wannabe tube amps

[beyond dead]

uke:

i hate when amp manufacturers but a 12ax7 in the pre and call it a tube amp lol. n00bs working t the guitar shop try to introduce you to this new "tube" amp they have lola

wat is the point???? alot of the tube gain comes from the power tubes.

sorry for the rant, but I loled in an employee from my local music stores face today

 

[Metaltastic]

Hahaha, yeah, like Marshall AVT or Vox Valvetronix status - lame! I assume it just buffers the input stage or something, though it's probably different in digital amps like the Spider Valve/Vox Valvetronix and the AVT, which is all-analog (though probably mostly solid-state clipping).

However, Randall makes some legitimate hybrid amps, that have all-tube preamp sections and SS power sections, so they're not all posers!

 

[Notuern]

When it comes to tubes, i honestly dont care that much about there being tubes in the poweramp.
Sure, its great if you want some rock tones, but for metal? A solidestate-poweramp is much tighter, so theres really an advantage to use one for metal(In my opinion.).

The preamp however is a bit more picky.
Allot of my favorite tones has turned out to be Ada MP-1 through various poweramps(My three favorite mp-1 sounds have been MP-1 into TubeWorks Mosvalve poweramp(Solid state).)

 

[Metaltastic]

You're pretty unique in your tone tastes there, Notuern

 

[Notuern]

You're pretty unique in your tone tastes there, Notuern

I know.
Im kinda' opposite of everyone else, who thinks that the preamp is less important then the poweramp when it comes to tubes.

But seriously, whats the use for poweramp-distortion when playing metal?

But i have to say that those chimey clean tones that breaks in the highs, there is no solidstate amp out there that does that anywhere near good.

Listen to this clip:



I think it sounds fuckin' awesome!


And for more heavy stuff:




(Didnt think this was awesome though, but pretty cool.)

Edit:
Id like to ad that the song "Downward spiral" apparently is recorded with Ada MP-1 and MosValve ---> http://www.myspace.com/ethanbrosh

 

[Metaltastic]

Well to be clear, anyone who likes a tight metal tone likes preamp distortion (and not power amp) as well (hence why we so often run the preamp out into an interface with impulses with good results); however, there's such a thing as too tight, and all the clips I've heard of Randalls (the only genuine hybrid amps I know of) have been too tight for my tastes, just kinda flat and lifeless. I don't like when power tubes actually distort, but when you start pushing 'em, the slight sag and "bounce" they give (not to mention the extra harmonic warmth) is just fucking delicious. For a live environment, I might even agree that an SS power amp is better cuz you get that endless punchy headroom, but for recording, I'll take my quad of 6L6's or EL34's!

As for the videos, the top is cool, but I can never really judge tone from lead playing, cuz that's when it really is so much in the fingers (unlike chugging on a power chord). Cool player though, very expressive and not overly wanky, two very big pluses in my book! And the second doesn't really do much for me, just eh, very 80s sounding, too much high-mids.

 

[-J-]

I like me some hybrids. True, a bit sterile, but I guess I like that cause I keep targeting hybrids.

I do think it's kind of funny in the world of "aggressive" metal, everyone is searching for this "warm" sound. You'd figure some metal heads would want some harshness.

I think I need to lay off the quotation marks for awhile.

 

[beyond dead]

i find a bit of power tube break up takes away the fizzy hi end that solid states have.

im not trashing solid states either. im just annoyed with amp man. putting 1 tube in the pre so they can claim its tube, even though the amp sounds like a solid state. not my cup o tea lol

 

[Metaltastic]

i find a bit of power tube break up takes away the fizzy hi end that solid states have.

im not trashing solid states either. im just annoyed with amp man. putting 1 tube in the pre so they can claim its tube, even though the amp sounds like a solid state. not my cup o tea lol

FUCKING POSER N00BS!!!! Pretty hammered right now, can't deny...

 

[lolzgreg]

Drinking at home by yourself again, Marcus? uke:

XD

 

[Metaltastic]

Hahahhaa, nah, just got back from my singer's house actually

 

[lolzgreg]

Only joshing, I'm enjoying an epic Heine (or two) as we speak!

 

[Metaltastic]

w00t! Though I personally prefer Heine light (gotta watch my girlish figure, don't ya know )

 

[lolzgreg]

Ahaha I drink so sparsely it doesn't make a difference (once every two months, approximately).

You seein' Opeth on May 26th?

 

[Metaltastic]

Damn, I probably am now! Thanks for the heads-up dude, where are they playing?

 

[Notuern]

Well to be clear, anyone who likes a tight metal tone likes preamp distortion (and not power amp) as well (hence why we so often run the preamp out into an interface with impulses with good results); however, there's such a thing as too tight, and all the clips I've heard of Randalls (the only genuine hybrid amps I know of) have been too tight for my tastes, just kinda flat and lifeless. I don't like when power tubes actually distort, but when you start pushing 'em, the slight sag and "bounce" they give (not to mention the extra harmonic warmth) is just fucking delicious. For a live environment, I might even agree that an SS power amp is better cuz you get that endless punchy headroom, but for recording, I'll take my quad of 6L6's or EL34's!

As for the videos, the top is cool, but I can never really judge tone from lead playing, cuz that's when it really is so much in the fingers (unlike chugging on a power chord). Cool player though, very expressive and not overly wanky, two very big pluses in my book! And the second doesn't really do much for me, just eh, very 80s sounding, too much high-mids.

Some of those MosValve's(Not all models), removes that fizz and also gets that "sagging"-feeling when you start pushing the levels.
Thats why i love them so much(And thats why they are so popular i guess.).

If you check out that myspace, you can hear the same expressive guy riff with the same rig. ;P

And i do agree on that second youtube video, i posted it because it shows what happens when you try to play even heavier stuff on that rig, even though it wasnt really EQ'd the right way etc.

im not trashing solid states either. im just annoyed with amp man. putting 1 tube in the pre so they can claim its tube, even though the amp sounds like a solid state. not my cup o tea lol

Yeah, i hear ya!
I compared that Marshall with one preamp tube to a Peavey Bandit, and the Bandit sounded way more like a tubeamp then the Marshall(Not saying that the bandit sounded tube though. ).

 

[Notuern]

.

 

[tobin1]

The line 6 hybrids are basically a full tube power amp, with a pod as the preamp (digitits, same presets and all of that jazz)

I've used my Rockmaster pre through the tube bogner line6 combo and it didn't sound bad at all.

 

[beyond dead]

FUCKING POSER N00BS!!!! Pretty hammered right now, can't deny...

i was thinking today that i shouldnt be too critical of n00bs, seeing as though i have spent years developing my ear and trying different gear. i need to be more tolerant of less smart musicians
















then i thought: fuck it! some people are soooo cocky and know shit!
ive been watching americas next top model with my girl, and ive noticed they are so br00taly honest to the models. thats how i think engineers and producers should be with n00b musicians

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, well the only problem there is that if you get people on the defensive, they're much less likely to take your advice because they associate it with you (the shit-head in their eyes ). The subtle art of manipulation is showing just enough "weakness" so they aren't put off, but all the while you're shaping them to your will! Bwahahahahaahahahah You know, like "hey, that sounds pretty good, but here's how I like to do it" (when of course your thinking "WRONG WRONG WRONG, BAD 'TARD BAD!" )