Best Rackmount Preamp/Rackmount Poweramp Combos (no digital)

[Spaceboy]

I can't help but notice the lack of options for those into modern percussive high gain sounds.

 

[robertkoa]

I am interested in the Quinn preamp's these days. Fryette has a very cool new poweramp in the works.
" 2X40W, 4X 6L6 power (2/ch) and 2 switchable voicings - one flat, full-range as you surmised, the other is our traditional power amp voicing.

The coolest part though is 1 rack space (i.e. FLAT) @ 20 pounds, and it has the dynamic rage that all other 1 space tube power amps lack. Oh, and bridge mono mode. More details to come as I get them.

The other new product is the Valvulator Pro - an updated Valvulator 1. More DC outs, 12VDC and 18VDC, high current 9VDC plus AC9 & AC12. The package dimension are modified too for a flat profile so it will fit under pedalboards that have space on the bottom side like pedaltrain, etc."

That new power amp sounds awesome! I would love to see a new Fryette preamp though...

Many of us would like a new Fryette preamp.

I heard a Video Demo of a Quinn Preamp that was a little more Marshall flavored and higher gain than he usually did/does ( but still his own thing ) and it was some of the best Overdrives I've heard anywhere.

+1 on adding Quinn to the List.

OT ~ Did you see this clip. I find myself very interested in this amp....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWG7XjxE7mI

Yeah !- I can see why you're interested !- the " Paradox" is even with Metal Type Gain -it still has beautiful TONE !
( the Quinn Amp in the Video you linked= Wow. )

Also the singing cleans on that Amp are impressive IMO.

The preamp I heard was like some of Bonamassa's two or three amp at the same time Rigs - maybe even a little better- maybe a little prettier sounding than this Amp- but with dialing this Amp differently and some delay- maybe this would do the same thing.

Mr. Quinn is apparently a Master at very rich , musical medium and high gain and this Amp really demonstrates that- as the Preamp I heard did.

How much $ is a Quinn Preamp-are they still made ?

 

[racerevlon]

CAE 3SE+ - still the best I've heard.

 

[nnajar]

I'm partial to the 3+se. I use it with a matrix power amp and it is terrific. Suhr likes a Mesa 2:90 with it and he designed the thing so that opinion is worth something. Vht/fryette 2902 is very good with it too. The vht 2502 is a very good power amp, but not the best fit with this preamp. I haven't heard the Marshall power amps so I cannot comment.

Jmp1 or Mesa studio pre/formula/triaxis are all very good, cost effective options. I used to have a studio pre/stereo 5050 rig years ago and then later replaced the studio pre with a formula to save a rack space. All sounds very good and nice and loud too.

 

[srommes]

Wow - this thread was resurected from the depths. For what it is worth, I've owned a lot of the Holy Grail preamps over the years including a few 3+SE's, X88r's, x99, Fish (with and without Cantrell mod), Engl E580 and 570 etc. i currently own a 3+SE with tranny mod, Blackface mod and Crosstalk mod and it is the best sounding 3+SE to date. I also own an Egnater M4, an Engl E570 and an ADA MP1 3TM Ultra+. Power amps are Engl 850/100, Mesa 2:90 and Mesa 2:50. The 3+SE has the best overall "head like" tone and feel. It has a unique tone that's hard to compare to something else. It accepts pedals very well and sounds great boosted, especially on channel two. The clean channel with the Fender Blackface mod is the best sounding clean channel I've ever played through period. Super clean with tons of headroom but can be dirtied up if the gain is pushed or hit with an overdrive. The Egnater M4 runs a close second and is even more versatile. It's not quite as organic sounding as the 3+SE but sounds excellent and the option to change out modules as desired makes it as versatile as anything. The Engl 570 is also very versatile but may be a littke too compressed sounding for some. It has a great "bell-like" chimey clean tone on channel 1 and channel 3 is just brutal modern metal sounding. Matched with the E850/100 power amp, I love the set-up and would be perfectly happy if this is all I owned. The MP1 3TM is my homeage to the 80's preamp. With the mods, it put this great preamp over the top. Kind of a one trick pony though but I love it for those over saturated Marshall tones from the 80's. Think Loudness, XYZ etc.
For power amps, I love the ones mentioned above but the best sounding that I've /heard or owned were the big four space VHT Classic and 2150. The extra iron makes a big difference and they sound huge. Comes at a price though as they are heavy and are becoming hard to find.

 

[Dave Rocks]

I had an ADA MP-1 for many, many years and really liked it. I then got a Marshall JMP-1 with 9100 power amp and I made my rack so complicated such that I could use both but I would never use the ADA over Marshall so I sold it.

I then picked up a Friedman single channel BE-100 and never went back to the rack. Just got a dual channel BE-100 and will be getting a head/rack case made soon.

If you are interested in the Marshall stuff, I plan to part with mine. What I think is the best part of rack preamps is the ability to have many different presets but for me, I just don't take advantage of it and only used 2 (1 clean, 1 crunch)

 

[flatheads_4ever]

Mesa Triaxis and 2:90

Ed

 

[srommes]

Mesa Triaxis and 2:90

Ed

Had a Triaxis for about 15 years. Sold it not long ago. Version 2 non-phat mod. Loved it. Finally let it go after I purchased a Mark V 25 watt head. Didn't need the versatility of the Triaxis anymore.

 

[jbrown013]

I love my egnater ie4 and Mesa 50/50. Going to get a mesa quad to compliment it soon. For a long time I used heads and combos. Wish I would have found rack gear sooner!

 

[psychodave]

Easy! Triaxis into two boogie EQ's (bypass the onboard EQ) into a Mesa Strategy 400 poweramp with added depth circuit for each channel. Simply the biggest sounding rack around. In a lot of cases it's bigger than amp heads.

 

[ghosty999]

I bought a JMP-1 a few months ago and I really like it. I only paid $400 for it. Best bang for the buck i.mo.

I second this