Ibanez TSA5 (or TSA15 even...)

[Kiwi]

I played the TSA 15 (separate head and cab) at the Surrey Bass Bash and was impressed.

So I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on it's younger brother as Thomann are asking 95 Euro for them each.

I am also thinking about getting it modified so there's more power sag available, probably through a resistor based mod rather than a full tube rectifier.

Does anyone know what the amp circuitry is based on?

I've seen some reference to Fender Champs on other forums but I don't think that was a technical opinion based on a view of the circuitry.

[Beer of the Bass]

There doesn't seem to be a schematic out there for the TS5, only the block diagram that Ibanez put in the manual. It looks like has one 12AX7 in the preamp with a single knob tone control in between the two triodes and a single-ended 6v6 power stage. Depending on how the tone control is implemented, that probably puts it closest to a tweed Princeton circuit.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Beer of the Bass

[Kiwi]

I've pulled the trigger anyway and bought two. I'm extremely pleased with them!

Definitely a chimey, Fender-ish tone to be had from the wee beasties and they go about as loud as you'd ideally want for home practice without being disruptive. The tube screamer circuit does a nice job of providing gritty break up and overdrive tones but, contrary to the marketing blurb, metal tones are definitely not available without super hot pickups or a booster.

More reviews here:
[url="http://www.jemsite.com/compare-guitar-amplifiers/Ibanez-TSA5-Combo-Amp/reviews/"]http://www.jemsite.c...bo-Amp/reviews/[/url]

One of the reviews talks about replacing the stock Ruby tube with an 'upgrade' but I have ruby tubes by choice in my Trace V8. They're a very reputable and warm sounding brand. Other suggestions involve replacing the stock Celestion Tube 10 speaker with an Eminence Rajun Cajun. Again - Celestion have a solid reputation and the Tube 10 gets five stars on Amazon and has been described as particularly impressive. But a youtube video here does a compare and contrast.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqr5AWJ5o80"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqr5AWJ5o80[/url]

So I won't be replacing bits soon. But I'll be taking both to a local amp tech soon for a sag modificiation to the rectifier.

All in all, I think these amps are outstanding value for money.

[Ancient Mariner]

FWIW the Tube 10 is a very budget speaker, according to a conversation I had with Celestion a few years back, while the Ragin Cajun is a nice speaker, though a bit stiff for a 5 watt amp. I'd look for a celestion G10L35 (out of production, so ebay only) as it works very well with a smaller amp.

I had a listen to the demo above, and the RC sounded muffled and a bit congested to me , while the celestion was much crisper and more open. Hard to tell what they really sounded like without being there.

[Beer of the Bass]

If you do try replacement speakers, I bet the Eminence 1028k alnico would be great in one of these amps. I had one in my Princeton Reverb clone and it had a lot of that Fendery chime and sparkle but in a 15 watt amp it broke up a little too much for me at volume.

[Ancient Mariner]

Be warned though, Jensen style alnico speakers like that can be very bright, and also very inefficient turning power into volume. Lots of chime, certainly, but they need careful EQ.

[Kiwi]

Not sure I'll be able to lay my hands on a G10L35 so easily if they're sought after and out of production. I'll also need two, given I have two combos. I played the amp again last night and if I was to be seriously picky, unless the tone controls are backed off, the combo can sound a little too bright. I can take care of that with various electronic doo hickeys at various points along the signal chain but it would be nice to just plug in and play. A 10 that sounds a bit more like a 12 might be what I'm looking for in that context. Maybe the [url="http://celestion.com/product/31/g10_greenback/"]Celestion Greenback [/url]could be a better alternative?

[Ancient Mariner]

I've never tried the 10" version. The G12M comes in several varieties, but the standard 25watt edition is a nice medium efficiency speaker, with loose bass, warm mids and a top end that can sting/sound harsh if pushed that way. Breakup is usually fairly early (a 6V6 run hard is enough, though from the description of how loud these amps are, they're not putting out near 5W) and sounds good, but can get a little muddy. It's a real classic speaker.

If you want more warm fatness then an [url="http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=EMIREDRFANG10&browsemode=manufacturer"]Eminence Red Fang 10[/url] would be good (the 12" redfang is like a slightly smoother Celestion blue) but will cost close to what you paid for the 2 amps.

*edit*
There's a couple of G10-20s (forerunner of the L35) on ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-10-SPEAKER-CELESTION-G-10-20-1979-MARSHALL-8-OHM-/291149809893?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-10-SPEAKER-CELESTION-G-10-20-1979-MARSHALL-16-OHM-/291149809554?

I also have an older celestion vintage 10-40 tucked away that I don't use. It's quite a loud speaker, but has the characteristic upper-mids spike like the vintage 30 that can make for brain darts through the ears.

Edited May 22, 2014 by Ancient Mariner

[Kiwi]

Oh wow - vintage 10s? I'll have to seriously consider those although one is 16 ohms.

The sound I'm looking for is very mellow and full - something bluesy or jazzy that can counterbalance the small cabinet size.

I just tried the pair of them this morning with NI Guitar Rig. Specifically the tweed amp simulator with the sag dialled up all the way and that was my sound right there. The slightly spikey highs were very nicely tamed, so part of the solution could also be the sag mod I was already planning.

It would be nice to see if a rotary control or pot could be fitted to vary the sag.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1400840731' post='2457404']
It would be nice to see if a rotary control or pot could be fitted to vary the sag.
[/quote]

Maven Peal offer a 'variable sag circuit' with their amps so it would seem it can be done. Dunno if it's continuously variable or a fixed rotary click-set of different resistor ratings. And would it work with a single-ended amp? Best ask yer tech!

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1400872575' post='2457836']
Maven Peal offer a 'variable sag circuit' with their amps so it would seem it can be done. Dunno if it's continuously variable or a fixed rotary click-set of different resistor ratings. And would it work with a single-ended amp? Best ask yer tech!
[/quote]

Yes, I've seen a few seasoned amp techs argue that rectifier sag does not occur to any significant extent on a single-ended amp, as the current demand does not vary with output in the same way it does on a class AB push-pull.

[Kiwi]

Yeah I was aware of the discussion here:
[url="http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/squawk-box/233626-1-watt-amps-sag.html"]http://www.mylespaul...t-amps-sag.html[/url]

Although I haven't mentioned it to the tech yet...assumed he would need to see the amps internals first given Ibanez's distributor in the UK, Headstock Distribution, hasn't responded to my request for a schematic. I expect it will be sing

Maybe I'm better off just sticking with the sag simulation in Guitar Rig.

[Ancient Mariner]

There's a 10" version of the emi Cannabis Rex speaker that will do the mellow and full tone you want. Dropping the voltage a little to the output stage of the amp will soften things a bit too, though you may not get any more sag - as said, that's not really something that happens with class A amps, even run flat out. TBH Class A seems much better clean and AB better dirty (there are some exceptions) to my ears.

[Kiwi]

If the comparison [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjTJoifRApU"]here[/url] is anything to go by, the Cannibis Rex sounds very smooth. The celestion in the Ibanez combos sounds very similar to the celestions in the video too.