Preamp questions, tube vs. non-tube - Guitars101

trey85stang · 03-31-2005, 09:12 PM

Ok, I have been researching and researching what my rig is too have. I have had my mind set on some older (tube) equipment.

But.. I have a real question now.. Im starting to look at some modern stuff like line6 and v-amps, how does the live sound of these things sound. Im talking playing a live show and having to crank the volume up to 9 or 10. How does the sound hold up?

In the past I have had solidstate marshall/crate heads that never sounded good past 3-4 on the volume knob. But this was probably 7-8 years ago.

How do these preamps stack up when cranked up?? Is the tube issue over with now?? can I look modern digital preamps the same way I look at the older tube stuff??

Elysian · 04-01-2005, 09:07 AM

i gig with my vamp pro rackmount... run it thru a solid state Fender M300 300w monitoring power amp(135w@8ohm) and run that into my Peavey 412MS 4x12 slant cab... sound is humongous... and versatile... much more so than my other guitarists JCM800... my lead tone slays him, and my rhythm tone is pounding, while still coming out in the mix because i don't slack off on mids... and the FCB1010 floorboard is so great... the line6 floorboard is nice too, i had one when i had a AX2 212(longboard), but its not as good as the behringer unit... i can run my setup up to full volume and still sound great. and i can even get a good clean tone at high volumes, something i could never get out of a tube amp.

trey85stang · 04-01-2005, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elysian

i gig with my vamp pro rackmount... run it thru a solid state Fender M300 300w monitoring power amp(135w@8ohm) and run that into my Peavey 412MS 4x12 slant cab... sound is humongous... and versatile... much more so than my other guitarists JCM800... my lead tone slays him, and my rhythm tone is pounding, while still coming out in the mix because i don't slack off on mids... and the FCB1010 floorboard is so great... the line6 floorboard is nice too, i had one when i had a AX2 212(longboard), but its not as good as the behringer unit... i can run my setup up to full volume and still sound great. and i can even get a good clean tone at high volumes, something i could never get out of a tube amp.

Do you have any live recordings that I could hear?? I would like to hear some recordings of the v-amp cranked up

Elysian · 04-01-2005, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegaTrey

Do you have any live recordings that I could hear?? I would like to hear some recordings of the v-amp cranked up

i don't, i tried to get a recording of the last show we had, but the soundboard couldn't output a low enough signal for my digital 4 track... i'm gonna bring my behringer Ultra GI100 direct inject box to the next gig(sunday) and see if we can get a good soundboard recording(its at the same venue)

the thing i like best about the vamp... i can get the same exact tone at low volume as i do at high volume.... my other guitarist can't turn his JCM800 down low at all haha... i always make fun of him for that lol

3fingers · 04-01-2005, 07:22 PM

Trey...my personal opinon is that there is no substitute for a great distortion tube power amp...you need to crank it to get a great tone, but with a v-amp2 and a 2203 Marshall 100 watter....the versitility is amazing. I have since sold the v-amp, but when I experimented with it...it kicked ass. There is also a technique to playing a tube amp imo....you will sound sloppy until you learn the ropes. It's got a lot more reactivity that I have found in modeling technology, although the tones are tought to beat and very convincing...the "feel" is just different. I don't think a moddler will sound any different cranked or uncranked as that's what give the valve amps their strength....their reactivity. My .02 cents.

Elysian · 04-01-2005, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3fingers

Trey...my personal opinon is that there is no substitute for a great distortion tube power amp...you need to crank it to get a great tone, but with a v-amp2 and a 2203 Marshall 100 watter....the versitility is amazing. I have since sold the v-amp, but when I experimented with it...it kicked ass. There is also a technique to playing a tube amp imo....you will sound sloppy until you learn the ropes. It's got a lot more reactivity that I have found in modeling technology, although the tones are tought to beat and very convincing...the "feel" is just different. I don't think a moddler will sound any different cranked or uncranked as that's what give the valve amps their strength....their reactivity. My .02 cents.

i personally don't use my vamp pro to emulate any certain tone, i don't care how it models... i use it to acheive the kinds of tones i like, something i had a hard time doing with tube amps... honestly i could give a crap less how my vamp pro emulates a fender twin hahaha i just care that it can give me all the tone i'd ever want

and i personally and specifically got a solid state power amp because i didn't want tubes to color anything... i wanted my vamp pro to be the sole thing responsible for my tone... and it works, my live tone is identical to my recorded tone, which imo is perfect.

trey85stang · 04-02-2005, 02:39 AM

Im not looking for amp modeling, I just want an all-in-one machine that can give me the sounds I need. I regret selling my digitech 2112 because it was perfect for what I needed, but I am not sure that I want to go back to one. I have had a lot of gear in the past a few tube marshall heads a few solid state ones.. but the only one I remember ever being fun to use was the digitech.

I'm just looking for some sort of preamp that will sound good loud... sounding good quiet is an added bonus

trey85stang · 04-02-2005, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3fingers

Trey...my personal opinon is that there is no substitute for a great distortion tube power amp...you need to crank it to get a great tone, but with a v-amp2 and a 2203 Marshall 100 watter....the versitility is amazing. I have since sold the v-amp, but when I experimented with it...it kicked ass. There is also a technique to playing a tube amp imo....you will sound sloppy until you learn the ropes. It's got a lot more reactivity that I have found in modeling technology, although the tones are tought to beat and very convincing...the "feel" is just different. I don't think a moddler will sound any different cranked or uncranked as that's what give the valve amps their strength....their reactivity. My .02 cents.

sounds good, I do love the way a saturated tube sounds

But, I figure I would try and jump into this newfound technology that really wasnt present when i was a gearhead 6 years ago.

3fingers · 04-02-2005, 10:17 PM

It's all groovy. When you find the tone you want, go for it. I never cared for the models of the moddelers per sae, but I liked the versatility they added to my rig. It really ultimately comes down to what tones you want and then building around your ideas with what gear makes it happen. Good luck bro. It's really a lot of fun getting involved with finding what you hear in your head.

trey85stang · 04-03-2005, 07:41 PM

I went to every pawn shop this weekend in big city of ft worth looking for a digitech 2112 or an ada mp1... Could not find one.. So, I think I will be ordering the v-amp pro in the next week or 2. Cannot beat the price fo sho.

Elysian · 04-03-2005, 08:58 PM

well, i played my gig tonight(one of the opening acts for incantation, sadus, and cannibal corpse), and had it set up with the sound guy to record it... but he must have somehow missed the record button cause i don't have SH*T... theres not even 1 millisecond of recorded sound on my digital 4 track... i'm pretty upset about that, cause not only did i want a good live recording, this was by far the best sounding gig we've ever played...

trey85stang · 04-03-2005, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elysian

well, i played my gig tonight(one of the opening acts for incantation, sadus, and cannibal corpse), and had it set up with the sound guy to record it... but he must have somehow missed the record button cause i don't have SH*T... theres not even 1 millisecond of recorded sound on my digital 4 track... i'm pretty upset about that, cause not only did i want a good live recording, this was by far the best sounding gig we've ever played...

dohh that sucks... Try and get me a recording.. I would love to hear an actual live gig that is recorded with a v-amp

Elysian · 04-04-2005, 03:35 PM

well u'd also be hearing JCM800, my other guitarist uses one of those things... but u can tell during leads which one is me, cause i'm the one with the good lead tone hahahaha

trey85stang · 04-05-2005, 07:12 PM

I ordered the v-amp pro this morning

Elysian · 04-06-2005, 05:00 AM

killer... i highly doubt you will be disappointed