To choke or not to choke

[dynosoar1]

Building a 5E3 tweed and was wondering if adding a choke between the first filter cap and the second cap will tighten the bottom end up at all? Does it affect the output? Do you like the tone better with the choke there or with the resistor? Thanks.

[jaysg]

Which tweed? Totally stock is usually a good starting point with Fenders.

[dynosoar1]

Sorry I should have mentioned that in the post. The 5E3.

[iknowjohnny]

I have a 6V6x2 amp, tho not a fender clone. But in any case i asked the same thing at a forum a while back and someone told me with 6v6 tubes it wouldn't make much difference. Can't recall why he said it wouldn't, but i tried it and he was right. I couldn't hear or feel any difference in the amp worth mentioning. Now in my EL34 build it's a HUGE difference, and it would accomplish what you want if 6V6 tubes reacted to a choke vs resistor the same way as my el34 amp does, but it doesn't. But the good news is you can stop wondering whether you should do it or not ! But seriously, it made no difference and you'll just be wasting your time and money.

[dynosoar1]

Thanks man...that's great info. I'll stick to the resistor. If I run 6L6's (which is an option with my OT) in the deluxe would it make more of a difference you think?

[toml]

I built a 5E3 (from a Mission kit) with the 6L6 modifications a while back. I also added a choke, and installed a switch to make comparisons between the choke and resistor. With 6L6 tubes installed, I personally preferred the tone with the resistor. The choke cleaned up the sound a bit, and it did "stiffen" the sound, but not in a more pleasing way. Rather, it made the amp sound just a tad "sterile" sounding compared to tones I achieved with the resistor in place of the choke.

I ended up sticking with the resistor for that particular build. YMMV

Tom

[Alexo]

+1 on the comments thus far. I haven't AB/d choke/no choke without making other changes at the same time, but out of the bunch of amps I've built, I've noticed that those with chokes after the first PSU node do tend to sound stiff and they also tend to soften up in a more musical way when they've been fooled around with and ended up choke-less.

Iknowjohnny - can you describe how it improved the performance of your EL34 amp?

[Structo]

This helps me make a decision on my D'Lite amp.

I bought a 4H 90ma choke and have debated whether or not to install it.
I don't want my amp to be any stiffer than it is so I will probably forget about putting it in.

[austinb]

I put a choke in my 5e3 ,but for a different reason. It helps cut down on the 120hz hum. If you play in a band and use a 5e3 and mike it ,you have lots of 120hz hum in the pa. The choke killed 3/4 of the hum.