Guitarists - good power metal amplifiers?

SyXified

SyXified

Member
Jun 22, 2003
440
4
18
Massachusetts
www.unholymothers.com
Does anyone have recommendations for a good power metal rig - particularly amps good for recording? I'm not really into the Mesa/Boogie sound, though I have considered the Triaxis if anything. I'm definitly not into Marshall. I used a Laney VH100R with a Carvin Legacy 4x12 in my 80s metal band, which was good for live rhythm and so/so for live lead, but I think that sound is a bit to british crispy high gain for a good power metal sound. I know Engl is a brand frequently used in the genre but I can't find much good info distinguishing between their lines. My fav tone for the genre would be Gamma Ray, especially Somewhere Out in Space, and I also like Shadow Gallery and Blind Guardian guitar tones in particular. I think Michael Romeo has the best lead tone on V I have ever heard. Any suggestions or info would be much appreciated folks, thanks for your time!
 
DIAMOND AMPS!!!!!!!! The best there is on the market right now, in my opinion.
 
Hi guys,first time for me here.
Just wanna say,i've tried a Diamond amps,they really rocks!!
Anyway,i'm agree about Michael Romeo has the best lead tone on V i've heard on metal but i think he's got the best rythm tone as well!!!
Thanks Folks!
 
I've gotten great tones out of my Triaxis and old 395 simul-class poweramp but I really like the Engl sound. The Powerball is full and thick, very heavy if you need it. If you're rich, the Engl SE670 can get a lot of different great metal tones. Check out www.rocksolidamps.com and check out the sound clips. Yeah, lots of pretty heavy bands use them but they are nice. VHT Pitbulls and the Bogner Extasy are classic but goodies as well. Sadly all of these are just too damn expensive! Have fun shopping for that new toy!
 
I have a ENGL Savage 120...it has four distinct different channels, if you are looking for versatility it is great cause you can switch with a pedal between all four. Clean, glassy, bluesy, rock... you can get pretty balls out with the high gain channel as well, it really cuts through the mix!
 
Gamma Ray is Engls - at least that's what Kai was using here (a Savage, I think) - and Romeo's "V" tone is, I believe, a Mesa TriAx/2:90 combo. Don't discount the Peavey 5150/6505, either - I know several guys in power metal bands using them effectively, and especially used they have a great bang-for-the-buck ratio.

I'd still plug Mesa, since "the Mesa/Boogie sound" is the most misrepresented tone out there right now - Mesa makes very flexible amps, and several different lines with different features. If you don't like the Dual Rec Solo heads (which is usually what people mean when they say that), try a Mark IV or even a Triple or Single Rec head, or a Roadster - they all sound different.
 
Since my brother ain't here...


TriampMK26732.jpg



Until you've heard this thing, you haven't lived. Hunt the Hughes & Kettner Triamp Mk II or the Trilogy, and tell me what you think. Guitarded Center is now a dealer, so they can order the amp up for you. And don't forget, 30-day return policy if you don't like it!
 
Diamond Amps are incredibly expensive. $2,599 just for the Spec Op head. Jesus Christ. I'd have to sell my left arm for that kind of money; then what good would a guitar amp do me?!
 
Up until recently,Romeo used a boogie triaxis(he now uses line 6)
Line 6 will get you any sound you want.
Avoid all the rectifier styled Mesa boogies,they suck,find a Mark III on Ebay,best amp ever made(Metallica,Master and Ride the Lightning)

I always thought a tru power metal sound was a Gibson Flying V through a Marshall JCM 800??
 
I've played Line 6 Flextone II's since they came out, and they can create so many sounds, including a killer power metal sound, that I don't see them having any peers. And yes, I have owned many other amps in the process such as 5150, Marshalls, Mesa and Soldano. I know Romeo was using one for the last couple tours I saw. Try one and it will probably end your search.
 
I probably don't have anywhere in the range of bucks for Diamond amps. I used to use Line 6 Pods but I ended up feeling like the tone was always somehow notably artificial, no matter how much I tinkered with the cab sims and in depth settings. I love MJRs tone on V with the Triaxis 2:90 combo, but I've always been kindof wary of doing that because when I listen to, say a mix, with other songs before something from V, when the song begins I think the guitar tone sounds like ass. Then by mid/end of the song, I'm loving the tone. There's just something about the tone on that album that works so well when considered as part of the album, but a little odd when considered against other things. All of my friends have remarked early on listening to V that they thought the tone was awful and then came around in time to really admire it. I guess I should just suck it up and deal with that, but it's nerve racking to think of seeking a tone that might sound kinda poor on its own. What I worry about with G-Ray is that they layer so much its hard to tell if the sound of any one amp would be accuratly represented on record. Well, anyway, thanks guys for all your advice, you've spanned a lot of brands here, but I guess with ebay these days you can never be out too much money on something you end up hating and resell. Thanks again!
 
Well if you're trying to keep the price down, look into the H&K Trilogy. It's supposed to go for around $1600, and is the little brother of the Triamp. It's got the same massive amounts of gain and tone, but less voicing options. But you still get your really smooth cleans, an overdrive, and a superlead that's supposed to be the Channel 3B of the Triamp.

Ask around to see if any stores have one.
 
SyXified said:
I probably don't have anywhere in the range of bucks for Diamond amps. I used to use Line 6 Pods but I ended up feeling like the tone was always somehow notably artificial, no matter how much I tinkered with the cab sims and in depth settings. I love MJRs tone on V with the Triaxis 2:90 combo, but I've always been kindof wary of doing that because when I listen to, say a mix, with other songs before something from V, when the song begins I think the guitar tone sounds like ass. Then by mid/end of the song, I'm loving the tone. There's just something about the tone on that album that works so well when considered as part of the album, but a little odd when considered against other things. All of my friends have remarked early on listening to V that they thought the tone was awful and then came around in time to really admire it. I guess I should just suck it up and deal with that, but it's nerve racking to think of seeking a tone that might sound kinda poor on its own. What I worry about with G-Ray is that they layer so much its hard to tell if the sound of any one amp would be accuratly represented on record. Well, anyway, thanks guys for all your advice, you've spanned a lot of brands here, but I guess with ebay these days you can never be out too much money on something you end up hating and resell. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

You sure he was using a Triaxis? I could have sworn I read that he used a Line 6 POD Pro or a POD XT Pro, something to that effect?
 
Bear Wrote:
You sure he was using a Triaxis? I could have sworn I read that he used a Line 6 POD Pro or a POD XT Pro, something to that effect?
---------------------------------------------------------

Same For me,i read he used Line 6 Xt Pro!I'm not sure it's true,but this is what i read about his distorted tunes somewhere on the web! :)
 
Bryan316 said:
At Gigantour, he had a Line 6 head. I think the Vetta or Vetta II. It sounded okay, but it's a very easy amp to use on a tour, expecially if you don't have guitar techs like John Petrucci who are wizards at huge rigs!
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is what I found when looking for amps in general. Bands often deal with what they can get. Sometimes they'll go to a recording studio without their equip so they just use whats there to get a good sound. Same with on tour. They can't bring that shit along. IA is sponsored so they sent him some equip, but not everybody is like that (obviously). So often you have to deal with what is available.

But I agree with somebody else. I tend to hate the modulated amps. Just getting a program on your computer, or one of those M-boxes, just isn't the same. I played through a lot of amps during my search. Ended up with a Peavey XXX combo tube amp. I have to say that I really like it. It has power, it has warmth (some people said it didn't, but I found that it does... at least mine has some), and it feels real.

So I would say this. Sure you can get ____'s sound getting some effects. But its going to sound cheaper than a different tone (yet still power metal) on a decent amp. I'm not saying that you should go with the hardcore/metalcore route of a Crate amp (but I'm not dissing crate either, they aren't loud, but a Palomino sounds pretty damn good), but check out even a Marshall solid state. Their $400 ones sound better than most $400 tube amps.

Lastly, remember that tone is a combination of all your gear. So if you don't like something, it might be better with a different guitar/pickups/etc.

p.s. I got mine on e-bay. I was looking for a 5150 for a while, but the only ones on there were going for a price way over what I was looking to spend. Good luck in your search and let us know what you end up with.
 
I use a Peavey JSX head and found the tones i wanted out of it, i use some racks & 2 marshall 4x12 1960 lead cabs with it, played with it live & have owned it for over a year, great head for the price, great tone too.
 
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