Are solid states that bad???

metallicajs1

metallicajs1

New member
I want to know your opinions on the Peavey XXL head? Is it really bad because its a SS or is it good?

I am trying to figure out what Head I want to go with a Avatar 2x12 cab I want to get.

I primarily will be using it for metal. Also I expect to have to also buy a noise gate, so that is not a feature I need to be built in, but it would be nice.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

I'm not a huge fan of a lot of Peavey's stuff personally. I do think the Classic series are great amps for the money (my singer uses a Classic 30).

SS seems to sound good at lower volumes. They lack the dynamics of a good tube amp unfortunately and typically have a difficult time cutting through the band mix. For at home or small gigs, they can work surprisingly well.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

I don't know about the XXL but some SS's are really good for low to mid volume home apps and practice etc. SS's can be real good for metal for a very solid tight tone.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

xxl is bad, but not ALL ss. I like the way my little bandit sounds clean quite a lot. But as others stated- only at bedroomish volume.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

It's a matter of personal taste. Take one for a test ride...judge for yourself.

+1 on the Bandit. I am surprised everytime I plug mine in (I don't use it much)...I really like that little amp.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

i listen to the amp before I worry about how it is made.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

rule #1:


LesStrat said:
It's a matter of personal taste. Take one for a test ride...judge for yourself.
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:smoker:

I prefer SS Randalls and SS Marshalls to the SS XXL but it's me.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

Mincer said:
i listen to the amp before I worry about how it is made.
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Listen to this guy :) Before you start worrying about the construction of any piece of gear, give it a test drive.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

Mincer said:
i listen to the amp before I worry about how it is made.
Click to expand...

Dave has an excellent point here....This Vox Valvetronix 120 watt head into my V30 4x12 had 0 problems cutting...This was at an outside gig recently and with the head only set for 30/30 watt stereo....I was told to turn up later on into the gig and went to the 60/60 setting,but with the amp's master volume cranked to 10,I got great tone from this amp...It's SS for all intents and purposes...I used to be a pure tube snob guy,but I've opened up my ears to anything that sounds good now...Plus this Vox only set me back $600...I can have fun with all the cool features it offers and use my vintage tube amp stuff on occassion...Unless,I can not play the guitar anymore for whatever reason,I've no plans to part with any of my tube amp stuff. :dance:

The gap is narrowing now between tube and SS and so I stay open minded....

"If it sounds good,it is good"....That's my motto... :wink:
 
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Re: Are solid states that bad???

Imo SS even fit some Metal Stuff better than tubes... but you should really try yourself...
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

Kommerzbassist said:
Imo SS even fit some Metal Stuff better than tubes... but you should really try yourself...
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I still say that if Scott Ian (Anthrax), Riggs (Rob Zombie), and Wayne Static (Static-X) can get good & LOUD sounds out of solid-state amps so can anybody else. Volume, I don't think, is a big issue because you can always get miked.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

To my ear they always suck!!! Except some Rolands that I have played through like the JC-120.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

B Bent said:
To my ear they always suck!!! Except some Rolands that I have played through like the JC-120.
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LOL....Closed minded one! :dance:
It is all a matter of opinion,and these topics are so subjective....Each player has to find whatever works "FOR THEM".....
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

I plugged into one in a Sam Ash store a while back & thought it got a pretty nice crunch....but that was the only tone it did well, so..............
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

PUCKBOY99 said:
I plugged into one in a Sam Ash store a while back & thought it got a pretty nice crunch....but that was the only tone it did well, so..............
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Which amp are you talking of? The XXL?
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

The XXL isn't bad at all for its intended purpose. A lot of SS amps (many of which are mentioned above) do the wicked distortion thing quite well. Personally, I don't care for that sort of tone whether it's coming from silicon or glowing bottles.

Where I generally find SS most lacking is playing clean or on the edge of distortion. Though I'll acknowledge that the JC120 has a classic clean sound, it's not my cup o' tea. Most SS (and even most modeling) devices don't do the transition from clean to distorted the way tubes do.

Also, I'm leery of SS from a maintenance standpoint. I'd rather replace tubes on a recurring basis than deal with the pain of finding the replacement for a fried output transistor. As someone who lives in a place with a lot of electrical storms and had electronic gear fried by a nearby lightning strike, tubes' tolerance of power spikes makes me a bit more comfortable, too.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

STRATDELUXER97 said:
LOL....Closed minded one! :dance:
It is all a matter of opinion,and these topics are so subjective....Each player has to find whatever works "FOR THEM".....
Click to expand...

I agree whole heartedly I should have stated that to my ear and IMO they suck!! I just have never been able to my thang with a SS.
 
Re: Are solid states that bad???

I am fan of solid state. Who wouldn't love that painful screeching feedback and amazing ice-water tone? For over 10 years I played Randall and... well... I'd rather plug into an electrical outlet and jam through my light fixtures and smoke detectors.

But, SS has its uses- small practice amps and such.
 
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