Laney is sounding very lacklustre..

[_tom_]

Since getting my HT5, I've been so disappointed with my Laney GH50L. The blackstar has a similar voicing but its much punchier and less fizzy. The laney just sounds flat, dull and grainy in comparison. Could just be preamp valves? I've allready replaced V1 with a jan philips 5751 which helped a bit but its still no good compared to the blackstar :(

btw heres a quick clip of the blackstar, it sounds so much better in the room though - I suck at recording

http://hc.bloodyvelvet.com/files/254/hw2h.mp3

[gwEm]

why not put the blackstar preamp valves in the laney? decide this once and for all - you've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with that thing since you got it. V1 and Phase Inverter tube (V3?) made the most difference preamp in my experiments.

[_tom_]

The blackstar only has 1 preamp valve I think so its not really going to be the same as having a full set. Will try the blackstars one in the phase inverter though.

[Davey]

what volume and what speakers are you testing them through?

[indysmith]

I was feeling similarly about my JCM800, lol :oops:
I've been playing the Blackstar through the '800 cab though and I think that it's mainly the cab which I don't like. (Vintage 30 + G12H in an open backed cab is rather over-bright it seems!)
I took the 'bright cap' out of the 800 circuit and it helped a bit, but I can't help feeling that I want a big ol' closed back cabinet to get the best.

The JCM800 is a LOT more open sounding and transparent than the Blackstar, but unfortunately also very very bright and somewhat fizzy.

I bet there's a lot of people feeling confused that their little 5W Blackstar seems to be shiteeting all over their Monster amps!

BTW Todge: I can't be sure, but to me that sounds like an SM57, right?

[_tom_]

Yeah its an SM57, the only mic I own. Reckon I'd get better results with a different mic? I cant get it to sound good at all. I prefer recording with Amplitube at the minute because I can get consistently good tones, but want to capture the good sound of my real amps..

Davey, the cab is a G12H30 2x12. Both were at a loud-ish bedroom volume. Not enough to keep up with a drummer but enough to piss my family off :lol:

[indysmith]

Yeah you'd definitely get better results with a different mic. SM57s are great, but only on snare :lol: Nah, they are the "guitar amp" mic for a reason, but I always find that they sound very toppy on their own (and if you look at the frequency response graph of the microphone you'll see why).
I always find i prefer a warmer, more natural tone for guitar, and therefore tend to use warmer, more natural sounding microphones like the AKG C414 or those T.Bone ribbons I was telling you about. The SM57 mixed with them is great because you can add just the right amount of that classic '57 push. I've also had good results mixing the SM57 with a Sennheiser MD421. :)

[Davey]

yep.. laneys sound like cr@p at bedroom volume

[_tom_]

I dunno, it was loud enough to get rid of some of the fizz and open it up, but its just not as good so far.

[hamfist]

My guess is that its really just volume that the Laney needs to get rid of the fizzys.
 800's are just like that too. Sound pure cr@p at home (unless they have been fully tweaked to sound good at low volume - in which case they won't sound much good at volume !).
  The HT-5 is shining because it is being played at the volume it was designed for.

[Stevepage]

I think you should just sell it Tom. Every month or so you make a thread about how you're not really happy with the Laney, so maybe it's time to let it go and find something else.

[dheim]

how on earth can something used by Opeth on records and lives sound bad?  :P

you're not the first to dislike laneys, i never tried one but i'm curious.

[SG Thrasher]

I sold my GH last month, I'm sad to see it go because it's lead tones give me goosebumps when it's cranked but my house is really old and the GH100L running at half master volume is a 20 tonne wrecking ball. Really, it was just far too loud for it to be usable, and it took me a while to realise that.

[_tom_]

I think you should just sell it Tom. Every month or so you make a thread about how you're not really happy with the Laney, so maybe it's time to let it go and find something else.

haha yeah I know. The thing is when I like it I really like it. Also my dad bought it as a birthday present so I'd feel bad about selling it. Was the same situation when I sold my Fender but that really had to go :P

[Adam.M]

how on earth can something used by Opeth on records and lives sound bad?  :P

you're not the first to dislike laneys, i never tried one but i'm curious.

Simple - they don't use them.

Well, they do, but they get all their sound from a Boss GT-8 and use the VH100R/GH100L as a 'power amp'

Their tones are definitely, definitely not coming from the amp either way.

But yes... tom try some different preamp tubes, if that doesn't work, i've no idea...

I'm LOVING my HT-DUAL though, it's AWESOME!