Ceriatone Forum

Well, finally we did the instalation of the VVR on the DC30. We did the whole amp scalling.
BTW thanks to all who shared info on this forum about this one! Nik was a lot of help too, as usual!
As a rookie, I needed some help to descipher Dana's installation intructions...
At the end, the instalation seemed simple, but we did not want to blow anything on the way!

This VVR is amazing, I have never had the chance to crank the EF86 channel on band practice. I did all of my gain tones with pedals. Last saturday that I tested it with one band, it really shone! Finally this organic lovely distorted tone without loosing definition at any volume. The amp, is a whole new animal, this works real good if you want to push the amp wihtout blowing your (or your neighbors) ears...
The TopBoost channel did great tones too, thou the difference on volume between the 2 channels was more noticeable when scalled. Great tones too, anyway....

I a/b it with the original MV (we left it there, just in case), and definedly the VVR is a winner when taming the beast without tone lose... the MV, as well known tends to suck bass freqs. The VVR respects the tonal integrity of your sound... even when in minimum (10% of the amps total power). Last night I was practicing at bedroom levels, and it was a great tone.

Just wanted to share, this is a great mod IMO...
Cheers!

Glad you like it. I thought you would be impressed. This PS stuff is becoming much more mainstream now, lots of people doing mods and some amp manufacturers including it.

Yeah, this works incredibly good. I don't how the DC30 would sound with an conventional attenuator as I never tried it. But I don't see the need at all. This is  something to consider on every amp, its a shame not being able to crank an amp to get this unique tones!

I would like to know more about adding a vvr to a DC30. Can you post any layouts on how to do this, or direct me to where I can find this info. Thanks.

This is the link to Hall Amplification. Dana will send you enough info, and answer your questions

http://hallamplification.com/main.html?src=%2F#2,2

Thanks for the post just in time
I have a vvr sitting in the box ready to install over the Christmas holidays.

I see you did the full amp installation. Did you have a final schematic mod? I was going to do just the B+ mod. As I thought I could get into a little trouble. But now will think about going the Full Monty.

Bill

Well, this is the layout I made for myself as I understood what Nik and Dana were telling me about the installation of the VVR controlling the whole amp. It is based on Nik's original layout of my amp.  Basically the VVR goes after 1st filter cap and before output transformer. Also, the VVR goes before the choke, as you can see it on the layout. A 1meg resistor and a 0.1uf cap were added before pin #2 on the 1st and 2nd preamp valves (12ax7). The 1meg resistor on the input jack can be used for the 1st valve, Dana recommends, just moving it.
If you plan to do this, please reffer to Dana's instructions and maybe comment it to Nik, as you can have good assistance.

(http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/5544/stockdc30withvvr.jpg)

Good luck!

Thanks,

I understand now, and on my way.

I will tell you how it works out,

Bill

Hey Alwalt,

The deed is done and what a improvement. We had a power brake on it before , but the amp still lived in the garage.

I built a nice cabinet so it could be a piece of the den with looking like something that belonged there. Ian has other amps to travel with.

Like anything you do the first time I would install it a little different the second. For some reason I ended up with a populated  Fixed bias board with the dual pot ( I bought it a year ago). I installed it under the Power cap board with the FET sinkeded to the chassis there. When putting the cap board back on found the trimmerpot too tall to secure one end. If it was the right board it would be OK.
I also removed the Master ckt and installed the remote pot in the master hole.

If I did it again I would use a single Pot ( A ganged pot  came with it), and soldered the Fet so it would be the lowest profile to go under the cap board. Also order the right board in the first place (My Fault).

Final conclusion is the amp sings, before it was so loud the drum heads and glass and everything in the garage resonated. In a closed room without allot of odd shaped reflecting walls, you can really hear the attributes of this ckt. This is a lifetime amp.

The 4 tubes with the VVR is a sweet sound. I was thinking about a 18 watt with a VVR, but now thinking of a 36 watt with a VVR. This could be a whole new thread!


PS - the Gain channel with an LP and a Green Ringer (Christmas present) is a good sound.

PSS- I also installed Mogami shielded cable when I had it apart. There was a hum that showed up only once in a while, crossing my fingers on this one.

Hey Bill that Green Ringer should be wicked!
I'm glad you finally installed it. I am still amazed with the results on my amp. As youd said, the 4 tube sounds incredibliy good with the VVR. Lately my JSX minicolossal "practice" amp has been given a good rest as the Dizzy is the new guy in town. I have only gigged once since the VVR, I'm looking forward to give it another shot.

I just in incorporated a clean boost to my pedalboard, to drive the drive nuts. I could have never done that without the VVR on this amp! it's an excelent adition to the od pedals I that I already use.

I notice a little hum there too, I still have to open the amp and move the cables, as Dana suggested there could be a cable near to a hum generating component. Nothing that really bothers me, anyway.

Have a nice Holydays!

Do you have clear ceriatone dc 30 layout of dana's vvr installed.


                                      Thanks

I too would like to see that also.  I won't be doing the install but it would go a long way for me in understanding.  I want to scal the whole amp and would have the tech install it in place of the Master volume.  In that scenario does the cut still operate?

Every control keeps working the same. Even the 15/30 watts switch. The MV honestly it's no longer necessary as the VVR takes care of volume with minimal coloration of tone.

Cool!  I dropped off the amp over the weekend to have the VVR put in.  I will report back on the results.

let us know... You will love it!

VVR is in and what a difference!  The beast has been tamed with the sound of the amp intact.  I am most suprised how the low end is retained.  I had tried attenuation with a Weber mini-mass (didn't like it) and after that a Dr.Z airbrake (was as good as the master volume).  Next thing is a quality a/b to switch between the two channels.

I'm glad to hear this! Mind that you will notice an interesting difference on volume between channels, specially at lower levels...

Nothing the volume knob shouldn't cure.

Cool. Welcome to you "new" amp!

I bought my son one of these amps almost two years ago and he absolutely LOVES it!

How difficult would the VVR addition be? (I'm a novice when it comes to soldering)

Also, (on another note) how quiet is your Dizzy 30 on the "dirty" channel(s)? (have you found that it's a bit noisier?)

Installing VVR is easy, once you understand the layout and the info Dana at Hallamplification gives you. What I posted on this thread was my guide to ask my buddy to do the solder job. VVR is the way to go with this amp. Imagine the tone on the 30watt setting, volume wise tamed.
My dirty channel is not noisy, even at full volume. I use the EX ef86 that Nik supplied. I asked him 2 of them, they work fine  and show no microphonics...

Did you mount the mosfet separate from the board? I'm planning on putting it where you have it in the layout, and it looks like I have to mount the board externally.

On the layout, I put a small box indicating VVR to show where in the path should the board go. But we did not mount it there, phisically. We mounted the board near the pilot light front hole (we used that hole as a test, since I did not know if I wanted to take the MV out). Then I realized that MV was not needed anymore.

Since my lamp mount was melted (again!) and have to replace it, we temporally placed the board there, with the mosfet fixed to the "floor" of the chasis. No heat problems there. I have not replaced the light, since I've gigging with some regularity and haven't had the chance. I was thinking to get a led or something that not melt's down!

But anyway, mind that the board does not go there!

I see, do you think its OK to put the board in that position? I couldn't find another place to put it and mounted the mosfet externally there along with the board. Seemed to be the only open space. How does it sound when you use the Master Volume along with the VVR? Also based on your layout, for your B+ out, is it both the OT Primary CT and Choke that goes out?

You can take out the MV pot out, and use that hole. I don't exactly know how to bridge the circuit as I had not done that, but it is something I will have to do. The MV still works with the VVR installed, but believe, there is no need of using it (I have not used mine since VVR).  If you do it this way you will find space enough for the board and the mosfet and no need to separate them.

Yes indeed, the output of the VVR goes to the choke and CT on the OT. I'll try to find a picture I took some days ago and post it, so you can see what my buddy did.

Cool thanks, I'm pretty much done with my build right now, just waiting on transformers and a choke and its done. Pics would be great, I'll let see how it goes once my transformers arrive

Not a great photograph, but it shows how my buddy did a great job inside the amp!
You can tell that when you remove the MV pot, you will have plenty of space for the VVR board and mosfet.

(http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/9031/dsc000292.jpg)
By alwalt (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/alwalt) at 2010-06-22

Thanks! This will definitely help, never thought of doing the Y-split that way, definitely looks way cleaner than what I had in mine.

Do you also have a picture of how you installed the cap/1meg to Pin2?