Poweramp

[Horhe]

I've had Axe-fx for a while now and thinking of buying a poweramp for it since I've hade enough of the impulses. Thing is, if I'll get a very clean and linear tranny, I'm not sure if the Axe's poweramp simulations are enough to bring the tubelike sound to the tone. And If I'll get a tubeamp, there's a chance that all the simulations sound the same through the same 6L6's etc..
So, do you know of any SS amps that have a little of that tubish color in them or is there a tube amp that has less coloring sound but still brings something extra to the tone? Cab I'm using is Mesa Os and solely for the purpose of recording
Thanks.

 

[amarshism]

Mesa 2:90

 

[Ola Englund]

QSC PLX power amps. They don't sound like tubes and that's the way it's supposed to be.

 

[Notuern]

What Ola said.. if you want an SS-poweramp that tries to simulate tubes, get a tubeworks mosvalve.

 

[amarshism]

Just out of curiosity, is that because tosin uses a vht poweramp and so SS has gone crazy over it?

 

[Horhe]

Ive read the vht poweramps are the best tube ones for the axe with little coloring

I've tried axe with VHT(Fryette) poweramp with El34's and it was good but haven't tried it against SS yet. The louder VHT with KT88's would've propably sounded even better.

 

[Ola Englund]

Ola is there anything you don't like on your poweramp? I too am looking for a poweramp. I almost got a 2x12 roadsrer cuz of u

No, nothing really. It's 1600 W, weighs around 9 kg, sounds awesome. Jocke Skog also has a QSC Plx. think he has a more powerfull model though.

 

[Omega_Void]

if you want an SS-poweramp that tries to simulate tubes, get real.

Fixed.

 

[Horhe]

Just tried the cheaper end stuff with axe-fx. Behringer EP1500 vs. Peavey windsor poweramp Hands down Windsor sounded way better, Ep1500 had tighter lowend though but otherwise sounded cold and harsh.
Next going to try VHT 2/90 vs. some higher end SS

 

[Omega_Void]

Ep1500 had tighter lowend though but otherwise sounded cold and harsh.

It's because the EPS1500 is a PA amp, it will have low output impedance for better fidelity.

Low-Z outputs deliver less power where the speaker impedance rises in the treble/presence range, and at at speaker's resonant frequency (probably somewhere between 100-200Hz, depending on the cab). Sound gets more midrangey.

Also has better control over speaker movement, so tighter at resonance but less of a smoothing out effect overall.

SS amps for guitar usually have high output impedance by design. Tube amps have it naturally. PA amps don't, so they don't compare well to poweramps designed for guitar.

BTW, remember Presence and Resonance knobs are (normally) boost-type controls -- for flattest response, turn them to zero, not 5.

 

[Horhe]

It's because the EPS1500 is a PA amp, it will have low output impedance for better fidelity.

Low-Z outputs deliver less power where the speaker impedance rises in the treble/presence range, and at at speaker's resonant frequency (probably somewhere between 100-200Hz, depending on the cab). Sound gets more midrangey.

Also has better control over speaker movement, so tighter at resonance but less of a smoothing out effect overall.

SS amps for guitar usually have high output impedance by design. Tube amps have it naturally. PA amps don't, so they don't compare well to poweramps designed for guitar.

BTW, remember Presence and Resonance knobs are (normally) boost-type controls -- for flattest response, turn them to zero, not 5.

That's good info, thank you!

 

[Horhe]

But aren't the QSC's Ola and Jocke are using low impedance amps as well?

 

[raisedfist]

http://www.carvinworld.com/products/single.php?product=TS100-E&cid=56

 

[Omega_Void]

But aren't the QSC's Ola and Jocke are using low impedance amps as well?

Probably I'd guess they're using the poweramp and speaker cab simulations in the Axe-Fx -- direct for recording, and driving fullrange PA speakers to project that tone for practice/gigs..?

If you want to use a guitar cab instead of impulses, then it needs hi-Zout amp to sound its best IMO.

 

[Notuern]

Fixed.

Someone missed the word "tries".

 

[Omega_Void]

I said it was fixed, it wasn't really fixed. Unheard of!

Wasn't meaning to get at you (if it seemed that way), just a comment on the likelihood of SS amp sounding like valve amp, whether it has "tube simulation" written on it or not.