Fame JTA-05 Amp

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SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
edited April 2019 in Amps
I'm looking for a small valve amp to use in one of the bedrooms when my wife is glued to the telly. I've come across the Fame JTA-05 (a bit similar to a Fender Champ 5F1) which looks like it could be good value for money. Does anyone have one? If yes are you happy with it?

Any other thoughts?
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Comments

  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12257
    They look pretty good, also branded as the “sweet baby” by Joyo. I’d like to give one a go
    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • kreggskreggs Frets: 64
    They are still pretty friggin loud like. How tolerant is yer wife :)
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    kreggs said:
    They are still pretty friggin loud like. How tolerant is yer wife :)
    She's got a volume control for the telly: )
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  • kreggskreggs Frets: 64
    edited April 2019
    Thats alright then haha. I would probably pull the celestion and stick a WGS G8C speaker in for a more authentic sound and possibly a less efficient speaker for better bedroom volumes. No idea what the sensitivity of that stock celestion is though
    Edit: the stock speaker is a celestion eight 15. So same sensitivity as the WGS g8c at 95db. So no volume change as such. Has s brittish sound. Might be good though.
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    kreggs said:
    Thats alright then haha. I would probably pull the celestion and stick a WGS G8C speaker in for a more authentic sound and possibly a less efficient speaker for better bedroom volumes. No idea what the sensitivity of that stock celestion is though
    Edit: the stock speaker is a celestion eight 15. So same sensitivity as the WGS g8c at 95db. So no volume change as such. Has s brittish sound. Might be good though.
    Thanks for the info and food for thought. Should I get one (which I think I will), initially I'll just see how I get on with it.

    Thanks again.
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    kreggs said:
    Thats alright then haha. I would probably pull the celestion and stick a WGS G8C speaker in for a more authentic sound and possibly a less efficient speaker for better bedroom volumes. No idea what the sensitivity of that stock celestion is though
    Edit: the stock speaker is a celestion eight 15. So same sensitivity as the WGS g8c at 95db. So no volume change as such. Has s brittish sound. Might be good though.
    Thanks for the info and food for thought. Should I get one (which I think I will), initially I'll just see how I get on with it.

    Thanks again.
    A jensen alnico speaker although pricey new would give a nicer sound and earlier break up if you can get one second hand.  Worked wonders on a princeton 68 and they are popular for fender champion 600s which are similar to these.
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  • 77ric77ric Frets: 539
    pretty sure these can be run with a different rectifier valve (a 5y3) to bring the over all power down to 3 watts (or there abouts) the Joyo version of the amp has a eminence speaker apparently too.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    Any changes of valve and speaker are going to achieve a few dB reduction at most, ie still loud.

    1W though any fairly normal speaker is loud in the house - to get it down to the sort of volume that won't annoy your family, you need to be talking in tenths of watts or even less.

    You either need an attenuator or an amp with a master volume if you want to make it distort at that sort of level.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • 77ric77ric Frets: 539

    ICBM said:
    Any changes of valve and speaker are going to achieve a few dB reduction at most, ie still loud. 

    Indeed you are of course correct it wouldn’t be much of a reduction in actual volume.

    Would the change in overall wattage by changing the rectifier valve reduce the headroom and allow the amp to overdrive earlier or is my understanding of headroom fundamental flawed. 

    I actually quite fancy one of these amps as I really can’t justify the expense of a real fender tweed champ and these seem a reasonably priced option. The earlier ones were hand wired too so easy to mod, not sure if the newer ones have gone to PCB or not. 

    Luckily its it’s not the volume of my phone laying that annoys my family, just the quality of my playing. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    77ric said:

    Would the change in overall wattage by changing the rectifier valve reduce the headroom and allow the amp to overdrive earlier or is my understanding of headroom fundamental flawed.
    It might change the gain slightly and could make the preamp valve overdrive slightly earlier, but that won't have much effect since in this circuit it's pretty much all power valve overdrive anyway.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    ICBM said:

    You either need an attenuator or an amp with a master volume if you want to make it distort at that sort of level.

    I'd not thought about the effect of not having a master volume control... uhmmm
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    ICBM said:

    You either need an attenuator or an amp with a master volume if you want to make it distort at that sort of level.

    I'd not thought about the effect of not having a master volume control... uhmmm
    So could I fit an attenuator? Something like this?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    edited April 2019
    SlopeSoarer said:

    So could I fit an attenuator? Something like this?
    Yes, although this is much simpler and fully adjustable.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Control-Attenuator-LP-100-8-Ufixt®/dp/B071XNH4XM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GJ3BA6OTVWW6&keywords=l-pad+attenuator&qid=1556139652&s=gateway&sprefix=l-pad+a%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1

    Sorry, the link just will not paste in correctly! Just go to Amazon and search for L-Pad attenuator, it's the first result.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    edited April 2019
    ICBM said:
    SlopeSoarer said:

    So could I fit an attenuator? Something like this?
    Yes, although this is much simpler and fully adjustable.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Level-Control-Attenuator-LP-100-8-Ufixt®/dp/B071XNH4XM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GJ3BA6OTVWW6&keywords=l-pad+attenuator&qid=1556139652&s=gateway&sprefix=l-pad+a%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1

    Sorry, the link just will not paste in correctly! Just go to Amazon and search for L-Pad attenuator, it's the first result.
    Your link didn't work for some reason. Is this it?

    Edit: Just re-read your post... should be the one I think!?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    Yes, that’s it.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I've never seen the point of valve amps used at bedroom volumes. They work best at loud clean and edge of break-up volume.
    Having said that, if you want the full valve amp experience at a volume that shouldn't interfere too much with your wife's viewing pleasure, you could do worse than getting a ZVex Nano Head. Even they can get surprisingly loud so I'd recommend sound proofing your bedroom.
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Sassafras said:
    I've never seen the point of valve amps used at bedroom volumes. They work best at loud clean and edge of break-up volume.
    Having said that, if you want the full valve amp experience at a volume that shouldn't interfere too much with your wife's viewing pleasure, you could do worse than getting a ZVex Nano Head. Even they can get surprisingly loud so I'd recommend sound proofing your bedroom.
    Home volume is subjective, I have used 5 watt, 12 watt and 15 watt amps all at home volumes and all sound superior to modelling amps.  The 12 watt Princeton was the loudest because it didn't have a master volume but still sounds superior clean and I could get early break up at sociable volumes still.
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    edited April 2019
    Sassafras said:
    I've never seen the point of valve amps used at bedroom volumes. They work best at loud clean and edge of break-up volume.
    Having said that, if you want the full valve amp experience at a volume that shouldn't interfere too much with your wife's viewing pleasure, you could do worse than getting a ZVex Nano Head. Even they can get surprisingly loud so I'd recommend sound proofing your bedroom.
    I'm surprised how well my underrated (IMO) Subzero Tube 20R sounds at lower volumes... well it does it for me. I've also noted one persons quiet isn't necessarily another persons quiet.

    In this video there is a guy at some point who talks about not going past 3 on the volume (on a tweed champ)!!!

    Even though I talked about using it when my wife watches telly, she does go out: )

    I'm also now thinking about the Subzero 5w as it does have a master volume and can occasionally they come up quite cheaply.

    Decisions, decisions!
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    edited June 2019
    ... bit of a delay but I'm picking up a Fame JTA-05 today. Now, it has a Euro 2 pin plug, so not earthed. Someone has talked about using an adaptor such as this.

    Also see this picture which seems to show to me that the neutral pin is connected to the earth pin. Is this a good idea!?

    The amp will be out of warranty is there a need to earth it properly? If yes I'd replace the cable and plug, would I just use the chassis for earthing to?

    Cheers

    Simon
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  • SlopeSoarerSlopeSoarer Frets: 782
    Ignore the above, it is earthed and so will just change for UK plug :)
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