Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

[Eddie J.]

Think Randall G3 over G2 and Laney TX and TF series. Solid state guitar amps with a tube preamp.

I can`t crank them in a guitarstore, so i can`t figure is it really worth of buying or preamp tube is more a bait for better sellout.

any experience?

[Eddie J.]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

bump

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

I don't know these, but the preamp tube on the Marshall AVTs is just for better sales.

[OlinMusic]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

Yeah, a few company reps have actually admitted that the whole thing is a scam (in not so many words). I won't name names.

If you want tubes, get a tube amp. I WILL SAY the mesa V Twin sounds like a tube amp for days!

[Pecan]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

marketing marketing marketing.

[Pierre]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

The 12AX7 is a PREamp tube, and this technology is pretty well emulated by SS amps already. Furthermore the 12AX7 clipping is not the typical warm sound attributed usually to tube amps. So yes, it's mostly a big marketing operation without real benefits.

[Rainmaker]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

I'm very confused!

Does the pre-amp/pre-amp tubes play an important role in an all tube amplifier?

[James Rock]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

Does the pre-amp/pre-amp tubes play an important role in an all tube amplifier?

Yes but the main warmth comes from the output tubes and the fact there r many tubes not 1.
Wat about amps like Vox Valvetronix some amps like that use 12AX7 (or similiar) more effectively.

[Nightburst]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

Depends on the circuit (I can tell you a V-twin sounds pretty good) but I think most amps that are build that way simply use a pre amp tube as a clipping diode for the crunch channel. That is NOT tube warmth IMHO. However I'm basing this for a big part on amps like Marshall valvestates which sound like @ss to me

If you plan on playing loud I would suggest getting a 2nd hand tube amp, there's just so much more fun and satisfaction in getting the real deal. Shure it's more expensive, but that's with everything in life.

If you really want to go the SS amp with a tube pre amp route I would suggest getting a good pre amp with a clean channel among the crunch channels. Well worth it and will warm up the amp.

[Eddie J.]

Re: Combo`s with tube preamp - is it worth the money?

thanks for feedback.

know what...today few of us tried laney TF300 and solid Randall G2, and the sound from laney was clearly sweeter and more natural. guess that tube make a difference. Randall does have better gain if you wanna be brutal, but also is choking in it from time to time. I liked it`s sound but didn`t like the choking.

I really think we heard a tubelike difference today...but i can`t claim it. Laney sounds something like you get when mixing VOX valvestate and randall solidstate. Actually, very good sound.