Back with a new tube amp

Sly_D

Sly_D

New member
Hi All,

Well, I've been away for quite a while, but much happened since then.

I sold my Tech 21 Trademark 10 amp (good amp but too weak, and not very good clean sound).

I then bought a V-Amp 2 simply because someone had one cheap. NEVER buy that. I sold it after a week. This is really subpar Line 6 POD.

So after that, I thought that a tube amp was the only cure :) . I went to my favourite rental store, tried a couple of amps (never buy a Crate 30 tube amp - piece of crap). I rented a Traynor YCV40 (Guitar Player's Editor's Pick), and I am more and more amazed by this amp - and it's made in Canada, what can be cooler! It give you (almost) Fender clean and (almost) Marshall JMC800-type crunch. So I'm in heaven.

Problem is, I don't have a mic.... so I got my Behringer direct box with 4X12 cab simulator off the shelf... does it sounds good? Not so sure.

Problem is, my speaker are OK (a bit on the hip-hop-too-much-bass side) but my headphone are crappy, so that's why I'm asking you.

This is almost a poll. Do I keep the direct box or do I buy a mic? Suggestions are also welcome for a good quality mic at a fair price.

Please tell me. There's enough tone master here to have good advices, no? :)

Click on this
CLIP

This is a simple AC/DC like chord progression that is evolving (I now have a melody line for it that will change it dramatically), which I shortened just for the sake of doing a tone clip. Don't tell me this is soft porn stuff, I'll rip your head off :laugh2:
 
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Re: Back with a new tube amp

Listening to the Soundclick version, I wonder if you can have a fair opinion. The Wave version on my computer is very good. The MP3 version is not as good and the Soundclicks MP3 is the worst of them all. Anyway... :rolleyes: Maybe I should really stop being lousy and put these files in .wav format on my own site...
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Hey thanks StudioBuddy. I wasn't aware of the USB pre-amp. Sounds pretty cool. Thanks a lot!
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Well, I think it's mighty fine so far. The distortion is hella tight!
I would love to hear it through a mic, but I think that's cool sounding!
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

yea i think the line put gives it some sustain from trying to transmit the signal and all that good hi-lo impedence kinda wire stuff majigger
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

wait i think its the line signal that distorts it, god its been awhile since ive been into recording and guitar so i gotta relearn some shiznit
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Thanks guys. I think the rhythm sounds fine. The lead would probably sound a lot better with a mic. For the time being anyway, I'll have to use it this way.

The lead in itself has an Angus Young type of sound, not much gain, so to get a higher gain sound, I spiced it up with a Boss OD-3 Overdrive. I like this pedal better than the SD-1 I previously owned (it sucked the bottom end). I simply leave the gain at 0 and put the level at 3 o'clock. Very cool boost without sucking up the bottom end. I'd still like to try a TS-9 family pedal. I may go for a Jekyll & Hyde or Route 66 someday. All this stuff cost way too much money :(
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Well, if he's into classic rock and blues and also want a good clean sound, he can't go wrong. And it's also freaking loud. And with a good booster pedal, you can get into metal territory (although I wouldn't recommand this amp to a true metal fan).

I also read that this amp sound almost like a JMC 800 with new JJ tubes. I contacted Bob at the JJtubes site and he sells complete replacement kits for Traynor amps... can't wait to have the money for this also :yell:

I'll try to post various clips with various sound when I'm not as busy as I am right now.
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Sounds cool man, bet it sounds even better when your stood right infront of it.

I'd be intrested in hearing the difference between this tone and (if you get one) the mic'd tone on the same track just for reference :)

Playings great as usual :D
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Thanks Nuntius... yeah, I'll try to make some clips with the direct box and some with a mic.

I can already say that this direct box (which have a digital 4X12 cab simulator) sounds WAY better with a tube amp. It sounded like crap with my Peavey Bandit. Maybe the Traynor Preamp Out is better. Yet the tube distortion is so much better anyway.

And you're right, standing in front of the map, the sound of tube is so much more organic... now I know why pros dig tubes. Yet, you can't say that of any amp. I tried the Traynor YCV20 before this one (smaller, more convenient for home use) and the distortion sounded like an ugly fart. It has 2 EL84 tubes. The YCV40 has 2 6L6 tubes and a better speaker (Celestion Seventy 80 - not high-end but good enough. I would change it for a Greenback or a Vintage 30 only if I gigged).

Cheers!
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Very nice tones and riffs. I would really like to hear it mic'd if you get around to it. Nice score on the amp Sly.
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Thanks Stevo... I'm dying to get an SM57 now... but I don't think it will happen before Christmas :(
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Great tone man, boy that has some crunch to it. Traynor to be the best affordable amp these days hands down.
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Hi Sly....nice change of sound, it does sound good indeed.
But it is not the same as a mic....it lacks that air movement thing..almost like PODs and such, but the sound is very good due to the real amp doing it, just get a compressor or a cleanbooster to push it more, it feels more real that way.
Actually it is more convenient than setting up a mic, which sometimes is a nightmare.
I use an AKG, I do not like the SM57 much when I am the one using the damm thing;)
How about a GH12 celestion for it??
Bet it would sound very nice:D
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Yeah Rid, the GH12 would sound great but I heard it also makes the amp sound quite louder, and I find it loud enough for home use as it is. I'll see when my wallet is fuller :) . One sure thing is that I will definitely upgrade the amp over time.

A mic is on its way ! :) Nothing fancy, but I use a crappy SB Live anyway, so paying too much for a mic is useless for the time being. It's a Samson. I should receive it by the end of the week, so I'll try to do some testing over the weekend or early next week. I also bought a new pedal to boost the amp... I won't talk about it until I know if this was a good move or not :D

But the Direct Box is a keeper. I think I get very decent rhythm tracks with it.

pres_tito: yes, I really think that (as long as you avoid the smaller YCV20) Traynor amps are hands down the best tube amps out there for the price. Better clean than Peavey Classics, better overdrive than Fender. All around great tube amp, and upgradable to pro quality with better tubes and high-end speaker (if you don't care to annoy everyone around you :D ).

Talk to you soon guys! I'm always very busy these days.
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Why do you say to avoid the the smaller YCV20? I am curious. I thought that it could be a valid "bedroom" alternative.
 
Re: Back with a new tube amp

Well, honestly Marinblues, it is a decent amp but it has EL84 tubes. I don't know much about tubes, but I already know that an amp with 2 EL84 is not for me (too little gain, and farty). It may be a great choice for someone who plays only clean or low gain stuff, but I was looking for an amp that allowed me to play stuff like early Kiss (73-77), Led Zep, AC/DC, Aerosmith and the likes (my personal music is higher gain also). The YCV40 is perfect for that. The YCV20 needs a pedal to get those sounds. I wanted to have a pedal only for really hi gain stuff, like EVH-type of lead, which can be achieved with a booster (simple overdrive pedal) in the lead channel. The last thing I wanted was to have to rely on a pedal for high gain stuff (like a "hunky" Metal Zone).

So the YCV40 is better for that and quite honestly, the clean sound of the YCV20 is poor in comparison.

Basically, I prefer to have an amp that is a little overpowered but great sounding, than an amp with lower power that doesn't satisfy me. I've had too many unsatisfying amp already :)
 
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