Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 09:52:43 AM

Title: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 09:52:43 AM
So many things to buy...so little time...

I need (yes NEED)

Peters chimera

Stupid exchange rate and canadian amps trading in USD sounding so good and no one having anything less than glowing to say about them. I have a PB, of course, and cant really play it loud in the house (old couple next door that have been nice enough not to ask me to turn down yet) but supposed to sound really good low, too

One of those isolation boxes you can plug an amp into. I forget the name. And a new speaker for it.

I'm sick of modellers....and yet.....

AxeFX

Probably more practical, but I'm rapidly losing faith in modellers, no matter how supposedly good. The clips arent setting the world on fire, but I'd get more use from something I can DI than another head....but I'd probably still end up hating it

IK Multimedia ARC

Stupid uneven low end in my studio (I should say "studio", really, its not a proper studio - entry level project studio, perhaps) -  its not too bad (a wise man once told me that 90% of acoustic problems can be solved with speaker location - thanks TO) but I'm still getting lumpiness in the lows.

Really Nice Compressor

For tracking bass. I cant play an even bass track with a gun to my head.

New CD player

My arcam CD73 is utterly wasted on the mediocre B&W DM602s I currently have it through. I want to get it into my RME and Adam A7s again - that sounded STUNNING. But that means I need a new CD player for the lounge

New Hifi Amp

for the new CD player - my nad is going with the arcam to the "studio" and some new speakers I'm getting soon (a gift of some KEF floorstanders!)

Soooooooo

Suggestions on priority, please!

What order would you get these in?
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: hamfist on November 06, 2008, 11:10:10 AM
Hmmm.  I'd go for the Peters first. Everything else surely has to come trailing along behind that somewhere !
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 11:51:10 AM
See thats what my instincts tell me!!

But its the least practical, yet most awesome of those things.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: Oli on November 06, 2008, 01:17:36 PM
For the compressor, i'd suggest the TL Audio 5021, sounds heavenly with bass. I'll try and get a sample up of before/after, as i recently used one on it. I'll suggest getting a SansAmp Bass Driver DI too, as you can get some really good sounds out of it, and it's got a good DI built in, which the TL is missing.

With your speaker positioning, you want them to be 60 degrees from you, and there to be equal distance between yourself, and the speakers (so you have an equilateral triangle formed). Pay attention to how close to the wall/corners the speakers are- close to a wall, you'll get +3dB in the low end, in the corner, you'll get +6dB, and if it's in the corner on the floor (or on the ceiling), then you get +9dB. Also, being close to a wall, will factor in natural resonances from the material of the wall, which will help create this lumpiness. I'd suggest doing some analysis (you can get some software to use with a mic to check the rooms performance- it's not as accurate as a proper acousticians survey, but it's good enough for home), and once you've done your best, just be aware of what the problems are; having a bad room doesn't create a bad mix, not knowing that you do, does :)

I don't know about the order of the rest of things, but personally, the axefx would be at the bottom, i don't want a  modeller :)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 02:35:46 PM
Thanks for the compressor recommendation. I'll need some convincing that its better than the RNC though.

And, thanks, but I knew all that about speaker location already (except you should know that those are rules of thumb, on the amplification of lows, and vary with room), and have the EQ of my listening position mapped out from 40 to 500 hz pretty well - its all +/- 1 to 3db bar a 5 or 6 db hump at 128hz or so thats really hard to suppress with location of the speakers (because its the main resonant mode of the room). It averages to pretty level, but there are too many fluctuations for my liking.

P.S. You missed out centralising the speakers in the room with symmetrical reflections (if you cant attenuate them, which I plan to do (rockwool is your friend)) so that you dont get an imbalanced stereo field.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: dave_mc on November 06, 2008, 02:36:56 PM
save your money, wait a year, and buy a house for about £300. EDIT: that's clearly an exaggeration, but if you can get in right at the bottom of the market you could get a bargain. though the massive interest rate cut might affect that.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 02:57:24 PM
save your money, wait a year, and buy a house for about £300. EDIT: that's clearly an exaggeration, but if you can get in right at the bottom of the market you could get a bargain. though the massive interest rate cut might affect that.

Good theory, save that I dont want to buy a house, and if I did I wouldnt go in at the bottom of the market ;) (not that far above though!)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: opprobrium_9 on November 06, 2008, 05:24:58 PM
What is this Peter's Chimera you speak of? (I've gathered that it is an amp, but beyond that...)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: hunter on November 06, 2008, 05:42:00 PM

Axe FX and never look back!
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: Will on November 06, 2008, 05:42:29 PM
save your money, wait a year, and buy a house for about £300. EDIT: that's clearly an exaggeration, but if you can get in right at the bottom of the market you could get a bargain. though the massive interest rate cut might affect that.

Where would yo usave the money for it though? In a.. BANK?!?!?!
Not me ;)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 06:40:04 PM

Axe FX and never look back!

Interesting

Why?

Opp, the peters chimera is the Chimera model of Peters amps, as the name suggests!
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: sgmypod on November 06, 2008, 06:43:32 PM
*L* keep looking at stereo gear again..loved the arcam and audiolab stuff I had, also the RTL TDL3's speakers but is a bit old now......then I go I buy another amp or Guitar
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: dave_mc on November 06, 2008, 08:27:14 PM
Good theory, save that I dont want to buy a house, and if I did I wouldnt go in at the bottom of the market ;) (not that far above though!)

by bottom of the market i meant when the prices hit rock bottom, not necessarily buying a cardboard box. :lol:

from what i hear, in certain parts of the USA where there have been loads of foreclosures, you can buy houses for about $1000. :o

obviously if you don't want to buy a house, that's fair enough. :) i'm not too well up on the rest of the stuff you're looking at, i can't really advise there... :lol:
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: hunter on November 06, 2008, 08:37:59 PM

Axe FX and never look back!

Interesting

Why?

Opp, the peters chimera is the Chimera model of Peters amps, as the name suggests!

because it sounds amazing and eats Peters' for breakfast :O)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 06, 2008, 09:50:31 PM

Axe FX and never look back!

Interesting

Why?

Opp, the peters chimera is the Chimera model of Peters amps, as the name suggests!

because it sounds amazing and eats Peters' for breakfast :O)

Thats fightin' talk!!!

Sorry dave, cant comment on houses, theres fightin' talk afoot!

Do you have some non-I-just-got-an-axefx honeymoon descriptive and comparitive statements to back this up, hunter old buddy?
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: Johnny Mac on November 06, 2008, 10:02:22 PM

Axe FX and never look back!

Interesting

Why?

Opp, the peters chimera is the Chimera model of Peters amps, as the name suggests!

because it sounds amazing and eats Peters' for breakfast :O)

So the Axefx sounds better than an amp? I must say they do look impressive.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: dave_mc on November 06, 2008, 10:10:24 PM
Sorry dave, cant comment on houses, theres fightin' talk afoot!

:lol:
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: opprobrium_9 on November 07, 2008, 12:48:47 AM
I checked out the Peters, and i am impressed by the clips of the Chimera.  Though, i do have to wonder about how it can handle cleans, because those are just as important to me.  I really would not have the kind of money to have a clean amp on the side for dedicated cleans.  What is your experience with Peters Mark? (wow, that is an interesting name combination)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 07, 2008, 12:16:59 PM
Well

The clips sounded awesome, and nothing flash was done to record them, its just close miced into prosumer gear in a home studio. Impressive.

I've had some exchange with James, and he speaks the right sort of speak for me to believe hes no bullshtter just pedaling his wares, and hes an extremely helpfull chap thats all about tone.

A previous powerball user, current chimera user described the exactly the differences I want - less sterile, more dynamic, but still tight and aggressive as hell

Opinions I can find are unanamous on their awesomness and versatility (including performance at low volume)

And on the clean - all the twin channel amps have the same Halo clean channel, which is reportedly very good (but I only care a little bit about that - I think the PBs cleans are superb, and I'd have that as well anyway).

All in all, I havent found a single bad thing about the amps or James Peters. Everyone loves them and him (the latter being really important for custom stuff, for me at least - a big part of the reason I use BKs almost exclusively, and that I chose legra over other custom shops I looked at is because Tim and Bob are such pleasures to deal with, and James seems to be in the same mould)

Add to all this the fact that its hand made, chasis mounted, point to point wired amp for ~£1500 inc shipping, and you have a winner. Obviously one takes a huge chance with ordering unheard and untested, but thats where carefull consideration of all available information comes in, which has worked out for me very well before.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: opprobrium_9 on November 07, 2008, 06:28:54 PM
Well

The clips sounded awesome, and nothing flash was done to record them, its just close miced into prosumer gear in a home studio. Impressive.

I've had some exchange with James, and he speaks the right sort of speak for me to believe hes no bullshtter just pedaling his wares, and hes an extremely helpfull chap thats all about tone.

A previous powerball user, current chimera user described the exactly the differences I want - less sterile, more dynamic, but still tight and aggressive as hell

Opinions I can find are unanamous on their awesomness and versatility (including performance at low volume)

And on the clean - all the twin channel amps have the same Halo clean channel, which is reportedly very good (but I only care a little bit about that - I think the PBs cleans are superb, and I'd have that as well anyway).

All in all, I havent found a single bad thing about the amps or James Peters. Everyone loves them and him (the latter being really important for custom stuff, for me at least - a big part of the reason I use BKs almost exclusively, and that I chose legra over other custom shops I looked at is because Tim and Bob are such pleasures to deal with, and James seems to be in the same mould)

Add to all this the fact that its hand made, chasis mounted, point to point wired amp for ~£1500 inc shipping, and you have a winner. Obviously one takes a huge chance with ordering unheard and untested, but thats where carefull consideration of all available information comes in, which has worked out for me very well before.

Sounds Pretty awesome.  I have to admit.  I will recheck the Halo clips.  Hopefully, in the next two years i will feel like i am good enough to deserve a tube amp.  I want something on par with Bruno and Komet clarity, if Peters adds up, and unlike the others, offers teh br00thalz i want, then FVCK YES i am in!

Thanks for the info man! :)
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 10, 2008, 08:32:19 AM
Metal clips of the Axefx I can find are fizzy. I've got better sounds out of my tonelab *shrug*

Falling off the list, rapidly.

Isolation cab rising fast

Oh yes, I believe that will be next.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: kevincurtis on November 10, 2008, 11:10:49 AM
Regarding the compressor - I have an RNC and recently got a TLA 5050 and for me the TLA is far superior for recording (partly due I am sure to the fact that I can go straight from it to the recorder). If it was stereo I would have probably sold on the RNC.
Title: Re: I think I left the GAS on....
Post by: MDV on November 11, 2008, 10:21:30 PM
Thanks for that mate. The TLA is on the list.