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Post subject: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:40 pm
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I thought this was very fun. Whatta' you think sounds "best"? (and .... then there's the speaker to factor in. gearheads, what a concept) :mrgreen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpXWXpiTYoA


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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:01 pm
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He had me at meateballs.


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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 7:54 am
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I think he's right about the dynamics and overtones.
Better with more power tube saturation.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:48 am
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Personally I'm starting to go the other way, preamps is where it's at for me at the moment. That said I'm using an amp with 6L6's and I just don't like the sound of that valve much at all. Far too piercing in the high end. Something I find with most kinkless tetrode valves.

I got to spend a bit of time with the Vibrators guitarist a few months back. His set up is incredibly basic. A 2204, a 1936 2x12 and a Les Paul junior with a wah in between.
He uses little preamp gain (4-5) but whacks the master up to 8. Sounds incredible for his style of playing. Albeit ridiculously loud.
I like attenuators. However so much of good sound is actual air moving. You just don't get that with the amp turned down. Be it by attenuator or using the preamp high and the volume low.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 4:14 pm
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WhatsThatSmell wrote:
I thought this was very fun. Whatta' you think sounds "best"? (and .... then there's the speaker to factor in. gearheads, what a concept) :mrgreen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpXWXpiTYoA


Very interesting WTS 8)

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:39 pm
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nikininja wrote:
... However so much of good sound is actual air moving. You just don't get that with the amp turned down. ...


Could not agree more. Whether I'm playing clean or kicking in the overdrive, when the volume is up the guitar is more responsive.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:23 am
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So, I guess this is why we like low wattage amps?

That way we can drive the pre and power tubes depending on what we want and still hear things on retirement.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:53 pm
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jensljungkvist wrote:
So, I guess this is why we like low wattage amps?

That way we can drive the pre and power tubes depending on what we want and still hear things on retirement.
that, of course depends on where you play. If your most often played venue starts with "Bed" and ends with "room", that might be the case. If you play a lot of gigs outdoors on a beach (for example)....maybe not so much.

It almost seems like if you play at home, play medium sized venues, and play large venues, you need 3 tube amps to be happy all the time, unless you have an attenuator.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 3:59 pm
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strings10927 wrote:
It almost seems like if you play at home, play medium sized venues, and play large venues, you need 3 tube amps to be happy all the time, unless you have an attenuator.

Not necessarily...I have a 40-watt tube amp (which qualifies as "medium sized" to me, wattage-wise). I use it for home use, rehearsal, jams and gigs from very small coffeehouse shows and clubs to mid-sized outdoor festivals.

I live in a house, so it's OK if I crank it up, but I generally don't turn it up past "3" to prevent loosening of sheetrock or my teeth. I've played it both mic'd and un-mic'd in clubs, and it was mic'd at the larger festivals. The only time I really cranked it up was at one of the larger club gigs, where they encouraged excessive volume...and it still had a pretty clean tone overall.

The rest of the time, I rarely turn it up past 4 or 5.

If I want overdrive, I just step on that little green pedal or the little red pedal (or both) that reside at my feet.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:05 pm
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Screamin Armadillo wrote:

If I want overdrive, I just step on that little green pedal or the little red pedal (or both) that reside at my feet.


I do both. I have three 2 channel amps, and I use pedals into the clean channel. But I like to use the gain channel for the natural amp breakup for some variety.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:28 am
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I think that is part of the joy of low wattage amps. However plug a Class5 into a 4x12 and it's just not the same.
People wonder how Clapton and Hendrix got such present sounds in the 60's. It's got more to do with plugging amps capable of delivering 190 watts at peak into cabinets capable of handling 100watts. Though using two of em that expands to 200watts.
My Class5 puts out 10watts peak, has a speaker capable of handling 15watts. I think that relationship of the amp occasionally stressing the speaker is a vital part of the sound of that amp.
I've a 2x12 with '72 G12-H's that a mate is using at the moment. It's capable of handling 60watts, said mate is using it with a Marshall 1987, 50watt. It sounds tremendous.

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:00 am
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strings10927 wrote:
jensljungkvist wrote:
So, I guess this is why we like low wattage amps?

That way we can drive the pre and power tubes depending on what we want and still hear things on retirement.


It almost seems like if you play at home, play medium sized venues, and play large venues, you need 3 tube amps to be happy all the time, unless you have an attenuator.


This could be true if it wasn't for the advancement of modern PA-systems. I have seen tons of artists with small amps on stage.
One of the first I saw was in the 90s when a really nice Kiss cover band stod in front of a wall of Marshall heads and 4x12s. Behind was a Fender SF Twin, micked up. The cabs were all empty.
Last gear rundown I saw was Brian Mays rig. He uses 3 AC30s on stage.
I suppose he's also fond of his hearing.

And in any recording situation this is also true.

But of course, one can never stop a tone chaser...

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Post subject: Re: Preamp Vs Power Tube Distortion: youtube
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:11 pm
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Sort of depends on the quality of the soundman. I've had times where I loved the soundman, they kept my mids up, paid attention to solos and raised volume. Gave my monitor a mix specific to me. Loads of snare and my guitar.

Then other times I've been really unhappy with a soundman that has decided I want a scooped sound and just gave me a generic mix for the band in my monitor.
In which case I tell them to kill my monitor and I go stand by the drums.
I'm sorry but in that situation an openbacked combo just doesn't do the job. A 1x12 closed back cab will do much better. As long as you get your position right.

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