If you have a vintage-style amp with a tube rectifier, you probably already know how it influences your tone, so I apologize if the first part of this review is informational. "Tube sag" is basically the result of voltage getting converted from AC to DC (before it hits the power tubes). Tube rectifiers could be thought of then as the fuel injector in your car. When you step on the gas pedal, the injector can only inject so much. The same thing applies for tube rectifiers -- they can only "inject" (covert) so much voltage -- so when voltage demands are high, such as when you are playing massive chords or bass notes, the "sag sound" is amp "accelerating" (continuing the car analogy). In other words, your low-end will sound loose and flubby, which adds a lot of warmth to your tone. Solid State Rectifiers are not restricted to the limitations of vacuum tubes, and so as "fuel injectors", the voltage conversion is (relatively) instantaneous.<br /><br />The Effects.... in my AC30, there was dramatic difference in how tight the amp sounds now. The amp now has the thump of a Marshall and my pick attack is more transparent. Other than being a pain to install (AC30's are NOT service friendly), the Yellow Jacket SS rectifier fit easily and snuggly into the tube slot and that was that. However, the second reason why I got a SS rectifier in the first place is because AC30's run hot, and the CC2 series in particular slams the GZ34/5AR4 with a little too much voltage when flipping the standby switch. So, in addition the tonal improvements, my amp is now set up for better electrical efficiency (which means less internal wear and tear).
Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]