Mixing tube and SS

[Ray 911S]

I have a couple small tube practice amps - a Blues Jr and a Carvin Vintage 16 - but I just bought a tube preamp on a whim. It's a Marshall 9001. Just to check it out and play around a little bit I hooked it up to my solid state combo through the line in circuit. I really loved the sound of the Marshall.

NOt having enough cash left over to go buy a Mesa 20/20 power amp, what do you guys think baout running this tube preamp through a clean power amp - say a Crown D300 for instance? It wouldn't be as nuanced as it would be through a tube power amp, but I'd still have the OD from the preamp tubes. Any down sides?

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

so your plan is to get a SS power amp then upgrade to a tube one later?

i'd say just hold off & save for the power amp you want. Theres no use in paying for something that's gonna become obsolete later. Buying a SS power amp is just gonna put you farther away from reaching your goal & just sit in the corner once you get the one you want. Sure it'll work till you get the mesa, but if you want a tube power amp, get a tube power amp

 

[lastwinj]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

the crown d300, isnt that one of those old lab amps? if so, those dont sound terrible, go for it.

 

[Artie]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

. . . what do you guys think baout running this tube preamp through a clean power amp - say a Crown D300 for instance?

I run my J-Station into an old Crown D150A. Its beautiful.

Your idea is even better. Go for it.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

I'd go for the best for cheapest, and that would be older Peavey Classic 50/50's and 60/60's. They're all tube, and honestly sound just about as good as the Mesas. Plus, they can be found from $200-$400. Save up, and keep your eye on used Peavey Tube Power amps. And later, if you retube it with JJ's, the sound will be even better than when it was new.

 

[Ray 911S]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

Yeah, lastwinj, the Crowns are the super-clean high-end SS poweramp line. I've used them for a long time - but mostly when clean and acurrate was important. The tone from the tube pre-amp is awesome, of course - it seems strange to prefer a distorted "warm" tone from tubes, and then reproduce that distortion with the cleanest power amp available.

Anyway - I'm hoping to learn how the tone is affected by tube preamp and then tube power amp. Or vice versa. I've seen SS pres run through tube power amps, but it seems that most of the tone actually comes from the preamp. Just want to make sure I'm not missing any important points here. So - how different will a tube preamp sound running through a tube power amp vs through a solid state power amp? To my [admittedly novice] ears, one set of tubes sounds great, but if more is better ...

 

[ES350]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

ummm, isnt that what they do when they mike your amp to the house anyway? I used to slave a Tweed Deluxe through a L7 Lab Series 4x10 amp and that sounded ridiculously good. If it works, do it.

 

[Ray 911S]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

Excellent point.

On second thought, however - the mic is after the poweramp, so any interaction between preamp and poweramp affecting tone happens before the mic. Otherwise they would just use line out from the preamp to the mixer rather than mic the speaker.

Still, I think you raise a good point ...

 

[ES350]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

Yeah, I realize that...but all the wine-tasting and cork sniffing that goes on over tubes/speakers/caps/pu's/strings/ad infinitum ends up subject to the whims of some board jockey with two weeks under his belt...

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

Also remember there are two kinds of SS amps, PA/reference and "guitar-tuned" ones. So you might like the 9100 more through a Tubeworks Mosvalve, or some old Hafler or ADA dealio. The Crown is probably fine, but the used Peaveys are the diamond in the rough as mentioned. Also I think Carvin's is reasonable new, so maybe a used Carvin tube power amp is out there for you, too.

 

[dd12939]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

I have a Peavey 50/50 and I love it. I got it for $250 to my door and the thing is rock-solid. I'm gonna retube it eventually, but it doesn't need it badly for now.

 

[Ray 911S]

Re: Mixing tube and SS

:laugh2: I love it. My new favorite quote!

Yeah, I realize that...but all the wine-tasting and cork sniffing that goes on over tubes/speakers/caps/pu's/strings/ad infinitum ends up subject to the whims of some board jockey with two weeks under his belt...

Truer words were never spoken.