Line 6 HD147....Opinions?

[WillShrdForFood]

I think once I start saving for a decent head, I might try and go after this one. I've heard some good reviews and it looks like it has great features. I wont even use cleans all that much. I just need a good metal tone out of it. Any clips would be appreciated. And what is the going rate for these used? I see one used on ebay for around 850, is that about the going rate? And how will these cut thru in a mix?

[Paragraph51]

I have no love for Line6. They have a harsh abrasive quality about them, at least the Vettas which I played through did. (Might have been the speakers, they were the matching cabs for the Vetta head).

 

You could do worse, you could buy a CyberTwin.

[Hotcakes]

I've yet to play one myself, but every recording and every one I've heard in a live situation sounded very good. DerekB made a bunch of clips that were fantastic.

[LithiumZero]

They record quite through the direct outs well but sound digital (all L6 gear does) when used live.

[mctallica1]

Great amps. I love them.

 

As with any amp, you can dial it in to sound like {censored} or not cut through the mix or you can dial it in to sound great and cut quite well.

 

If you do get one, please do not go into it thinking you will cop the exact tone of the amps modeled (I think this marketing strategy for all modellers is bad). You will have a huge pallet of great options to work with though! And remember, if you had 10 of the exact same amp in a room, all 10 will sound a bit different anyway.

 

FWIW, I gigged with a HD147 quite a few times and if I were to ever get back into gigging on a regular basis, this is most likely the route I would go. Especially if I were playing covers;)

[Digital Jams]

Here ya go, playing is not too hot but here is my HD-147 through a G-Flex 2x12. SM-57 into my EMU and the effects are the amp as well.

 

https://home.comcast.net/~jwheeler12/Yeah_first_jam.mp3

 

The cleans are great on the amp as well, you should try them.

[Digital Jams]

 

Originally posted by mctallica1 Great amps. I love them. As with any amp, you can dial it in to sound like {censored} or not cut through the mix or you can dial it in to sound great and cut quite well. If you do get one, please do not go into it thinking you will cop the exact tone of the amps modeled (I think this marketing strategy for all modellers is bad). You will have a huge pallet of great options to work with though! And remember, if you had 10 of the exact same amp in a room, all 10 will sound a bit different anyway. FWIW, I gigged with a HD147 quite a few times and if I were to ever get back into gigging on a regular basis, this is most likely the route I would go. Especially if I were playing covers;)

 

 

I'll tell you what Tony, if you find one used for 600-700 bucks nobody imo is going to beat the 147 for fun, versitility, and good tone. Direct outs, plenty of power, killer cleans, many tones to pick from, presets, light, cool purple lights!

 

I love mine!

[shreder75]

I'm not a fan of modelers...I had a vetta 2 combo amp for a few years and was never really happy with it..

 

if you're looking for a two or three channel head with clean and something that can cover a decent amount of ground AND can do metal in that price range, I'd say get an b-52 AT-100..for the price you just can't beat it...and it sounds like it'll do just what you want it to..I had one for a while and really liked it....I had to sell it to fund my splawn of course =D

 

there's actually a few clips of it in my signature...I don't think you'll find clips of this amp anywhere else actually..lol..

[nwright]

The 147 is a great all in one package. I sold mine to get a new 6505+ rig, and I miss the 147 sometimes. I have some home demos of my band using the 147's direct outs...Check the myspace link in my sig.

[Sordid1]

my other guitarist has one and it sounds really, really good. It cuts through live great and he gets some great tones out of it. I agree the models aren't very accurate but if you ignore that and just go for good tones it delivers very well. The only issue with the amp is that the feel isn't there compared to a tube head. It doesn't clean up like a tube amp and the dynamics aren't as good either. This is all in relation to how you feel the amp not how the audience hears it so if you don't mind that it's a great head with a ton of great tones on board. It sounds great through his Carvin Legacy cab and my g flex as well.

[fuleiragem]

Originally posted by Digital Jams Here ya go, playing is not too hot but here is my HD-147 through a G-Flex 2x12. SM-57 into my EMU and the effects are the amp as well. https://home.comcast.net/~jwheeler12/Yeah_first_jam.mp3 The cleans are great on the amp as well, you should try them.

man, that sounded bad something wrong must have happened

[Lucius]

Originally posted by WillShrdForFood I think once I start saving for a decent head, I might try and go after this one. I've heard some good reviews and it looks like it has great features. I wont even use cleans all that much. I just need a good metal tone out of it. Any clips would be appreciated. And what is the going rate for these used? I see one used on ebay for around 850, is that about the going rate? And how will these cut thru in a mix?

 

I just bought one yesterday lol. I did a little vid of it here. I just turned it on and did the vid. No tweaking at all. I am going to try it in the band setting next to my Rockmaster/Repliflex rig and see how that goes. I am also thinking of using my Classic 60 power amp to power the thing. Cheers Lucius

 

www.nomotherspride.com/MP3/Video.avi

[Elric]

 

Originally posted by mctallica1 If you do get one, please do not go into it thinking you will cop the exact tone of the amps modeled (I think this marketing strategy for all modellers is bad).

 

 

This is the big problem with modellers, right now, even more than actual tone, I think. People just obsessively compare them to to other amps non-stop, and not just one, but like every one they've ever heard at the same time, and then if they are not either dead identical or better they grade them on this super unrealistic curve. And they just CONSTANTLY analyze the tone with a hyper-critical ear (does this sound digital? is it really tubey? does it sound "Fake"?). Combine this with all that flexibility, giving you 5000 ways to shoot yourself in the foot, and a lot of people just miss the boat and confuse their own shortcomings with the equipment's.

 

I've seen people doing frequency spectrum analysis comparisons against the amps modeled, Blind A/B tests, blah, blah, blah, rather than actually dialing them in and playing them.

 

I mean really, if you can get past the whole "does this really sound like a 1969 Plexi?" trap every time you fire it up and and actually try to dial it in for it's own best sound they're actually pretty amazing boxes considering all that they can do at once. They're not for the weak willed or the non-tweaker in that regard.

[BrokenRomeo]

I had an HD147 and liked it, but for the price difference I much prefer the Vetta II, as it has many more options, such as two amps at once, double tracking, stomp box models if you need more dirt, ect...and one of the biggest features in my book, is the ability to see the eq settings for each preset via the graphical display...this is a big deal when tweaking patches, especially in a live setting or when there is no PC connection available...

[fishfartz]

good post above ^ Elric

 

 

 

 

i think modellers can sound great in a live setting. most of the folks at the show should be dancing and enjoying the show and not being offended by the tones of a single amp onstage unless someone has dialed it in alone without setting it for band/venue settings

 

 

the pods i run through tube poweramps and it sweetens them up alot, not sure if the HD147 could run through a tube poweramp (or even need to with the right tweaks)

 

i just know that like mentioned, you can get some really good tones out of modelers that may not be an exact replica of vintage amps/response to changes - but can still be damn good in its own right. ive got a pod that i use4-5 patches all the time, left side run into stereo tube amplifier and into an early 60s super reverb cab (original 4x10s) with mint original speakers, right side goes into a small class A low powered tube amp and it sounds great

 

 

 

 

just trying to say that there are alot of ways to make these things sound great live (not JUST for recording) and all it takes is patience and a will to find the good sounds hiding within-

 

 

 

 

 

also i wish these things were available back in the 80s that were this usable, instead of just a 100 highly-processed patches

[FPFL]

As an owner of generations of Line6 gear I can say that the HD147 is probably their best amp yet for live bar none.

 

Having said that, they are still better as recording tools. That was Line6's original mission after all, and their early success there allowed them to get into the live tone market... where they've done better but still get stomped by any middle quality tube amp for everything but flexibility.

 

Its becuase of Line6 that I've come to see "total" flexibilty as wildly overrated and the real reason why so many people sound {censored}ty through digital gear. Its too much choice for many people who weren't sound engineers already. Thats why I think the HD147 hits a good sweet spot for many guitar players. Are you a guitar player or an obsessive tweaker? Do you want to be playing or tweaking?

 

To me the L6 amps are all about getting a good deal. If you pay list, they are a terrible deal. Cost aside, the 147 is a totally great amp for club gigs and sounds good at lower volumes, better than many tube amps in this regard, even those that cost more.

 

What I'm not a huge fan of however in L6 amp build quality, while not terrible, its not great either (which is why I only use/buy PODs now). For Vetta prices you can do worlds better on reliability.

 

My VHT Deliverance could literally be used to smash Vetta's to bits like a hammer... and would still work more reliably than a new L6 amp out of the box in my experience. (If you haven't hefted a VHT -and- opened it up to look at the total quality of the build don't even dare to respond to this.)

 

As a gigging musician, reliability trumps a lot of other concerns and thats why all my L6 amps were sold I tried one, thought I got a lemon so I gave them another shot, my next amp worked well for a while and then went to hell too, no more for me.

 

I have fun with my POD XT at home, for which it is absolutely perfect as a creative, fun tone tool... so I'm not down on Line6 software, they write great code, but I am down on their fabrication.

 

They are Dell computer amps. Disposable and soon to die an outdated death, but the problem is for the list price, they cost a -lot- more than my Dell.

[Viesczy]

The HD147 is a fine amp. I couldn't care less if the models sound just like X amp, nearly all of the models sound great. You can get super clean to super heavy with the HD147.

 

Be sure to pick up the Shortboard and you're set. You can tweak 9 banks of 4 settings each.

 

Since I've gotten my HD147, my XXX, my two Laney amps and my El Diablo have gotten far less attention.

 

Derek

[Lucius]

 

Originally posted by Viesczy The HD147 is a fine amp. I couldn't care less if the models sound just like X amp, nearly all of the models sound great. You can get super clean to super heavy with the HD147. Be sure to pick up the Shortboard and you're set. You can tweak 9 banks of 4 settings each. Since I've gotten my HD147, my XXX, my two Laney amps and my El Diablo have gotten far less attention. Derek

 

 

I am going to be using mine Via midi (FCB1010). I hope I can do tap tempo with it. Cheers Lucius

[squealie]

 

Originally posted by Lucius I am going to be using mine Via midi (FCB1010). I hope I can do tap tempo with it. Cheers Lucius

 

 

I'm pretty sure that tap-tempo is a MIDI addressable feature. You just have to tell your FCB which controller number to x-mit.

 

Cheers Lucius

[WillShrdForFood]

Thanks a lot for all the info guys...I think this may be the amp for me.

[WillShrdForFood]

 

Originally posted by nwright The 147 is a great all in one package. I sold mine to get a new 6505+ rig, and I miss the 147 sometimes. I have some home demos of my band using the 147's direct outs...Check the myspace link in my sig.

 

 

WOW! All that was using the 147? That sounds badass and your band is awesome as well. What amp model was that?

[nwright]

Sorry for the late response, I PM'd ya about the 147 clips...Big Bottom, Line 6 4x12, MD421 mic sim on axis double tracked and Uber model, Line 6 4x12, SM57 off axis double tracked. mix at about 70% Big Bottom, 30% Uber.

[PrimordialOoze]

Cool amp man!!! I have used one for a year it's real cool very reliable and it pisses a lot of mesa users off..........

but i use it with a 412tvx bass cab.

 

check it out I also have a tube amp;)

 

+++TheZombie+++

[HypnoToad]

 

Originally posted by nwright The 147 is a great all in one package. I sold mine to get a new 6505+ rig, and I miss the 147 sometimes. I have some home demos of my band using the 147's direct outs...Check the myspace link in my sig.

 

 

That sounds great! I

[gibson5413]

Here is a post I made about the HD147 on the Petrucci forum a little while back. Hope it helps:

 

I have owned a 147 and currently own a Engl Powerball. Here is my breakdown:

 

One of the better sounding digital amps out there. Lots of different sounds to choose from. Mainly high gain emulations. Cleans were great with a little chorus and delay. 300 watts so that you don't stretch the soild state power amp (soild state power amp distortion = bad!) Not a lot of dynamics in the amp. It sounds good but misses on the "girth" high gain tone needs, even when spiking the mids. Works great for home/practice/recording use. In a band situation, it had a hard time cutting through. It certainly gets loud but can easily get lost in the mix with a drummer. Especially if you have another guitarist using a tube amp. It sounds the same at bedroom volume as it does at gig volume. What I mean is there are no dynamics to the sound as you push a digital amp. Sound changed marginally with different guitars and pickup configurations.

The thing that bothered me the most was this buzzy type of gain that emitted on all gain settings. It was not as noticable at first but over time this buzz seemed to jump out at you and no matter how much tweaking I did I could never dial it out.

 

Another observation is that the 147 lacks that 3-D quality and touch responsiveness of a tube amp. No matter what volume you have it set at the sound just kind of sits there in front of you. With my Powerball, the sound seems to surround/engulf you. The Powerball's preamp gain is so good that it sounds just as good at bedroom volume as anything out there. As you push it, it only gets better. If you can buy the 147 with a good return policy, do it and test it for yourself. Maybe it will work for you!