Do I want a rack setup?

[a7x_rox_12]

I am getting into recording now and I found that you can record directly with a preamp. i don't need a louder amp yet, so i was thnking that i could use a preamp for recording, and eventually buy a power amp when the time comes. i am somewhat convinced that i would be better of buying rack gear, but yall know more than me about this stuff so help me out.

thanks

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I'm not going to vote because only you can decide what you're looking for.

I personally wouldn't- I like my head and cab.

It just reminds me of a cartoon in Guitar World years ago- a dude with a pointy guitar and stacks and stacks of rack units saying "I've finally achieved the Les Paul into a Marshall sound."

 

[SOLO GUITAR STEWIE]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

Guitar---->Efx----> Head----->cab

chris

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I am in the same position you are. I have decided to go the preamp route simply because I do not have a band nor do I have time to get a band together. Ultimately it will come down to what YOU want. Their are a lot of options to go the preamp route. Hughes and Kettner makes a 3 channel tube floor unit with speaker simulator. But usually with the rack their is more cost and more options. You have to look at what you will use, what you can afford, and what your living situations may be.

If you want to draw a compromise you could go with some of those Vox amps. I believe they have a DI jack on them so you could record and have the amp in one package.

GOod luck.

 

[StratTom]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I would look at your budget first and see what you can do. You don't have to have a rack setup for recording, there are other options. Line 6 has various things such as the Guitarport and Toneport, and Vox has their modeling amps like Eric suggested above.

 

[brit84]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

Ive only tried the mesa boogie triaxis in the rack side of the amp world and liked what it could do. My friend has a rectifier preamp and gets nice sounds from that too.

There are amps with DI jacks (like my genz benz) that can be plugged into recording units or pa systems. pretty neat.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I can't really advocate a rack. The rack's greatest advantage is it's live use. To get a really great recorded sound from rack gear, it typically costs as much if not more than a good sounding amp/cab/speaker combination. It is very tough to replicate the air moving between a mic and speaker.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

nothing wrong with it- i use a rack live and for recording- perfect if you don't have a lot of space, or soundproofing and don't own expensive mics. i use a digital out from my system direct to the computer and it sounds great.

One small problem is that you have to like tweaking sounds, but i am one of those weird ones.

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

This is indeed a tough call, I've been there done that and come back to a tube combo.
That said, there is some really high quality rack gear out there. I don't know your feeling about Mesa Boogie, but they have some really nice stuff, their TriAxis preamp is pretty darned cool, they also offer several different power amps. The biggest problem is all the rack mount effects, it's so easy to get carried away with that stuff and once you buy it, you wanna use it, which in my opinion is not always the best reason to shape your tone.
I know I'm being pretty wishy washy, so I'll just say, stay away from the rack gear. Get a great combo, or a nice head/cab setup. If you want to record direct, get yourself a modeler.
Well, there's my .02c
Good luck

 

[Hellion]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

Personally (and this is speaking from experience), I'd go with a P.O.D. unit by Line 6. They emulate incredibly well, and while you won't have the fun of getting your pant legs flapped by a screaming Marshall, they do translate well to recording. In fact, all of the electric tones on our last CD were done using a P.O.D.

That's not to say that rack systems don't have their place. My live rig is totally rack. Whatever works, I say....

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

i bought a POD for recording,... and a stack of real amps for playing jamming and gigging

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I never got into modeling, or preamps, or racks or anything like that. Now to be fair, I don't record (or at least I don't publish). But to me nothing beats the feeling of a good tube amp vibrating your whole room.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I can't deny that the Line 6 Toneport records extremely well.

If you want to have a head/cab setup and need a speaker simulator, this is the one Hughes & Kettner uses in their amps, just sold separately:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-Hughes-and...3QQihZ016QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

I never got into modeling, or preamps, or racks or anything like that. Now to be fair, I don't record (or at least I don't publish). But to me nothing beats the feeling of a good tube amp vibrating your whole room.

This may be true or may not be true, but I think one of the most important things to look at in a new amp purchase is your location. If your main playing area is an apartment or a barn in the middle of noware then you could have two very different setups.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Do I want a rack setup?

This may be true or may not be true, but I think one of the most important things to look at in a new amp purchase is your location. If your main playing area is an apartment or a barn in the middle of noware then you could have two very different setups.

Well during the summer I live in the middle of Los Angeles, and the other 9 months I live in an Apartment with 2 conjoining neighors (one right, one under). Paper thin walls at the apt. I'm just very selective as to when I crank the amp. Once a week or so at the apartment, during midday (when kids are at school and good college students are at class). At home, we have a separate garage where I can shut myself off and deafen myself.

But I'll likely never live in a place where I don't have 3 neighbors (back, left, right). LA is too cramped for that.