LoWattage Tube Amps...

[indysmith]

hey indy-what kind of music you playing?
you think it could go 'small' like this,
or  wouldn't be do-able/worth it/missing something...
-just curious, mate-
-cheers

I don't focus one kind of music when i play - it really depends on my mood at the time. I guess mostly i'm in a blues rock kind of mood, but it definately goes a lot more mellow at times and also a lot more METAL :twisted: some music can go 'small' i think, and some of it just can't. I think music should be diverse in its volumes - volume can make music a lot more theatrical and changes even within one song can really evoke emotions! ever got to the climax of your favourite song and just cranked it and gone wild? thats obviously an important effect that volume can have on a song and yourself. IMO Both volume and content of music should be variable for different aspects of life; places, times, moods etc.

[Drac]

I agree with ye...
 Yer right.
-Drac

[_tom_]

Well I agree with Indy.. rock music is meant to be played loud! It just doesnt sound or feel right quiet.

[PhilKing]

I got the MiniMat (yes in RED).  I think it is great, for the price you get a ton of features and the sound is right where I wanted it to be.  It cleans up with the volume to give a very sweet sound too (mind you I have always liked the sound of 6V6's).  I will probably run it into a G12H Heritage for now - I want to ge the mini Stack from Matamp and then I will use a G12H and Alnico Blue.

[Drac]

Cheers for last time, Phil...

Hey, would you consider that MiniMat gigworthy?
even to a house PA?

Do you think LOwatt amps only have a place in the studio/bedroom?


? ? ?- DRAC

[dave_mc]

I got the MiniMat (yes in RED).  I think it is great, for the price you get a ton of features and the sound is right where I wanted it to be.  It cleans up with the volume to give a very sweet sound too (mind you I have always liked the sound of 6V6's).  I will probably run it into a G12H Heritage for now - I want to ge the mini Stack from Matamp and then I will use a G12H and Alnico Blue.

awesome. red would rock. what's the tone like (roughly)?

what's the boost like- is it just like an OD pedal?

how loud is it?

:drink:

[indysmith]

The boost is pretty much just a built-in MXR micro-amp

[PhilKing]

Cheers for last time, Phil...

Hey, would you consider that MiniMat gigworthy?
even to a house PA?

Do you think LOwatt amps only have a place in the studio/bedroom?


? ? ?- DRAC

Hi D.... (name witheld for credibility  :P ), it is really gigworthy - the transformers are massively overspec'd to allow for all day running.  It is built like a shitezenhaus and with the right speaker has a brilliant sound that comes over as a well miked stack.  Sending it to a house PA allows you to use on of the other features, the DI socket (which is taken off the speaker outs, so you get all the power amp distortion too!).  The boost sounds good and is based on the Fulldrive, and it even comes with a footwitch.  

I only have one amp which is more than 20w, my 50w Silver Jubilee 1x12 combo), so I have never had a problem with low powered valve amps for use on stage.  One of the greatest guitar gigs I saw was Shawn Lane playing at NAMM using a stereo 3watt amp on stage, with Jonas Helborg on bass and i think Kofi Baker on drums.  I was there with the manufacturer so I know this was his only amp on stage!

[DeanS]

I'm still thinking about getting a Minimat just for that sweet 6V6 overdrive and would complemet my other low watters.

Oh, and Shawn Lane.... now you're talking!!

[dave_mc]

The boost is pretty much just a built-in MXR micro-amp

The boost sounds good and is based on the Fulldrive, and it even comes with a footwitch.  

so it's basically just like a boost pedal?

:drink:

[PhilKing]

The boost is pretty much just a built-in MXR micro-amp

The boost sounds good and is based on the Fulldrive, and it even comes with a footwitch.  

so it's basically just like a boost pedal?

:drink:

That's why it is labelled 'Boost'  :rock:   You bypass it if you use the low input.

[dave_mc]

That's why it is labelled 'Boost'  :rock:   You bypass it if you use the low input.

 :oops:

yeah...

but don't a lot of master volume valve amps just use the pre amp tubes to get the overdrive at low volumes? or do they work in a similar way to the minimat (i.e. just like a boost pedal to boost the preamp tubes into overdrive)? Or am I just missing something?

Thanks, by the way, Phil.

:drink:

[PhilKing]

The Minimat doesn't have a master volume.  It is basically a Volume/Tone amp and if you use the low input and speaker 1, then this is what you have.  But as Jeff explained to me when I went for mine,  they realised that it sounded great with an overdrive on the front end, and thought that the Fulldrive gave the best sound, but was probably a bit too expensive for people who were buying the Minimat, so they decided to build one in, and make it foot switchable, and include the switch!

At the same time, they realised that it was still very loud to use at home, so they added an attenuator to reduce the output.  It is important to realise that this is after the power amp, and is not a master volume.

They also added a DI jack to make it easy to record or send to a bigger amp.

[dave_mc]

The Minimat doesn't have a master volume.  It is basically a Volume/Tone amp and if you use the low input and speaker 1, then this is what you have.  But as Jeff explained to me when I went for mine,  they realised that it sounded great with an overdrive on the front end, and thought that the Fulldrive gave the best sound, but was probably a bit too expensive for people who were buying the Minimat, so they decided to build one in, and make it foot switchable, and include the switch!

At the same time, they realised that it was still very loud to use at home, so they added an attenuator to reduce the output.  It is important to realise that this is after the power amp, and is not a master volume.

They also added a DI jack to make it easy to record or send to a bigger amp.

that's what i figured. Thanks very much for the help, phil.

:drink: