Advantages of a one-channel amp?
- Thread starter zizyphus
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Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
There is less to go wrong...
My first guitar amp was a Montgomery Ward Airline head from the 60's. Cost me $20. It was in a homebuilt cab wrapped in light blue shower curtain. About 20 watts, all tube - an AX7 preamp, some odd power tube, and another AX7 for the tremolo. It had volume, tone, real tremolo (volume changes, not pitch), and a power switch. Plugged into the back of a borrowed Galaxy Audio TL cab with a 12 in it. Sounded great.
I eventually built a nice combo cab with a slot for the head, and a ported spot for a Celestion speaker (purple, I think?). Kicked major ass. Did actual gigs with it. Like a dumbass I sold for $150. It never failed me.
There is less to go wrong...
My first guitar amp was a Montgomery Ward Airline head from the 60's. Cost me $20. It was in a homebuilt cab wrapped in light blue shower curtain. About 20 watts, all tube - an AX7 preamp, some odd power tube, and another AX7 for the tremolo. It had volume, tone, real tremolo (volume changes, not pitch), and a power switch. Plugged into the back of a borrowed Galaxy Audio TL cab with a 12 in it. Sounded great.
I eventually built a nice combo cab with a slot for the head, and a ported spot for a Celestion speaker (purple, I think?). Kicked major ass. Did actual gigs with it. Like a dumbass I sold for $150. It never failed me.
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
Simple amps sound better than complex ones.
Simple amps sound better than complex ones.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
They encourage learning how to get more variety in tones through your hands & instrument rather than by simply changing channels.
In much the same way, a single pickup guitar can teach you a lot about touch & tone as you work without a pickup switch.
All the great classic rock of the 50s, 60s, and 70s was made using single channel amps.
Sometimes one channel is all you need. That's still true true today in genres like traditional jazz, roots rock, and the blues.
For recording, simpler amps are easy to dial in and they offer better consistency from one session to another.
Vintage single channel tube amps remain the tone of choice in many studios worldwide.
There's a whole generation of single channel boutique amps helping to satisfy the appetite for classic sound, many adding modern improvements and/or conveniences to the (often pretty primitive) vintage designs.
Nowadays we have a whole generation of amplike drives and modelers that work best into a clean or semiclean amp. A huge variety of amp sounds with minimal investment and easy portability compared to acquiring, maintaining and moving a bunch of classic tube amps. And you don't have to play 'em loud to sound great.
Many players are going the foundation-pedal route for convenience, low cost, portability and controllable stage volume.
For that kind of setup a lead channel is unneccessary, almost superfluous.
They encourage learning how to get more variety in tones through your hands & instrument rather than by simply changing channels.
In much the same way, a single pickup guitar can teach you a lot about touch & tone as you work without a pickup switch.
All the great classic rock of the 50s, 60s, and 70s was made using single channel amps.
Sometimes one channel is all you need. That's still true true today in genres like traditional jazz, roots rock, and the blues.
For recording, simpler amps are easy to dial in and they offer better consistency from one session to another.
Vintage single channel tube amps remain the tone of choice in many studios worldwide.
There's a whole generation of single channel boutique amps helping to satisfy the appetite for classic sound, many adding modern improvements and/or conveniences to the (often pretty primitive) vintage designs.
Nowadays we have a whole generation of amplike drives and modelers that work best into a clean or semiclean amp. A huge variety of amp sounds with minimal investment and easy portability compared to acquiring, maintaining and moving a bunch of classic tube amps. And you don't have to play 'em loud to sound great.
Many players are going the foundation-pedal route for convenience, low cost, portability and controllable stage volume.
For that kind of setup a lead channel is unneccessary, almost superfluous.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
I realize the irony here, based on what I just posted, but this is true.
Every item is optimized for one sound. The power supply is optimal for the target tone, the output transformer is designed for that sound, the preamp and tone stack, etc. To get the elusive Fender clean/Marshall dirt, you’ve got different power supplies, preamp structure, tone stack, output tubes and transformer. (Not to mention the cabinet/speaker).
I realize the irony here, based on what I just posted, but this is true.
Every item is optimized for one sound. The power supply is optimal for the target tone, the output transformer is designed for that sound, the preamp and tone stack, etc. To get the elusive Fender clean/Marshall dirt, you’ve got different power supplies, preamp structure, tone stack, output tubes and transformer. (Not to mention the cabinet/speaker).
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
No master volume as well, right? So funny to me that it’s part of the Dual Rectifier series.
No master volume as well, right? So funny to me that it’s part of the Dual Rectifier series.
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
No master volume.
It does use 2 rectifiers, and it came out before people associated the 'Dual Rect' thing with Nu Metal. It was just a particular line of amps that use 2 rectifiers. It can use either 6v6s and/or EL84s, but also can use 6L6s, which is what I have in there now.
No master volume.
It does use 2 rectifiers, and it came out before people associated the 'Dual Rect' thing with Nu Metal. It was just a particular line of amps that use 2 rectifiers. It can use either 6v6s and/or EL84s, but also can use 6L6s, which is what I have in there now.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Animal
Well-known member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
Multi-channel does not necessarily equate to the multiplied quality of a few single channel amps.
For example, a 4 channel amp does not make it 4 times the value of a single channel amp.
Any amp designed to nail an authentic Marshall, Fender, Vox, and Mesa tone will probably fall short on each of them to varying degree. Some amps can contain drastically different circuitry, pathways and components to get their distinctive sound that would be otherwise be near impossible to cram into one single package or accurately emulate with extra bells and whistles. To the player that HAS to have a specific sound then this can be a compromise and therefore cancel out any value proposition that a multi-channel amp would offer.
Multi-channel does not necessarily equate to the multiplied quality of a few single channel amps.
For example, a 4 channel amp does not make it 4 times the value of a single channel amp.
Any amp designed to nail an authentic Marshall, Fender, Vox, and Mesa tone will probably fall short on each of them to varying degree. Some amps can contain drastically different circuitry, pathways and components to get their distinctive sound that would be otherwise be near impossible to cram into one single package or accurately emulate with extra bells and whistles. To the player that HAS to have a specific sound then this can be a compromise and therefore cancel out any value proposition that a multi-channel amp would offer.
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NegativeEase
New member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
Weird, I don't think you should look at single channel amps as inferior. It's all about application.
I've never considered a one channel amp to be one trick, you just aren't relying on the amp switching for gain levels and tone shaping.
I've never liked high gain switching channels on amps as much as I've liked fuzz, OD, and Distortion pedals that I can mix and match and change.
I find the optimal gain and tone through the amp and leave it alone at the amp -and then smack or dial back for changes from the guitar and pedals.
For heavy gigging -many multi channel amps can be a liability unless you.are traveling redundant honestly -open up a modern Mesa and trying to quickly troubleshoot is ridiculous -more circuitry more valves more weight etc etc
For me, I'd rather have a single channel amp with an FX loop than a multi channel amp.
Weird, I don't think you should look at single channel amps as inferior. It's all about application.
I've never considered a one channel amp to be one trick, you just aren't relying on the amp switching for gain levels and tone shaping.
I've never liked high gain switching channels on amps as much as I've liked fuzz, OD, and Distortion pedals that I can mix and match and change.
I find the optimal gain and tone through the amp and leave it alone at the amp -and then smack or dial back for changes from the guitar and pedals.
For heavy gigging -many multi channel amps can be a liability unless you.are traveling redundant honestly -open up a modern Mesa and trying to quickly troubleshoot is ridiculous -more circuitry more valves more weight etc etc
For me, I'd rather have a single channel amp with an FX loop than a multi channel amp.
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Synapsys
Well-known member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
I'ma multichannel amp man, but my dreamtone is a Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb, which I take as a one channel amp, with two modes (one dry, the other with tremolo/reverb).
I come from pointy Metal guitars, now I favour vintage designs, the exception being SuperStrats, so the future will probably point me to true one channel amps someday.
I'ma multichannel amp man, but my dreamtone is a Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb, which I take as a one channel amp, with two modes (one dry, the other with tremolo/reverb).
I come from pointy Metal guitars, now I favour vintage designs, the exception being SuperStrats, so the future will probably point me to true one channel amps someday.
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
I can only guess from the "1 trick pony" comment that the closest you've ever been to one of these amps is a Google images search.
All you have to do is watch that YouTube vid with Joe Bonamassa - he plays with 1 amp setting and gets about 10 different tones - to see that it's the player that determines how many tricks there are.
I guess we do have to make definitions.....
Single channel amp - no internal switching but possible multiple inputs.
Multi channel amp - internal channel switching....generally 1 input only.
These are required because I count things like vintage Marshalls and Fenders as single channel. Even though you can technically run them together the amp itself has no capability to switch between them.
Channel switching typically came with a tonal penalty. I've lost track of modern iterations.....mainly as there's no way I'd have one again.
But even then you still typically have the same tone structure between channels, even if the eq sections are independent. The tonestack and tubes remain the same between channels. So its not like you can dial in a vox drive with a fender clean, then a marshall lead channel.
That's still the realm of the modeller or the pedal platform.
I can only guess from the "1 trick pony" comment that the closest you've ever been to one of these amps is a Google images search.
All you have to do is watch that YouTube vid with Joe Bonamassa - he plays with 1 amp setting and gets about 10 different tones - to see that it's the player that determines how many tricks there are.
I guess we do have to make definitions.....
Single channel amp - no internal switching but possible multiple inputs.
Multi channel amp - internal channel switching....generally 1 input only.
These are required because I count things like vintage Marshalls and Fenders as single channel. Even though you can technically run them together the amp itself has no capability to switch between them.
Channel switching typically came with a tonal penalty. I've lost track of modern iterations.....mainly as there's no way I'd have one again.
But even then you still typically have the same tone structure between channels, even if the eq sections are independent. The tonestack and tubes remain the same between channels. So its not like you can dial in a vox drive with a fender clean, then a marshall lead channel.
That's still the realm of the modeller or the pedal platform.
Diego
New member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
A single channel amp can be trouble if you like or need drastically different tones from song to song, if you play multiple covers from various bands for example. But you can still compensate with the right pedals and have a passable wide variety at your disposal.
I like it when single channel amps have footswitchable gain boosts. So it's kind of two channels in one, and you can keep your TS9/SD1 at home.
Other than that, they're generally cheaper, simpler to maintain and they just feel right.
A single channel amp can be trouble if you like or need drastically different tones from song to song, if you play multiple covers from various bands for example. But you can still compensate with the right pedals and have a passable wide variety at your disposal.
I like it when single channel amps have footswitchable gain boosts. So it's kind of two channels in one, and you can keep your TS9/SD1 at home.
Other than that, they're generally cheaper, simpler to maintain and they just feel right.
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Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
There are pros and cons to everything. But, IMO...and I say this as a huge fan of two channel amps, and an owner of a Fender Pro Jr.
It makes you use every other tool in the box to do what you want. Amp controls, guitar controls, and hands. There is a lot to be said for truly mastering a limited set of things.
Assuming you do that - I think it can be a big win. But if you go straight to pedals, you jump right back to the land of infinite possibility. But it does really depend on your needs.
I could easily live with one good dirt channel, but I like to play clean stuff too. And I like to set up 2/3/4 channels with dirt/clean/pedals/etc for just what I want.
My perfect combo is a clean channel, a dirt channel and a louder button. My Stiletto does that.
There are pros and cons to everything. But, IMO...and I say this as a huge fan of two channel amps, and an owner of a Fender Pro Jr.
It makes you use every other tool in the box to do what you want. Amp controls, guitar controls, and hands. There is a lot to be said for truly mastering a limited set of things.
Assuming you do that - I think it can be a big win. But if you go straight to pedals, you jump right back to the land of infinite possibility. But it does really depend on your needs.
I could easily live with one good dirt channel, but I like to play clean stuff too. And I like to set up 2/3/4 channels with dirt/clean/pedals/etc for just what I want.
My perfect combo is a clean channel, a dirt channel and a louder button. My Stiletto does that.
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Erlend_G
New member
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
My dream amp is still a Fender Princeton.
(or a 6v6 Mesa boogie... but those cost half of what I earn each year).
Problem with 1 channel amps, for me- is the need of OD pedal infront- if i need to change from a clean tone, to an overdriven one.
My dream amp is still a Fender Princeton.
(or a 6v6 Mesa boogie... but those cost half of what I earn each year).
Problem with 1 channel amps, for me- is the need of OD pedal infront- if i need to change from a clean tone, to an overdriven one.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Advantages of a one-channel amp?
Patently false. Good amps sound good. The only guarantee is that a simpler amp is simpler.
My Pro Jr. is 1 tone knob and 1 gain knob. Almost as simple as it gets. Epic Cheap Trick tone. Total fail at VH1
My Mesa Stiletto is two channels, 3 modes and a bunch of other stuff. Nails VH1. Can do cheap Trick or Rush, but not my go to.
My Hughes and Ketner TM18, well...Simple on the surface, but actually more complicated than the Mesa. Nails Rush, not the amp for Cheap Trick or VH1.
So, my simple amp may be perfect for the one thing it is perfect for, but my more complicated amps sound just as good or better at more things. So much for your point...better has no meaning without context.
Patently false. Good amps sound good. The only guarantee is that a simpler amp is simpler.
My Pro Jr. is 1 tone knob and 1 gain knob. Almost as simple as it gets. Epic Cheap Trick tone. Total fail at VH1
My Mesa Stiletto is two channels, 3 modes and a bunch of other stuff. Nails VH1. Can do cheap Trick or Rush, but not my go to.
My Hughes and Ketner TM18, well...Simple on the surface, but actually more complicated than the Mesa. Nails Rush, not the amp for Cheap Trick or VH1.
So, my simple amp may be perfect for the one thing it is perfect for, but my more complicated amps sound just as good or better at more things. So much for your point...better has no meaning without context.
