4
TAKING CARE OF YOUR AMP
To get the most out of your amp and decades of great tone there are several things to keep in mind
when using it. Most importantly, never turn it on with out an
8 ohm
speaker load plugged into the
output jack! The Percolator was designed specifically to be used with the Zeppelin Design Labs 1x8
speaker cabinet (also available in kit form), but you can use any speaker cabinet or combination of
speakers you’d like, as long as the sum of the output impedance is 8 ohms. You also need to make
sure that you are using a good quality, 1/4” speaker cable -- not instrument cable! If you don’t know
the difference, go talk to the guy at your local pro sound or guitar shop. If you buy a Zeppelin Design
Labs 1x8 Speaker Cabinet kit, you will learn how to MAKE a quality speaker cable!
It is also important to be mindful of the line voltage (from the wall outlet) that you are subjecting your
amp to. The Percolator was designed to use 118VAC (230VAC for the international version) from the
wall outlet. If your outlet has less voltage than that across its terminals, then the amp will not be as loud
as it should be. On the other hand, electronics in general, and tube amplifiers specifically hate voltage
surges. It is true that tube amps are fairly robust electrically, but they also have a step-up transformer
that multiplies the voltage from the wall to something much higher, and voltage spikes are multiplied
by that ratio too. During these voltage spike situations, it is common for tube amplifiers to experience
arcing in the secondary of the power transformer and also in the tubes. The fuse will protect your amp
most of the time, but sometimes the transients are much quicker than the reaction time of the fuse.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to use some sort of surge protector to protect your amp from these transients.
If your amp has been sitting in a cold environment for a while, then let it warm up to room temperature
before turning it on. The heat generated by the filaments inside the tube is enough to crack a cold
glass enclosure.
Use common sense with your Percolator. Never touch the tube when it’s on (it gets quite hot). Never
get the amp wet. Never use with an ungrounded IEC cable. Do not use with the wrong value of fuse.
Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Rock out. Have fun.
Note there is a serial number sticker on the chassis. Reference this serial number when and if you ever
need to contact us for assistance.
A BIT ABOUT TUBES
Tubes are made of several fragile mechanical components closely spaced in a vacuum sealed glass
enclosure. There are several factors affecting the tube’s longevity, which include how hard the tube
is pushed and how often the tube is used. In the case of a tube guitar amplifier, vibration from the
speakers, traveling on the road, and setup and tear down all have a negative effect on the longevity of
the tube. Any time you hear a change in the amp’s performance the tube should be the first thing you
check. If your amplifier loses power, fades in and out, loses dynamic or tonal range, or makes unusual
sounds or excess noise, you should look into replacing the tube.
To remove the tube, gently rock the tube back and forth while slightly lifting. Put a tube into the socket
in just the opposite way. In working with new tubes, first check to make sure all the pins on the tube
Содержание THE PERCOLATOR
Страница 6: ......
