SS or tube for home/home studio?

[Sly_D]

Hi guys.

Well, I'm rethinking my amp purchase right now. I need an amp for home and home studio use (not for gigs). Now since tubes in this case will hardly be pushed at all, I'm now thinking it would probably be better to buy a solid state amp with a great clean channel (like a Fender stage 100 or Deluxe 90) and put a great pedal in front of it, like the SFX-03 or the Plexitone. It would actually cost me a lot less than a tube amp for a similar result. For instance, I once used a MI AUdio Crunch Box with a Blues Jr... excellent gain tones. Yet at the volume I'm playing at home, is it king of a waste of money to buy a small tube amp for this setting? A good solid state amp with similar tone should give reasonably similar results at home volume, no?

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SeraphimTN]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

How bout getting a Roland Cube of whatever wattage you need? They have impeccable clean n distortion!

 

[Kac]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

my honest advice is to go with the Blues Jr. or some other <16 watt tube amp. If it's for the home studio you want it to sound as good as possible and tubes are just SWEET.

but you could still get some decent tones out of a solidstate amp, that's just my input.

Rock on ~ Kac

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

I sat home preactice, ss studio use tube.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Thanks guys.

 

[kjrocks]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

I would suggest something with a good resale value

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

I try to go tube all the way, so I'd say tube: a Gibson gold amp (if you're rich) or a Fender Blues Junior.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Hi guys.

Well, I'm rethinking my amp purchase right now. I need an amp for home and home studio use (not for gigs). Now since tubes in this case will hardly be pushed at all, I'm now thinking it would probably be better to buy a solid state amp with a great clean channel (like a Fender stage 100 or Deluxe 90) and put a great pedal in front of it, like the SFX-03 or the Plexitone. It would actually cost me a lot less than a tube amp for a similar result. For instance, I once used a MI AUdio Crunch Box with a Blues Jr... excellent gain tones. Yet at the volume I'm playing at home, is it king of a waste of money to buy a small tube amp for this setting? A good solid state amp with similar tone should give reasonably similar results at home volume, no?

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

As an owner of a Fender Stage 100 DSP head i'd stay away from them... they are pretty noisey and full of hum, not good for recording... i just happened to of found one for dirt cheap and thought i'd give it a go... there is enough hum out of it, it'll never make good recordings....

Modeling maybe the way for you... Try the VOX's.... they sound great...

i'm not 100% sold on modeling yet but hey they are good tones for bedrooms!!! And recording!!!.. I want a Vox modeler myself. the 50watt combo... i'd also love a keyboard amp to use Modeler preamps thru for home use... but also take it out with a preamp and use it as an amp for jams....

That being said i use a Fender Princton Chorus amp a lot for bedroom practices, an old one... before the DSP cr*p... it's much quiter then the Stage 100. I use it just because it is there.... But i also have many tube amps to pick from, a Fender 65 Deluxe and a Classic 30... But i find the tube amps a little too loud when people are home downstairs... I also use a cheap a$$ed Berhinger Vintager amp once in a while... cool for ACDC type thump for a few bucks but not a very good amp at all.... fun to toy with.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Thanks for the advices... I think kjrocks is kowing me a little too well now

I tried a bunch of amps yesterday and I really think the only thing I'll like is to go back to one of the Traynor YCV40 or 50. I can't go back to SS. My ears don't like it at all. So I guess I'll have to wait and save...

 

[WhoFan]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Thanks for the advices... I think kjrocks is kowing me a little too well now

I tried a bunch of amps yesterday and I really think the only thing I'll like is to go back to one of the Traynor YCV40 or 50. I can't go back to SS. My ears don't like it at all. So I guess I'll have to wait and save...

i'm looking at the Traynors as well.... I may use my Fender SS stuff as a trade in oneday soon! I may end up with a vox modeler or a another Tube Combo... the whole world is open for me that way.... time will tell...

Did you try the Vox modelers? kind of cool what those things can do for such little coin

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

A small tube amp and pedals if a recording amp (Line6, Vox, or Damage Control) does not work. Or a tube preamp, cab emulator to PA, keyboard amp or board. I change my mind about every 6 months.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

a GOOD SS amp for cleans.

I'd rather have SS than a modelling amp...

But the Vox AD30VT doesn't sound bad... I just don't like the feel of lots of modelling amps.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Well, I had a Vox AD30VT and hated it. Can't crank those without loosing your ears... but I know Erik_H has the 50 watt version and say it's a lot better with a 12 inch speaker... I don't know... I have yet to ear a digital amp I liked...

Actually, since I just couldn't live without an amp, I just rented a Marshall AVTX-50, and I like it quite a lot. With my Ultra-G analog cab sim, it makes killer recordings and the crunch is as Marshall as you can get. I'll see if it lives up to the test, but for now, it's pretty good.

I'm actually thinking of getting 2 amps. Keeping this Marshall for Crunch tones (I'll never be able to get as good a crunch tone with a true Marshall tube amp unless I'm willing to loose my family and neighberhood) and buying another amp for great cleans.

I'm now suspecting trying to get the best of both world in a single amp is a myth.

 

[baritone]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Roland JC-90.

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Roland JC-90.

+1
one of the nicest cleans on a SS amp.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: SS or tube for home/home studio?

Well, as it turned out, I found the AVTX-50 quite horrible when cranked. So I returned it and pick the Blues Jr. All I'll need now is another Crunchbox and I'll be in heaven. I really like the hot tone of the Blues Jr.