NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

Nik was running a 10% discount on all 18W's last year.

I asked if he would hold it for me until i sold my strat, which he did will end of March (good dude!).

Amp + extras + shipping was $850USD = $1250NZD + $100 GST when it landed.

So $1350 all up.

It means I haven't left myself much coin to buy another guitar AND cabinet.

Slash-Ed's epi with SD's is looking rather inviting at the mo...
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by sambrowne »

Seems like an amazing deal. How does it compare to a Marshall reissue tonally?

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Aquila Rossa »

Really nice. Would have to be one looking nicest amps I've seen in NZ for awhile.
Are you going to put a Marshall 6' script logo on it, or something different?
I like the gold one like this:
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Maybe RS has them?

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Aquila Rossa »

Just wondering, out of ten how did it live up to your expectations for build, looks and tone?

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

sambrowne wrote:Seems like an amazing deal. How does it compare to a Marshall reissue tonally?
It's been so long since I had the 1974x that I can't quite compare.

And in the time that I had it I only cranked it a handful of times.

But yeah the TMB channel is very similar. Probably a bit more bass (due to the Vintage 30 probably). Once I get a greenback it will be tonal nirvana.

The normal channel with the EF86 is different though. More like a Vox obviously. It sounds so sweet. It's that yummy brittish tone I could hear in my head that I wanted. Very happy.

I only wish I could switch them around. Have the EF86 in the TMB channel with the master volume control. I think the Blackstar Aritsan 15/30 is like that?
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

Aquila Rosso wrote:Really nice. Would have to be one looking nicest amps I've seen in NZ for awhile.
Are you going to put a Marshall 6' script logo on it, or something different?
I like the gold one like this:
Image
Maybe RS has them?
Nah I've got the Ceriatone badge that it came with to put on yet.

I'm kinda proud of the fact that its not a Marshall you know - they don't make anything quite this cool/versatile. :D
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

Aquila Rosso wrote:Just wondering, out of ten how did it live up to your expectations for build, looks and tone?
Build and looks were as expected, no complaints. So a 10 I guess? My only grizzle is the overall size of the thing. I wish it were a nice little head cab, makes finding a speaker cab easier.

Tone, hmmm.

The EF86 channel buzzes a little, so that takes it down to a 9.5

The TMB channel doesn't have as much gain on tap as I would have liked, and is a little bassy at present. Maybe an 8.5 or 9?
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Bg »

babytaylor wrote:
Aquila Rosso wrote:Just wondering, out of ten how did it live up to your expectations for build, looks and tone?
Build and looks were as expected, no complaints. So a 10 I guess? My only grizzle is the overall size of the thing. I wish it were a nice little head cab, makes finding a speaker cab easier.

Tone, hmmm.

The EF86 channel buzzes a little, so that takes it down to a 9.5

The TMB channel doesn't have as much gain on tap as I would have liked, and is a little bassy at present. Maybe an 8.5 or 9?
I have an unloaded bombardier cab that would probably suit...
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Aquila Rossa »

So that is an average of 9 all up, which is pretty bloody good fro 1.3k. Many people spend much more and don't even get close to satisfaction.
You could put an EQ in the FX loop to cure the bassiness, but I would be looking at the circuit to fix that eventually. He would have built to vintage correct specs and often Marshall used a capacitor/resistor combo that amplified the frequencies evenly across the spectrum, resulting in to much bass being generated in the first gain stage. Lowering the capacitor value changes the gain curve so there is a shelving effect starting at the lower mids, meaning the bass frequencies are attentuated in that first stage, curing the problem. I'm not sure if Nik will allow a change without voiding your warranty, so just live with the EQ fix for a year and then sort it out.
Last edited by Aquila Rossa on Sat Apr 17, 2010 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Aquila Rossa »

I wonder what Ryan can do the Mojo equivilent for. Mojo is USA company and a bit pricier, so I'd guess 1.6k-1.8k?

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by AmpShop »

babytaylor wrote:
Aquila Rosso wrote:Just wondering, out of ten how did it live up to your expectations for build, looks and tone?
Build and looks were as expected, no complaints. So a 10 I guess? My only grizzle is the overall size of the thing. I wish it were a nice little head cab, makes finding a speaker cab easier.

Tone, hmmm.

The EF86 channel buzzes a little, so that takes it down to a 9.5

The TMB channel doesn't have as much gain on tap as I would have liked, and is a little bassy at present. Maybe an 8.5 or 9?

The first gain stage couping cap and cathode bypass cap values are relatively small on this particularly circuit, as are the phase inverter and output stage coupling caps, so the excess low-end will be coming from the tone stack - the classic Bassman/Marshall tone stack is known for being bass-heavy does have a lot more low-end than necessary.

Bear in mind that if the EF86 channel had the TMB tone stack, it would change the character of the channel significantly, and reduce the raw overdrive which you're getting as a result of the extremely simple circuit in the EF86 channel.
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Aquila Rossa »

babytaylor wrote:
Aquila Rosso wrote:Really nice. Would have to be one looking nicest amps I've seen in NZ for awhile.
Are you going to put a Marshall 6' script logo on it, or something different?
I like the gold one like this:
Image
Maybe RS has them?
Nah I've got the Ceriatone badge that it came with to put on yet.

I'm kinda proud of the fact that its not a Marshall you know - they don't make anything quite this cool/versatile. :D
It's a pity he does not have a Ceriatone logo in script. The earliest Marshalls had that style logo too, for anybody who does not know.

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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by AmpShop »

Aquila Rosso wrote:I wonder what Ryan can do the Mojo equivilent for. Mojo is USA company and a bit pricier, so I'd guess 1.6k-1.8k?
Yeah, Mojo do have a nice range of Blackface-style kits. The pricing issues people stumble over are the shipping cost; and the assembly cost if applicable - Ceriatone charge USD$90 to assemble and test the amp in this thread - that simply doesn't translate as a realistic labour rate in NZ.

In saying all that, the Mojo kits are pretty much "Blackface replica", aesthetically and electronically, whereas the Ceriatone kits are "Blackface style".
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

CustomAudioBoutique wrote:
babytaylor wrote:
Aquila Rosso wrote:Just wondering, out of ten how did it live up to your expectations for build, looks and tone?
Build and looks were as expected, no complaints. So a 10 I guess? My only grizzle is the overall size of the thing. I wish it were a nice little head cab, makes finding a speaker cab easier.

Tone, hmmm.

The EF86 channel buzzes a little, so that takes it down to a 9.5

The TMB channel doesn't have as much gain on tap as I would have liked, and is a little bassy at present. Maybe an 8.5 or 9?

The first gain stage couping cap and cathode bypass cap values are relatively small on this particularly circuit, as are the phase inverter and output stage coupling caps, so the excess low-end will be coming from the tone stack - the classic Bassman/Marshall tone stack is known for being bass-heavy does have a lot more low-end than necessary.

Bear in mind that if the EF86 channel had the TMB tone stack, it would change the character of the channel significantly, and reduce the raw overdrive which you're getting as a result of the extremely simple circuit in the EF86 channel.
With that in mind its a pity it doens't have a tone bypass mod.
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Re: NAD: Ceriatone 18W TMB EF86 Head

Post by Miza »

The other thing I forgot to mention is that the tone knob on the EF86 (normal) channel is a 6-way selector knob. So you still have good tone control over that channel despite the lack of full tone stack.

I actually prefer it to the TMB.

If I could do it again I would do away with the TMB and get the same 6-way knob for the TMB channel, and keep the tremelo circuit.

At least I could trust that with Ceriatone the tremelo would actually work.
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