I just like "TUBES"....not interested in the Kemper or AxeFX

[steve_k]

Just had a big time reality check today. I was tweaking the AFX a bit. And then a guy with a Marshall with stage setup and some other stuff walked in.
Man that Whipping ATTACK of a real tube amp just left mine AFX in the dark. Even with damp maxed out it could not even come close.

So mine conclusion. Leave the AFX where it belongs. AT HOME or IN THE STUDIO.

Live you there is no alternative to tubes. simple

I used to be in that camp until I realized all that attack I thought I needed on stage didn't have squat to do with what the audience was hearing at the FOH. For live use, I find the Axe to be the better, most consistent delivery option.

 

[ejecta]

I used to be in that camp until I realized all that attack I thought I needed on stage didn't have squat to do with what the audience was hearing at the FOH.

Yep.

 

[LP Freak]

Just had a big time reality check today. I was tweaking the AFX a bit. And then a guy with a Marshall with stage setup and some other stuff walked in.
Man that Whipping ATTACK of a real tube amp just left mine AFX in the dark. Even with damp maxed out it could not even come close.

So mine conclusion. Leave the AFX where it belongs. AT HOME or IN THE STUDIO.

Live you there is no alternative to tubes. simple

I used to be in that camp until I realized all that attack I thought I needed on stage didn't have squat to do with what the audience was hearing at the FOH. For live use, I find the Axe to be the better, most consistent delivery option for this week. Next week who knows what it could be.

 

[DeezDemos]

I'm losing interest in my Axe Ultra & II lately. Started using my tube amps again and am really loving it.

 

[ejecta]

I'm losing interest in my Axe Ultra & II lately. Started using my tube amps again and am really loving it.

I would be too with an AxeFX.

 

[steve_k]

Might as well get over it and get on with it....

 

[mentoneman]

this may have already happened, but what i'd really love to see is a shootout for the ultimate monitor solution for fractal and kemper products. frfr or stereo power ala matrix, vht...etc.

i tried m-audio and mackie studio monitors, running tube preamps in front and in the loop, eaw la212 stage monitors (which cliff once mentioned were some of his favorites), FBT powered wedges, turbosound $5000 3 way powered main speakers, my egnater tol 100 head and my carol ann od2r in various line out w/d/w and 4CM hookups...and in the end i preferred the ultra feeding one EV powered FR wedge and one Tech 21 power engine with a scumback speaker upgrade, in stereo.

the carol ann in a w/d/w rig with the ultra 4CM but basically relegated to fxs only also sounded insanely great, but would have taken a lot of work to make it happen live every week and was a bit noisier than i would have liked. and the effects in front of the amp didn't feel like pedals in front of a head.

the EV provided full range fidelity for all of the detail and the tech 21 pumped and bounced like a normal guitar speaker cab. so that was my result, but an in depth shootout with the current flavors of the month monitor solutions, and exactly what config provides the best outcome.

 

[stephen sawall]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

 

[steve_k]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

AMT has already released solid state 12AX7 and 6L6GC tube clones. I would expect to see a full on hybrid, digital controlled, solid state tube amp rolling out of a shop this year. It just won't have that tube smell...

 

[Mailman1971]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

I had one of these when they 1st came out. It was fun to dink around with. But after a week it sat on the floor while I played My Engl Invader. Sold it 2 weeks later. Seemed like a good concept.
Sounded OK at 1st....but got sick of it real fast. I Not trying to compare this to the AXE or the Kemper....but
just thought it would be a cool idea.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Line-6-Spider-V ... %26ps%3D54

 

[mentoneman]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

AMT has already released solid state 12AX7 and 6L6GC tube clones. I would expect to see a full on hybrid, digital controlled, solid state tube amp rolling out of a shop this year. It just won't have that tube smell...

i've been using a ss preamp tube for almost 2 years with good results and no issues

http://www.wattgrinder.com/index.htm

 

[steve_k]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

AMT has already released solid state 12AX7 and 6L6GC tube clones. I would expect to see a full on hybrid, digital controlled, solid state tube amp rolling out of a shop this year. It just won't have that tube smell...

i've been using a ss preamp tube for almost 2 years with good results and no issues

http://www.wattgrinder.com/index.htm

Interesting website and products, Pat. That's pretty cool that they can manufacture mixed triodes for V1, especially for amps where V1A and V1B are not coupled. I would like to try one of the Red EX100's in some of the Marshall mods that tend to be a little noisy.

I guess they are still in business?

Steve

 

[mentoneman]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

AMT has already released solid state 12AX7 and 6L6GC tube clones. I would expect to see a full on hybrid, digital controlled, solid state tube amp rolling out of a shop this year. It just won't have that tube smell...

i've been using a ss preamp tube for almost 2 years with good results and no issues

http://www.wattgrinder.com/index.htm

Interesting website and products, Pat. That's pretty cool that they can manufacture mixed triodes for V1, especially for amps where V1A and V1B are not coupled. I would like to try one of the Red EX100's in some of the Marshall mods that tend to be a little noisy.

I guess they are still in business?

Steve

to be honest i don't know about the company's status. i just saw the booth and heard a personal demo at the '11 namm show and took a chance. i had it, the green one, in my carol ann od2r till i sold the amp and now it resides in my superchamp xd. sounds great, dead quiet, and the owner claims it will never go bad. i'd try it in my peacemaker but vic changed the preamp tube type the amp uses now so no can do.
the guy did mention that if i tried it and it didn't sound complimentary to my amp i could have sent it back in exchange for a different type/color.

 

[stephen sawall]

A digital controlled tube amp done right could be interesting. The ones I have seen done are OK ... But I have a feeling it could be done better.

AMT has already released solid state 12AX7 and 6L6GC tube clones. I would expect to see a full on hybrid, digital controlled, solid state tube amp rolling out of a shop this year. It just won't have that tube smell...

i've been using a ss preamp tube for almost 2 years with good results and no issues

http://www.wattgrinder.com/index.htm

Interesting website and products, Pat. That's pretty cool that they can manufacture mixed triodes for V1, especially for amps where V1A and V1B are not coupled. I would like to try one of the Red EX100's in some of the Marshall mods that tend to be a little noisy.

I guess they are still in business?

Steve

Pat did you notice any difference between these & the glass ? Feel, sound, whatever ....

I remember reading about these & then really did not hear any more. It is interesting.

 

[mentoneman]

Pat did you notice any difference between these & the glass ? Feel, sound, whatever ....

I remember reading about these & then really did not hear any more. It is interesting.

i always base ideal dirty marshally tone on NOS mullard ecc83s as the benchmark.
fat full mids and dynamic high, low mud factor. NOS ge 12ax7 for cleans

in the eggie and the carol ann, this wattgrinder reminded me of the mullard midrange and tight low end, but maybe not quite vocal in the high end but decent/solid...not hashy like many chinese and russian tubes i've used, or flooded in the mids/lows like jjs, just solid, smooth, and strong sounding, with no noise and the promise of never going microphonic or loosing it's steam.

and it also sounds great in my fender although in the scxd, "the first stage of the 12AX7 is simply a buffer. It takes the signal from the DSP and makes it stronger. The second stage of the 12AX7 is the phase inverter. It drives the 6V6s."

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

nothing like a good set of tubes, and a good set of boobs....

tubes and boobs, the two things I just can't seem to live without .... haha

 

[steve_k]

nothing like a good set of tubes, and a good set of boobs....

tubes and boobs, the two things I just can't seem to live without .... haha

Synthetic or the real thing?

 

[dawnofdreamx97]

nothing like a good set of tubes, and a good set of boobs....

tubes and boobs, the two things I just can't seem to live without .... haha

Synthetic or the real thing?

im more of an all natural kinda guy myself....

 

[Heritage Softail]

nothing like a good set of tubes, and a good set of boobs....

tubes and boobs, the two things I just can't seem to live without .... haha

Synthetic or the real thing?

Ummmm.....

When you're plugging your jack between a few hot ones, does it matter.

 

[glassjaw7]

Steve's post from another thread: Everybody gets too caught up in being on one side of the fence or the other.

Bam. There it is. Why not take advantage of the tech and use them all? And if it's not for you then don't use it, I don't care.

Look at it this way-- the tonal difference between a Kemper profile of a Bogner 101B and a real 101B is FAR LESS than the tonal difference between a strat and a Les Paul! My Pod HD has sparked a lot of creative ideas and has served me well for live use over the past two years. I still own a Mark and a Carvin tube head but more tools=more options.