Tube amps at home

[Simon D]

Man I wish this thread had existed before I bought, then returned my Mesa Roadster.  

In all seriousness, I really wish I'd had time to try that amp with an attenuator - i think it could have made all the difference.

[ailean]

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.

Agreed, I but I think I know where hamfist is coming from, reading the recent thread it seemed to me that the suggestion was that a decent modeller was better then a cheap tube amp because a tube amp wouldn't sound good at low volumes.

I think the point of the thread (help me out here Alan) was to see if the opinion really is that a modeller will beat a tube at low volumes.

I completely take the point that a decent modeller is a lot less cost than a tube amp. I guess the question is is it worth the stretch to a tube amp? Personally I think it is, if you can stretch without breaking the bank.

[MDV]

This thread is made of win and own.

Yes, there are many valve amps that sound great at low volumes and there are many ways to make them sound better at low volumes that are simple and easy (attenuators and ODs, for example).

The biggest limiting factor I find isnt the valves, its speakers. I dont think that you have to play at just 'loud TV' levels to get speaker excursion. Its usually a lot louder than that in my experience. It depends of the speaker, obviously, but it takes a bit to get them moving to get real purcussion and swing in your tone. But them, how much you need that really depends on your playing style too.

Obviously the limitation of speaker excursion is somthing SS suffers from too.

P.S. - Currently using a powerball through an uberkab, and it sounds great at levels you can talk over. Stuh nailed it: somewhere down the line the fact that valve amps sound their best at high volume mutated into they only sound good at high volume, and its just not true.

[ailean]

Man I wish this thread had existed before I bought, then returned my Mesa Roadster.  

In all seriousness, I really wish I'd had time to try that amp with an attenuator - i think it could have made all the difference.

:(

Sorry dude.

[Simon D]

Man I wish this thread had existed before I bought, then returned my Mesa Roadster.  

In all seriousness, I really wish I'd had time to try that amp with an attenuator - i think it could have made all the difference.

:(

Sorry dude.

Cheers man. The main problem I'm faced with now is trying to find something else instead. Although, now I'm aware of the idea of attenuators, the field has opened up somewhat.

The real problem for me is the huge variety of styles I play (all badly) - I go from old blues and a bit of country through classic rock, modern rock, grunge, modern blues, and a load of metal styles. Finding something all-tube that does all that in one box is proving tricky, to say the least.

[Johnny Mac]

Man I wish this thread had existed before I bought, then returned my Mesa Roadster.  

In all seriousness, I really wish I'd had time to try that amp with an attenuator - i think it could have made all the difference.

:(

Sorry dude.

Cheers man. The main problem I'm faced with now is trying to find something else instead. Although, now I'm aware of the idea of attenuators, the field has opened up somewhat.

The real problem for me is the huge variety of styles I play (all badly) - I go from old blues and a bit of country through classic rock, modern rock, grunge, modern blues, and a load of metal styles. Finding something all-tube that does all that in one box is proving tricky, to say the least.

Get a Koch Powertone II, thats what I bought for the same criteria as yours, they're $%&#in fantastic!  :twisted:

[_tom_]

Always bragging about your Koch arent you Johnny  :roll:  :P


edit - just to make this on topic, I got this sound with my Laney and Rat yesterday. The master was under one so it was really quiet. Recorded quite nicely even if my playing didnt!

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=493678&songID=6581033

[dave_mc]

I completely take the point that a decent modeller is a lot less cost than a tube amp. I guess the question is is it worth the stretch to a tube amp? Personally I think it is, if you can stretch without breaking the bank.

This thread is made of win and own.

Yes, there are many valve amps that sound great at low volumes and there are many ways to make them sound better at low volumes that are simple and easy (attenuators and ODs, for example).

The biggest limiting factor I find isnt the valves, its speakers. I dont think that you have to play at just 'loud TV' levels to get speaker excursion. Its usually a lot louder than that in my experience. It depends of the speaker, obviously, but it takes a bit to get them moving to get real purcussion and swing in your tone. But them, how much you need that really depends on your playing style too.

Obviously the limitation of speaker excursion is somthing SS suffers from too.

P.S. - Currently using a powerball through an uberkab, and it sounds great at levels you can talk over. Stuh nailed it: somewhere down the line the fact that valve amps sound their best at high volume mutated into they only sound good at high volume, and its just not true.

agreed x2 (again) :)

[bamboofrog]

Great information, it is good to have the clarification that although tubes sound best when cranked up, they still sound good at low levels. It makes me feel better about saving up for the TT combo :D

[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!

Ian, I sold that one well over a year ago.  I have owned a 20W Lionheart and the Zinky, and I liked the Zinky much more. The Zinky really was a low volume dream - unbelievably good. The OD channel was it's forte - just made you grin &  think you were a rock god when you played it.  It's problem was more at volume with a band, when I never could get the tone I was looking for. I tried all sorts of tubes, speakers and cab swaps, but never got it working to my satisfaction with a band. Build quality was unreal though.

[hamfist]

I am interested in your cab, which type is it? I am considering a Mongotone 4x10 ...

  Not sure who you're asking Hunter. If it's me, I'm using a 1978 Marshall 4x12, loaded with 2 x Greenbacks, 1 x Scumback H75 & 1 x Scumback M75.

[hamfist]

I think the point of the thread (help me out here Alan) was to see if the opinion really is that a modeller will beat a tube at low volumes.

Yes, that was my intent, because I'm a tube believer at any volume - it's just that it can get expensive.

  Now for versatility, that's a completely different question, and a tube amp will struggle with versatility, compared with virtually any modeller.  One just needs to decide whether you want quality of tone, or quantity of tones.

[Simon D]

Man I wish this thread had existed before I bought, then returned my Mesa Roadster.  

In all seriousness, I really wish I'd had time to try that amp with an attenuator - i think it could have made all the difference.

:(

Sorry dude.

Cheers man. The main problem I'm faced with now is trying to find something else instead. Although, now I'm aware of the idea of attenuators, the field has opened up somewhat.

The real problem for me is the huge variety of styles I play (all badly) - I go from old blues and a bit of country through classic rock, modern rock, grunge, modern blues, and a load of metal styles. Finding something all-tube that does all that in one box is proving tricky, to say the least.

Get a Koch Powertone II, thats what I bought for the same criteria as yours, they're $%&#in fantastic!  :twisted:

Cheers for the tip Johnny. A dealer not to far from me (Bristol) sells them, so I think a little trip up the M4 might be in order to check one out.  Just for reference, which one do you have Johnny? Is it the EL34 or 6550 power tube model?

[Ian Price]

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!

Ian, I sold that one well over a year ago.  I have owned a 20W Lionheart and the Zinky, and I liked the Zinky much more. The Zinky really was a low volume dream - unbelievably good. The OD channel was it's forte - just made you grin &  think you were a rock god when you played it.  It's problem was more at volume with a band, when I never could get the tone I was looking for. I tried all sorts of tubes, speakers and cab swaps, but never got it working to my satisfaction with a band. Build quality was unreal though.

Cheers Hamfist. It hasn't really helped my gas though!! If you rated it as better than the Lionheart, which I also have, I really do want to hear one now!! Where did you get it from?

[Will]

I prefer my JMP2204 for low volume playing, its actuallly remarkably good! Mainly as I haven't got much chance to put it too loud, tubes went microphonic :P
I want to try the Lionheart again, just with my own guitar, was dissapointed with it / PRS SE, may like it more :?