Why old school amp distortion = the BEST distortion!

Just actually watched the video. Very eye opening when he compared the peaks and valleys on the sound files. You can literally see the difference in the sound.
 
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Not exactly breaking news, is it. Pete Throne here! Just so everyone knows, multi-stage preamp distortion compresses the f*** out of your signal, thereby killing dynamics. :LOL:
 
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When that tone is called for... yes, older amps sounds great. While I would not call my QuickRod a gain monster, it certainly has more gain on tap than a plexi circuit. I think it boils down to what type of music you are laying. If cranked plexi is the sound you need... and if you can actually play a venue where you can crank it.
 
The thing is that while I typ prefer it and use it, I'm very often using a boost or GEQ into it. So for me, it does need help to get it where I want it.

My very first post on this site years ago was something about "with all these options I still think a boosted Marshall is best for me". And many amps later I'm right back there again.
 
Power stage distortion is definitely cool, it's just not tight enough for my playing style. All pre-amp gain for me. The palm mutes gotta sound right, no giving out, mushing up or flubbing out.
 
Listening to this video, I'm wondering if my use of chorus effects with high gain distortion is to get that "scowl"-like swirling vocal effect in the sonic texture.
 
Great vid, totally explains it in a much easier way for me to understand than I ever did before. I still gravitate to a JCM 800 as I think it’s the perfect middle ground between the non-MV that are just too loud for most of us and the real high gainers that are all preamp gain. Super Leads are still the best tone for sure, my favourite is Uli Roth’s 70’s Scorpions stuff where he said he had to stuff his ears with cotton when they were recording to get the singing tone he needed.
 
anomaly said:
Power stage distortion is definitely cool, it's just not tight enough for my playing style. All pre-amp gain for me. The palm mutes gotta sound right, no giving out, mushing up or flubbing out.
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...And when you mix a great power section with a great preamp section you have the best of both worlds, like a Wizard or SLO. To name a few.
 
Racerxrated said:
...And when you mix a great power section with a great preamp section you have the best of both worlds, like a Wizard or SLO. To name a few.
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This indeed. The mark series amps are another prime example here as well as Morris. G and Peters. Gobs of tight premp gain but the articulation and balls of a killer power section. The MCII has the teeth you spoke of above and has it like no other. Still don't understand how Rick enabled these amps to sound like it's coming apart, even at moderate volume, but in such an aggressively musical way...like a shuttle on the verge of coming apart as it re-enters the atmosphere or an engine that's redlined but somehow still holding together.
 
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