Racks

[Hexer]

well, now that I've thought more about it and checked more prizes and stuff, I think it's more likely that I'll just get the Powerball-head I had in mind before the Rack-thing came up. will be cheaper I think

when I think about it: I wouldn't even need to buy a cab at first, I could use the cab-section of my Sovereign50 as a 1*12-cab and in our rehearsal-room, we have a Behringer 4*12 anyway........
well, lets see, this will probably happen in 1 or 2 years

 

[bobvex]

it took me a year to put my whole setup together, new cab and new guitar included

 

[ZuliaArmy]

Preamp + poweramp + MIDI footcontroller. You'll need a footswitch instead of the MIDI controller if the preamp isn't MIDI switchable. This is as basic as it gets, but the beauty of the rack thing is really the ability to get the best tone possible through various units (rack units and pedals), retaining your dry tone intact either with your effects on or off, and control everything with the touch of a button on a controller.

Ever since I switched to rack gear, I just can't play a head. The pure lushness (does that word even exist??? ) of stereo effects is just amazing (and I have yet to try a wet/dry/wet rig ).

So yeah, go rack.

I couldn't agree more

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I'v been reading that the engl preamps are noisy as hell. what are some good ones?

 

[Indiooo]

I strongly doubt that the Engl 580 is noisy. I've heard and read lots of players (and I mean lots of knowledgeble players that have had pretty much every preamp under the sun) say very good things about that preamp. And the new Engl 570 should be great as well. I think it's the preamp section of the Special Edition head, more or less.

There's a lot of great preamps out there, for all kinds of budgets. From original ADA MP-1s to Bogner Fish, from Marshall JMP-1s to CAE 3+SEs, from Mesa Quads to Soldano X99s, etc. It's possible to get a great preamp even with the tightest of budgets.