One Amp to RULE THEM ALL!

[Shane Sanders]

There are quite a few great boutique amp threads on TheGearPage.net

For insanely cheap, you can get a Blackheart head and cab (or a combo) and mod it. Already new kits are coming out.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/search ... id=5224424

Some folks are posting examples from it, and it sounds like a cool amp so far. I haven't played it myself, but I think I may get one at some point (still debating whether to get the Orange Tiny Terror first or not).

[Muzik 4 Machines]

from the mackie specs:

#
# USB jack - provides streaming cabinet emulated audio to your computer (PC or Mac) for recording, and provides access to deep editing, preset archiving, live control, and firmware upgrade function.

and

A 1.35" Celestion neodymium compression driver with custom-designed waveguide, under wiring mode control for full-range applications

for synths and acoustics
I honnestly think i'm in lve, I need to hear that, bur it's the first time ever i'm turned on by a non tube powered amp
maybe i'll finally be able to be a pirate and scream hahaaaarg!!! I don't have a tube amp!

[Yurty]

from the mackie specs:

#
# USB jack - provides streaming cabinet emulated audio to your computer (PC or Mac) for recording, and provides access to deep editing, preset archiving, live control, and firmware upgrade function.

Yeah, that's what first caught my eye as well. Upgradeable guitar amp... I think the Line 6 amps, and some other amp makes offer this as well.

But thanks Shane and everyone for your thoughts, got heaps to research now. I'm just really keen to get the right amp first time I suppose. I've got a little Fender G-DEC just now, which is great fun, but I'm after a bit of tone now. Not to denigrate the G-DEC, but it is a bedroom basher type of amp. Some of its sounds are pretty good too.

So if I've got to spend a few biccies fair enough. You get what you pay for.

[Yurty]

Hah, so Mackie are making guitar amps now?

Very futuristic take on it as well. I'm not saying any more until I hear samples and try one out myself.

Otherwise I think I'll get a Kingsley Tonebaron. Amazingly versatile.

You got me thinking mr spuddle, after I went and explored your link to the Tonebaron. So I went googling for some oz amp makers, and found this excellent links page:-

http://www.guitargear.net.au/discussion ... pic=2009.0

So thought I'd post it for anyone else in oz who's looking for a unique amp. Some nice equipment on those pages

[Shane Sanders]

heads up: the SoCal 50 is on sale again,
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=481487

[hackenslash]

Still the JCM800, IMO.

[Hink]

Still the JCM800, IMO.

I'm just waking up so I may just be confused, but are you saying that the JCM800 is the one amp to rule them all? If you want that sound then that is probably true, however as good of a sounding amp that it is I have to say it's far from versatile.

[spuddle]

heads up: the SoCal 50 is on sale again,
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=481487

I'm confused..

So Cal 50-Watt guitar amplifier head:

The So Cal 50 offers sublime tone with a flexible EQ and superb definition from a solid-state rectifier.

Then:

Epiphone So Cal Half Stack Features:

Head:
Designed and engineered in the USA by Gibson
50W or 25W Class AB switchable
All-tube circuitry
2 channels
Solid state rectifier

So is it solid-state or tube?

[spuddle]

sounds tube to me. Hope the EQ is lets you smooth out the gain a little. It's a bargain for the price..

[Hanglow]

The rectifier isn't in the audio path, so it is technically all tube, where it counts. You get a quicker response from the amp when it is ss rectified.

I would suggest something form ceriatone, pretty cheap for what they are and you can then put the amp is whatever cabinet you want. Need to be handy with a screwdriver at least though

[Shane Sanders]

sounds tube to me. Hope the EQ is lets you smooth out the gain a little. It's a bargain for the price..

Here's what Mike Soldano says about tube recs versus ss recs:

One: What do class "A" and "A/B" power mean? And, second: What does the term "Rectifier" mean in relation to amps?
Thanks,
Rob
via E-mail

Good questions, Rob. I get asked about these two topics all the time. A few years ago, I wrote an article for this magazine discussing these things and others, so here are some excerpts from that article that should answer your questions, plus some additional information.

Class A and Class A/B describe how the power tubes work within the power section of an amplifier. To properly explain the technical differences between these classes of operation would be an entire article in itself. However, the characteristic differences can be summarized as follows:
Class A/B amps tend to have greater dynamics, sounding punchier, tighter, and cleaner, and have cooler running tubes. The Class A amp sounds more vintage and squishy, because it's compressing and distorting more. Tubes in a Class A amp tend to run hotter as well. For the same given tube compliment, Class A/B will produce two to three times as much power as Class A. An example would be an amplifier with two 6L6s in the power section. Operating in Class A, the maximum power we could expect would be around 20 watts, while operating in Class A/B would easily yield 50 watts.

Just for tube life alone, I believe Class A/B is the way to design any amp. The amp will run more efficiently with more power, and you'll enjoy not having to replace power tubes as often. If the tonal characteristics of a Class A are desired, an A/B amp can be carefully designed to do that (the Soldano Atomic and Astroverb are good examples of such a design).

The job of the rectifier is to convert alternating current (AC) which comes out of the wall socket and subsequently the power transformer, into direct current (DC), which is needed to operate all of the circuitry in the amplifier. This process takes place through a device called a diode. Diodes act like a one way valve, allowing current only to flow in one direction.

The diodes in the days of old were vacuum tubes. Today's diodes are made out of silicon. The tube diode was the first diode ever invented (in fact it was the first tube ever invented). For many years it worked quite dependably, and it was the only choice for rectifying current for high voltage power supplies. When solid state technology was developed in the 1950's, it was found that solid state diodes could do the job of tube diodes, only better.

A tube rectifier has internal resistance. The more current that travels through a tube rectifier, the more the voltage drops. When the voltage drops, the power of the amplifier also drops. The tube rectifier has the drawback of not being able to provide a consistent voltage when it's under load. The other drawback is that the tubes themselves run hot, and can be relatively short lived. Unfortunately, modern day sources for rectifier tubes are not very reliable, and even in their prime these tubes were usually the weak link in most amplifiers.

An amp with a tube rectifier tends to sound much "spongier" in the bottom end. Low frequency notes take more current through the power tubes to reproduce. This increased current causes a voltage drop in the rectifier tube and the amp loses power. So, when more power is actually needed, the amp gives less. Because of this, a tube rectifier amp will sound spongy and more distorted at high volumes. This, probably more than anything, is what gives a vintage amp its sound and color.

A solid state rectifier has no internal resistance whatsoever. It has a very consistent fixed voltage drop that occurs whether there's no current or full current - approximately .7 volts. When an amplifier needs power at low frequencies, there will be no limit to the current that travels through the rectifier. This results in an amp with more headroom that is punchier, more articulate, and able to deliver the goods in the bottom end.

In my opinion, all amps should have solid state rectifiers. I don't believe there are any really good rectifier tubes on today's market and, even if there were, why use them? The technology is obsolete, they are horribly inefficient, and far more expensive and troublesome to build into an amp. These tubes, no matter how good, will routinely need replacing, adding to your maintenance expenses. Besides that, tube rectifiers kill the headroom of an amplifier. If you want that spongy, vintage sound, there are other ways to do it. I have successfully designed and built amps that have replicated that soggy bottom, vintage tube rectifier sound using solid state rectifiers and various circuit modifications.

Of course if you have a vintage amp that uses a tube rectifier, by all means keep it that way! That's what makes it sound the way it does. But if you're contemplating getting a new amp, I recommend avoiding future headaches by staying away from tube rectifiers.

[spuddle]

heads up: the SoCal 50 is on sale again,
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=481487

Actually discontinued. If you phone and ask, they are no longer taking orders for them.

Have to find somewhere else. Epi might be rolling out a successor..

[Yurty]

Still the JCM800, IMO.

I'm just waking up so I may just be confused, but are you saying that the JCM800 is the one amp to rule them all? If you want that sound then that is probably true, however as good of a sounding amp that it is I have to say it's far from versatile.

Yeah, valid point. I've had a few amps myself over the years, and my favourite was a 1962 Fender Bandmaster. Two channels with volume, bass, treble, and a presence switch on channel two. Everything up, flat biccy! Not exactly versatile, but what a sound... might be why I'm half deaf now actually. But once again, I wish I'd never sold that amp.

Tah everyone for your input, especially Shane, some great info here. I'm a bit wary of importing a valve amp into oz to be honest with you. Might do a bit more homework with some of our home grown amp makers. I had no idea such a diverse range of amp makers were turning out such quality products right here in oz.

[Yurty]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts once again, some good info in this thread.

I was going to go with a local amp maker after doing some googling, but the more I read about the Fender Cyber Twin, the more I like it. So I was wondering if anyone has had much to do with them.

As this thread title says, I'm after one amp to rule them all. I would like the wildest possible sound combinations out there for just straight playing/jamming, with some kind of DI arrangement for recording. This is not a biggy though, as there's heaps of after market DI solutions out there I could jig up when time permits.

So any happy Fender Cyber Twin SE users out there?

[glokraw]

Still the JCM800, IMO.

I'm just waking up so I may just be confused, but are you saying that the JCM800 is the one amp to rule them all? If you want that sound then that is probably true, however as good of a sounding amp that it is I have to say it's far from versatile.

Yeah, valid point. I've had a few amps myself over the years, and my favourite was a 1962 Fender Bandmaster. Two channels with volume, bass, treble, and a presence switch on channel two. Everything up, flat biccy! Not exactly versatile, but what a sound... might be why I'm half deaf now actually. But once again, I wish I'd never sold that amp.

Tah everyone for your input, especially Shane, some great info here. I'm a bit wary of importing a valve amp into oz to be honest with you. Might do a bit more homework with some of our home grown amp makers. I had no idea such a diverse range of amp makers were turning out such quality products right here in oz.

Santa brought me a Line 6 Spider modeling amp, and it is amazingly versatile, and
sounds excellent, with line in/out for extra recording/jamming. The
Spider III 75 is $300 or less, has 400 sounds, but it is super easy to modify them, or make make and save your own, and has separate drive, channel (amp model) volume, and master volume.

http://line6.com/spideriii75/

http://line6.com/support/forum.jspa?forumID=6 (for their forum)

A gazillion forum posts from folks who bought it not realizing the knobs were
digital instead of analog, so they change presets, and whine (its sound
and volume are the next preset, not what it 'should' be based on the current knob positions) That faked me out too on Christmas morning

The fx share 3 knobs, and are very easy to access, and work well with the modeling,
but keep your current FX units to run into the line-in when you need something not implemented. I admit to running an external fullcrush distortion into the 'insane' amp model, and the word 'shred' just lost all its metalborne credibility
On the other extreme, the clean model is wonderful too, and super easy to add that golden
edge, and save it for a startup patch.

Its plenty loud to run a synth or Reaper setup into the line-in, and jam using your guitars, and about as much pure fun as a little black box has ever offered. I dare you
to test one while you have cash or plastic in your wallet! Don't wait for Mackie, they
are late to the party, and it's party time NOW!