What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

[leevc5]

I am building a 5F1 tube amp, putting in a cabinet with a Celestion V-Type 12" 70W speaker. Because the 5F1 is so small I am thinking that I could add a more powerful solid state amp to the cabinet. It would allow me to take one amp to a gig and have the option to go with a miked tube amp or stand alone solid state.
Any opinions would be appreciated.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Bandit by Peavey

Get one abandon your build
Revel in the magic of Trans tube

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I love tubes, but the last Peavey I played was the current-generation Bandit, and it's quite an amp. It's especially good as a platform for pedals. I don't know how many pedals I threw at that amp, but it made them all sound great.

 

[DankStar]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I dunno but I love my roland jc-50 for cleans.

Maybe just mount an EH power amp pedal thingy in it somewhere?

 

[leevc5]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I like the recommendations for the Bandit y'all gave, the reviews I've read and the sound clips I've listened to.
I found the service manual:
file:///C:/Users/lee/Downloads/peavey_bandit_112_service_manual.pdf
Quick look and I think I could put the amp together for less than $40 and if I have to modify the layout so that it will fit in the cabinet with my 5F1.
Thanks once again SD Forumers

 

[jmcorey]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Anything by Tech21, especially the Trademark 60.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Anything by Tech21, especially the Trademark 60.

Oh yeah! I love my Trademark 60. It is expensive for an SS amp, but man, it sounds great. It breaks up the way I want it to, and responds really well to dynamics, more than many actual tube amps. BTW, their FlyRig5 is great direct into a mixer as well.

 

[leevc5]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Trademark 60 - it looks like channel 1 and 2 share the same treble and bass controls. How do you set one channel for lead tone and the other channel for rhythm tone?

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Get an old 80s Marshall Lead 100 Mosfet.

 

[jeremy]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

one of the best sounding ss amps ive played was an old trademark 10, its been discontinued but it was awesome. the newer ones dont sound quite as good to me but the trademark 60 is still a nice amp.

dave, have you tried the fly rig into an amp? i didnt try it into a mixer but into an amp i wasnt impressed, the bypassed sound was great but everything else was meh.

 

[devastone]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I like the old Tubeworks stuff, picked up a 100W combo for $99 a couple of years ago. It was one of the first versions so I did add a master volume to it which cut the noise level down to nothing except when it was running wide open (I can explain later if you're interested). Later versions incorporated an overal MV. BK Butler did a great job with the FET power amp designs in those and the rack mount power amps.

 

[leevc5]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Wish I could find a Tubeworks amp for $99. I have heard a lot of good things about their amps.

 

[devastone]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I found it at a local Music-Go-Round, also check the used section at guitarcenter.com

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Orange Micro series. Terror if you want a cranked Marshall vibe, Dark if you want that and a lot of other options.

 

[Condemnedsoul]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

+1 for the Bandit. Really like these amps but don't currently own one.
+1 for the Orange Amps - micro series are nice and really like their CR-60.

 

[Firebrand]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

+1 The orange Crush Pro series here. Outstanding sound. They took the Rockerverb series circuitry and figured out what SS components would work best to replace the tubes.
They succeeded.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

I really like the Orange Crush series for tube like stuff. It actually does have a lot of cool and usable sounds. Tech 21 stuff is always good as well.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

Blackstar ID series by far for modern offerings.

Also Orange Crush amps and Tech21 are pretty good.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

View attachment 71479 Trademark 60 - it looks like channel 1 and 2 share the same treble and bass controls. How do you set one channel for lead tone and the other channel for rhythm tone?

I essentially use them straight up.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What solid state amp comes closest to having tube amp characteristics?

one of the best sounding ss amps ive played was an old trademark 10, its been discontinued but it was awesome. the newer ones dont sound quite as good to me but the trademark 60 is still a nice amp.

dave, have you tried the fly rig into an amp? i didnt try it into a mixer but into an amp i wasnt impressed, the bypassed sound was great but everything else was meh.

Actually, I didn't. Although using the Flyrig into an amp, I would avoid the SansAmp section, and just use the Plexi and delay section. I used it at quite a few gigs direct into the mixer. The Sansamp section has a clean Fender voicing. It sounds really nice. I still bring it to gigs if my Fractal were ever to go down. I could still get through the gig.