SS power tubes…it was only a matter of time

[harddriver]

So far i think the closest S/S has come is how Randall implemented the FET's in the preamp and mosfets in the output sections. Marshall has some sucess with the 5200 series S/S amps in the 80's that sounded good as well.

In the interview Gary Sunda the head designer for Randall said there are certain ways you need to implement and operate he FETS and mosfets to closely replicate tube responses and get them to sound good. You would think someone would consult with this guy for a new design with readily available components in 2025. I mean Mesa built the MKIIC+ that they said they couldn't so why not a new Randall RG100ES?

I came across this product from Soundsmith from 2023 you think it would have been talked about more. I guess it never got off the ground I don't see them for sale on their website.

https://www.sound-smith.com/

https://twitteringmachines.com/soundsmiths-new-solid-state-power-tubes-mostube-one/

 

[NowYou'rePlayingWithPower]

So far i think the closest S/S has come is how Randall implemented the FET's in the preamp and mosfets in the output sections. Marshall has some sucess with the 5200 series S/S amps in the 80's that sounded good as well.

In the interview Gary Sunda the head designer said there are certain ways you need to implement and operate he FETS and mosfets to closely replicate tube responses.

I came across this product from Soundsmith from 2023 you think it would have been talked about more.

https://twitteringmachines.com/soundsmiths-new-solid-state-power-tubes-mostube-one/


View attachment 402228

I remember seeing those. Active cooling is a bit funny, tbh. Wonder if that 30-50% power increase applies to KT150s?

 

[VonBonfire]

So far i think the closest S/S has come is how Randall implemented the FET's in the preamp and mosfets in the output sections. Marshall has some sucess with the 5200 series S/S amps in the 80's that sounded good as well.

In the interview Gary Sunda the head designer said there are certain ways you need to implement and operate he FETS and mosfets to closely replicate tube responses.

I came across this product from Soundsmith from 2023 you think it would have been talked about more. I guess it never got off the ground I don't see them for sale on their website.

https://www.sound-smith.com/

https://twitteringmachines.com/soundsmiths-new-solid-state-power-tubes-mostube-one/


View attachment 402228

I thought Moog did one of the best SS guitar amp designs with the Gibson Lab series. I don't know how it was achieved but those are actually a good sounding SS amp with gain. I have not been very impressed by some of the newer stuff. Someone let me try a Quilter 101, that was disgusting.

People keep talking about power tube reliability in this thread. Man, I've gotten hundreds and hundreds of gigs and rehearsals out a quartet of 6L6's. Yeah they were def getting up there in age and the plates were all white. There was a def tonal improvement when I replaced them but dang, they would've kept trucking even after five or six years of really hard use. In and out of the van, set up, tore down, gigs in 100+ degrees. I changed the main preamp tube once in that time. The idea that a decent set of tubes in a well maintained amp isn't inherently reliable seems like a complaint without legs to me.

 

[Techdeth]

I wasn’t expecting this thread to be heated

I've been having a full set of them for years that I bought when they were blowing them out. They work fine and definitely change the feel/sound of an amp. Great to have on hand as backups

whats the change and feel change like ?

 

[Omnipotent1]

I thought Moog did one of the best SS guitar amp designs with the Gibson Lab series. I don't know how it was achieved but those are actually a good sounding SS amp with gain. I have not been very impressed by some of the newer stuff. Someone let me try a Quilter 101, that was disgusting.

People keep talking about power tube reliability in this thread. Man, I've gotten hundreds and hundreds of gigs and rehearsals out a quartet of 6L6's. Yeah they were def getting up there in age and the plates were all white. There was a def tonal improvement when I replaced them but dang, they would've kept trucking even after five or six years of really hard use. In and out of the van, set up, tore down, gigs in 100+ degrees. I changed the main preamp tube once in that time. The idea that a decent set of tubes in a well maintained amp isn't inherently reliable seems like a complaint without legs to me.

I agree.. About two months ago for the first time in 20 years I had a tube loose vacuum.. lol Also the first time I had some main fuses blow.. It was a scary sound.. but then my amp went into 50 watt mode so I can’t say the aftermath was bad Reliability isn’t the concern for me.. the paranoia for potential failure (as with anything) is more like it.. So I agree

 

[harddriver]

I thought Moog did one of the best SS guitar amp designs with the Gibson Lab series. I don't know how it was achieved but those are actually a good sounding SS amp with gain. I have not been very impressed by some of the newer stuff. Someone let me try a Quilter 101, that was disgusting.

People keep talking about power tube reliability in this thread. Man, I've gotten hundreds and hundreds of gigs and rehearsals out a quartet of 6L6's. Yeah they were def getting up there in age and the plates were all white. There was a def tonal improvement when I replaced them but dang, they would've kept trucking even after five or six years of really hard use. In and out of the van, set up, tore down, gigs in 100+ degrees. I changed the main preamp tube once in that time. The idea that a decent set of tubes in a well maintained amp isn't inherently reliable seems like a complaint without legs to me.

I agree the LAB series amps did sound actually a bit more tubey than the Randall's. I actually think the Marshall 5200's were a bit more tubelike than the Randall's. I own a 1984 5275 75 watt 1x12 combo and that little amp would keep up with 100 watt halfstacks and sound great while doing it. A lab5 2x12 was for sale not long that was local I almost bought it since I love all the early King's X sutff with the LAB5.

The Randall RG100ES amps have more teeth to the tone but they are a copy of a Jose Marshall amp. The Randalls have 4 V zener diodes in the pre tonestack Jose Master. It was always said they copied a Jose amp that George Lynch owned for the RG100ES line, I don't know if that urban legend is true or not but I've heard it repeated numerous times over the years. I do know the schematics of the Randall RG100Es is a a design of a Marshall circuit with a pre tonestack master volume with zener diodes quite similar to a Jose modded Marshall. I'm sure Gary Sunda tweaked it to his preferences but the underlying Jose bones are there.

 

[The~Kid]

Anyone interested in SS amps that do tube emulations the BlackStar Silvreline does Power Tube emulations as well as Boss Nextone.


Both are analog when it comes to the power section too and the emulation really are much nicer than your typical modeler IME.

 

[The~Kid]

I thought Moog did one of the best SS guitar amp designs with the Gibson Lab series. I don't know how it was achieved but those are actually a good sounding SS amp with gain. I have not been very impressed by some of the newer stuff. Someone let me try a Quilter 101, that was disgusting.

People keep talking about power tube reliability in this thread. Man, I've gotten hundreds and hundreds of gigs and rehearsals out a quartet of 6L6's. Yeah they were def getting up there in age and the plates were all white. There was a def tonal improvement when I replaced them but dang, they would've kept trucking even after five or six years of really hard use. In and out of the van, set up, tore down, gigs in 100+ degrees. I changed the main preamp tube once in that time. The idea that a decent set of tubes in a well maintained amp isn't inherently reliable seems like a complaint without legs to me.

Lab Series sound amazing. I've seen players use them straight up or slave them into bigger tube amps too with great results.


Yeah those things rock. Mainly great clean to breakup tones IME and fantastic.

 

[SpiderWars]

Active cooling is a bit funny, tbh.

Maybe a 6.3vac fan?

 

[VonBonfire]

I agree the LAB series amps did sound actually a bit more tubey than the Randall's.

Lab Series sound amazing.

hardriver, I never really heard the Randalls in person but the Lab's were the later era BB King amp of choice with his 490r/t loaded Lucille. Saw him a couple times in the late 90's and he sounded great guitar-tone wise. I also got to sit in the combat seat at BB King's in Memphis in '01 when Little Jimmy King aka Manuel Gales was a regular headliner plugging his V's into a Lab. They really could have a ripping, modern sound with tube warmth.

Pretty sure LJK is plugged in to one here starts at :36, you can see it after he gets offstage though it's missing the badge :


BB King, his unmistakable Lab tone:

 

[The~Kid]

hardriver, I never really heard the Randalls in person but the Lab's were the later era BB King amp of choice with his 490r/t loaded Lucille. Saw him a couple times in the late 90's and he sounded great guitar-tone wise. I also got to sit in the combat seat at BB King's in Memphis in '01 when Little Jimmy King aka Manuel Gales was a regular headliner plugging his V's into a Lab. They really could have a ripping, modern sound with tube warmth.

Pretty sure LJK is plugged in to one here starts at :36, you can see it after he gets offstage though it's missing the badge :


BB King, his unmistakable Lab tone:

Yeah the Lab5 amps really are something and they just have that tone. Met a guy who had a friend who owned one dude actually sold me a Blues Deluxe for 300 bucks and a good deal back then.


The Lab5 owners name was Daryl Darden and the guy who sold me the Blues Deluxe name was Willy. Darden is one of those dudes that travels and plays and Willy was a local musician. I got the amp on MLK day when they did a festival in LA and yeah it was dope. Willy played through a Mustang I think set up with a PA and Darden used a Lab5 but slaved it into the Blues Deluxe and it sounded amazing I think he just daisy chained it into the amp in of the Blues Deluxe and that's it but all that tone was from the LAB5 mainly.


Here is Darden playing with George Benson..... for players like that I mean nothing but a Bassman, Twins or a LAB5 will do for the headroom and tone....... Roland Jazz Chorus are great too when it comes to that tone too.

 

[VonBonfire]

Willy played through a Mustang I think set up with a PA and Darden used a Lab5 but slaved it into the Blues Deluxe and it sounded amazing I think he just daisy chained it into the amp in of the Blues Deluxe and that's it but all that tone was from the LAB5 mainly.

I was looking at those Orange Pedal Baby's a while back, got to try one a local guy was using. They are just a power amp, but they have a nice sound. Pair them with your preamp of choice and away you go. Have you ever seen one of these:
https://reverb.com/item/5608828-aion-electronics-lab-series-l5-preamp-alchemy-audio-assembled-2017

Anyways, you could run whatever pre you wanted into that Orange and theoretically have several really killer but completely different tones. A SSS clean, a Lab Series lead tone, etc etc whatever. Seems like a pricey experiment but it might make for a real portable lightweight gig rig with the right cab without getting stuck with the tone quality, or lack thereof, associated with a lot of modern SS stuff.

 

[The~Kid]

I was looking at those Orange Pedal Baby's a while back, got to try one a local guy was using. They are just a power amp, but they have a nice sound. Pair them with your preamp of choice and away you go. Have you ever seen one of these:
https://reverb.com/item/5608828-aion-electronics-lab-series-l5-preamp-alchemy-audio-assembled-2017

View attachment 402248

Anyways, you could run whatever pre you wanted into that Orange and theoretically have several really killer but completely different tones. A SSS clean, a Lab Series lead tone, etc etc whatever. Seems like a pricey experiment but it might make for a real portable lightweight gig rig with the right cab without getting stuck with the tone quality, or lack thereof, associated with a lot of modern SS stuff.

Never seen that....... looks amazing *_*

Yeah honestly have just settled for SS amps as an alternative as well like the Boss Katana Artist Mkll but that Orange Pedal Baby does look interesting and much the same thought....... make quality SS amps.

SS doesn't have to be bad....... especially in 2025.


What's great about it too is if I want to do what your suggesting I just slave the pedals into the power amp and you really get a fantastic platform for pedals that even rivals a nice Fender Reissue or a dedicated power amp.


I'd only suggest this with the Katana Artist models or the Nextone Artist model..... I really don't feel the lower end Katana/Nextone are as good and it's not just a speaker difference thing..... Plus side is you have a dedicated amp when needed....... and a dedicated power amp if needed that is amazing and really has some great tone in it self...... And it's a Class A/B amp with a completely analog power section.

But in either case I mean this seems as good an alternative or better for some too and both the Boss Katana Artist Mkll/Mklll and Orange Pedal Baby are also class A/B amps.... and you'd be able to get pretty much whatever you want with the right quality preamp into the Orange Pedal Baby or similar SS platform for power like a Katana Artist Mkll/Mklll.

Honestly was surprised how good something like the Katana Artist was for this. When setting the Boss as a power amp and slaving into it at the same volume as my Princeton as....... and using pedals....... I don't want to say it was the same but damn I was astonished at the quality the Katana Artist Mkll brought and imagine you get similar results with something like the Orange Pedal Baby too.

If you think it's worth it I'd say it's not as bad an idea as you think and as said again as an "alternative"........ remember these things do sound great and I'd pit my Katana Artist Mkll against my Princeton Reverb Reissue tone wise but they just aren't the same.

Mainly got it as an alternative not to replace my tube amps but to put less miles on them and practice more and more on the Katana when I do play not to replace my tube amps but to supplement them and rotate.



What's good about getting a solid SS amp IMO as well is in today's times it's not only the shrewd or wise thing to do with the uncertainty of tubes....... it's also responsible if you think about it from an environmental standpoint, economical, how you spend your money and where you spend your money etc etc.


With SS you only pay once in a sense and that's it...... no need to replace tubes.... and again not saying it will replace tubes but it supplements ones tube amps in a sense because you put less miles on them and have less of a need to replace the power tubes over time rotating between SS and Tube amps.

 

[thegame]

Dear Lord @The~Kid, so many words, so little to say

 

[VonBonfire]

With SS you only pay once in a sense and that's it...... no need to replace tubes.... and again not saying it will replace tubes but it supplements ones tube amps in a sense because you put less miles on them and have less of a need to replace the power tubes over time rotating between SS and Tube amps.

I was thinking it would make a good home rig or backup at a gig. I almost never plug into my gigging amps around the house just cause then I'm burning up tubes and not making any money. The pedal baby paired with a couple nice boxes would be great around the house.

 

[The~Kid]

I was thinking it would make a good home rig or backup at a gig. I almost never plug into my gigging amps around the house just cause then I'm burning up tubes and not making any money. The pedal baby paired with a couple nice boxes would be great around the house.

This and Seymour Duncan also makes the Power Stage 170 in a pedal which is pretty much a Power amp in pedal format.

I think it's a good idea and well a reason I have an SS amp as to rotate between it and my tubes to preserve the life of the tubes using the SS stuff more here and there.

 

[The~Kid]

This is my tube amp alternative...... that Class A/B amp really sounds amazing and reacts really organicly. Definitely recommend this that I got for a song in 2022 for what it does at 499.99 new or you could get a older head version for 400 bucks and some change or the new ones are even better.


I was considering a Gen 3 but this Gen 2 is more than enough for me and yeah check out a Gen 3 if you don't have one and looking for Tube Amp alternatives. I actually was set on buying a 5150 Iconic until I played this thing........ it's fucking amazing ^_^


I even made a Princetone Reverb setting for it and "Profiled" the Princeton at high volumes using a P12Q Jenson Alnico for both Artist Gen ll and Princeton. Sounds epic and did this to put less miles on my real amps, also made an AC15 Profile going into a Greenback with both amps to compare and get a solid tonal profile.

But overall the great stuff is just that its simple, sounds as good as my Tube Amps IMO and can do a whole whole lot more too.


I only recommend the Artist version of the Katana the regular Katanas are decent but the Artist versions are way way way better. This is a Gen 2 but again do yourself a favor and check out a Gen 3 if your in the market for Tube Amp Alternatives.

 

[The~Kid]

This is why I love this thing......

It is digital on the front end but that back side is pure SS and A/B amp like and gets percussion and IR as any tube amp but in a different way...... it's just solid..... plus effects like "Heavy Octave" and great amp models for a foundation with that A/B power section....... it's just a pleasure to play this thing.......


And as good as it is check out the Gen 3 Artist model as this is a Gen 2........ these amps are just killer and a great alternative to tube amps to compliment them and augment ones rig in rotation with digital/analog........



All I'm going to say is I've actually taken this out on a real stage vs real tube amps and it hangs or does better per other guys on the stage with actual tube amps....... I always get compliments on the tone this thing brings in real life situations and aside from all the other bells and whistles..... those 3 different Cab Resonance options and Global EQ with 4×4 Global EQ...... nvm all the amp models and variants there off...... you do the math ....... but yeah it's great.....



Especially that Global EQ to adjust for tone on any given days climate, humidity, atmosphere, environment, space etc etc etc....... that Global EQ makes the biggest fucking difference aside from the Cab Resonance Model.



Call this one "Alucard"....... Draculas son but Dracula spelled backwards......



Alucard ^_^