Most NATURAL sounding High gain amp

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PhloridaMan

PhloridaMan

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So... this is going to be purely OPINION based so I hope not to see any bashing in here... But I thought it would be a fun debate...

In my past experience with my Framus Cobra, 5150II, Engl Invader and Diezel VH4... I have found that some amps sound EXTREMELY processed and fizzy, while others sound more natural and tubey (for lack of a better term)

So I am curious... What is your opinion on the most NATURAL or "tubey" sounding high gain amplifier...
 
Just 1 post and I can already tell I am going to learn about some new amps here... LOL! I didn't even know those existed... I have definitely had my head in the sand... Just listened to a BE100 demo on YouTube and HOLY SHNIKEYS!
 
I think non master Marshall's with a Tubescreamer are the least processed tone I've heard - as far as getting lots of gain that is clear and no fizz. But for a straight plug in the front and play amp, I'd second the Friedman BE-100.
 
Depending on what you consider high gain........my Morris is the most organic sounding amp I have ever played through. Glen is a genius and it is beyond me why he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. Maybe now that Joe Perry is using them, he will finally get that recognition. I know of at least 2 people who have swapped their "F" amp for a Morris.
 
My Triple Rec.
I think it's such a familiar sound that we've heard for so many years now that its ingrained in the cool tone spectrum.
If you know how to dial them correctly they are huge, fat and bright without the fizz. They're also versatile.
Great amp. Really the perfect hard rock amp for me.
As unpopular as it may be, I think I spent many years with modded Marshall's and adding pedals to boost Marshall's, what I really was doing was trying to turn them into my old Mesa MK.
For me the Triple builds on that and just sounds a little more modern which I'm digging these days. I'm tired of vintage tones. I've been using them for 30+ years. Still dig em, but...
 
Well considering how much is going on in a higher gain setting on any amp there's probably nothing natural about it :lol: :LOL:

But if I take natural as to where I hear great string definition and really hear the different character from each guitar that plays though it, I would have to say a 1959 or 1987..well they're high gain for me. But I would add my Stiletto to that as it can do higher saturation than my plexi but even different Gibson's with slightly different pickups can easily be heard as distinct from each other. Kind of a shame I don't do bands anymore because I would love to hear the Deuce, loud, in a band context.
 
Badronald":quptn8ib said:
I think it's such a familiar sound that we've heard for so many years now that its ingrained in the cool tone spectrum.
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Great point.

I think "familiar" to me would be something in the modded Marshall spectrum (Fargen's and Friedman's amps especially).
I still really like the sound of pushed Plexis and 800s.
 
Back in the 90's someone I knew had a Wizard head and that thing was pure AC/DC crunch, but higher gain the old Marshall's. That thing was straight up balls.
 
skoora":22kzmfou said:
Well considering how much is going on in a higher gain setting on any amp there's probably nothing natural about it :lol: :LOL:
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That is what I was thinking .... every aspect of what the strings & wood is doing is morphed as soon as you amplify it - let alone start adding things like gain.....

Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release, Harmonic, etc are all changed...
 
Such a subjective question....my personal fave is the Cornford MK50...a nice compromise....
 
I'm a bit biased, but the Orange RV50 has a truly natural sounding transition from low to medium to high gain. There are some distinct points where you hear the next stage kick on but it's sort of like when you have a great car; you cruise along smoothly then all hell breaks loose when you floor it. Great amp.
 
Define high gain.

At the point Wizard is high gain, then so is Hiwatt to me. And I would consider a band like the Who high gain-ish, that used Hiwatts.

I think my SLO is extremely articulate and organic, but much higher gain then the 2 above. Fairly natural for an amp getting a lot of it's gain from the pre amp.

But I think the most natural high gain is from a cranked power section.
There are a lot of those. Plexis, the Wizard Classic, Hiwatts, Matchless, etc...
 
Im surprised,no love for VHT(fryette,not that new company who bought the vat name from steve) yet. Those are some of the best hi gainers Ive ever heard
 
My jet city 20h kicks all kinda ass, especially with the Bad Monkey. Although sensitive speakers help a lot to keep the clarity with high gain amps.
 
probably soldanos and the bogner shiva
the evh 5150 III also sounds quite natural and evenly voiced to me

the new fortin designed randall diavlos sound very aggressive and "american", but they have this flat and really articulate response even when the gain is maxed with the boost switch activated
I wish it had a little more "british" mids, but the lack of fizz really makes it stand out over a lot of way more expensive amps
if it was more mid heavy, they would easily keep up with a diezel for me

my fully modded '73 marshall jmp 50w sounds very natural as well
not sure which california shop did the full rebuild, but after a little home tweaking and fine tuning, it's voiced somewhere between a shiva, a suhr od100 and an actual vintage plexi
I really love this amp
 
My old Granger 2204 was very natural sounding to me although I wouldn't consider it hi-gain. The first amp that popped into my head when I read the thread was a Soldano SLO.
 
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