Kemper - AXE FX - Randall MTS ????

[ibenhad]

So why did the Randall MTS never do more? It is a modeler with real glowing tube warmth. It is infinitely tweak-able like any good tube amp. Just pull out your favorite module and change a cap or two. Change some resistors and add some switches to switch circuits in and out. It is not 0101010101's. They say it can get 90% or more close to the sound of high end boutique amps and even stuff that would be shunned here. Is it the Randall name? Was it poor marketing? Am I just insane? Probably but for those tube purists that cant fathom anything but the Randall offers it all and with VooDoo, Jaded Faith, Salvation, Sacred Groove and others modding these modules to emulate just about anything you want and for about 90% less than the cost of the real deal what gives?

 

[jcj]

I had an Egnater M4 that I liked, but didn't love; it just didn't kill me, so I moved it along.

I also had an Axe Standard for a few years; found it much more convenient with the built in effects, etc.

For me personally, the Axe was never about nailing the tone of particular amp; I didn't think it did that very well (to my ears/hands). What it did do, was let me get a great tone I dug, at any volume.

I picked up an Axe II recently, but haven't really done anything with it.... I'm waiting for the MFC to get back in stock.

No idea if I'll dig the II more than the Standard, but I figured it was worth a shot.

 

[squank]

Do you realize you are comparing a tube amp to two modelers? The Randall MTS is a 100% tube amp. The difference is that you can remove the preamps and swap them out. But there's no modeling in them at all. Bruce designed the 'modular system' before 'modelers' were household products. But the sound of the name is where the similarity ends.

To all you guys who have tried MTS and moved on because the Randall modules sounded lame, I agree with you. I owned an Egnater M4, and even the Eggie modules were just Okay for me. But the modded modules are where this amp comes alive. You can get the all tube tones of a HBE, Cameron CCV, Dual Rec, modded Marshall, Bogner XTC, etc. No compromises on tone with these babies.

If you like the concept (who wouldn't?), then you owe it to yourself to check out these modded preamps with the MTS or Eggie MOD amps. They are fantastic.

 

[jkdsteve]

Apart from the MTS system being a money pit of modded tone chasing module hell....it's great! :-D

 

[Mailman1971]

Apart from the MTS system being a money pit of modded tone chasing module hell....it's great! :-D

+1000!!!

 

[squank]

Apart from the MTS system being a money pit of modded tone chasing module hell....it's great! :-D

LOL it sure can be a money pit!

But it's tonal heaven

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I love my Randall stuff (Brahma and judge) BUT I play my JCM800 more now. It sounds fuller to my ears. The weakness of the MTS system is that the modules really do need to be run with volume (volume on the module itself) above 2 pm or more to match the amp they are trying to replicate. At that point, the effects loop sucks or is inconsistent with effects. It is a solid amp though run dry no question. I find most people who demo them rarely run them this way and they end up sounding like shit on a lot of the youtube vids. The higher gain modules can have the fizzies but then so can the 5 preamp tube high gain amps! They are solid though.. the modders are solid too. I just find that some amps really can't be replicated in a module in an amp with a power section that is geared more to a Marshall. So really. I am not sure all the modules would be better than the real thing all the time. Just another tool to get you to the same place.

 

[jkdsteve]

I'm still curious to try some power amp mods on my MTS stuff for the reason you describe....I know Friedman was doing this at one point...danhops (I think) had some work done on his to make it more 'Marshallish'

 

[Ventura]

Played the Kemper at the LA amp show. Underwhelmed to say the least.
Played the Randall stuff , too fizzy (at least the module that was there) not my thing, couldn't connect with it.
Recently acquired an Axe 2 as an upgrade to the Ultra.
Big difference between the units.
Axe Fx gives me great results for recording ideas and having fun.
Nothing beats tube amps in my opinion, but for recording at home silently. Nothing beats the Axe 2 , so far.

Said with balls.

 

[chunktone]

No compromises on tone with these babies.

I went down the MTS road, and to my ears there were a lot of compromises. After playing just about every high gainer available, I'd say the RM100 I had was the noisiest I've tried. Mine was also very unreliable. Some of the modded modules from Salvation, Gigmods etc... are good, but imo not great. I really wanted to like them, but was ultimately disappointed, so I moved back to real amps.

 

[ibenhad]

Do you realize you are comparing a tube amp to two modelers? The Randall MTS is a 100% tube amp. The difference is that you can remove the preamps and swap them out. But there's no modeling in them at all. Bruce designed the 'modular system' before 'modelers' were household products. But the sound of the name is where the similarity ends.

To all you guys who have tried MTS and moved on because the Randall modules sounded lame, I agree with you. I owned an Egnater M4, and even the Eggie modules were just Okay for me. But the modded modules are where this amp comes alive. You can get the all tube tones of a HBE, Cameron CCV, Dual Rec, modded Marshall, Bogner XTC, etc. No compromises on tone with these babies.

If you like the concept (who wouldn't?), then you owe it to yourself to check out these modded preamps with the MTS or Eggie MOD amps. They are fantastic.

Not sure if you we're asking me but I know the whole deal with the MTS system. Own 2 RM 100's and about 25 modules from all the top modders. From friedman's HBE to salvation xtc's to Traces sear to jaded faiths rockerverb and they all do their thing and pretty well. The Randall is without question an all tube amp but it is indeed a modeler. With almost all of its modules being based off real amps. I asked because for all intents and purposes I would have thought they would have gone over much better on the amp buying public that exists here and elsewhere.

 

[squank]

No compromises on tone with these babies.

I went down the MTS road, and to my ears there were a lot of compromises. After playing just about every high gainer available, I'd say the RM100 I had was the noisiest I've tried. Mine was also very unreliable. Some of the modded modules from Salvation, Gigmods etc... are good, but imo not great. I really wanted to like them, but was ultimately disappointed, so I moved back to real amps.

It really sounds like there was something wrong with your RM100. Mine isn't noisy at all, and with 4x12 of V30s gives huge low end and cutting mids.

I've owned just about every high end amp made, and I don't GAS for them at all anymore. The Salvation Camerock really nails the great tones of the CCV. The Jaded Faith XTC really gets the Bogner Ecstasy tones. Having them in one amp is pretty dang amazing.

 

[squank]

Do you realize you are comparing a tube amp to two modelers? The Randall MTS is a 100% tube amp. The difference is that you can remove the preamps and swap them out. But there's no modeling in them at all. Bruce designed the 'modular system' before 'modelers' were household products. But the sound of the name is where the similarity ends.

To all you guys who have tried MTS and moved on because the Randall modules sounded lame, I agree with you. I owned an Egnater M4, and even the Eggie modules were just Okay for me. But the modded modules are where this amp comes alive. You can get the all tube tones of a HBE, Cameron CCV, Dual Rec, modded Marshall, Bogner XTC, etc. No compromises on tone with these babies.

If you like the concept (who wouldn't?), then you owe it to yourself to check out these modded preamps with the MTS or Eggie MOD amps. They are fantastic.

Not sure if you we're asking me but I know the whole deal with the MTS system. Own 2 RM 100's and about 25 modules from all the top modders. From friedman's HBE to salvation xtc's to Traces sear to jaded faiths rockerverb and they all do their thing and pretty well. The Randall is without question an all tube amp but it is indeed a modeler. With almost all of its modules being based off real amps. I asked because for all intents and purposes I would have thought they would have gone over much better on the amp buying public that exists here and elsewhere.

I was just asking the initial question because it sounded like you were lumping the MTS in with digital amps, which seemed strange since they are totally different. Saying MTS isn't a 'real' amp - that designation is usually reserved for digital amps, whereas an all tube amp is the 'real' amp.

I don't really understand referring to MTS as a modeler. Do you consider a Germino amp a modeler? It's the same concept - Germino's are tube amps designed to sound like a famous tube amp.

 

[FUZZboat]

Apart from the MTS system being a money pit of modded tone chasing module hell....it's great! :-D

There lots of areas in the MTS system MR Egnater could improve upon but he apparently doesn't see the need

like whats the point of a tube effects loop on a RM4 preamp ?

complete waste of a tube - My next project is modding the front end of my RM4 and turning the effects into additional gain stages

I also have an idea for an "ultimate"Flexible prototype that I bet would peak the interest of most MTS users (not to mention
it would be relatively easy to incorporate into the MTS formfactor
not cost any more to produce modules with this proto-circuit so there would be no increase of module price but would appeal to the
user because their mods would become a whole lot more flexible)


I have also other ideas to improve MTS as well as my own self
modded modules that IMHO hang in right there with the big boys
(JF & Salvation are killing with me their "voicing" selections
making the low end too stiff for me - well I learned from the best
and now know how to "brown" things up)

I dying to get some clips recorded but have yet to get the hang
of my new "old version" software

lately I've been running my RM4 into guitar rig 5 so, I started digging
around and found some older SS pedals & preamps that I long forgot
about - I was completely blown away at the tonal nirvana my
dell pc instantly became kicking out some serious tones not sounding
anything like the crappy YT vids of GR5

if you do the signal chain right you'll be rewarded with - TONE

(TIP for GR5 users - all presets have the cab sim in the wrong f_ing place - try moving it to the front (1st inline !) )

sounds more amp-like now doesn't it ??