Amp Alternatives

[Slartibartfarst42]

I've just been offered a job in The Falklands to start in August and this has started me thinking about my gear. I'll have to give up my band here and I see no obvious likelihood of having a band there but they do have open mic nights and there might be the possibility of the odd show at the school but other than that I'll effectively now become a home player. It strikes me that my current amp, an Orange TH30, is a bit overkill and is also very heavy for transportation as well as posing problems of getting valves in such a remote area. I'd like something that I could still gig with at small venues if needed and gives a great tone, like my beloved Orange, but is also more flexible for home use where I may record a bit and play along to backing tracks. It's been a long time since I looked seriously at anything other than valves so I'm unsure what my possibilities are. In the past I've tried a Digitech RP1000, Line6 SpiderValve and Peavey Vypyr but none have impressed me. They don't sound as good as valves and they don't respond like valves and they don't have the same punch as valves. Sadly I don't have the money to spend on a Kemper or similar. I think it might be most cost effective to get a head to go with my Orange 112 cabinet but I'm open to the idea of getting a combo. I already know that the Yamaha THR100HD is a possibility and I see Marshall have an amp called 'CODE' coming but what other options might I have and what would you suggest as the best option for me?

[pac90]

Guess it comes down to freight costs there, and also when you come back, depending upon who's picking up the tab, if your bringing your can with you too

Helix gets good press but expensive, at about a grand

But that Amp1 also gets great reviews - has a valve but seemingly not really a consumable part, and is under 500 in uk, and can also go to your cab or headphones

I know nothing about it directly, just via internet, but worth stacking up against the THR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jvnoZ4DLa4



(There's an old joke about the army tasking soldiers to help wildlife scattered by military aircraft down there - something about stationed at the end of the runway waiting to p-p-p-p-p-pick up a penguin)

 

[Slartibartfarst42]

Never come across the AMP1 before but I have to admit, that looks pretty damn cool!!!

[AndyR]

That AMP1 does sound and look very very cool. From the demos I've watched, you could go either way on that or the THR if your main method of using it was through a speaker. I have to admit I didn't think so much of the line out sounds he was getting from it - I'd choose the THR over it for that.

(I'm personally using my THR through studio monitors more than through its own cab - so the line out and the speaker sim selections are important to me. But I think my using it through studio monitors is more to do with my tiny room and the options I have for placing the cab, I've had it in the middle of the living room sounding fab.)

[Telerocker]

The AMP1 sounds like a transistor amp. The clean channel is the best. In that case I would pick a THR.

[Slartibartfarst42]

That's surprising because so far I've been unable to find an even vaguely negative review of either of them!

[AndyR]

Yeah, I thought (in the vid I watched) that AMP1 sounded pretty valvey to me.

I think the vid I saw is the one on this page: http://www.bluguitar.com/english/AMP1.html
(I'm at work, can't check).

Near the end, he takes the guitar lead and speaker lead and sticks them in his fave Marshall and then swaps back to the AMP1 (all in real-time, didn't notice a cut) - there was a difference, but I wouldn't have said a valves vs tranny difference myself.

In the same vid he does the Record Out and Headphone socket instead of mic'd speaker - he seemed almost apologetic about that and moved on quite quickly! But he was right, it's a usable sound for recording. I just think the THR does that side of it better - but it does it by allowing you to pick and choose which impulse response files you want to use (btw, I didn't like the default choices in the THR - I changed it to use the speaker sims of its own speakers!). As far as I can make out, the AMP1 has one speaker simulator and that's it - but the amp tones on the side of the box would make a bit of difference, maybe enough to please me.

I'm actually wondering now, but can't check at the moment, whether he'd just been demoing the "turn the side tone all the way up to get a biting rather than round sound" before he switched to demoing the Record Out into a desk? If that's the case, that was NOT showing the Record Out in its best light for someone like me!!


Anyhoo... If I didn't have the THR already, I'd be in a bit of a quandary - which would suit me best?

The AMP1 seems to beat the THR on an "issue" I've seen argued about elsewhere - the THR has no patches or saved settings. Before you play with it this does seem "omigod how do I get back to that gorgeous sound I had two hours ago?" - but after a few days it doesn't seem to matter, you seem to just know how to get back to it.

Price-wise, it looks like it falls halfway between a THR and a THR Dual. I got the THR Dual for cheaper than the list price of the AMP1

I'm a bit biased - I LOVE my THR, but I'm suddenly worried I've got the wrong one now! 

However, it looks to me like I'd be real happy with either AMP1 or THR, depending on what I wanted to use it for and how I wanted to approach using it.

(And, in fact, just typing in here during my lunch break leaves me wanting to get home and switch the THR on again!! After watching that vid last night, I was up in my studio fiddling with the THR settings and room placement, inspired by what I could hear from the AMP1. It only took me 5 minutes - including some furniture moving(!) - to satisfy myself that a) I could get where he was going on his demo if I wanted to and b) I really need to restring my favourite strat!!)

[Slartibartfarst42]

Yes, I saw that video and I also found it to be hugely impressive. The size and weight is appealing and as great as the Remote 1 footswitch looks, I think that the addition of a straightforward 2-button footswitch would give me everything I need. They seem to have both the THR100HD and AMP1 in stock at Rich Tone Music in Sheffield so I'm heading there later in the week to buy one of them as I sold my Orange TH30 this afternoon.

[AndyR]

Wooo!

I will be intrigued to see which one you go for. If the sounds are "equal", I suspect the AMP1 will take you. Obviously, if the sound of either one completely bowls you over, then all bets are off!

[Slartibartfarst42]

Well, it seems that the decision is made and I didn't even bother playing either of them!

Rich Tone Music, who have always been straight with me, said that both were the best available as valve alternatives but the AMP1 was more 'valve-like' and the THR worked best with two speakers and I only have one. That inclined me towards the AMP1 and that fact that the THR is £652 while the AMP1 is only £489 was another point in its favour but I said I'd go in on Saturday to try both anyway. I then decided to see if there was anything used available. I had no joy with the THR but I did find an AMP1 that was only two months old for just £320. It seems the seller finds it too Marshally while he prefers Mesa Boogies but that's fine by me as I prefer Marshall tones anyway so faced with a £332 price advantage for the AMP1, it seemed silly to look any further. I pick it up in the morning.

Will it sound as good as my Orange TH30? No, absolutely not and I'm under no illusion about that but everything I've heard and read suggests it is still really good, it offers twice the channels I have now, it will work better in the home, it's a fraction of the weight, it's a fraction of the size and is overall, a far more sensible option to take to The Falklands with me.

[AndyR]

Nice one!

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.

[gwEm]

sweet deal there, congratulations

[Slartibartfarst42]

OK, I've got it now and it's early days but my first impression is 'WOW!'

This is easily the best amp I've ever tried that isn't properly valve. It does both sound and feel like a valve amp and while I don't think the volume level is anything like as loud as a 100w valve amp, it's still plenty loud enough for gigs, especially as we largely mic everything to the PA these days for better control of the overall sound. I also think a real valve amp has a bit more depth and richness to it but there's no doubt that this sounds like a valve amp, just a valve amp with a slightly more digital element to it and a bit more compression. I actually really like the sound from it. The modern setting appeals least but I've not tinkered much with it yet and it was never going to be the channel I liked most given my tastes anyway.

I'm going to buy a 2-button footswitch to go with it so that in preset mode I can have access to all four channels plus the Boost option. The Boost option seems to affect the tone more than volume and that's perfect as it effectively then gives me 8 options and the boost on my Nova System gives me the extra volume I need for solos. I'm very happy as right now I don't have any of the buyers remorse I expected 

[pac90]

Oh thats really good to hear.

Often times new things can be over hyped, but it got pedal show dan excited and hes into old school amps, and jennifer batten uses it. That guy thomas blug is a genius.

[AndyR]

Nice one - I wasn't really expecting any "buyer's remorse" for you, the vid we watched looked pretty good and he seemed almost to be at pains to point out limitations as well as getting across "I'm REALLY pleased with this". It looked and sounded like a solid option to me.

WARNING: It just won't sound as good tomorrow! - hehe... but then the next day it will sound even better... (that's roughly what happened to me with the THR!)