Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

[Willy25]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

The Katana has to think about what you played, and turn it into the picture of the sound, if that makes any sense. The sound from the AC15, and most other tube amps, is just much more direct and in the room with you.

Thats a good way to put it. thats how it felt when i played the Marshall dsl and the katana at GC..

[guitfiddle]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

clean tones were punchy and tight I imagine? All the demos I heard are impressive -granted that's different that the response when playing it.

I think the Katana was much more tight, but the AC15 just had a directness between your playing and the sound that the Katana lacked. The Katana has to think about what you played, and turn it into the picture of the sound, if that makes any sense. The sound from the AC15, and most other tube amps, is just much more direct and in the room with you.

At any rate, I have 7 tube amps, and three hybrids. One of the hybrids has a tube power section and it will peel paint (Music Man HD-150), and the others are low watt but loud SS amps with tube preamps. The tube amps win in all areas except for one...the Orange Micro Dark is just a friggin beast. I did a Sabbath tribute show with mine a little while ago, and into the same speaker setup, it is louder than the Dark Terror it emulates. UnREAL.

All my tube amps feel better to play than my hybrids, and way better than any digital ones I've ever played. My Orange OR50 is such a beast, it would scare some of the more TGP low-volume crowd. I love it.

[Willy25]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Boss Katana is not overrated, it's a really good amp and better than most tube amp in the SAME PRICE RANGE. I have the Katana 50w because I wanted something for home practice (0.5w) and jamming with friends (25w or 50w), with some built-in effects so I don't have to lug a pedal board. It's 25lbs, so lightweight and convenient. You don't need the computer if you go with the Katana Artist, and possibly not if you want a basic good tone. I plugged mine to a computer only for fine tuning. Don't expect to have a Bogner or a Friedman or a Deluxe Reverb sound out of the Katana, those amps don't cost $229 (50w), $359 (100w) and $599 (Artist), and don't expect those high quality tube amps to have the same good sound playing when everybody asleep, which the Katana can do. There's no perfect amps, that's why we have more than one, the same for guitars.

If i was playing in a band ill definitely get one. but now that i had tried a tube amp for the first time i want one totally different than modelers.

[Willy25]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

I've got a 100w Marshall TSL and a brand new Katana 100w head on its way to me. So I'll get back to you... soon I hope.

I've read nothing but stellar reviews on the Katana, and how it so closely mimics the tube feel and interactions.

Hi, so did it had that tube feel and dynamics? the distortion didnt convince me. maybe because it was a usb/direct recording?

[El Dunco]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

I sure as hell do. I use two tube amps per guitar track in tandem minimum for every production I do featuring heavy guitars because I love to get a unique sound by blending amps with different timbre qualities.

My band's latest single had one Marshall JVM and a Dual rec blended together for each guitar track and for song I'm currently working on, I'm running three. An ENGL/ADA rack setup, JVM and Dual Rec for each rhythm guitar performance. I know there are more compact ways to do this with preamp pedals, sims and impulse responses but nothing beats the real thing when it's all hooked up properly.

IMO nothing sits in the mix with the same punchy clarity for a live show as a good tube amp for the kind of music I play (not to mention the old fashioned eq knobs for real time adjustment over scrolling through menus), I just tend not to lug around 4x12s anymore and have a mini stack made of 2 oversized 1x12s.

[donaldr]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Boss Katana is not overrated, it's a really good amp and better than most tube amp in the SAME PRICE RANGE. I have the Katana 50w because I wanted something for home practice (0.5w) and jamming with friends (25w or 50w), with some built-in effects so I don't have to lug a pedal board. It's 25lbs, so lightweight and convenient. You don't need the computer if you go with the Katana Artist, and possibly not if you want a basic good tone. I plugged mine to a computer only for fine tuning. Don't expect to have a Bogner or a Friedman or a Deluxe Reverb sound out of the Katana, those amps don't cost $229 (50w), $359 (100w) and $599 (Artist), and don't expect those high quality tube amps to have the same good sound playing when everybody asleep, which the Katana can do. There's no perfect amps, that's why we have more than one, the same for guitars.

[Condemned soul]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Anyone try the Boss Nextone amps yet?

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Lots of Katana love here.
Might just have to look at one myself.
I feel like I’m cheating on my tube amps. Lol

[Aceman]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

I have a friend who just got a Katana 100 watt head.

They sound fantastic.

[Red_Label]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Yes, the Katana is a great sounding, non-tube amp. And yes, I'm still using tube amps.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

My 2 cents worth.

Never heard the (in person) the new Katana.
I heard a local band a month or so ago, and the guitar player used a Roland Blues Cube.
Great player, and the amps sounded decent too.

ALL my amps are valve driven (tuub), and i prefer what they bring to the sonic table.

Disclaimer : there are some seriously awesome SS amps out there today.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

I wouldn't ever think of it as a detraction, but the vox just sounded good any way it was set, and the Katana just never got the depth of tone. I tried all the cleans tone all the way into break up. Naturally the Katana goes into distortion territory much better, but if I chose the right pedal to feed to the vox, it would still win, to me, and for my needs/likes.

clean tones were punchy and tight I imagine? All the demos I heard are impressive -granted that's different that the response when playing it.

[guitfiddle]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

Well, not surprised nor should this be a detraction IMO -comparing the Kantana to any of the 3 greatest amps ever made isn't really exactly fair -as it's not rated as the greatest amp ever or even in the top 20 -it's a great amp and an incredible value.

Plus the response and tone of a Vox is a hard one to mimic IMO -it's more different in electrical design that any of the other great tube amps.

What about other classic tones? did you try any of those? curious.

I wouldn't ever think of it as a detraction, but the vox just sounded good any way it was set, and the Katana just never got the depth of tone. I tried all the cleans tone all the way into break up. Naturally the Katana goes into distortion territory much better, but if I chose the right pedal to feed to the vox, it would still win, to me, and for my needs/likes.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

While I don't think they're overrated...they do the things that the people who buy them want pretty well...but I twisted knobs on one for ten good minutes trying to get a similar sound to the AC-15 beside it out of it, and it wasn't happening at all.

No matter how the VOX was set, it slayed the Katana.

Well, not surprised nor should this be a detraction IMO -comparing the Kantana to any of the 3 greatest amps ever made isn't really exactly fair -as it's not rated as the greatest amp ever or even in the top 20 -it's a great amp and an incredible value.

Plus the response and tone of a Vox is a hard one to mimic IMO -it's more different in electrical design that any of the other great tube amps.

What about other classic tones? did you try any of those? curious.

[guitfiddle]

Re: Are you guys still using tube amps? Are katana amps overrated?

While I don't think they're overrated...they do the things that the people who buy them want pretty well...but I twisted knobs on one for ten good minutes trying to get a similar sound to the AC-15 beside it out of it, and it wasn't happening at all.

No matter how the VOX was set, it slayed the Katana.