racks or heads???

[Tachy]

I Know that this is a common question, but I'm curious to know that Sneapians Think about it!!!

 

[Lopes]

I like big racks, but I never turn down some good head. Giggity Giggity

 

[Tachy]

good....ok what is your f.heads?

 

[cobhc]

i like both, depends how good she is though

 

[Ermz]

I think people are just getting too comfortable with a certain 'sound' and copy the hell out of it these days. I've heard rectifiers and peaveys enough to last me a lifetime.

I think with racks comes the possibility of further shaping and customizing your tone, which I feel is very important.

In recent times I've been very fond of the Triaxis/2:90 combination, which sadly doesn't appear to be all to unique either (meaning give me a few weeks and I'll be sick of it). Nonetheless, I'd preffer rack, just for the extra individuality.

 

[Tachy]

Yes is true!!

 

[Tachy]

At this time i'm a rack man but I need to be a head man!!

 

[Razorjack]

I've been selling of my Marshall rack over the past few months as it's:

a) Too damn heavy
b) Doesn't sound as good as a JCM2000, which is a very bad thing imo

 

[Frank'nfurter]

our guitarists: JCM800 2210 series and a 'Analogman' TS or a SD1
me: Trace Elliot AH350SMX and a Tech21 Bass DI Driver

Racks: WTF are they good for???????????? To belie over the unability of the player?
Funny thing is: most the time I see guitarist with big racks I realised later on the show they are unable to play a simple riff in a proper way.

 

[riffmachine]

Now, I personally like a head better, but some rack units can be quite awesome. Originally I had a Rocktron Voodoo Valve paired with a Mesa Simul Class 2:90 and that is a pretty nice combo. The tubes in the Mesa gave the Rocktron more warmth, more volume, and a less digital sound. I particularly like that pairing for soloing. Now however, I love playing through my head, it is a Hughes & Kettner Triamp MKII. I just feel like it is more alive and responsive than any of the rack units I have played through and many other heads even. While it is expensive and fragile as well, it has a big sound that cuts and is also really warm and smooth sounding. Those characteristics, along with 3 different channels that each have an A and B, have given me exactly what I want in an amp for the last 3 years. My other guitarist is playing a Mesa Tri-Axis through a 2:90 and that is sounding pretty cool as well, but I personally feel like Mesa's kind of have a somewhat cold and dark sound. Although, definitely warmer and fatter to my ears than a non tube amp. So, I guess it's all in "ears" of the beholder.

 

[Torniojaws]

Nothing beats some good head Same deal in the guitar world too I've always felt rack is somewhat "artificial".

 

[Kazrog]

Way more heads out there than high gain tube rack preamps. I don't think it's a fair contest, way more options with heads.

 

[riffmachine]

Nothing beats some good head Same deal in the guitar world too I've always felt rack is somewhat "artificial".

Yep, racks do tend to sound kind of digital, even if some of them do have one or two 12AX7's in them. I have also found that most end up getting eaten up frequency wise in live situations. While I was able to get tweaking my Voodoo Valve down to a science, it still never cut through the way my tube amp does.

 

[Carrier Flux]

racks are great if you love swapping thing sin and out and playing with a modular setup. heads are better if you want to grab it and go. if you're gigging a lot, a head would probably be superior. if you're sitting in your bedroom fiddling with dials all day, a rack setup might be more fun.

 

[Tachy]

Yes yes....after years of rack I decided to bought me an head.

 

[Executioner213]

I have both....I actually feel like I prefer my rack. It is more complex, but I do agree with the more tweakability comment mentioned before.

 

[Tachy]

What you have put in your rack?

 

[Executioner213]

Rack:
Mesa TriAxis
TC Electronic G-Major
Mesa 2:90

Head:
Peavey Ultra Plus (pre-cursor to the Triple-X, I've heard)

 

[Tachy]

Ok..It's a very nice combo!!

 

[Executioner213]

since there was a thread posted a week ago or so about bad tubes, I'm waiting for 2 new 12AX7's to show up (hopefully tomorrow!), since I've been having a lot of noise issues ever since I brought the amp home. If it's not my preamp tubes, like I've come to think it is, then I don't know what to do about it. I do get some killer tone out of it, but it's been really noisy. I'm pretty sure it's my gain channel preamp tube causing all the trouble though. If it's not that, I might be sending it back for a replacement.