Just got a Hughes and Kettner Triamp mkII

[GreyMartyr]

Thanks to Petelaramee of Kurgan's Bane for hooking me up. (Had a blast hanging with you and Jeff...we must do it again sometime!)

 

My immediate impression of the amp is that it kicks all sorts of ass. I brought it home and hooked it up to my rig:

 

Parker Fly Mojo-->G-system-->Triamp-->G-Flex 2x12

 

Its a remarkably full bodied amp with the most immaculate clean that I've ever played through. Tons of headroom, with a sparkling and chimey top end. Just nice, nice, nice. Chords ooze out of it and sound robust and full without being oppressive.

 

The mid-gain grit tones are also very happening. Easy to dial in some SRV and wail away. Responds very well to picking dynamics and playing with the guitar's volume knob. I want to dig into more of it, but just got completely sucked into the full on distorted tones in amp 3.

 

Amp 3B...wow.

 

Wow.

 

A harmonically complex distortion that is thick and punishing. It may not be tight enough for some players of the newer metal-core or super staccato death metal type stuff, but it certainly is one of the most unique and crushing amp tones that I can ever recall playing. Now I see why this amp has earned so much praise.

 

I got some great lead tones as well that ranged from biting to smooth legato bliss, all the while remaining thick and chewy and dripping with some great harmonic content.

 

I'll post some clips soon, as well as report if I'm still as impressed after the honeymoon is over.

 

For those thinking about this amp, definitely go try it out if you can. Mmm, mmm good.

[Voltaire]

THEY BETTER BE GOOD considering they cost an arm and a leg.

[GreyMartyr]

Agreed. I don't know if I can justify the usual $3k+ retail price point, but at a good used price it is certainly worth it. I had to get up early today just to run down and play with it like a kid at Christmas.

[guitarman967]

I love the Triamp too..My favorite sound on it is AMP 2's semi distorted sounds..They're so clear and smooth sounding. Cleans are very nive and detailed as well..Just an amazing amp overall

[petelaramee]

Cool Sean, I'm glad you like it. The clean sounds in that thing are great. You have to stop by again sometime.

[GreyMartyr]

 

Cool Sean, I'm glad you like it. The clean sounds in that thing are great. You have to stop by again sometime.

 

 

I agree on all counts Pete. Hey-all yee-yuh.

 

Ah, I just have so much fun playing through that amp, I can't wait to see how it fares in the band and live. There is a tremendous amount of gain in amp 3B and I can't help maxing it out and playing the most brutal metal I can muster mister. Its way too much gain for the style of music I normally play but its so damn fun to make that amp roar.

[Chrisjd]

Cool review, makes me want to play one.

[GreyMartyr]

The best part is that I'm really happy with the tones I'm getting through my G-Flex 2x12, which I always thought sounded a lil' shrill on the top end. I can't wait to roar through my EarCandy cab loaded with Eminence Legend121's, which is currently resting at a bandmate's house.

 

Someone on either HC or GearPage said that playing the Triamp mkII is "pure sex". I'll have to agree there. That thing has this bee-yuu-tee-ful harmonic sweetness, even in the super saturated high gain stuff that is damn near orgasmic. It actually makes me smile...and not want to tell my girlfriend.

[Taco2004]

The whole amp is amazing...3b is amazing too...great amp. It just costs too much. Also wish the MKII had reverb.

[chrispsullivan]

i enjoy my mkI but i would kill a man for a mk2

[starsnuffer]

Congrats and welcome to the fold. It's a great amp!

 

I found that the front loop on the g-system sucked some tone from the triamp, however. I had no tone-suckage with my bogner. I used a GRX4 looper to loop the front end of the g-system in and out as needed.

 

I've since sold the g-system, but kept the triamp.

 

-W

[bankboy]

Congrats...

Here's a tip or two....play in Half Power mode. IMO it is much sweeter than Full Power. The Genz Benz you play through really doesn't have a ton of midrange or high end. The amp loves V30's...really brings out all the nuances of the amp. I had a GB 2x12 w V30's and it sounded phenomenal.

Does the amp have the original tubes?

[GreyMartyr]

Agreed on all counts that the Triamp is really a fantastic amp.

 

I am running through the G-system, but decided to fool myself by NOT plugging into the Triamp directly first. That way, if I loved the sound through the G-sys, I wouldn't be hung up over the mental comparison of playing plugged in directly. I like the G-system a little too much to want to start ragging on the converters. Suffice to say, I'm immensely satisfied. Although, I may plug in directly just for the hell of it now that I know I'll keep the Triamp for a VERY long time.

 

I have experimented with the half power 50 watt mode. I like it alot. A lil' power amp tube breakup never hurt anyone : )

 

I love the Genz Benz cab for all out metal assault, but am going to switch to an EarCandy cab, either my current Sov 1x12s or a brand new 2x12 Buzzbomb. The Sov cabs have Eminence Legend 121's in them, which are super, but if I get a new 2x12 I think I'll load it with a Tonker and a Swamp Thang. Mmmmmmmm. I like V30's, but sometimes find them a little midrangey.

 

As far as tubes, I think it has the original Rubys. I'll probably start swapping out soon after my ears settle in with the amp and I get a firmer sense of what I'd like to tweak, if anything.

[kinggeoff]

Agreed on all counts that the Triamp is really a fantastic amp. I am running through the G-system, but decided to fool myself by NOT plugging into the Triamp directly first. That way, if I loved the sound through the G-sys, I wouldn't be hung up over the mental comparison of playing plugged in directly. I like the G-system a little too much to want to start ragging on the converters. Suffice to say, I'm immensely satisfied. Although, I may plug in directly just for the hell of it now that I know I'll keep the Triamp for a VERY long time. I have experimented with the half power 50 watt mode. I like it alot. A lil' power amp tube breakup never hurt anyone : ) I love the Genz Benz cab for all out metal assault, but am going to switch to an EarCandy cab, either my current Sov 1x12s or a brand new 2x12 Buzzbomb. The Sov cabs have Eminence Legend 121's in them, which are super, but if I get a new 2x12 I think I'll load it with a Tonker and a Swamp Thang. Mmmmmmmm. I like V30's, but sometimes find them a little midrangey. As far as tubes, I think it has the original Rubys. I'll probably start swapping out soon after my ears settle in with the amp and I get a firmer sense of what I'd like to tweak, if anything.

 

I keep my g-system in the loop. As long as the Tri MkII has a nice FX loop, it's :love: I can't believe how pristine everything sounds!! And since it's in the loop, if you want pure amp tone, just kill the loop absolutely amazing.

[chrispsullivan]

i like my triamp with SED=c= el34s

im really digging my mix of jj, ehx, and 9th gen chinese preamp tubes too

[bankboy]

 

i like my triamp with SED=c= el34s im really digging my mix of jj, ehx, and 9th gen chinese preamp tubes too

 

 

How do you find the SED's differ from the BSTR's? And could you go through your preamp section with the tubes? Are you using HG's in V1 and V4?

[EightmanVT]

Yep - Big +1 on that amp's clean channel - I like channel 1B as well for in those between rythym arpeggiated tones...adjusting the hair with the volume knob -- really can sparkle.

[GreyMartyr]

Maybe I'll try running the G-system in the Triamp's loop. I haven't experimented much with that config (even with other amps). Yesterday I compared running through the G-sys to just going into the Triamp directly. There is a difference...mainly in the "punch" delivered by the amp. Its much more in your face (not just the slight volume difference) when I go straight in as well as some extra "sparkle". Ultimately not a deal breaker, but noticeable when you pay attention to the subtleties of tone. Although live I don't think I (or the audience) would notice a difference.

 

Its just the tone snob in me surfacing : ) The fact that you know you can milk just that much more tonal goodness out of it.

 

Still a fan-effin-tastic amp. The more I play it, the more I love it. I wish I had 2 channel 1A's on it though. I like 1B, but cranking the gain on 1A and using the volume knob yields such beautiful tones that are a lil' fatter and more dynamic than 1B. But I like having the super fat clean sound on 1A with zero breakup too, especially with my Parker's piezo pickups. Mmmmm. Thats the cleanest clean with a bit of mean that I ever gleaned from any machine.

 

Oof.

[kinggeoff]

Maybe I'll try running the G-system in the Triamp's loop. I haven't experimented much with that config (even with other amps). Yesterday I compared running through the G-sys to just going into the Triamp directly. There is a difference...mainly in the "punch" delivered by the amp. Its much more in your face (not just the slight volume difference) when I go straight in as well as some extra "sparkle". Ultimately not a deal breaker, but noticeable when you pay attention to the subtleties of tone. Although live I don't think I (or the audience) would notice a difference. Its just the tone snob in me surfacing : ) The fact that you know you can milk just that much more tonal goodness out of it. Still a fan-effin-tastic amp. The more I play it, the more I love it. I wish I had 2 channel 1A's on it though. I like 1B, but cranking the gain on 1A and using the volume knob yields such beautiful tones that are a lil' fatter and more dynamic than 1B. But I like having the super fat clean sound on 1A with zero breakup too, especially with my Parker's piezo pickups. Mmmmm. Thats the cleanest clean with a bit of mean that I ever gleaned from any machine. Oof.

 

If you tweak the gsystem levels right, you should be able to get just about the same punch as going straight into the amp...it just takes a LOT of tweaking to adjust the levels to be appropriate to drive the amp how you need. It's easier to avoid this hassle, by throwing the gsystem through the loop like you were saying you might try. That way, the only tone sucking (which is still VERY minimal with the gsystem) will only occur when you have FX running through the amp's engaged FX loop, which makes the tone loss pretty much disappear completely due to the FX masking it. For straight dist/clean, you just kill the fx loop of your amp, and you're back in business. No one is going to hear tone loss while FX are running because they mask any loss that was at all apparent (at least in my experience) Good effin unit, that gsystem

[starsnuffer]

If you tweak the gsystem levels right, you should be able to get just about the same punch as going straight into the amp...it just takes a LOT of tweaking to adjust the levels to be appropriate to drive the amp how you need. It's easier to avoid this hassle, by throwing the gsystem through the loop like you were saying you might try. That way, the only tone sucking (which is still VERY minimal with the gsystem) will only occur when you have FX running through the amp's engaged FX loop, which makes the tone loss pretty much disappear completely due to the FX masking it. For straight dist/clean, you just kill the fx loop of your amp, and you're back in business. No one is going to hear tone loss while FX are running because they mask any loss that was at all apparent (at least in my experience) Good effin unit, that gsystem

 

This is not the experience I had. I ran the g-system for about 6 months with my triamp. There is absolutely no tone suckage in the FX loop, however, the loop in front of the amp tends to stifle highs and lows going in. The triamp has a very sensitive driver in the first stage, and suffers from this. I spent days and days adjusting the the g-system to no avail. Finally I just used a GRX4 looper to loop the front end of the g-system in and out as needed. For refrerence, I found absolutely no tone suckage when I used the g-system with my bogner XTC. Some amps are just more sensitive to having A/D/A conversion in front of them then others.

 

I think the g-system is a great tool, and is very useful. But, it's a tool, not an instrument. The triamp is an instrument and deserves better. Just my opinion.

 

-W