Powertube saturation: does it make you sloppier?

[Carrier Flux]

I have kind of an abstract question for the guitarists on this forum. As I search for the "perfect tone" [hahaha, misnomer, I know] in recording dirty guitars, I've started cranking my poweramp to get that power tube saturated tone. I've noticed with this kind of "break-up" that my playing gets quite sloppy. Has anyone elses noticed a similar side-effect? Is it just that I'm not used to playing loud? (I normally record at bedroom levels, and can play adequately tight for recording at those volumes). Or does power amp breakup interfere with the tone in a way that makes playing fast rhythms more difficult?

thanks!

 

[~BURNY~]

Sure interefere with the tone. Your sound become more compressed, and the driver and power tube start to clip. Some like it, some do not.
Not the best thing in a metal context. It depend on your taste. That's why modern hi-gain amps often use 6l6.

 

[Fragle]

well, to my ears, power tube saturation sounds quite loose (this is also the reason why e.g. vht amps have a very clean power section; in oder to keep the tight preamp driven tone intact).
however, i can't possible see how it could affect your playing. while it might be possible that you perceive the recording as less tight due to the "flabby" powertube breakup, chances are you're really just not used to high volume playing.
one question: did you turn down the gain as you turned the volume up? if so, thats your thing right there. you're not used to a lower gain sound; the high gain bedroom sound only covers up your mistakes.

 

[Carrier Flux]

well, to my ears, power tube saturation sounds quite loose (this is also the reason why e.g. vht amps have a very clean power section; in oder to keep the tight preamp driven tone intact).
however, i can't possible see how it could affect your playing. while it might be possible that you perceive the recording as less tight due to the "flabby" powertube breakup, chances are you're really just not used to high volume playing.
one question: did you turn down the gain as you turned the volume up? if so, thats your thing right there. you're not used to a lower gain sound; the high gain bedroom sound only covers up your mistakes.

no I didn't turn down my preamp gain. it's that "flabby powertube breakup", if it in fact exists, that's making my playing less tight. it just doesn't feel like the amplifier and my picking are lining up like they do at lower volumes. but it kind of sounds like you're describing the same thing to some degree.