Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

dystrust said:
Like Red_Label I used to own a Triamp Mk I, and I also had an Edition Tube 20 like Artie's friend. The clean channel in both was a really good modern clean; very HiFi, with no breakup to be had at less than truly painful volume. They also did a pretty good heavy gain sound, though the low end could get a bit tough to manage. The weakness in both amps was finding a mid-gain crunch sound that wasn't stridently bright.

I ended up selling the Triamp because it weighed 64lbs with no case, and because balancing even 3 of the 6 available amps/channels/modes was extremely difficult in practice. There were some good tones in there, but I needed money for bills and I just liked my 2555 a lot better. I sold the Edition Tube because the dirty channel was just too dirty. The usable range on the gain knob was between about 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock; any less and it'd be very bright and thin. Get much above about 3 o'clock and it's super-saturated mush. I really wanted to like the Edition Tube, but it just wasn't a great fit for me and I didn't play it much.
Click to expand...

My favorite channels on the Triamp were 1B ("hairy" clean), 2A (ACDC crunch), and 3B (fat lead). I didn't use the other three channels/settings at all. My Triamp didn't have the tonal soul that my Bogners, Friedmans, etc had .. but those channels were very good and I could have lived with those for my career just fine.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

I have a tubemeister 5, 20 Deluxe and a grandmeister 40 Deluxe.

The 20 only has the clean and lead channels but has a boost, a great practice amp. The grandmeister 40 has infinite settings. I got it over the tubemeister 40 for the ultra channel, the boost and the built in noise gate, which were high on my list of extras.

I have mine loaded with Mullard tubes atm but even the JJ’s are a decent step up so it’s not so bright. The el84’s they ship with can be cutting depending on your speaker choice.

I haven’t had any issue with mine, I bought it used so I saved on getting the foot switch and the wireless network adapter for my ipad. The effects are suitable but I have a board and rack I use in the loop. I probably won’t use them unless I need several modulation effects over each other.

If I was looking at these now I would probably try out the black spirit 200. It’s 8lbs and does everything the Grandmeister 40 does but has built in Bluetooth, adjustable redbox and tube sag. Plus it’s $400 less. I may buy one just as a backup. Yeah, it’s not tube, but it’s all analog and sounds pretty good. Plus there’s no tubes to break or replace every year or 2.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

I own three of the CTS from H&K (TriAmp MkII, Duotone, Puretone) and have been messing around with my buddy's Grandmeister Deluxe 40. He knew I was a fan of H&K, so he let me borrow it. Now while by the big bottle H&K amps I own overall sound fuller and thicker, it is no doubt that the GD40 is a monster of an amp! I own lots of great amps, but I was really blown away by this little H&K. I am not really into the Ultra channel on it, but I can see why some people would love it. The clean channel is great, not as 3D sounding as my personal H&Ks, but still really nice. I really like the Crunch and Lead channels, especially considering that these channels can be boosted. The Crunch channel is excellent for dialing in anything from that biting clean sound to great rock crunch. Then boost it and then you get some heavy crunch rhythm tones. The lead channel is thicker, due to the increased mids. It has just the right amount of eq adjustment to get that awesome feedback, not the screeching kind (well it can if you dial in too much gain) but the kind that lends itself to musical feedback. It also has great sustain! It is a bit bright sounding, which probably is because of the signature H&K sound, but because the EL84s just have that characteristic too. I have the presence down fairly low, and the resonance up a bit to help cut that top end sizzle. I think this is an amp that would benefit from speakers that aren't bright sounding to be honest. I actually think the Eminence Legend V12s would be good with it. I found my Splawn 2x12 loaded with Eminence CV-75s really complement the sound.

Besides sounding great, the other features on the amp just make it an unreal amp. The built in effects, power scaling, built-in gate, Red Box DI, TSC circuitry, and built in boost really make this amp a serious amp. It isn't a gimmick amp by any means! I am actually considering adding one of these to my collection, but I am also looking at the Black Spirit 200 too...

Cole
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

IIRC, the Deluxe Tubemeisters were revoiced to be more like the Triamp, which sounds like a good thing, but I haven't played them in person, only one of the original Tubemeister 18s which was okay, but I am more interested in the revoiced ones.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

GM40DELUXE FTW.

Best amp I've ever owned, and while very light it's quite powerful and versatile.

I play from chicken picking to Death Metal with it.

Comparing it to the Black Spirit 200, the latter has more features, but lacks the presence and feel of the GM40D...
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Also, isn’t the Red Box on the Black Spirit 200 simplified compared to the GM40? That’s a big deal for... um... people who use it.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Little Pigbacon said:
Also, isn’t the Red Box on the Black Spirit 200 simplified compared to the GM40? That’s a big deal for... um... people who use it.
Click to expand...

The red box is somewhat simplified on the back of the black Spirit, but there are 8 different sounds on the front dial to pick from rather than just big/small and vintage/modern.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Adieu said:
I agree with your earlier sentiment :)

As to the latter, it just reminds me of thoae few times you got a router modem printer or whatever, and the power LED was driving you so nuts you ended up putting masking tape over it...x10


Me I just want a box with knobs and switches, maybe a handle or carry strap, maybe some corner protectors.... not the poke you in the eye lightshow of a Cox Cable modem
Click to expand...

That $#!t right there is funny! Surely there is a dimmer or off switch for all that blue? That would be a possible deal breaker I have to admit.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Id love to have a Grandmiester!!! Only one of the Tubemiester series Ive ever been able to play was the 5 and was alittle underwhelmed with that one. Ive owned a couple of the HK Blue edition solid state amps for practice and they sound good and served me well. Started with the 15 watt and moved up to the 30 and gave my kids the 15. My son used it for a pa amp when he went thru a singing (growling) phase.


Are the patches hard to program ?
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

BloodRose said:
Are the patches hard to program ?
Click to expand...

Easiest way to program patches I've ever seen: set amp channel, gain, EQ, volume, noise gate, and presence/resonance (on the GMD40 you can save these per patch), set reverb and effects as desired, power amp wattage. Then, push the Store button quiickly. Step on the FSM 432 MKIII to save it where you want it... and it's ready to rock!
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Synapsys said:
Easiest way to program patches I've ever seen: set amp channel, gain, EQ, volume, noise gate, and presence/resonance (on the GMD40 you can save these per patch), set reverb and effects as desired, power amp wattage. Then, push the Store button quiickly. Step on the FSM 432 MKIII to save it where you want it... and it's ready to rock!
Click to expand...

The midi module for the Triamp works basically the same way, except that it uses actual pots instead of encoders so it doesn't memorize EQ or volume settings.
 
Re: Hughs and Kettner. Anyone?

Synapsys said:
Easiest way to program patches I've ever seen: set amp channel, gain, EQ, volume, noise gate, and presence/resonance (on the GMD40 you can save these per patch), set reverb and effects as desired, power amp wattage. Then, push the Store button quiickly. Step on the FSM 432 MKIII to save it where you want it... and it's ready to rock!
Click to expand...

Sounds like even I, could figure that out... thanks
 
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