Favorite SS Amp?
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devastone
Well-known member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
Depends on whether we are talking analog ss or digital modeling I guess. The Vox ADs are digital modeling too.
For analogue SS, the Randalls I've played sounded great. There are a lot out there I haven't tried though. I would love to find an ISP Theta cheap, based on playing through a Theta pedal Preamp through one of their Stealth power amps, I would guess the Theta heads are killer, too bad they are discontinued. The Theta pedal would be great, just wish it had a cab sim output for running direct.
Depends on whether we are talking analog ss or digital modeling I guess. The Vox ADs are digital modeling too.
For analogue SS, the Randalls I've played sounded great. There are a lot out there I haven't tried though. I would love to find an ISP Theta cheap, based on playing through a Theta pedal Preamp through one of their Stealth power amps, I would guess the Theta heads are killer, too bad they are discontinued. The Theta pedal would be great, just wish it had a cab sim output for running direct.
Jason_The_Angry
New member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
Not a lot of experience here, but mine would be a mid-90's Crate GX-130c head through a 4x12. Not great for cleans, but rocked pretty hard.
Not a lot of experience here, but mine would be a mid-90's Crate GX-130c head through a 4x12. Not great for cleans, but rocked pretty hard.
MkIII Renegade
New member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
The thing about solid state amps is that they can sound good.....even great....and quite loud....until you crank up a tube amp in the same room and the SS amp disappears. :chairshot
I played a '90s Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 in high school and loved it for bedroom jamming and recording. It was versatile and had some very useful reverbs/delays (16 of them) and chorus built in, and 3 channels at a time when that was rare. I even preferred it for most of the things I did at that time to my JCM800 because I had to crank the Marshall so loud to get the tone I wanted. I soon discovered that boosting the 800 with an EQ pedal solved that problem, but the clean channel was a weak point, and it was still impossible to do late night high-gain recording with it in my parent's house (in later years, I realized what a fantastic amp the 800 was when properly used).
But then I picked up my Mesa/Boogie MkIII, and it was like the illusion being shattered in the Wizard of Oz. SS amps instantly became obsolete. No more SS. Ever. :crazy: I give an honorable mention to the Line 6 Vetta as giving high quality modeling, but there is something ******y to me about the whole concept of having almost everything in one "microwave" box. You don't really have everything, you have an imitation of everything. But why do this when you can have the real thing? It may be nostalgia, but if there is one thing that is widely known in music, it's that classics are that way for a reason. And they will still be desirable---and valuable---for many years to come.
There have been big improvements SS and modeling technology, but I'm a tube man through and through, just like how I like loud, powerful piston engined cars rather than electrics or hybrids. Call me old fashioned, I'm fine with it.
The thing about solid state amps is that they can sound good.....even great....and quite loud....until you crank up a tube amp in the same room and the SS amp disappears. :chairshot
I played a '90s Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 in high school and loved it for bedroom jamming and recording. It was versatile and had some very useful reverbs/delays (16 of them) and chorus built in, and 3 channels at a time when that was rare. I even preferred it for most of the things I did at that time to my JCM800 because I had to crank the Marshall so loud to get the tone I wanted. I soon discovered that boosting the 800 with an EQ pedal solved that problem, but the clean channel was a weak point, and it was still impossible to do late night high-gain recording with it in my parent's house (in later years, I realized what a fantastic amp the 800 was when properly used).
But then I picked up my Mesa/Boogie MkIII, and it was like the illusion being shattered in the Wizard of Oz. SS amps instantly became obsolete. No more SS. Ever. :crazy: I give an honorable mention to the Line 6 Vetta as giving high quality modeling, but there is something ******y to me about the whole concept of having almost everything in one "microwave" box. You don't really have everything, you have an imitation of everything. But why do this when you can have the real thing? It may be nostalgia, but if there is one thing that is widely known in music, it's that classics are that way for a reason. And they will still be desirable---and valuable---for many years to come.
There have been big improvements SS and modeling technology, but I'm a tube man through and through, just like how I like loud, powerful piston engined cars rather than electrics or hybrids. Call me old fashioned, I'm fine with it.
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Diego
New member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
I think the notion of SS amps getting eaten by tube amps in the same room gets too much help from the fact that most SS amps and notably Line 6 have terrible speakers that turn to mush and fizz when pushed.
A high wattage SS head through a good cab with good speakers?
Count me in.
I think the notion of SS amps getting eaten by tube amps in the same room gets too much help from the fact that most SS amps and notably Line 6 have terrible speakers that turn to mush and fizz when pushed.
A high wattage SS head through a good cab with good speakers?
Count me in.
Kramer Guy
New member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
I can't remember if I posted it on here but, a few months ago, I acquired a NM condition, 1996 USA made, Fender Roc-Pro 700 which is a 70 watt hybrid , SS / Tube combo which has a 12AX7/ECC83 built right in thr preamp of the Gain channel. It has definitely replaced my 1988 Fender Studio 85 as my favorite amp. The gain on it, is the best that I've ever heard out of any Fender combo ever !
I can't remember if I posted it on here but, a few months ago, I acquired a NM condition, 1996 USA made, Fender Roc-Pro 700 which is a 70 watt hybrid , SS / Tube combo which has a 12AX7/ECC83 built right in thr preamp of the Gain channel. It has definitely replaced my 1988 Fender Studio 85 as my favorite amp. The gain on it, is the best that I've ever heard out of any Fender combo ever !
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
Pretty much any of the Transtube Peavy amps. Haven't kept up with them, but the red banded ones from about ten years ago were damn fine amps.
Pretty much any of the Transtube Peavy amps. Haven't kept up with them, but the red banded ones from about ten years ago were damn fine amps.
dominus
King Midas to Cheap Guitars
Jermo3178
Active member
Re: Favorite SS Amp?
I always wanted to try one of those...
I had a Crate 120w head w/ 2 4/12's. It was a GT1200 or something.. used it for many years til I bought the blackstar (cuz if you want to be a rocker, you gotta have a tube amp) The thing was a monster.. Descent cleans (not great), but the dirty channels... mmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmmmm.....
I always wanted to try one of those...
I had a Crate 120w head w/ 2 4/12's. It was a GT1200 or something.. used it for many years til I bought the blackstar (cuz if you want to be a rocker, you gotta have a tube amp) The thing was a monster.. Descent cleans (not great), but the dirty channels... mmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmmmm.....
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Re: Favorite SS Amp?
Peavey Special 130 212 w/the Sheffield 1290s. Still use it, with an ADA MP-1 in front, but also just use the amp as well. Three channels, will do everything from country clean to blues breakup to afterburner gain by itself, and don't have to worry about a tube going. Also will drown out Hartsfield Atlanta airport from my backyard, so no worries volume wise.
Peavey Special 130 212 w/the Sheffield 1290s. Still use it, with an ADA MP-1 in front, but also just use the amp as well. Three channels, will do everything from country clean to blues breakup to afterburner gain by itself, and don't have to worry about a tube going. Also will drown out Hartsfield Atlanta airport from my backyard, so no worries volume wise.
