Username: Password:

Author Topic: Tube amps at home  (Read 8696 times)

hamfist

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 1341
Tube amps at home
« on: May 28, 2008, 08:31:37 AM »
I read an awful lot where foks denounce tube amps at home, saying that modelling solutions are better. I've been through a HUGE aount of gear. As many folks know, I seem to get a new amp every 2-3 months. I've had all sorts of modellers (run into, keyboard amps, powered, monitors, and tube amps). I've had really quite a selection of tube amps too (maybe 15-20).
 
  My opinion is .... the "fact" that you can't get great tube amp tones at home is a myth, even with bigger amps ...... it's just expensive !

   I currnetly run a 50W Plexi at home, and these amps are infamously loud, but I get some great low volume tone from it. The reason being that I have :-
1/ An attenuator
2/ had a PPIMV installed
3/ have a really great cab with excellent speakers.

  I have had two other exceptional tube amps for low volume playing. My power-scaled Jtm45 was outstanding, mainly due to the superb implementation of the power scaling by Martin W.
  I also had an expensive Zinky Blue Velvet 25W combo which was awesome at low volume - expensive components, implementation , and designed by one of the "greats".
  The very cheapest of these setups was about £800. OK, and then there's any effects you want to bump up the cost.
  My point is that these were/are all gigging amps, tamed to great home use too.
  So it can be done.....just not on the cheap.

Anyone else had great success with tube amp tone at home ?

badgermark

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 1864
  • Mm-hai!
Tube amps at home
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2008, 08:34:52 AM »
My tiny terror does the job. On 7 watts and the volume around 2 it is around normal tv levels of volume. Best thing is it also works amazingly with the volume cranked and with a loud drummer  :wink:
Mississippi Queens, Holydiver.

Jonny

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 2890
  • Seven-String Financial Analyst in Training
Tube amps at home
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2008, 09:08:17 AM »
No, I'm still looking. :lol:
"Would you like some lemon oil?"
"Oh, no thanks, I don't eat fruit."

Twinfan

  • Light Heavyweight
  • ******
  • Posts: 10528
Tube amps at home
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2008, 09:28:15 AM »
I have two great home setups:

1)  JTM45 clone with an Xotic effects BB preamp for gain
2)  Matamp Little Rock (that's had a few tweaks)

Both of the heads run through my 4x12 with V30s and Heritage G12H30s.

Each of these rigs give awesome "loud TV" levels of tone.  Less volume than that and you're not getting the speaker cones moving so that's the limiting factor.

I also disagree with the theory that valve amps don't work at home.  Plus nothing else sounds like a valve amp!

shaman

  • Lightweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 698
Tube amps at home
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2008, 01:29:35 PM »
very true,Twinfan..at home i always have a Boogie Mk II B+ and the evil Boogie Coliseum(6 power tube behemoth)...with half power options and simulclass, I get the loud tv tone..it is killer..my wife is expecting and I have a 2 yr old boy..they never wake up-a proper testimonial for tubes!
"...major scales...what's that??"- Doug Aldrich
-Rebels,VHII, Mules,Milks,Bombs,and Boogie C+'s!!

ailean

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 1357
Tube amps at home
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2008, 01:31:45 PM »
I think tube amps work well at home (I have 3). There is always a trade off, valves are best when driven, but to me they still sound better than a solid state at room / TV levels.

My main rig is a Rockerverb 50 into an Orange 4x12. That's not a quiet rig. But the Hotplate makes the gain channel workable, and the clean channel doesn't even need that, it produces great tone with the volume down low.

The Tiny Terror on 7 watts is fine at room levels.

I'm not going to say that modellers are rubbish because I haven't tried any really good ones, but the sound I get out of the gear I have means I probably won't.
Gibson LP std + Nailbomb set
Diezel VH4 & Orange Rockerverb 50

Elliot

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 2418
Tube amps at home
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2008, 01:41:54 PM »
A Fender Blues Junior is a great home tube amp - Despite having black face styling it kicks out great tweed/brown tolex era tone.
BKPS: Milks, P90s, Apaches, Mississippi Queens, Mules, PG Blues, BG FP 50s, e.60s strat custom set

dave_mc

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 9796
Tube amps at home
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2008, 01:56:03 PM »
Quote from: Twinfan
I have two great home setups:

1)  JTM45 clone with an Xotic effects BB preamp for gain
2)  Matamp Little Rock (that's had a few tweaks)

Both of the heads run through my 4x12 with V30s and Heritage G12H30s.

Each of these rigs give awesome "loud TV" levels of tone.  Less volume than that and you're not getting the speaker cones moving so that's the limiting factor.

I also disagree with the theory that valve amps don't work at home.  Plus nothing else sounds like a valve amp!


Quote from: ailean
I think tube amps work well at home (I have 3). There is always a trade off, valves are best when driven, but to me they still sound better than a solid state at room / TV levels.

I'm not going to say that modellers are rubbish because I haven't tried any really good ones, but the sound I get out of the gear I have means I probably won't.


agreed x2. :)

stuh84

  • Junior Flyweight
  • *
  • Posts: 31
Tube amps at home
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2008, 03:20:38 PM »
My Engl Invader at whisper quiet volumes kills any modelling tones I've ever heard. I've even recorded at barely above TV volumes and had it decimate most recorded tones I've ever heard.

Tube amps sound BETTER at volume obviously, but thats not to say they ONLY sound good at volume.
Engl Invader 150
Engl 4x12
TC G Major
Alesis Midiverb
7 string guitars only :D

the_bleeding

  • Featherweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 404
Tube amps at home
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2008, 04:44:16 PM »
of all the modelling amps i've tried, tubes still sound better, even if theyre quiet.

i use my 6100lm at home set to full power. I dont even use the power reduction switches because they suck tone. Volume is fairly low, but still, it sounds MUCH better than any modeler.

At my friends house where i jam, he has a line6 spider 2 and a mesa boogie nomad. Nomad sounded so good i didnt have to tweak it, just plugged in and went. Spider sounded so bad that after tweaking it for an hour (i used to own one so i thought i could get a decent sound) it still sounded so horrible in the face of a nomad that we gave up and he played drums.
my maxon OD 808 really DOES make poop sound good

WezV

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5838
    • http://wezvenables.co.uk
Tube amps at home
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2008, 04:49:22 PM »
i'm quite happy with my little rock  for home use - the neighbours may disagree though :wink:

i am starting to play with different valves in it, not because i am unhappy with it - just because i have had it nearly a year without trying to tweak it in some way... thats very unlike me :oops:

kellar

  • Lightweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 691
Tube amps at home
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2008, 04:50:15 PM »
I think the majority of the "home tube amp threads" refer to tube amps within a budget. It seems as though most of the recent threads have been people looking to spend only a couple hundred or so on a tube amp that they can play at home. Obviously, that limits your options. Most of the tube amps in that price range need to be cranked to get a decent sound, mostly because the sound is not that great to start with. I don't recall many recent threads of people looking to spend upwards of a thousand quid on a home tube amp.
Although I do agree that the Blues Junior is very good.
Calibrated IV Mules, Stormy Monday/Riff Raff

Ian Price

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 4571
Re: Tube amps at home
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2008, 04:51:23 PM »
Quote from: hamfist
I also had an expensive Zinky Blue Velvet 25W combo which was awesome at low volume - expensive components, implementation , and designed by one of the "greats".


I was consdiering getting one of these before going for my current amp (Laney Lionheart). Do you still have it and are they really that good? They looked a bit gimmicky to me although I am sure they were far from a gimmick!
I think I hate being indecisive.

Johnny Mac

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5841
    • Ultimate Guitar Profile
Tube amps at home
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2008, 05:36:58 PM »
My amps 120w into a 4x12 via an attenuator and it sounds lovely at all volumes.

I would mind a Fender twin in a tweed finish now cos their gorgeous!
Warpig, MQ,
Miracle Man-Trilogy Suite, Cold Sweats, Black Guards, Rebel Yells & Irish Tours!

hunter

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5262
    • http://www.myspace.com/christophjaeger
Tube amps at home
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2008, 05:49:13 PM »
Bogner Shiva with a Delay pedal and a clean boost up front is hard to beat at low volume (need to tame bass and push treble and presence, then it RAWKS)

I am interested in your cab, which type is it? I am considering a Mongotone 4x10 ...
Tweaker's Paradise - Player's nightmare.