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Author Topic: Valve or Rack?  (Read 2671 times)

ChrisMetal

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Valve or Rack?
« on: October 30, 2006, 09:45:02 PM »
Right, question. A valve stack or a Rack setup? Which is generally more powerful, and has the best quality of sound. I'm into Thrash/Prog/classic-heavy rock. I know people each have thier own opinion, but i'd like to hear arguments from both sides so I can make a decision on models/parts to get
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JamesHealey

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2006, 09:49:53 PM »
essentially a rack system is just the pre-amp and power-amp section of an amp split into two so you can mix and match gear for more control.

eg, the guitarist from Sun Caged uses a Marshall preamp and Mesa Power amp, he also endorsed the Carvin Legacy for about 3 weeks lol, then went back to his rack setup.

personally i dont think u can beat a simple setup, aslong as it's quality.
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ChrisMetal

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2006, 09:57:11 PM »
Yeah I don't want it complicated, but being in the UK its a b*tch to find stuff usually, especially where I live. Out in the country around 120+ miles from london, and finding dealers for VHT and such don't exist, I think there's only one in the UK! Plus trying to get a Mesa boogie poweramp is difficult unless you go to thomann...

I don't know maybe I just don't know where to look.
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stu__r

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2006, 11:08:44 PM »
For me personally you just can’t beat a truly work class valve head and cab.....
With such a setup you can have so much dynamic control and ive never played a rack system even nearly as responsive as my Cornford setup or the other setups ive enjoyed like a Bogner or a THD rig and that’s not even touching on the depth or complexity of the tones such amps provide.

There are many very happy rack users but imo if you want pure, responsive and complex tone (and you can hear the subtlety’s that these setups provide) then its top quality valve amps all the way. :D

All that being said i think the style of music being played has alot to do with the choice. I dont think perhaps that subtle shades of tone and touch response are perhaps needed as much for thrash metal as they are jazz fusion for example hehe.
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fps_dean

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2006, 12:18:35 AM »
You can mix and match pre and power amps with rack as James said...

That said, chances are of getting any advantage from this are pretty slim (and it's more of a pain in the butt).
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TwilightOdyssey

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2006, 02:29:15 AM »
What is your budget? Or are we just going pie-in-the-sky here?
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ChrisMetal

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Valve or Rack?
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2006, 12:09:26 PM »
Well If its rack i'll be buying bits at a time, and if a valve i just save how ever much i need. so pretty much haven't got a fixed budget. nothing too wild I'm not looking to spend £10,000 lol
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