyStar wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:14 am I am going to be buying some tubes (both power and pre) for a few of my amps and to have some extras laying around for a rainy day and remembered I haven't retubed my SLO. It currently has KT-66's in it. I am not opposed to 5881's or something else.

What Power and Pre tubes work best and why do you like them?
I've had my SLO for over 29yrs but sadly I can't give you tube advice as I just can't settle with its tone. Way too buzzy and compressed for me.
Mine IS the SLO tone and it still has its 'original' 5881s in it.

Based on the many decades of trying to like the amp I found two things. The most important is it MUST be mated to a Soldano cabinet with Eminence speakers as it rolls off the HF fuzz and fattens the tone. Celestions DO NOT work with a SLO for it to sound as intended. Many will say I'm wrong but I've dealt with Mike many times over this. I have 12 Marshall cabs with many Celestion models in them and the best sounding cab with the SLO is it's own Soldano cabinet with the Eminence.

The SLO cabs are front loaded as opposed to a rear loaded Marshall cab & with the HF rolloff of the Eminence the front load gives you punch without the usual front loaded HF spike.

Also, with the circuit being as 'active' & over bearing on tone most tube changeovers don't make an enormous difference to the final result of the SLO. Sure, some variances are slightly noticeable with different tube recipes but at the end of the day I could have achieved those with an EQ.

One final thing I must add is, the SLO's channels bleed into each other because of the LDR switching and that also adds to the pick/dynamic lag in feel with high gain. Change all the LDRs to physical relays and your SLO will seriously start to bite with pick attack.

Many have worked on the above but John Suhr is probably your easiest and best bet to better the SLO circuit execution. He ALSO fixes the SHITTY SLO effects loop which is placed in the WRONG section of the circuit. You will remember, the best SLO sounds are a wet & dry set up where the effects loop is NOT used. The wet sound is driven by the SLO's Slave out and NOT the effects loop out. SUPER important to know this.

Have fun with your Icon.
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RockyStar
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by RockyStar »

Great info, thanks for the heads up. I will reach out to John and see if he can sort me.
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by WGAFISHOME »

RockyStar wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:35 am Great info, thanks for the heads up. I will reach out to John and see if he can sort me.
Forgot to also mention.

Alan of Carol Ann amps has a TON of info, mods & updates re the SLO and he's done extensive work on them to make them 'much better' keeping on the same track as Mike's vision at the time of the SLO's creation.
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by RockyStar »

WGAFISHOME wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:43 am
RockyStar wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:35 am Great info, thanks for the heads up. I will reach out to John and see if he can sort me.
Forgot to also mention.

Alan of Carol Ann amps has a TON of info, mods & updates re the SLO and he's done extensive work on them to make them 'much better' keeping on the same track as Mike's vision at the time of the SLO's creation.
Cool deal man, thanks for the heads up!
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by harddriver »

The concensus among alot of SLO owners that have tried everything from 6L6's, KT66's seems to be that the standard Sovtek waferbottom 5881's do sound best in SLO's for what ever reason and that was the tube Mike built the amp around so who knows but alot of SLO guys love em.
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by WGAFISHOME »

harddriver wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:09 pm The concensus among alot of SLO owners that have tried everything from 6L6's, KT66's seems to be that the standard Sovtek waferbottom 5881's do sound best in SLO's for what ever reason and that was the tube Mike built the amp around so who knows but alot of SLO guys love em.
Again, it's what I STILL have in mine after 29+ yrs.

They still work so why waste coin on anything else.

Be careful what the consensus is about speakers as MOST (99%) of SLO owners DON'T own or have EVER run it through an Eminence Soldano cab.
Sounds like BS I agree, but I assure you it's true.
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by RockyStar »

I am going to go with the 5881's for sure. Any opinions/experience with various pre tubes for this amp?
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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by WGAFISHOME »

RockyStar wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:31 pm I am going to go with the 5881's for sure. Any opinions/experience with various pre tubes for this amp?
This is where the most change in tone can happen regarding a tube change. Pre amp tubes determine tone far more than power tubes......as you know.

If you want high gain just get the best Chinese 12ax7s that AREN'T microphonic.

If you want lower gain and lower noise put an RCA 5751 into preamp tube one's socket.

Other than that the SLO won't give you 'much difference' back based on the tube recipe.

I realise I'm labouring on about speakers but the most effective, quickest and cheapest change in tone for the better regarding a SLO head is to buy a used SLO cab. DON'T buy one with Celestions in it, no matter what! If you do all you're buying is a smaller front loaded Marshall cab knock off.

Just a reminder I'm not full of shit. Here's mine that I STILL own.

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Re: Soldano SLO 100 Retube

Post by RockyStar »

Looks like I will go 5881's and some chinese pre's. I may play around with V1 a bit but I have learned that the hunt for that little bit more is usually a waste of time and yields very little if anything. I just want it to sound good, be dependable (Not saying it isn't in any way) and kick ass. :mrgreen:
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