please explain high gain

[Binnerscot]

Re: please explain high gain

the xxx is a weired amp though. despite all that gain, its more inclined toward rock and old school shred than metal. at least that was my impression of it

What do you consider a metal sounding amp?

 

[MetalMike_II]

Re: please explain high gain

Originally Posted by Binnerscot

Honestly, the most pre-amp gain I have ever experienced is the Peavey Triple X. Far more gain than the Mesas and Bogners (its not like they are lacking any), more than the Rockmaster and Ultras.

thank you. although, on the topic of "most gain" - a great topic in my book - up there with the XXX is an early model Ecstacy I owned for a long time, and (switching to the blasphemous world of solid state, cuz this metalhead is no purist) a Crate 20 watt stereo chorus I had regularly blew my head off, and actually, I think my Cube 60 absolutely kills. And of course it runs in the 5150 family too, not to mention my daydream amp, the 5150 III. But the XXX is a destroyer. I wouldn't mind having an Ubershall either, having tried one again recently. The first time I tried one with its matching cab I was flabbergasted. The second time was through some other cab and I didn't care for it and wondered if I'd hallucinated the first experience. Recently, through a G-Flex? Fudge me, right in the ear. Great grunting goodness fudgin gracious. Chunkitty funkitty flippitty flappin big bang boom. Yessiree-jim-bob-cat-tail, that was some nice shiitake.

Gosh, gain is great. Nothing like having lots of it. I like mine fuzzless and crispy.

and how could I forget the Ampeg VL-1002, the one with the "ignition keys"? that may be the winner for having the most gain/distortion/clipping of any amp ever. It's ridiculous, there is just sooooo much.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: please explain high gain

Well the question I have, a lot of these amps sound to me like a mega-distortion pedals, sometimes I hear a messa player and it sounds like boss metal zone - i.e, clipped diode I guess, not a tube crunch. I prefer the sound of Engls to Messas as they are a bit more composed, and not so "fenderesque" voiced. VHT, Messa, Engl, Krank, and others, how many of them actually use diode clipping to get all that gain?

Mesa has been 100% vacuum tube distortion from day one. I don't know about the others.