racks or heads???

[Death Is Certain]

Personal preference.

An amp head results in a straight forward setup (unless you have a ton of pedals).

If you have a lot of different effects going, or perhaps going for a ton of flexibility in terms of your rig then, then the rack is probably the best way to go for you.

 

[Ermz]

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

I've actually been considering this exact set-up. How happy are you with it?

 

[Executioner213]

Besides the aforementioned tube noise problem I've been having, I love it. The only real complaint I have is that I need to invest some real money into a better midi controller for it (like a DMC Ground Control or something). My switching/control is lacking, due to my Behringer midi controller I'm using now. Other than that, things are great. VERY loud, if I want it to be I like the tones I get out of it, since I like it to be heavy but articulate (between Dream Theater & Opeth & Nevermore, I guess). I need new pickups though in most of my guitars, which I can't really afford right now. I'm playing Ibanez guitars that are mostly customized to the ways I like em except for the pickups. As soon as I can afford it, EMG's are going into everything (I currently only have 1 guitar w/ EMG's).

 

[Tachy]

With this rack you can get easy the sound of dead heart in a death world..I think??'

 

[006]

A Mesa TriAxis into a Simul 2:90 is a killer setup IMO. I've heard so many and almost bought it myself. I've never heard one TriAxis/2:90 that sounded bad. Live or recorded.

I use to own an ADA MP-1 tube pre and a Peavey Classic 60/60 stereo tube power amp. It had 6l6's in it. Had a really cool sound, but like others have said, it really didn't cut through nearly as well as any of the heads that I own. I used it for recording purposes mostly, live it just didn't get the job done for me. My friend bought a Rocktron Chameleon and runs it into his Laney GH100 head via the FX loop (bypassing the preamp) into his Marshall 1960 cab. It's got way too much low end and the highs are shrilly. His brother, the other guitarist in the band, uses my 5150 combo and Mesa 2x12 w/ v30's and he rips through and has a massive tone for shows and practice. He kinda steals the spotlight most of the time because of that.

~006

 

[Tachy]

My guitar teach says that ther's only 2 option if you must go to racks..
1) 2:90+ Triaxis
2) el34 marshall + jmp1

He sayd me that the rest is shit...
I have the 2 option, but at this moment I think that my sound must have another opportunity!!

 

[RemoWilliams]

I'm curious if the not cutting thru live aspect has to do with the preamp choice or the power amp choice? I have a rack setup: ADA MP-1, Rivera Hammer 120 into a Mesa Boogie Standard overzied cab. I have yet to use it in a band situation, so I dont' know how mine will hold up. *shrugs*

 

[Tachy]

I think depend by the preamp section, and only by your setting.
A guitar tech told me that is very simple to make a mistake when macking your sound...