Solid State High Gain Amps

[braintheory]

So, I know solid state can have top notch cleans, but I still wonder if any of them have top notch high gain as well. I've played most of the solid state amps known for high gain such as most of the randalls, ampeg vh, ibanez tbx-150, Dean Dime head, marshall mg's, line 6, roland, peavey and none of them were nearly as good as my favorite high gain tube amps. I've also tried a lot of hybrid amps like the Randall T2, which also paled in comparison to the best tube amps. The only high gain solid state amps I'm still very curious about are the ISP Theta and the AMT Stonehead. There's very little info on the web about these two amps (especially the ISP Theta). Can anyone tell me about them? Can they hold there own against amps like engls, diezels, fryette, mesa/boogie? I know a lot of people reading this will probably think that comparing these amps to high tube amps is a joke, but they seem like they could be promising and the sound clips I've heard sounded good and I feel like a high end solid state might have some interesting sounds that a tube amp couldn't get. So for anyone who's played the isp theta or amy stone head please speak up.

 

[blackba]

Have you e we tried a Pearce g2r, great rep as a nice ss amp. Not sure how much gain they have as I haven't tried one, but would like to.

 

[Bloodrock]

A friend of mine bought a Theta years ago. Awful sounding amp. He couldn't give it away. The old Marshall Valvestates are a much better SS choice.

 

[Mudder]

Are you including the new modelling preamps? Because the Axe, Kemper, 11 Rack, and GSP1101 all offer some great high gain settings. They all can run direct, so no tubes, or you can use a SS power amp.

 

[bananaladonpcp]

Yeah Axefx is solid state. All those modelers are solid state.

 

[bravedude2]

 

[braintheory]

Are you including the new modelling preamps? Because the Axe, Kemper, 11 Rack, and GSP1101 all offer some great high gain settings. They all can run direct, so no tubes, or you can use a SS power amp.

No. I'm only really interested in the ISP Theta and the AMT Stonehead.

A friend of mine bought a Theta years ago. Awful sounding amp. He couldn't give it away. The old Marshall Valvestates are a much better SS choice.

Why did it sound so bad to you? Did it sound artificial, overgained, too compressed? The sound clips I've heard sounded good. I agree that Marshall Valvestates are very good as far as solid state and hybrid amps go, but still can't touch the very best high gain tube amps.

One of the main reasons I'm interested in solid state amps for high gain is because I would think they could have the potential to be tighter and more aggressive sounding than a tube amp, but I may be wrong about that. Also, besides the ISP Theta, I don't know of any other high gain solid state amps made in the USA and that don't skimp on quality.

 

[rokket2005]

Trying to find something more aggressive and tight than your ultralead is like chasing the dragon. You never actually catch it you know?

 

[jasonmwnf]

I've got a Waller ISP 100w solid state head. I THINK it might be a pre-Theta ISP amp. Anyhow, It SMOKES! I'm actually bringing back a Mesa Royal Atlantic 100w head I just bought because the difference in quality is VERY minute.

 

[braintheory]

Trying to find something more aggressive and tight than your ultralead is like chasing the dragon. You never actually catch it you know?

My ultralead is definitely one of my favorite amps, but I would consider the following amps to be both tighter and more aggressive (or at least similarly aggressive, but not better amps of course Diezel Herbert, Engl Powerball II, and my Mesa Mark III Coliseum Blue Stripe (nothing else like it). Also, although I've not played any of these I think other contenders could be: DAR Forza, Fortin Natas, or Baron DHG.

I've got a Waller ISP 100w solid state head. I THINK it might be a pre-Theta ISP amp. Anyhow, It SMOKES! I'm actually bringing back a Mesa Royal Atlantic 100w head I just bought because the difference in quality is VERY minute.

I was thinking about the Waller too since I know it's related to the ISP Theta. That's really impressive if it could actually hold it's own against a Mesa. All the other supposedly awesome solid state amps that I said I tried sounded pathetic after AB comparison with high end tube amps, but some of them sounded fantastic before the comparison such as the Ibanez TBX-150 and some of the Randalls.

 

[hunter]

In Germany Rath-Amp (now under http://www.pcl-vintageamp.de) have a good rep since the 80s.

 

[braintheory]

Anyone else tried either the ISP Theta or AMT Stonehead?

 

[ZTN]

Used to have a Marshall 8100 head which I believe is solid-state. Pretty classic death-metal tone. I sold it and instantly regret it, but they crop up fairly often for fairly cheap

 

[bananaladonpcp]

Used to have a Marshall 8100 head which I believe is solid-state. Pretty classic death-metal tone. I sold it and instantly regret it, but they crop up fairly often for fairly cheap

That amp has a single pre-amp tube.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I dunno man...I thought the Randall RH200 that I just recently sold was pretty fucking good, especially for the 140 that I paid for the half stack...I also thought the Randall V series was fucking incredible. But you also have to keep in mind that you are comparing them to "the best" and your "favorite" tube amps. Those things are the best and your favorite for a reason. If I didnt have the option of having my 5150 212, I woulda kept my Randall RH200 because that thing sounded goddamned amazing, and it was retardedly cheap....but the 5150 212 combo is my favorite amp for a reason. I've learned to accept the fact that nothing...NOTHING...will sound as good as that amp to me, so I stopped trying to find something that will.

You're also comparing 2k+ tube heads with SS amps that you can grab a halfstack for about 300 bucks. Not a fair comparison. Thats like comparing apples to orange. You are never gonna find a SS amp that sounds as good to you as a high end tube head...

 

[ZTN]

Used to have a Marshall 8100 head which I believe is solid-state. Pretty classic death-metal tone. I sold it and instantly regret it, but they crop up fairly often for fairly cheap

That amp has a single pre-amp tube.

Bleh, close enough Still I can't really think of much pure solid-state stuff I've ever liked

 

[braintheory]

You're also comparing 2k+ tube heads with SS amps that you can grab a halfstack for about 300 bucks. Not a fair comparison. Thats like comparing apples to orange. You are never gonna find a SS amp that sounds as good to you as a high end tube head...

Like I said though, for solid state amps I'm only interested in the ISP Theta, which is made in the US and $1700 new and interested in the AMT Stonehead. I would think that if solid state amps were well made and didn't skimp with materials that they could probably sound awesome.

 

[bananaladonpcp]

You're also comparing 2k+ tube heads with SS amps that you can grab a halfstack for about 300 bucks. Not a fair comparison. Thats like comparing apples to orange. You are never gonna find a SS amp that sounds as good to you as a high end tube head...

Like I said though, for solid state amps I'm only interested in the ISP Theta, which is made in the US and $1700 new and interested in the AMT Stonehead. I would think that if solid state amps were well made and didn't skimp with materials that they could probably sound awesome.

dude for that price go axefx or kemper. what are you thinking?

 

[braintheory]

The Axe FX and Kemper only model existing tube amps.

 

[bananaladonpcp]

the axe fx has presets in it.