Next Trend in Amps?

[Burkwieser]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

One thing I'd also like to see is multi-test probe outputs from the power tubes to the back of the amp for biasing without having to buy a bias probe. Add to this a small hole in the back of the amp plate leading to a trim pot to adjust the bias without disassembling the amp. There's no sense in making you take an amp apart just to adjust the bias. That's like making you remove the engine of your car to change the oil. Automobile manufacturers don't operate with the same disregard to maintenence, so why should amp manufacturers?

Randall RT2 50watt power amp.
Check it out.
http://www.randallamplifiers.com/products/amplifiers/mts/mtsrack.asp#rt250
Not only is it an easy self bias on the front, it also tells you which tube has gone out via led.

I wish all amps came with this feature!

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I don't follow randall amps really. Not my bag really as I like lower gain stuff. I get my high gain out of my pedals. I'm glad to hear that a mainstream amp company is making things simpler for it's users. Maybe Marshall and Fender will perk up and do something similar.

 

[Burkwieser]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I don't follow randall amps really. Not my bag really as I like lower gain stuff. I get my high gain out of my pedals. I'm glad to hear that a mainstream amp company is making things simpler for it's users. Maybe Marshall and Fender will perk up and do something similar.

It's a poweramp.

The perfect match for the Randall RM4 or Egnater M4. There is plenty of light gain modules. Don't let the Randall name fool you. It was designed by Bruce Egnater, and isn't even in the same league as the rest of their lines.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I'd like to see more players using two 20 to 40 watt amps in stereo rather than one 40 to 80 watt amp. The sound is fabulous and surrounds the player and allows me to get the sustain associated with a cranked and distorted amp at a lower and cleaner sounding volume level.

Lew

 

[joelap]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Something I've been thinking a lot about lately, and considering trying to do at some point after I graduate with my engineering degree... I was wondering if it would be possible to construct IC's that clip, feel, and react the way a tube would. Obviously, they dont do that now, but maybe someday we can get very close. That'll keep cost down lower for tube amps, and should make better tone for the masses.

thats if its even possible.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Something I've been thinking a lot about lately, and considering trying to do at some point after I graduate with my engineering degree... I was wondering if it would be possible to construct IC's that clip, feel, and react the way a tube would. Obviously, they dont do that now, but maybe someday we can get very close. That'll keep cost down lower for tube amps, and should make better tone for the masses.

thats if its even possible.

Boy...they've been trying and trying since the late 60's. I think that's the goal with all of these newer non-tube and modeling amps. It seems to me that they can get them to sound great to me as a listener but that they don't feel the same as tubes to me as the player.

Lew

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Yeah, I like Egnater's idea of making modular heads, so you can switch out preamp modules. Years ago, Duncan amps had a similar layout. I think the main thing is to produce an amp that does as many things as possible, yet still sounds as high quality as a single channel handmade amp.

Bogner, Diezel, ENGL, Soldano, and Peavey have taken tube technology to the modern front, and I wonder how much longer it'll be before they create a digital FX modeler within the tube pre and power stages......and maybe one that can be removed and upgraded. This would eliminate that huge hassle of having a rack or pedalboard. We need a great tube amp that has a midi switching system and modeling FX built in, so all the channels and FX can be assigned. Maybe that should be a company's new direction?

 

[shredaholic]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Here's what I've seen or predict the amp companies catching on to:

• Post Phase Inverter Master Volumes
• The huge market that's grown for building 18w (or similar) amp clones

and here's what I think the amp companies should notice for their best interests but haven't shown to have yet:

• The high demand for NOS tubes because current production tubes don't compare to NOS. There are a few aspects of the production method that are overlooked to cut costs (inefficient vaccuum sealing, metals used not as pure etc), but I think if these shortcuts are scrapped the desirability of NOS tone would give said company market dominance and recoup the lost cost cuts.
• They need to rethink the digital modelling principle. As opposed to modelling the sound output from an amp, it'd probably be best to mix digital and analog in a system that replicates a tube amp like solid state amps do. However, instead of using a transistor to replace a tube, a digital emulation of just a tube and how that responds to signals in principle should be a lot easier to capture the desirable qualities of a tube amp.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Find ways to make quality parts cheaper, nothing beats a wellbuild amp with wellmade parts.

 

[ankalar]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

Rivera Knucklehead.

Is that the newer Knucklehead Reverb? I didn't know it could store different EQ settings, I thought the switching only involved different modes/channels/etc. switching. I'm going to have to check one out then!

 

[Corbic]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I would really like my next amp to have a cup-holder on the side of it :bigthumb:

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I forsee power scaling on most amps in the future. People are already realizing how effective they are in bringing down the volume of an amp and keeping the tone intact.

Auto tube biasing is something I've seen on a few amps and it's something I forsee being a feature incorporated in more amps. A lot of people don't have the time or the energy to tweak their amp (I don't touch it and I'm an electrician).

 

[kramer]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I'd like to see a more affordable, lower wattage amp along the same lines as the Zinky Superfly.

 

[Grandor]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

My dream amp:

Tube amp, 2 x 12", with four input channels, each with EQ. No effects other than a master reverb. Have several outputs, like for driving another cabinet, an XLR output (like having one direct box per channel), and a Line Out. This would mainly be geared towards (you guessed it) church and small gigs.

Robert

I use a dual rectifier for church gigs, it works very nicely.


My dream amp would be a dual rectifier with... hang on- the DR IS my dream amp, i just need some rack gear to control my switching between pedals and im set.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

I think my dream amp would be a 60W Bogner Ecstasy head that has digital plug-in in on the back panel that accomodates all the Roland software available to keyboards. Then a midiswitch would give me unlimited access to tube amp and digital FX presets.

 

[joelap]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

- Wheels

+10000000000000000000 My 4x12 marshall cab doesnt have casters, there are gigs I gotta carry it up 2 flights of stairs or more! :smack:

 

[aleclee]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

+10000000000000000000 My 4x12 marshall cab doesnt have casters, there are gigs I gotta carry it up 2 flights of stairs or more! :smack:

How would wheels help you get it up stairs?

 

[Peterku]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

A built-in dynamic cab simulator placed between the power section and the speakers with balanced XLR out would be nice. Home recording and live performance would be easier that way. My Hackman amp's going to have a TAD Fanta inside.

 

[joelap]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

How would wheels help you get it up stairs?

Wow... I didnt realize that when I posted it. I'm not sure how in the hell I made that connection!

But, it does suck having to lift it from the car to a gig then back home and crap.

 

[Peterku]

Re: Next Trend in Amps?

It'd be also nice, if some amps had an adjustable clean boost right after the input. Something like that new Vox tube-driven booster. It'd be especially nice with single coils.