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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:50 am
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lomitus wrote:
When FM radio came out, everyone swore it was "the end" of AM...seems like AM radio is still around.

In large parts of of the world, no, AM radio is not still around.
And neither will FM be around for long - the first Western country closes down FM in two years.


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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:34 am
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arth1 wrote:
lomitus wrote:
When FM radio came out, everyone swore it was "the end" of AM...seems like AM radio is still around.

In large parts of of the world, no, AM radio is not still around.
And neither will FM be around for long - the first Western country closes down FM in two years.


And then there is AM stereo :twisted:

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:43 am
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The Russians still embrace tubes as did the US military into the 1960's, but Russia still makes cameras that are copies of 100yr old Leica's, and Ural motorcycles that are 1930's BMWs. Good stuff in themselves, but compare it to state of the art and see where they fall in the marketplace. In military field use and rural areas tube equipment is easier to service than solid state so that makes them better in that application, but heat cycles and shock kills tube equipment quickly. Crown used to advertise that their solid state PA systems would work when dropped out of airplanes in the jungles of Africa, and their stereo equipment performed to spec. year after year compared to tube amplifiers. That was fantastic news to most everyone but the flat earth society.


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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:25 pm
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Fender Strat Brat wrote:
And then there is AM stereo :twisted:

Which you record to your 8-track cassette recorder...

Image


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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:29 pm
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tvr1979 wrote:
In military field use and rural areas tube equipment is easier to service than solid state so that makes them better in that application, but heat cycles and shock kills tube equipment quickly.

On the other hand, tubes are far more resistant to EMP (from atomic bombs), which is one reason why the militaries still have some tube equipment for backup.


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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:39 pm
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arth1 wrote:
tvr1979 wrote:
In military field use and rural areas tube equipment is easier to service than solid state so that makes them better in that application, but heat cycles and shock kills tube equipment quickly.

On the other hand, tubes are far more resistant to EMP (from atomic bombs), which is one reason why the militaries still have some tube equipment for backup.


Correct.

The US military has vast stockpiles of tube gear housed in underground arsenals, prepping for some cataclysmic event that everyone prays will never arrive. And not merely thermonuclear war -- a powerful CME from the sun that strikes the planet squarely would produce a near-identical scenario of electronic and electro-motive chaos which could conceivably last a decade.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 8:30 am
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arth1 wrote:
Fender Strat Brat wrote:
And then there is AM stereo :twisted:

Which you record to your 8-track cassette recorder...

Image


Which you use this way.
http://youtu.be/Z9WP-UzWHes :lol:

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:07 pm
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Cool topic but I think a few folks are using the terms "solid state" and "digital" interchangeably.

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:50 pm
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mhowell wrote:
Cool topic but I think a few folks are using the terms "solid state" and "digital" interchangeably.

You're likely right, but it does make a statement for and against, some to take the edge off.

Back to solid state, though. In broadcast stations that I worked in, our techs had their own preference in hardwire versus PC boards.

On one hand, repairing a hardwire unit meant a different set of skills ensuring more job security. SS and modular PC boards could be either detailed repair, or a simple replacement. The faulty board might end up in the trash bin (sometimes along with jobs).

It was not unheard of a tech complaint that the wiring had been customized to the point of no return, at least not easily, because of poor documentation or terrible execution. Replacement PC boards became a life saver both in time and organization and the tubes and hardwire were eventually not missed by both the users and the techs.

Granted guitar amps are most often simpler; however, any similar experiences with your amps and such, gang?

Incidentally, European gear was usually the last hard wired gear and, while it produced the end product superbly, you could almost always look forward to problem repairs. Sort of like owning a Triumph.

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:03 am
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Fender Strat Brat wrote:

Incidentally, European gear was usually the last hard wired gear and, while it produced the end product superbly, you could almost always look forward to problem repairs. Sort of like owning a Triumph.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I owned a Triumph GT6+, I loved that car, but had to spend a hour or two every Saturday morning tinkering, adjusting and cleaning to keep it running right.

8)

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:09 am
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omar59 wrote:
Fender Strat Brat wrote:

Incidentally, European gear was usually the last hard wired gear and, while it produced the end product superbly, you could almost always look forward to problem repairs. Sort of like owning a Triumph.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I owned a Triumph GT6+, I loved that car, but had to spend a hour or two every Saturday morning tinkering, adjusting and cleaning to keep it running right.

8)

I love Triumphs too. When I went to high school my buddy used to own a baby blue TR4 convertible that I would like to have gotten. Beautiful wooden dash with great looking gauges, and Lucas electrics (if ya know what I mean). Didn't like the rain and the humidity. It rained all the time where we lived; but, that was similar in England. Go figure. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:12 pm
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I love tube amps above all else. That being said I am completely blown away with the Kemper modeling amp videos. The process for how it recreates the sound of your specific amp, the ability to share the sound files and the quality of sound it produces. If I was a gigging musician I would use one for live performances, but would still record with a tube amp.


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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:00 pm
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In the 70s there were many small amplifier builders making tube amps. Solid state killed a great many of them off.

If you are a young musician and have the choice of one digital amp which purports to reproduce every amp which ever existed, or a tube amp which is only it's self which one do you think they will buy?

I tried a modeling amp. Brilliant for gigs, for all the reasons noted, but I felt it lacked life. Putting a tube preamp in front of it did cure that issue for me.

Tube amps will deminish because new musicians won't have that point of reference. I missed what I like about tubes, if I'd never played a tube amp I wouldn't miss that tube characteristic which I can't explain but know I like.

I agree with the point above regarding digital for gigging but as I now only play for my own pleasure I find my pleasure is enhanced by tubes.

Digital modeling will continue to get better, faster and cheaper. Eventually they will hit the algorithm which captures all of the subtle elements which make tubes wonderful. When they do (and they will) there will be as much justification for tube amps as there is for steam trains, and square rigged tea clippers. Things move on.

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:13 pm
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John Sims wrote:
Digital modeling will continue to get better, faster and cheaper. Eventually they will hit the algorithm which captures all of the subtle elements which make tubes wonderful. When they do (and they will) there will be as much justification for tube amps as there is for steam trains, and square rigged tea clippers. Things move on.


Then I'll happily move on with them.

All the grandiose gadgetry in the world cannot atone for the shoddy construction that most of those wünderamps feature, some of them so chintzy that they cannot even survive the boat ride from Asia without malfunctioning on the showroom floor once the snot-pickers at GC unpack them. Couple that with the inescapable fact that many of the digital components used in these products will be obsolete in a few years and replacement parts won't be available to repair them. Technology does in fact march on but ten years from now you won't see any of the current modeling amps in that parade.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: The future of analog amps
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:22 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
John Sims wrote:
Digital modeling will continue to get better, faster and cheaper. Eventually they will hit the algorithm which captures all of the subtle elements which make tubes wonderful. When they do (and they will) there will be as much justification for tube amps as there is for steam trains, and square rigged tea clippers. Things move on.


Then I'll happily move on with them.

All the grandiose gadgetry in the world cannot atone for the shoddy construction that most of those wünderamps feature, some of them so chintzy that they cannot even survive the boat ride from Asia without malfunctioning on the showroom floor once the snot-pickers at GC unpack them. Couple that with the inescapable fact that many of the digital components used in these products will be obsolete in a few years and replacement parts won't be available to repair them. Technology does in fact march on but ten years from now you won't see any of the current modeling amps in that parade.

Arjay


Arjay...sadly we now live in a throw away society when it comes to many things, digital amps being one of them. I am betting when you have to return one to those snot-pickers at GC, Fender doesn't even want them back, they hook shot em into the nearest dumpster. With the shoddy way they are built there is no need to manufacture interchangeable parts when there is no intent to repair!
:evil:
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