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[MikeB]

So, I finally found time to get on with the MDRT upgrade.  My MP1 is stock but has a new superstock tube board and has had the noise mod done.  Today I added the MDRT as well as changing out the big capacitor on the main board.  MJMP sent me a 10000uF to replace the 4700uF.  He hasn't really told me why I'm doing that but I figured that bigger must be better and he's not going to advise me to do something that will make it worse, so what the hell.  So, I'm not really sure what is responsible for the total shock and awe that occurred this afternoon or if its a combination of the two changes or what.  Anyway, who cares!!

The mod was easy enough and I could have just done it and then tried to find the words to describe the difference.  But I didn't.  I've read other peoples attempts at describing the difference and its hard to really properly understand what has happened.  I decided, in the name of science, to record my raw guitar signal and then use that to feed into the MP1 before and after the upgrade, so that everyone can hear the difference.  I was expecting a change, hopefully an improvement, but what I got was so much more...

I'll post my method after the results for anyone that cares how I went about it and what bits and pieces I have.
I have recorded the MP1 without any effects other than the built in chorus so that the result is pure MP1 before and after.  I did a clean, a dirty, distorted chords and distorted single notes.  I have them as .wav and so I'll to post each pair in new post....

[MikeB]

and now the dirty track:

[MikeB]

the distorted chords:
note: I had to shave 10dB off the recording signal because it went waaaay into the red.

[MikeB]

distorted single notes:
note: also with a 10dB reduction in recording

[MikeB]

So it seems that I have a new amp!  I was pretty happy with the tone I was getting before this upgrade and now when I listen back to the old sound its like I'm hearing it through a wall or something.  Admittedly, the process introduced a lot of flaws into the tone.

I used my old sony minidisk walkman which I bought about 3 months before Apple released the iPod and forever banished the minidisk to a very brief history. 
Guitar -> minidisk recorder -> mp1 (with GCS3 in loop) -> Line 6 UX1 interface -> Pod Farm (nothing selected) -> Live Lite 8

The minidisk recorder/player introduced quite a lot of noise.  I could have spent longer fiddling with the levels to ensure unity gain, but I think I was reasonably close.  The Line 6 UX1 is a crappy interface.  The AD conversion is terrible and does not really do the amp justice.  However, I really only wanted to demonstrate the difference and the playing field was at least level.

Whilst doing the upgrade, something I did cleared the memory, so I lost all of my presets.  I had written down the ones I used in case that happened. When I realised that the memory was wiped, I  was disappointed, but once I heard the new improved MP1, I realised that I'm going to have to completely reprogram it anyway.

Right, that's enough rambling for now.  I have to go and make dinner now.  Tomorrow the reprogramming begins.
cheerio,
Mike

[tomy]

My Dirty Ravioli Transformer !

Hey Mike, when I put the ravioli inside my mb1, the presets sounded way different so I decided to undo everything, and reprogram as brand new.

Your clean and your dirty sound really good anyway

[MarshallJMP]

The cap I send smooths out the heater voltage and the voltage for the 5V.Now the bigger it is the better it will smooth out the ripple,but on original transformers you can't go to big because if the line voltage is too low you could get start up problems.The MDRT has a bigger voltage and current output so you won't have that problem with a 10.000µF cap.

[rnolan]

Hey Mike, big difference.  Seems to have lots more tops and sparkle, more air and looses the low mid so off nasal sound (if that makes sense).  Definitely much more in your face, I couldn't help thinking it sounds more like an MP2 now. As you say, needs reprogramming as all your settings applied to the previous set up.  Adds weight to this being a must do mod for MP1 

[MikeB]

I couldn't help thinking it sounds more like an MP2 now.

Yeah. When i heard the distorted chords, that was my first thought.

[tnipe]

Sorry to bring up this old thread. I'm hearing a big increase in treble in the post-MDRT clips, almost like a low pass filter has been removed from the signal path. Is this to be expected?

[Harley Hexxe]

Sorry to bring up this old thread. I'm hearing a big increase in treble in the post-MDRT clips, almost like a low pass filter has been removed from the signal path. Is this to be expected?

      It seems to be.  I'm hearing the same thing, a huge increase in the highs and upper mid frequencies. I do hear the low end is tighter and still there, but I'm hoping the (lower) mids can be tweaked to come through a bit better.  Personally, I lean towards a warmer guitar tone myself.

Harley

[tnipe]

Sorry to bring up this old thread. I'm hearing a big increase in treble in the post-MDRT clips, almost like a low pass filter has been removed from the signal path. Is this to be expected?

      It seems to be.  I'm hearing the same thing, a huge increase in the highs and upper mid frequencies. I do hear the low end is tighter and still there, but I'm hoping the (lower) mids can be tweaked to come through a bit better.  Personally, I lean towards a warmer guitar tone myself.

Harley

Yeah, me too. I'm playing the lead channel right now, and the treble is set at 2, presence at 0. Makes for a good jazz fusion-y mellow tone.

[Iperfungus]

MDRT increases tubes dynamics and makes the MP-1 more open sounding, less compressed.
You just loose some compression, not the MP-1 "creaminess".
Of course, eq depends on personal taste.

It's a big improvement to the overall tone...but the MP-1 sounds good also with its original transformer.

[Harley Hexxe]

Hey Max,

       I get that, and I could hear that in the demos. I momentarily forgot what guitar was used with this, however, it is EQ'ed towards the bright side. Since my main guitar is a Stratocaster, EQ settings like that would sound shrill, and not very pleasing  at all.

      Just like Torstien, I rarely use my Treble setting higher than +2. Sometimes I drop the Treble to -4 or -6, and raise the Presence for sweeter highs. It depends what tone you are looking for. In most of my programs in the MP-1, I normally have the Bass set +10 or +12. I should also make clear that these are the typical settings I use when the MP-1 is plugged into the MT-200. I'll drop the Bass settings down if I'm plugged into the B200S, since that is a warmer sounding power amp.

      When I get one of my MT-100's up and running again, I'll probably have to tweak the EQ again since that doesn't sound quite the same as the 200.

Harley

[Iperfungus]

Hey Max,

       I get that, and I could hear that in the demos. I momentarily forgot what guitar was used with this, however, it is EQ'ed towards the bright side. Since my main guitar is a Stratocaster, EQ settings like that would sound shrill, and not very pleasing  at all.

      Just like Torstien, I rarely use my Treble setting higher than +2. Sometimes I drop the Treble to -4 or -6, and raise the Presence for sweeter highs. It depends what tone you are looking for. In most of my programs in the MP-1, I normally have the Bass set +10 or +12. I should also make clear that these are the typical settings I use when the MP-1 is plugged into the MT-200. I'll drop the Bass settings down if I'm plugged into the B200S, since that is a warmer sounding power amp.

      When I get one of my MT-100's up and running again, I'll probably have to tweak the EQ again since that doesn't sound quite the same as the 200.

Harley

Yep.
100% right, mate.

With MDRT the MP-1 with "extreme" eq settings could become too fizzy, depending on the power amp and settings, speakers and guitar's pickups.
I love to eq my MP-1 with high settings for bass, mid, high and presence (something like 9,6,6,10 or 9,6,6,12), because this gives it a very plexish bite.
But, after MDRT, I had to lower both power amp's channels presence controls.
And I use a Blackstar 2x12 cab with 70/80 Celestion speakers, that have very balanced response with solid basses, efficient mids and smooth round highs (very different from V30, more close to G12T-75 with a little less basses and better mids, to my ears).

I got a very "in your face" sound now.

Uh, Harley...do you have 10 minutes to run a small test for me?