Fryette Pittbull Ultralead II

[DanTravis62]

How good are you with a soldering iron? We have a company to start.

I'm decent but i'm no @RedPlated or @glpg80 or monomyth or anything like that; i fix amps for local people and know enough to do basic repair and maintenance.

What I am insanely good at is the "product research and testing" part because i'm one of the crazies that actually uses this shit for literally all of the use-cases it is for. I record tube amps with real mics, I use a kemper for silent recording, I play club gigs where the PA is a paperclip and some yarn,and I play gigs at festivals and theaters where I can use basically whatever I want including live IR solutions.

I am the patient zero who these people should be trying to convince to buy this shit because i use basically ALL of it, every day.

I believe the Suhr Pete Thorn amp was the first tube amp with built in IRs, but they also sell a version without the IRs.

I think it was a very good thing that they did offer both options, but I don't think Fryette is in the same sort of business situation where he can realistically offer a bunch of different versions, which makes it even crazier that he built.... this.

Which yeah, it might sound good, but who the fuck is it for?

 

[Techdeth]

As SgtThump mentioned earlier, Steve took a loan from AXL and put up the name for collateral. AXL ended up with the name. A lot of companies went under during the 2009 crash, including the one I was working for. If it wasn't for the success of the Power Station I don't know if Fryette would still be around.

Thanks for clarifying

 

[harddriver]

I have to be in the camp of if the new amp doesn't have at least the same size output transformer this new rack mount amp probably won't punch like the old school chassis amp with BIG IRON. It's possible Mr Fryette has addressed this so I guess it's a wait and see situation.

It's interesting he went this route with his flagship amp but as with the mini amp head trend maybe this was his intent.

 

[Greazygeo]

I mean take a DI capture with only the loadbox hooked up, and then taking another DI capture plugging in the cab and only using the loadbox as a DI (no micing). The captures will come out quite different, depending on the impedance curve of the cab and loadbox. When I did this, my loadbox captures come out more scooped and hi-fi, where the cab captures have more mids, and just kind of more fuzzy all around.

Yes that is how I do mine. The cab is always plugged in. Tried only the amp to loadbox and did not get results I liked.
I normally take two captures, one DI off the loadbox with the cab plugged in and a second that is micing the cab.
For
Some reason, if playing thru the amp into the PS-2 then its line out into my interface /daw, it sounds different without the cab plugged in. Strange.

 

[Greazygeo]

The people who want one will convince themselves the digital EQ sounds just as good. Then several years from now be “back to a normal amp”. That’s the problem with digital I’ve found.

Now that I’m looking at it more, I can understand what he has done, but now I think he should have just gone all the way. If he is already putting digital in it, should have added a full sweet of effects. Then it would have real don’t what he wanted. 2RU amp with digital delay, reverb, EQ and IR post amp.

Every DAW has digital eq in it? Don’t see too many complaints…well there is always the analog guys I guess.

 

[Kagami]

I think it was a very good thing that they did offer both options, but I don't think Fryette is in the same sort of business situation where he can realistically offer a bunch of different versions, which makes it even crazier that he built.... this.

Which yeah, it might sound good, but who the fuck is it for?

I think you are on to why the original Pittbull series was "discontinued" in the first place, he had a hot seller the PS lineup and decided to focus on that. There's no woodworking and tolexing, they take up less space, transformers and chassis are cheaper, etc.

 

[ZEN Amps]

Every DAW has digital eq in it? Don’t see too many complaints…well there is always the analog guys I guess.

I don't think it's all that comparable man.

Again some players won't care, but I think many just don't love the idea of the pure signal being digitised and back within a tube amp. A digital reverb is different if implemented well (e.g. Landry). Your core dry signal remains in tact, and the reverb is just blending in. Best of both worlds, because who wants a spring reverb in a high gain head?

Integrated IRs - again if it's done properly with a robust reactive load, I reckon it's a cool addition. Digital of course, but it's optional. If you want the pure analog / tube experience, you can. Analog cab sims don't come close, so pretty handy stuff.

That Suhr PT amp is a good example - the load is good, and maintains an all-analog signal path. This is one of the few exceptions out there - many have a cheap, basic load with bathtub impedance curve. That's no fun at all - the amp feels different, the low end sucks and typically the IR has do some heavy lifting to undo the damage.

In Fryette's case, and that new Friedman load thing, the DSP is doing a lot of work. In fact it replaces many analog processe for the sake of cost, features and convenience - the GEQ in the ULII; Pres, Deep in the Friedman.

Both units may appeal to a lot of folks, but the arguments from those wanting a purely analog, or "digital optional" solution are understandable.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Every DAW has digital eq in it? Don’t see too many complaints…well there is always the analog guys I guess.

Worst thing when you see a reply is seeing you wrote something dumb. “sweet of effects”. lol. Suite. Suprised I didn’t write sweet of affects.

Maybe he can go a collab with FanFilter. Everyone is obsessed with that.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I don't think it's all that comparable man.

Again some players won't care, but I think many just don't love the idea of the pure signal being digitised and back within a tube amp. A digital reverb is different if implemented well (e.g. Landry). Your core dry signal remains in tact, and the reverb is just blending in. Best of both worlds, because who wants a spring reverb in a high gain head?

Integrated IRs - again if it's done properly with a robust reactive load, I reckon it's a cool addition. Digital of course, but it's optional. If you want the pure analog / tube experience, you can. Analog cab sims don't come close, so pretty handy stuff.

That Suhr PT amp is a good example - the load is good, and maintains an all-analog signal path. This is one of the few exceptions out there - many have a cheap, basic load with bathtub impedance curve. That's no fun at all - the amp feels different, the low end sucks and typically the IR has do some heavy lifting to undo the damage.

In Fryette's case, and that new Friedman load thing, the DSP is doing a lot of work. In fact it replaces many analog processe for the sake of cost, features and convenience - the GEQ in the ULII; Pres, Deep in the Friedman.

Both units may appeal to a lot of folks, but the arguments from those wanting a purely analog, or "digital optional" solution are understandable.

Hey my Cornford Hellcat has built in spring reverb! (And I have never used it.)

 

[Greazygeo]

I don't think it's all that comparable man.

Again some players won't care, but I think many just don't love the idea of the pure signal being digitised and back within a tube amp. A digital reverb is different if implemented well (e.g. Landry). Your core dry signal remains in tact, and the reverb is just blending in. Best of both worlds, because who wants a spring reverb in a high gain head?

Integrated IRs - again if it's done properly with a robust reactive load, I reckon it's a cool addition. Digital of course, but it's optional. If you want the pure analog / tube experience, you can. Analog cab sims don't come close, so pretty handy stuff.

That Suhr PT amp is a good example - the load is good, and maintains an all-analog signal path. This is one of the few exceptions out there - many have a cheap, basic load with bathtub impedance curve. That's no fun at all - the amp feels different, the low end sucks and typically the IR has do some heavy lifting to undo the damage.

In Fryette's case, and that new Friedman load thing, the DSP is doing a lot of work. In fact it replaces many analog processe for the sake of cost, features and convenience - the GEQ in the ULII; Pres, Deep in the Friedman.

Both units may appeal to a lot of folks, but the arguments from those wanting a purely analog, or "digital optional" solution are understandable.

We will just have to wait and hear it. Sounds like he has been working at this for three years, probably had a few hurdles to jump

 

[Greazygeo]

Worst thing when you see a reply is seeing you wrote something dumb. “sweet of effects”. lol. Suite. Suprised I didn’t write sweet of affects.

Maybe he can go a collab with FanFilter. Everyone is obsessed with that.

It happens to all of us.

 

[DanTravis62]

I don't think it's all that comparable man.

Again some players won't care, but I think many just don't love the idea of the pure signal being digitised and back within a tube amp. A digital reverb is different if implemented well (e.g. Landry). Your core dry signal remains in tact, and the reverb is just blending in. Best of both worlds, because who wants a spring reverb in a high gain head?

Integrated IRs - again if it's done properly with a robust reactive load, I reckon it's a cool addition. Digital of course, but it's optional. If you want the pure analog / tube experience, you can. Analog cab sims don't come close, so pretty handy stuff.

That Suhr PT amp is a good example - the load is good, and maintains an all-analog signal path. This is one of the few exceptions out there - many have a cheap, basic load with bathtub impedance curve. That's no fun at all - the amp feels different, the low end sucks and typically the IR has do some heavy lifting to undo the damage.

In Fryette's case, and that new Friedman load thing, the DSP is doing a lot of work. In fact it replaces many analog processe for the sake of cost, features and convenience - the GEQ in the ULII; Pres, Deep in the Friedman.

Both units may appeal to a lot of folks, but the arguments from those wanting a purely analog, or "digital optional" solution are understandable.

I think in the case of the digital EQ many people see the ad/da as a "weak point" in that part of the signal path...one that's not "defeatable," where you can't take it out of the signal if you wanted to. I don't think it's really comparable to IRs or digital verb tacked onto the back end.

 

[midnightlaundry]

I have to be in the camp of if the new amp doesn't have at least the same size output transformer this new rack mount amp probably won't punch like the old school chassis amp with BIG IRON. It's possible Mr Fryette has addressed this so I guess it's a wait and see situation.

It's interesting he went this route with his flagship amp but as with the mini amp head trend maybe this was his intent.

Steve said in the video that the OT was only changed to fit in the box, but the specs are the same.
Still curious to hear it..

 

[ZEN Amps]

I think in the case of the digital EQ many people see the ad/da as a "weak point" in that part of the signal path...one that's not "defeatable," where you can't take it out of the signal if you wanted to. I don't think it's really comparable to IRs or digital verb tacked onto the back end.

Yep agreed - that's what I was getting at. Maybe it was too long-winded to get my point across....or you're sniffing glue again?

 

[DanTravis62]

Yep agreed - that's what I was getting at. Maybe it was too long-winded to get my point across....or you're sniffing glue again?

 

[ZEN Amps]

I was thinking of old Lloyd but that track will do it.

 

[midnightlaundry]

Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit popin Reds..

 

[RockyStar]

I can't help but wonder how people would feel if Fryette released the new Ultra Lead and it was a head with EQ sliders and cost $7K? Would everybody be happy or would price all of a sudden become the problem?

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I can't help but wonder how people would feel if Fryette released the new Ultra Lead and it was a head with EQ sliders and cost $7K? Would everybody be happy or would price all of a sudden become the problem?

I’m sure there would be complaints. I’m sure there would be a lot of orders too.

 

[7704A]

I think in the case of the digital EQ many people see the ad/da as a "weak point" in that part of the signal path...one that's not "defeatable," where you can't take it out of the signal if you wanted to. I don't think it's really comparable to IRs or digital verb tacked onto the back end.

I can understand that. For my part I'm not convinced that the digital filters can't be done well, especially by Steve, but I am worried about the longevity, like you've mentioned. Is the communication protocol open, can I write my own software to interface with the ULII? What happens when stuff gets fried in a decade or so after your buddy spills beer inside? Fryette is notoriously stingy about schematics for non-authorized repair shops. Something tells me he's not going to be giving out firmware copies to Joe Public either. I.e., the amp's lifespan is at most the company's lifespan unless someone reverse-engineers it or Steve has a change of heart about service documentation.