Power Amp Sims

McLeanAB

McLeanAB

Active member
Hey all!

Experimenting with all my gear and contrasting/comparing my ISP Stealth Power Amp with the power section of my Mesa Mark V:25 (and every mode on every channel sounds wonderfully different). Pumping my ISP Theta Rack Preamp into it and it's glorious. Switch back to the ISP Stealth instead of the power amp of the Boogie, and it's so clean and clear it's ridiculous. Missing the actual coloration of a power amp, so I threw the NUX Studio without the cab sims engaged, just the power amp sims and WHAMMO... holy mackerel... super sweet saturation and presence...

The strength of the Stealth is how absolutely clear it is. SO... my real question, is there a dedicated power amp sim type enhancer/exciter that will give me the girth of the Mark power section? The Nux is stunning, but would love to know what else might be out there... it would be like the Resonance circuit on the Rocktron power amps or the presence on the Mark 25.

Just curious!
 
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I just purchased a used ISP Theta Pro Michael Sweet in mint condition, scheduled to arrive next week. How do the direct outs compare to the stage outs with the Stealth?
 
I'm not aware of power amp sims, but some have separate pre, power and cab options IIRC; maybe just using IRs? I had an original Torpedo CAB that worked great with my ADA MP-2 and Mesa TriAxis preamps.
 
^^^^ Both outs are great for doing different things... running direct you use the onboard cab sims and running stage, into a power amp and cab... can tweak each out separately with it's own EQ... it's a monster.
 
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McLeanAB said:
^^^^ Both outs are great for doing different things... running direct you use the onboard cab sims and running stage, into a power amp and cab... can tweak each out separately with it's own EQ... it's a monster.
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how do the sounds compare, are they close, similar? I plan to use the direct outs into a powered PA with subs, but may get a Stealth if needed. I have Marshall and Engl cabs for the stealth
 
Yes, I do use it that way, but I should have said in the original post, I'm driving a couple of real 4x12's in this scenario...

The Stealth is so clean and clear, so adding the NUX power amp sim, gives it a very juicy and almost compressed feel... it's great. So just wanted to know what dedicated unit might do something like that...
 
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Guess I'm trying to determine if the direct outs are good vs the stage out + stealth. If they're different, how? IIRC, Sweet uses both but I don't recall if he mic's his amps and blends both outs at FOH?
 
They are both great... the direct out with the cab sims into a FRFR (PA) system is going to sound great and easy to tweak in the global Direct Out EQ if you make a patch on something different and need to adjust to a new speaker system. Stage outs with a Stealth gonna want a regular guitar cab... the Stealth will pump out exactly what you put in to it. But same with the global EQ on the Stage Outs, you can tweak and even up the SAG setting on that patch to give it a more 'tubey' sound. Either is great...
 
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McLeanAB said:
They are both great... the direct out with the cab sims into a FRFR (PA) system is going to sound great and easy to tweak in the global Direct Out EQ if you make a patch on something different and need to adjust to a new speaker system. Stage outs with a Stealth gonna want a regular guitar cab... the Stealth will pump out exactly what you put in to it. But same with the global EQ on the Stage Outs, you can tweak and even up the SAG setting on that patch to give it a more 'tubey' sound. Either is great...
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Thanks! Sounds perfect! I really like the sounds and capabilities of the Theta Pro, reminds me of my old rack preamps, effects and power amps from back in the day + the direct outs!

Doesn't hurt that I'm into Stryper and Michael Sweet, saw them live on the In God We Trust tour back in the day. (edit, I think Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened?)

Cheers!
 
I'm kinda confused by your rig and what the problem is. You have a Mesa head, an ISP pre-amp and an ISP power amp, and you prefer the sound of running the pre-amp into the Mesa's power amp... so why not just do that?

If you don't want to haul the head around and you already have a rack preamp, the logical option would be a rackmounted tube-based power amp right? Mesa has made some over the years if you're really into that sound.

If you have the ISP power amp so you can drive the cabs and manage the volume without sacrificing tone, why not run the Mesa into an reactive load and run the line level signal from that into the ISP?
 
GreatRedDragon said:
I'm kinda confused by your rig and what the problem is. You have a Mesa head, an ISP pre-amp and an ISP power amp, and you prefer the sound of running the pre-amp into the Mesa's power amp... so why not just do that?

If you don't want to haul the head around and you already have a rack preamp, the logical option would be a rackmounted tube-based power amp right? Mesa has made some over the years if you're really into that sound.

If you have the ISP power amp so you can drive the cabs and manage the volume without sacrificing tone, why not run the Mesa into an reactive load and run the line level signal from that into the ISP?
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Not sure if this was directed at me? I was looking for experiences with using the Stage outs; the Direct Outs sound great to my PA with subs, but the Stage outs to a small powered FRFR didn't sounds as good with the cab emulation on or off. I decided to get the ISP Stealth Pro amp, and see how it sounds driving a guitar cab.
 
FWIW, the ISP Theta Pro MS direct out to my PA with subs sounds amazing! It's '80s metal, classic rock, and more. Thing is built like a tank, and it's not only designed in the USA, it's actually Made in USA.
 
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