Theres no way the Peavey XXL sounds THIS bad right?!
- Thread starter Metalhex
- Start date
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
Jesus Christ, no.
I wonder if he's going out of the recording out? I've never used that.
I got mine 20 years ago as a quick, cheap amp and then kept it as a backup. It's reaaaallly close to being a straight up 1:1 version of the XXX, just solid state, but it does lack in the low end area where the XXX has no problem with. Obviously the tube whallop isn't there, but outside of that they did a really good job at getting the pre-amps similar. And the XXL has reverb.
I've made that amp work in so many situations, it really taught me a lot about milking something for all it's worth. It's saved the day many times; even when I wasn't playing guitar in a band and was only singing, I'd keep it in my car for anyone to use as a backup. It went ass over teakettle down the stairs at the Middle East in Boston and worked just fine after!
Tomorrow I'll make some clips with it. It's been years since I've plugged into it and I'm curious how it sounds running it into an IR.
I wonder if he's going out of the recording out? I've never used that.
I got mine 20 years ago as a quick, cheap amp and then kept it as a backup. It's reaaaallly close to being a straight up 1:1 version of the XXX, just solid state, but it does lack in the low end area where the XXX has no problem with. Obviously the tube whallop isn't there, but outside of that they did a really good job at getting the pre-amps similar. And the XXL has reverb.
I've made that amp work in so many situations, it really taught me a lot about milking something for all it's worth. It's saved the day many times; even when I wasn't playing guitar in a band and was only singing, I'd keep it in my car for anyone to use as a backup. It went ass over teakettle down the stairs at the Middle East in Boston and worked just fine after!
Tomorrow I'll make some clips with it. It's been years since I've plugged into it and I'm curious how it sounds running it into an IR.
scottosan
Well-known member
I wonder how the amp sounds with the other 4 strings.
311splawndude
Well-known member
I didn't find the amp to be all that bad if you were looking for a head in the $200 range. In that video, he said it was mic'ed up. At 3:20 he said the Gain was maxed. That was probably part of the problem. That amp with overly hot pickups and the Gain on 10 would probably not be the best.
MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
I don't understand how people use clips for anything other than entertainment, passing the time, etc. Using clips to try and gain any practical knowledge of how an amp sounds/feels, or even worse to make a decision to buy an amp...well...
I especially love the people that can tell you everything about an amp or what it does, doesn't do, whether it needs a boost or different tubes...all from clips and not ever once having played said amp.
I especially love the people that can tell you everything about an amp or what it does, doesn't do, whether it needs a boost or different tubes...all from clips and not ever once having played said amp.
angelspade
Well-known member
This came up on my YouTube feed this morning as well...just plain amazing. You can't make this shit up.
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
That’s fucking crazy that that is mic’d. I have no fucking clue how he got that sound out of it and I’ve ran it into an old ass Line 6 cab that had an early precursor to FRFR speakers in it, it still didn’t sound like that pile of ass.
And I use fairly hot pickups!braintheory
Well-known member
Some guys here go by clips and form stronger opinions than me on amps I own lol. I think well mic’d comparison clips can be helpful, but still only shows so much
RaceU4her
Well-known member
ive bought plenty of my amps off iphone clips. if i stand next to an amp and hit record on my iphone, it sounds the same to my ears. ive played enough amps i think i can get an idea how an amp is gonna feel based on the gain structure and eq curve
braintheory
Well-known member
I have too, but IME it can still be pretty hit and miss. Some amps seem to translate accurately in clips, some don’t and some come off better than in person. I think it’s a little like when you see a photo of someone and then meet them in person they can sometimes be different than what you expective bought plenty of my amps off iphone clips. if i stand next to an amp and hit record on my iphone, it sounds the same to my ears. ive played enough amps i think i can get an idea how an amp is gonna feel based on the gain structure and eq curve
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
I record my amos on iPhone clips and listen to them on earbuds a lot . Then I compare others iPhone clips to mine for a sense of feel . It can work if you study it . But still nothing like in the room I knowive bought plenty of my amps off iphone clips. if i stand next to an amp and hit record on my iphone, it sounds the same to my ears. ive played enough amps i think i can get an idea how an amp is gonna feel based on the gain structure and eq curve
MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
It just cracks me up. There are so many posts with folks giving such strong opinions, recommendations on amps they've never heard in person...LOL! I'm not saying there aren't amazing sounding clips and sure, you can get a baseline/general idea of an amp off the good clips, but soooooo many factors in a recording and even the best clips will never give the true impression of any amp. Gotta play em IMO, period.
TheGreatGreen
Well-known member
That sounds like something is very wrong.
Also, I'd bet money we're not hearing a standard "close mic'd" sound. Yes I heard him say the amp is close mic'd with an SM57 but it sounds so terrible that I don't believe him. It sounds like we're hearing a heavily overdriven camera mic. If we are hearing a close mic'd sound from an SM57, then there's something very, very wrong with one or more components in his chain or his settings.
That video goes beyond simply sounding like bad tone. It sounds like something is broken. The character of the high end constantly changes, like we're hearing weird changes in phasing over time, etc.
Something else that makes me think we're not hearing a standard close-mic'd sound is that the amp's white noise doesn't fade in and out or change between the guy talking and us hearing the amp. Normally in youtube videos where guys alternate between talking and close mic'd tone, you'll hear the amp's noise floor change character as the video editor turns down the talking mic and turns up the close mic as the talking stops and playing starts, but I don't hear that in this video.
Or, maybe the guy just kept both his vocal mic and close mic'd SM57 volumes fully audible the whole time and when the amp is playing, we're hearing a mix of a close-mic'd SM57 and his vocal mic, which could explain some of the weird phasing issues if he was moving his head back and fourth when he was playing, such that sometimes the vocal mic would pick up the cab and sometimes his head would be blocking the vocal mic from the cab.
Also, I'd bet money we're not hearing a standard "close mic'd" sound. Yes I heard him say the amp is close mic'd with an SM57 but it sounds so terrible that I don't believe him. It sounds like we're hearing a heavily overdriven camera mic. If we are hearing a close mic'd sound from an SM57, then there's something very, very wrong with one or more components in his chain or his settings.
That video goes beyond simply sounding like bad tone. It sounds like something is broken. The character of the high end constantly changes, like we're hearing weird changes in phasing over time, etc.
Something else that makes me think we're not hearing a standard close-mic'd sound is that the amp's white noise doesn't fade in and out or change between the guy talking and us hearing the amp. Normally in youtube videos where guys alternate between talking and close mic'd tone, you'll hear the amp's noise floor change character as the video editor turns down the talking mic and turns up the close mic as the talking stops and playing starts, but I don't hear that in this video.
Or, maybe the guy just kept both his vocal mic and close mic'd SM57 volumes fully audible the whole time and when the amp is playing, we're hearing a mix of a close-mic'd SM57 and his vocal mic, which could explain some of the weird phasing issues if he was moving his head back and fourth when he was playing, such that sometimes the vocal mic would pick up the cab and sometimes his head would be blocking the vocal mic from the cab.
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RaceU4her
Well-known member
if thats the case, it seems silly for us all to be here discussing what amps and gear were used on our favorite albums at nauseam if what we are hearing isnt accurate? arent albums basically just clips in the end? before i started recording i thought there were all these factors as well, but theres really not imo. if i plug my ibanez into a recto with a 57 on a v30, tune to A and record a left and right track, it sounds like Korn. plug my SG into my Laney Iommi and it sounds just like you'd think. of course id like to play an amp first, but i dont see what there is not to trust in a good review like Zen amps or some others do
cobrahead1030
Well-known member
I played with a guy that used one of those for years, with an original 5150 cab. It sounded way better than that.
Actually it was one of the better sounding solid state heads around, especially back then. This had to be close to 20 years ago now.
Actually it was one of the better sounding solid state heads around, especially back then. This had to be close to 20 years ago now.
RaceU4her
Well-known member
i have an old supreme 160 here that isnt terrible, in fact speaking of clips thats one amp i need to record more with with, dont think ive ever even tried. the newer version of the supreme in the 90s were pretty good as well.
sahlomonic
Well-known member
That vid made me cry in anger. Happened to see it on my feed yesterday and it made me want to punch a baby in the face it sounded so bad. I've owned a couple XXL's and they sound way better than that. Also owned a XXX at the same time and was impressed how similar you can get both to sound at gig volume, in the best of ways.
Anyway the XXL is my favorite solid state high gainer, followed by really any Peavey 'Red Stripe'.
End complaint.
Anyway the XXL is my favorite solid state high gainer, followed by really any Peavey 'Red Stripe'.
End complaint.
311splawndude
Well-known member
Both really good points / ideas.