Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I hear this bandied around some around here and wondered what your take is. I find it's quite the opposite with my amps but my SS amps are Cort and Washburn and maybe not the high-end mosfet types I hear talked about. My SS amps sound really good at low volume but not so great at say band performance levels which is where my tube amps excel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 It has nothing to do with solid state or tube but just how the amp is designed to respond. Some amps don't break up, others do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lz4005 Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I don't think you can categorically say either type has more or less headroom. All depends on the design of the individual amp. edit: didn't see HiC's response before saying exactly the same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flogger59 Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 A solid state amp doesn't have to be built way over spec to achieve the wattage rating. They'll perform fine up until, all of a sudden, they don't. It's a hard threshold. A tube amp moves out of spec much more gradually, so there's a large grey zone where it sounds fine, but would be ugly on a scope. Transistors, once they get that little bit past the limit, will go "Fratz". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 It has nothing to do with solid state or tube but just how the amp is designed to respond. Some amps don't break up, others do. "I honestly think the "tubiness" thing in tube amps is a bit... I don't know... forced. If someone designed a 15 watt amp that could be pushed to 15 watts without distorting, and did it with tubes... well, look at the hi-fi industry today. There are plenty of tube amp designs out there that can go loud and clear and not distorted. Part of the reason why tube guitar amps sound the way they do is because the circuit isn't really meant for loud reproduction, and really they sort of failed at what they were designed to do, amplify the signal faithfully, but now we've gotten used to the sound of what initially arose out of cheap transformers and such. What I'm saying is that tube amps are trying hard to sound like old tube amps, too, so I can't fault solid state amps for having guitar friendly tone controls." I guess I didn't get this statement at all. Interesting and informative thread by the way in most other respects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 A solid state amp doesn't have to be built way over spec to achieve the wattage rating. They'll perform fine up until, all of a sudden, they don't. It's a hard threshold. A tube amp moves out of spec much more gradually, so there's a large grey zone where it sounds fine, but would be ugly on a scope. Transistors, once they get that little bit past the limit, will go "Fratz". See now that's strong and something I hadn't considered. So how about these Peavey Bandits, Rolands etc I hear talked about? Lots of clean headroom, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 There are SS amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Roland JC120) and there are tube amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Fender Twin Reverb)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 There are SS amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Roland JC120) and there are tube amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Fender Twin Reverb)... True dat and good point. More responding to folks that have said that the SS clean sound is more accurate and less colored or distorted, more jangle and sparkle even at higher volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 See now that's strong and something I hadn't considered. So how about these Peavey Bandits, Rolands etc I hear talked about? Lots of clean headroom, no? I love my Bandit but it shouldn't even be mentioned in the same star system as JC120 when it comes to clean headroom. Bandit has sensible breakup when pushed. JC stays clean until your walls fall off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I love my Bandit but it shouldn't even be mentioned in the same star system as JC120 when it comes to clean headroom.Bandit has sensible breakup when pushed. JC stays clean until your walls fall off. Good to know. I personally thought you were pretty objective regarding the advantages of both in the thread. You do seem to have an anti-tube bias though....no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I don't have an anti-tube bias. I think people should find the gear they like but also accept their prejudices for what they are. The fact that so many people are pro-tube makes me out to be anti-tube, when really I just like good sound and don't think tube tone is the only good tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I don't have an anti-tube bias. I think people should find the gear they like but also accept their prejudices for what they are. The fact that so many people are pro-tube makes me out to be anti-tube, when really I just like good sound and don't think tube tone is the only good tone. Fair enough and really not out to pick a fight. I've actually heard much stronger anti-tube stuff from some others around here. Actually your thread has got me on the lookout for a better SS amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm not anti-tube either, but I have yet to find a tube amp that gives me anything like decent tone at reasonable (read: living room) volumes. Since I haven't played out for over a year, there's just no reason for me to have a tube amp right now. I replaced my Fender Pro Jr. straight-across ($-wise) with a Tech 21 Trademark 60 and haven't looked back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm not anti-tube either, but I have yet to find a tube amp that gives me anything like decent tone at reasonable (read: living room) volumes. Since I haven't played out for over a year, there's just no reason for me to have a tube amp right now. I replaced my Fender Pro Jr. straight-across ($-wise) with a Tech 21 Trademark 60 and haven't looked back... Sounds like a wise move on your part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 I do think those Tech 21 amps are attractive. Good consistent (I value this highly) tone at a reasonable volume, weight, and budget, with an XLR out to boot. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of their controls. I prefer having fewer options and just having the amp voiced to where I like it in the first place. I wish they made the Tech 21 Oxford into an amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 Word. I find that sometimes I spend as much time tweaking as playing. Lately, I've been finding something that works on both channels, and just leaving it the hell alone for weeks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flogger59 Posted March 20, 2012 Members Share Posted March 20, 2012 There are SS amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Roland JC120) and there are tube amps with massive clean headroom (e.g. Fender Twin Reverb)... And compare the weight of a JC120 and a Twin. Why is a Twin heavier? More glass and metal. Look at the size and weight of the transformers in both amps. The Twin will be much more heavy duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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