ADA MP-1 MODS
By Mark Howell Token Disclaimer: Perform these mods at you own risk. I will not be responsible for you trashing your MP-1 or electrocuting yourself. Unplug it first!! Dont do these mods if you dont know which end of a soldering iron to hold. Also, tone is very subjective so if you dont like the sound of these mods, dont blame me. Everyone has a different setup (postprocessing, effects, power amp, speakers, etc), so its difficult to determine what YOUR end result will be. These mods are reversible, save for one cut trace, which can be easily rebridged. Ive done these mods to my own MP-1, and they sound great! Warning: These mods change the sound of your MP-1!! But then again, you wouldnt be doing these mods if didnt want to change the sound of your MP-1
MOD #3
This mod is for those looking for that modern distortion tone. The last two gain stages are reconfigured to a circuit designed by Mike Soldano. This circuit is found in the SLO-100, 5150, and the Dual Rectifier. In the MP-1, the mod sounds like a Dual Rec more than the other amps. Advantages: Very clear and tight distortion. Chords retain definition even at maximum gain. Disadvantages: You tend to lose the smooth, compressed sound of a stock MP-1. MOD #3 Schematic Below is the schematic of mod3. No traces will be cut, only components will be replaced. Which means this mod is reversible, if you save your original components.
Parts List: R2,R13,R14,R15,R16: watt metal film or carbon comp resistors C3,C4: polyester or polypropylene capacitors 200-250 WVDC C6: Radial electrolytic 25-50 WVDC
The Procedure: 1- Unplug your MP-1 2- All nasty voltages drop down to zero about 30 seconds after unplugging, so dont worry about getting zapped. 3- Remove the top and bottom covers. They fit inside a groove in the front panel, so slide them back first before lifting them off.
4- Remove the two tubes. Unfasten the tube board and flip it upwards so you can work on it.
5- Remove and replace the components as shown in the picture below. Also, remove C7 (remove only, nothing gets replaced).
6- Thats it, youre done! Screw the tube board back in, install the tubes, put the covers back on and fire it up. --end mod3