Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

This is exactly why I ended up with my Traynor. It does a pretty good BF type sound on the clean channel, and a decent lo-gain Marshall-y thing on the gain side. Pretty much checks all the boxes I want from an amp. And it still feels like option overload sometimes.

You have a YBA-1? (Is that the model #...the Canadian Plexi?). Great amp... I’ve been gassing for one for a while.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

You have a YBA-1? (Is that the model #...the Canadian Plexi?). Great amp... I’ve been gassing for one for a while.

Nope. YCV-40wr. I did have an old YGM-3 for a while, which was a pretty nice sounding amp, but didn't have the clean headroom I wanted. I've played two YBA heads, both sounded pretty nice!

 

[dystrust]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

You have a YBA-1? (Is that the model #...the Canadian Plexi?). Great amp... I’ve been gassing for one for a while.

Nope. YCV-40wr. I did have an old YGM-3 for a while, which was a pretty nice sounding amp, but didn't have the clean headroom I wanted. I've played two YBA heads, both sounded pretty nice!

I used to know an amp tech who had a YBA-1 that he'd modded with a PPIV master and the channels cascaded instead of run in parallel. It sounded like the meanest bastard child of a Marshall and Orange Overdrive you've ever heard. And of course he wouldn't sell it

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

I used to know an amp tech who had a YBA-1 that he'd modded with a PPIV master and the channels cascaded instead of run in parallel. It sounded like the meanest bastard child of a Marshall and Orange Overdrive you've ever heard. And of course he wouldn't sell it

My JCM 800 is at a local tech as we speak. I had him add a PPIMV, zero loss fx loop and he reworked the preamp section to have 6 gain stages. lol.
I’m going to have him add a switchable clean channel as well.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

Better is a value statement which is dependent on personal opinion. There is newer technology though. There's nothing saying that you can't mix new materials in a tube amplifier to achieve designs that are more energy efficient, lower noise, lighter, have a wider range of tones, and have more consistent quality.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

My JCM 800 is at a local tech as we speak. I had him add a PPIMV, zero loss fx loop and he reworked the preamp section to have 6 gain stages. lol.
I’m going to have him add a switchable clean channel as well.

Six gain stages? At that point it's pretty much a different amp!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

Six gain stages? At that point it's pretty much a different amp!

I haven’t gotten it back yet and it had a chance to play it. I had asked him to make it high gain. A stock JCM is 3 gain stages so it should sound the same (afaik no component values are changed unless he deemed necessary etc), just be a fire breather.

We had talked about going with either 5 or 6 stages.
He had an amp that he built for himself at his house that was switchable between different channels that used either 5 or six. That amp sounded incredible. I figured if six stages was too much I could just turn the gain knob down!! Better to have plenty on tap then not enough if you wanted more.

That was my thought process anyway.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

three to five or six is a big change, should be a firebreather for sure!

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

I used to know an amp tech who had a YBA-1 that he'd modded with a PPIV master and the channels cascaded instead of run in parallel. It sounded like the meanest bastard child of a Marshall and Orange Overdrive you've ever heard. And of course he wouldn't sell it

Traynor's are the easiest amps to Mod too, flip the top open and it's like a dinner plate for Modding.... :lmao:

 

[Gold star]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

Somehow , I don't believe repairs are something to worry about with things like Kemper..or most modellers. unless you drop one on the floor. Roland are very reliable. The real issue in the long term, is this; Having profiled your favourite tube amp (s) and the Kemper then gives you the same sound and feel without tubes and all that heat ...when will you use those amps again ? Will they sit in a dark corner never to see light of day? I can see it happening. Personally, I have 1 tube & SS modellers which combined cost less than a Kemper.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

I saw Babymetal and Nickelback concerts (separately) and they mostly likely used profiling gear. It really didn't sound good.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

conversely, I saw Black Sabbath and Yngwie Malmsteen and they had tube amps and sounded awesome.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

Well, I can name various examples of both...that doesn't mean one is better, either. I've seen plenty of bands with tube gear that sounded bad, and modeling which sounded great. A concert is a less-than-ideal location to hear the differences due to the sound going through various components, effects and eqs by the time it gets to your ears.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Better technology-so why are tube amps here ?

Well, I can name various examples of both...that doesn't mean one is better, either. I've seen plenty of bands with tube gear that sounded bad, and modeling which sounded great. A concert is a less-than-ideal location to hear the differences due to the sound going through various components, effects and eqs by the time it gets to your ears.

+1

IMO a bad sounding gig says more about the person running FOH than the gear being used.