HEAD VS RACK pre/power amp

[Fenderoid]

Hey there guys this is my first topic here.For some time now i am wondering what are the differences between the usual Head rig and the Rack rig. Although it seems t me that a rack amp would be more versatile there are not much players using them.Is it a studi / live situation? Thx for viewing.

 

[IntenseJim]

You got it.

Some will say heads have a more organic feel. And they are easier to carry around.

 

[Dave L]

The first thing to look at is the fact that most rack rigs are stereo, which is cool if you want that. Not many heads are. There is also the possibility of mixing and matching components, which is nice and often more budget friendly than buying a whole new amp every time you want to switch it up or have another tone at your disposal. As for why not many people use racks today, who knows? Could be a fashion thing, could be that a rack quite easily gets pretty bulky, could be something else... but I don´t think it´s a tone issue. If you get a preamp and a poweramp that work well together there is no reason why it shouldn´t sound as good as a head. You don´t need to add a complex switching system and 20U of effects if you don´t want to.

 

[threadkiller]

I'm using a rack rig. I agree there is no good tone reason to go head vs rack. Also no reason for a huge towering rack unless you just want to have one. Nothing wrong with that either. I have a stereo power amp, 2 preamps, and a multieffects unit. That's it. I have it in an 8 space rack case with casters on it. I have to lean over a little to roll it but it's better than having to carry it. Only time it gets a little hefty is up and down stairs but it's no big deal to carry it by myself. I don't think you can go wrong either way. I'm a contrarian. In the 80's I was using a head. Now that everybody is using a head, I'm using a rack rig. Do what you want.

 

[Tawlks]

I made a thread on this a while ago and I pretty much got these responses.

Rack

Pros -
Broader range of tonal options
Usually power amps come in stereo format (You can run two pre amps into one power amp)
Having two pre amps is much more compact than a whole new amp, it's also usually cheaper.
More friendly FX wise.
More durable in the sense that a piece of rack gear won't get 'tolex scuffs' and stuff as all the wear is done to the rack case (In theory)

Cons -
Expensive.
Heavier than having an amp, even two amps + pedalboard is easier to deal with than an rack setup for gigs.
You lack the 'mojo' of an amp.
Most commonly sought after tones come from a specific model of head or combo, there's the mojo factor again.
There's a bigger market for heads than there are for rack pres and pow's.

 

[noob_pwn]

i like rack preamps because i love the way my fryette 2/90/2 Kt88 poweramp sounds with anything i connect it to. Not many heads have a power section that sounds and reacts like the 2/90/2.

 

[IntenseJim]

/\

Freakin killer photo!

The rack I used on our last gig is small and simple but mighty and toneful:

 

[again with this]

i like rack preamps because i love the way my fryette 2/90/2 Kt88 poweramp sounds with anything i connect it to. Not many heads have a power section that sounds and reacts like the 2/90/2.

dude. I gotta say that pic in your sig is the sickest thing I have seen in some time. The whole band airborne and the crowd loving it. I can't decide if the caption should be "the vibe" or "winsauce" or "the holy grail". Seriously, moments like that are what I am in the guitar game for. Well done, well done.

OH.. yeah, to teh OP... I my rack setup is very streamilined. Like a head on steroids. 6 spaces, power strip/conditioner, preamp, multi fx and power amp. It rocks with stereo effects. I play in a 3 piece and that stereo action goes a long way to fill up the sound. If I were in a two guitar band, it would be pointless and I would go with a head.

It really depends a lot on your application. I wouldn't go to the extra trouble and expense of a rack rig if stereo effects weren't super important to you, and of course that you could actually hear them in a live band mix. A good studio should have all that stuff for you to put on a recording.

 

[Green Bastard]

i like rack preamps because i love the way my fryette 2/90/2 Kt88 poweramp sounds with anything i connect it to. Not many heads have a power section that sounds and reacts like the 2/90/2.

dude. I gotta say that pic in your sig is the sickest thing I have seen in some time. The whole band airborne and the crowd loving it. I can't decide if the caption should be "the vibe" or "winsauce" or "the holy grail". Seriously, moments like that are what I am in the guitar game for. Well done, well done.

Noob_pwn being from australia, i think "the vibe" is the best suitable caption, but I'm guessing the movie "the castle" has probably never really made it over to the states.

 

[JTyson]

I like both
good tone is good tone however you get there
I dont really see one being better than the other

 

[hunter]

The rack I used on our last gig is small and simple but mighty and toneful:

"small", right?

Anyways, apart from The kind of power amp like Jim is using, I have yet to hear a rack power amps that can deliver the same punch and dynamics as a 100W top with properly dimensioned transformers (I am talking 2U sized power amps which all have "smaller" iron in them).

I used to own a VHT2/50/2 and while it was pretty nice, it disappeared and sounded small compared to my heads with the big iron (Bogner Shiva / XTC, the Steavens Poundcake or the Cornford Mk50).

Obviously those monster power amps like VHT2150, Rivera TBR ... they have transformers like a head, which makes them sound the same I guess.

Other than that I don't believe there is a big difference. Especially as soon as you use the loop of an amp, you lose the kind of signal integrity that makes a head sound THAT unique.

 

[Fenderoid]

The rack I used on our last gig is small and simple but mighty and toneful:

"small", right?

Anyways, apart from The kind of power amp like Jim is using, I have yet to hear a rack power amps that can deliver the same punch and dynamics as a 100W top with properly dimensioned transformers (I am talking 2U sized power amps which all have "smaller" iron in them).

I used to own a VHT2/50/2 and while it was pretty nice, it disappeared and sounded small compared to my heads with the big iron (Bogner Shiva / XTC, the Steavens Poundcake or the Cornford Mk50).

Obviously those monster power amps like VHT2150, Rivera TBR ... they have transformers like a head, which makes them sound the same I guess.

Other than that I don't believe there is a big difference. Especially as soon as you use the loop of an amp, you lose the kind of signal integrity that makes a head sound THAT unique.

That is one of my main concerns.I really like the MK 50.It has that great punch and articulation.I wonder if that feel can be reproduced with a rack setup.

 

[some dude]

I loved the sound of my rack setup. I loved the 'everything in one box' approach to setup/teardown.

I hated moving it. I currently use heads.

If I was gigging all the time I'd have everything mounted in road cases setup for quick setup/teardown, which is basically the same as having a rack setup. However, for the weekend warrior stuff I do the head/cab approach is fine.

 

[again with this]

I don't nescessarily buy the whole "size of the transformer" arguement. I have a Mesa 2:100 and that thing is a flat out BEAST . I have jammed with lots of other guys with Recto heads and there is little to no difference in the punch department. Of course, my example is specific to Mesa Rectifier series amps, but still... I would be willing to wager if you put a 100w head toe to toe with a 100w power amp of the same brand, you are going to get nearly identical 100w of punch. However, some manufacturers, like Rivera use huge transformers in all their amps.

I guess what I am saying is, know when you are comparing "apples to apples" and when your aren't.

 

[IntenseJim]

It's only 6 spaces compared to some of the refrigerator size racks you see.
But it's heavy; the VHT is about 50 lbs.