Blending a tube and solid state

[WickedCoach]

Anyone here ever run a tube and a solid state amp together, especially at lower bedroom levels? I have a 5 watt blackheart little giant that I use at home, and also a peavy vypyr 15 that I bought in order to move around the house, which I rarely use. Well the other day, just to see what it would sound like, I hooked them both together out of my boss me 70, and after a few minutes of finding all the right settings, and adjusting the volume of each amp up and down, I dialed a tone that is way sweeter than either amp alone. Depending on how loud I play, I tweak the volumes of each amp, with the louder I go, the more I turn the vypyr down. It's like a 65 tube, 35 ss blend mostly. Anyone else ever try this?

 

[Grenade]

Re: Blending a tube and solid state

Yes. My Bassman 70 (70 watts into 4x10) and my Dime (120 watts into 4x12) are on all the time. 2 channels and 2 effects loops on the Dime with a BD-2 in front for a boost.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Blending a tube and solid state

This guitarist did it all the time, John Cipolina, one solid state and one tube.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Blending a tube and solid state

Anyone here ever run a tube and a solid state amp together, especially at lower bedroom levels? I have a 5 watt blackheart little giant that I use at home, and also a peavy vypyr 15 that I bought in order to move around the house, which I rarely use. Well the other day, just to see what it would sound like, I hooked them both together out of my boss me 70, and after a few minutes of finding all the right settings, and adjusting the volume of each amp up and down, I dialed a tone that is way sweeter than either amp alone. Depending on how loud I play, I tweak the volumes of each amp, with the louder I go, the more I turn the vypyr down. It's like a 65 tube, 35 ss blend mostly. Anyone else ever try this?

YES! Every day!

That's a 2x12 Hot Rod DeVille on the left and a 2x12 Ultimate Chorus on the right.

The solid state Ultimate Chorus is punchy and JUICY clean, even at low volume. So much punch.

The tube HRDv has a dry but round sound, with the timbre that you can only get from a tube amp. This amp also takes pedals and returns a richer sound.

Together, I get the rich timbre of a tube amp and the powerful punch of solid state, a combination that really suits me well.