kdawson
New member
Every few years I ask myself this question and I never really arrive at an answer, so I'm going to try and quantify it for my own benefit. I thought maybe others would like to do the same.
Let me start by saying that I have owned a number of amps (stacks with tube and SS preamps. tube and SS power amps; tube and SS combos). I'm not religious over the SS tube debate, but I gotta say that I've heard way more good/great sounding tube amps than solid state amps (to my ears), especially at perfomance levels.
Having said that, I'm always embarrassed to tell people what my main amp has been for the past 20 years. It's an old Peavey Bandit (first generation) with an Electrovoice SRO speaker. While I can't say it's THE tone I'm looking for (too sterile clean; like most SS amps; my old JC-77 being an exception!), it comes closer than anything I've ever owned and I think I finally figured out why.
I like an even tone, lots of bass, lots of mids, lots of top-end. This equates to full and loud. My amp somehow sounds "bigger" than most combos I've ever heard. I like tight distortion and overdrive sounds, like you would typically get from a decent solid state pedal. I run my amp clean, and although I've owned a couple of amps with 12AX7s in the preamp section, I've never liked the overdriven sound as much as what I can get from a pedal. What my amp lacks is the warmth and response of a good EL34 power amp section. (I've always preferred EL34s in my tube power amps, I've owned amps with 6L6's but always found them too bright on the top and too soft on the bottom; especially Fenders!). But, for the most part, I like what I hear coming out of this old SS amp and it inspires me to play more and better. My genre/playing style has varied over greatly over the years and all my other amps have come and gone. This one is definately the most versitile amp I've owned.
PS. one last thing about my Bandit. It has never let me down. Ever. In 20 years, and I bought it second hand then, it has never had one trip to the repair shop. I've never owned another piece of equipment this reliable.
Let me start by saying that I have owned a number of amps (stacks with tube and SS preamps. tube and SS power amps; tube and SS combos). I'm not religious over the SS tube debate, but I gotta say that I've heard way more good/great sounding tube amps than solid state amps (to my ears), especially at perfomance levels.
Having said that, I'm always embarrassed to tell people what my main amp has been for the past 20 years. It's an old Peavey Bandit (first generation) with an Electrovoice SRO speaker. While I can't say it's THE tone I'm looking for (too sterile clean; like most SS amps; my old JC-77 being an exception!), it comes closer than anything I've ever owned and I think I finally figured out why.
I like an even tone, lots of bass, lots of mids, lots of top-end. This equates to full and loud. My amp somehow sounds "bigger" than most combos I've ever heard. I like tight distortion and overdrive sounds, like you would typically get from a decent solid state pedal. I run my amp clean, and although I've owned a couple of amps with 12AX7s in the preamp section, I've never liked the overdriven sound as much as what I can get from a pedal. What my amp lacks is the warmth and response of a good EL34 power amp section. (I've always preferred EL34s in my tube power amps, I've owned amps with 6L6's but always found them too bright on the top and too soft on the bottom; especially Fenders!). But, for the most part, I like what I hear coming out of this old SS amp and it inspires me to play more and better. My genre/playing style has varied over greatly over the years and all my other amps have come and gone. This one is definately the most versitile amp I've owned.
PS. one last thing about my Bandit. It has never let me down. Ever. In 20 years, and I bought it second hand then, it has never had one trip to the repair shop. I've never owned another piece of equipment this reliable.
