Author Topic: Is this Fender a hybrid like a Valve State? (Read 2218 times)

Elliot · « **on:** October 10, 2007, 01:15:37 PM »

http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN2331100

I think it must be - one 12AX7 into a valve power amp doesn't sound quite right to me?

gwEm · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2007, 01:32:26 PM »

it says " The 12AX7 preamp tube works in conjunction with a 16-position voicing knob for a full range of clean and distorted tones. Add 16 DSP effects and you have everything you need to bring a great guitar sound to the studio or the stage! "

and it also say 2x 6V6 power and tubes...

i agree the description could be better, but my interpretation is that its something like an epiphone valve special then:

tube preamp -> DSP -> tube power amp

Mr Ed · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2007, 01:53:20 PM »

Yup, hybrid.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2007, 02:25:16 PM »

Kind of opposite to valvestate in some ways
Using a valve power section with a solid state or digital front end but maybe using the preamp tube in the EQ & voicing

Although I would have thought that a valve would be needed as a phase inverter for the 2 power valves- unless it is a dual single ended design which it could be at only 15watts.....

My Cornell has 1 preamp and 1 power valve and is 10 watts and bloody loud

Elliot · « **Reply #4 on:** October 10, 2007, 03:11:26 PM »

Jon I think you are probably right - I think it must be Solid State Pre-amp (hence the comment about non valve OD and distortion) - 12AX7 Phase Inverter - 6V6 power stage. Would that give a 'valve' tone or would it just sound cack?

jpfamps · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2007, 06:02:11 PM »

Actually there is no need to use a valve in the phase inverter. For example you could either use high voltage transistor/MOSFETs or use a cathode drive arrangement like the old Musicman amps.

The best hybrid amps have a valve power stage and solid state pre-amp. Solid state pre-amps can sound very valve like, and it is the interaction of the valve output stage with the speaker that gives much of the valve sound. The Musicman amps mentioned above sound great. Unfortunately the valve output stage is the expensive part of the amp, hence most hybrids have valves in the pre-amp and use a solid state output stage.

I suspect that the afformentioned Fender amp with sound great if you are a fan of DSP, which I suspect is the major tone generating feature of this amp's pre-amp.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2007, 06:24:18 PM »

Ah - thanks for that JPF
I'd like to see more companies do a valve power section rather than just stick a pre-amp tube in a trannie amp so they can call it a valve amp

I have had fun lately with an atomic amp being driven by a Vox Tonelab (I could use a POD as an alternative) and it ounded great

One amp to look out for is a Trace Elliot Velocette twin - use it as a stereo power stage & speakers for a modelling pedal/unit

jpfamps · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2007, 08:06:42 PM »

I suspect that most companies use a SS power amp to save money. To make an amp with a SS pre-amp and valve power amp probably costs about the same to produce as an all valve amp. If you are going to include DSP in an amp then it makes sense to use a SS preamp as it will be easier to match the voltages in the pre-amp — valve preamps can generate very large signal swings, much too high for DSP.

I quite like the sound of the 90s Trace/Gibson valve guitar amps, however they are not the most reliable amps out there. The output transformers on them are poor and the switching circuitry is not the most robust. In fact many techs won't work on these amps. Having said that, I've always had good support from Trace re schematics etc.

headtheball · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2007, 09:15:19 PM »

Those old Musicman amps were corkers, alright. I know a guy swore by them, despite having an original Blackface twin and a MkI Boogie in his arsenal.