King Tut Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I've got this old Trace AH250 and had decided to move it on. It used to be the hire amp at our local music shop, Hollywood Music. Battered to funk and a weighty beast. So I took it to rehearsal yesterday to make sure it was all working and wow - just blown away with the tone. Solid, clean and amazingly loud! The guys immediately berated me for considering selling it so it looks like it's staying. It's nice and quiet now as I've had a new fan put in and the UV, which caused a crackle, has been replaced with LEDs. Just need to figure out a way to protect the front and back in transit and she'll be good to gig. Next rehearsal I'll be testing the much smaller Series 6 SMX250. If that sounds as good, this one might get the push but until then I've made some room in my life for it!! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 If memory serves, what you have there is a Series 6. If you don't need no fancy compressors I think the SMX might only impress by virtue of less weight, no less LAF. The 'EQ balance' is quite handy sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YGBASS Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I think so too ! @King Tut Please , how do have made the UV led illumination ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 The Series 6 came after the Mk V. The SMX came after the Series 6. Yours is clearly Mk V as it says on the front panel. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 Yes it's definitely a mark V. I'll have a look at my smaller one to work out what model it is. It has a valve pre and a dual band compressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 8 hours ago, YGBASS said: I think so too ! @King Tut Please , how do have made the UV led illumination ? I bought a strip of self adhesive LEDs from eBay, then got an amp tech to hardwire the 12v transformer into the amp and just leave the connector poking out the front. I then stuck the LEDs around the inside of the front and attached the connector 😁 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 33 minutes ago, King Tut said: Yes it's definitely a mark V. I'll have a look at my smaller one to work out what model it is. It has a valve pre and a dual band compressor. Dual band compression makes it an SMX, most likely a 250, being smaller than your MkV. Peavey really goofed when they left out the EQ Balance in the new stuff, if you ask me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 You just can't beat Trace Elliot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 SMX is a cracking amp in my opinion and the dual band compressor is the icing on the cake. Should have kept mine but the dreaded GAS got the better of me years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Welcome back to the fold. Another lost sheep making it back home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said: Dual band compression makes it an SMX, most likely a 250, being smaller than your MkV. Peavey really goofed when they left out the EQ Balance in the new stuff, if you ask me. Yeah just checked - it's an SMX 250. It's got a heatsink - no fan! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 2 hours ago, King Tut said: Yeah just checked - it's an SMX 250. It's got a heatsink - no fan! Is it the rack mounting version? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 minute ago, Sparky Mark said: Is it the rack mounting version? Cheers. Yeah although it's inside a hard case. Just unscrews and you can bolt rack ears on the side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 8 minutes ago, King Tut said: Yeah although it's inside a hard case. Just unscrews and you can bolt rack ears on the side. Is the hard case the original Trace Elliot one? Perhaps you could treat us to some TE photo porn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 16 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said: Is the hard case the original Trace Elliot one? Perhaps you could treat us to some TE photo porn? Later my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Some have a dodgy amp to chassis ground via a star washer that rusts. When that happens the amp blows up in a bad way. I think it's only on the bi-polar 'bear' version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 53 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said: Some have a dodgy amp to chassis ground via a star washer that rusts. When that happens the amp blows up in a bad way. I think it's only on the bi-polar 'bear' version. Yes - got one of those too and had the earth checked. Also had some other mods done on that one to stop it self destructing. I've gigged that one a bit. It's a 7 band one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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