SOUND ON SOUND

[ef37a]

I totally agree with Music Wolf (and bow to his vast experience) the difference between a valve amp on full mayhem and a modeller* is now very hard to call (and no, the punters won't know)

*And B's make some of the best ones! But! They are not really 'amplifier' modellers, more amplifier 'component' modellers. I have seen the math on a big White board...absolutely NO friggin' idea!

Dave.

[thefruitfarmer]

Am still confused....

I think the message is that both modellers and a recorded valve / transistor amp will work in the context of a mix.

You have every right to be confused. Search the t'interweb and you'll find flame wars raging between the Amp Loyalists and the New Modelling Army. It's particularly amusing when some of the combantants reveal that they haven't actually used the gear that they are ripping into.

Oh yes, lol

[thefruitfarmer]

"There is no single obvious choice and I reckon I would do best to audition a few in a good shop, once I have a better idea which small valve amp would work for me."

Problem there Fruit farmer is that, as mentioned, small amps tend to use small speakers and nothing REALLY sounds like a good 12" guitar speaker.

Dave.

Yep,I have heard that about the 12" speaker being part of the sound, I think that is partly because it limits the high frequencies.

I have a couple of 12" speakers I could use.

Seems like if you want the sound made by a cranked Vox AC-30 that you will only really get that from a cranked AC-30.....

I think I will put the credit card away for the time being now, carry on with what I have and maybe borrow a few amps from friends to try out ...

it is a rabbit warren sure enough...

Thanks for all the help

[John Egan]

Just to add to the above, some time ago I bought a secondhand Mesa Boogie Cab Clone, which I have used with a variety of amps including a Fargen Townhouse 5w head and my old 1965 Selmer Treble and Bass 50 MkII ex-gigging amp head. They both work well and in are mix are indistinguishable from a miked up cab, as others have said. It didn't cost a lot and seems to work well with anything I've thrown at it. Any decent load box should work just as well, I imagine.
Regards, John

[Alba]

Have you considered an Isolation Cabinet? You could build one pretty inexpensively ... there's loads of plans on the web...

something like this

[TheLegit]

In this day and age I'd not worry about watts and get whatever you want 50-100 watts and then get a loadbox / IR solution so many good options out there, Universal Audio OX, Suhr Reactive Load IR, Two Notes do a few, Boss entered the game recently.

I have a 120 watt Peavey I can crank that up ! That said it may be worth checking out the new Neural DSP Quad Cortex which is available soon sounds pretty immense

[thefruitfarmer]

Yes, the HT-1 is well suited, if you want to mic it up then probably don't go for a 100dB/W/mtr speaker but get something like a Greenback at 95dB? One useful property is that it cares not a fig for the speaker impedance so anything you have around, an old 'too loud' combo 'perhaps, can be pressed into service.

Thanks Dave

Ended up getting the HT-1R combo, had it about a week now and quite happy with it really. Several useful basic sounds I like in it, the 8" speaker has more bass than you would think and it s not fussy about Ohms either.

It does feel loud in the room but I don't think the sound carries very far.

A few limitations in terms of 1/8" inch DI out, reverb not great but it gives the valve sound I want and lets me record some air as well. So yeah, fit for purpose :)

[blinddrew]

Thanks for completing the loop. :thumbup:

[thefruitfarmer]

Thanks for completing the loop. :thumbup:

:thumbup:

[ef37a]

Reee-sult! Yes, thanks for coming back to tell us.
What are the limitations you are finding with the mini jack output? I might be able to suggest something.

Dave.

[thefruitfarmer]

Reee-sult! Yes, thanks for coming back to tell us.
What are the limitations you are finding with the mini jack output? I might be able to suggest something.

Dave.

Personally, I would rather have a 1/4" jack DI out and XLR out too for recording purposes rather the USB out.

What I will probably have to do is get a convertor plug from mini jack to jack.

Something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aptii-Stereo-6-35mm-Female-Adaptor/dp/B005M1LTPW/ref=psdc_1098227031_t3_B07YG8SM19

[Sam Spoons]

I'd make a short (but floor length) adapter lead up, ⅛" jack sockets are not mechanically very robust and sticking a jack plug plus that adapter greatly increases the leverage and risk of damage.

[thefruitfarmer]

I'd make a short (but floor length) adapter lead up, ⅛" jack sockets are not mechanically very robust and sticking a jack plug plus that adapter greatly increases the leverage and risk of damage.

Good thinking, Batman

[uselessoldman]

These new modded amps/combos are simply using IR software algorithms to generate their sounds, like the Boss Katana. For that you just need a decent amp and some natural full range speakers and a computer to run the software. Or if you have the speakers just miss that out the signal/effects chain and run the amp straight into them.

Seriously its almost impossible to tell the difference between IR and the real thing, especially when using the actual speakers you like best. I have Crest (peavey) Crown and QSC amps running into G12Ts G12Hs V30s & a few others (paired up in 2x12/4x12 cabs) and a bunch of IR samples/software and the sounds I get are simply awesome. I also have the Marshalls on top of the speakers, but nowadays I rarely switch them on. problem with these modded combos is EVERY year they bring out a "better one" with the power amps and speakers you already have the best you only need to upgrade the software actually ONLY the IR samples !! Only speakers I had missing was a decent Bass cab, ordered and on its way so I hopefully can now get the Bass just right before hitting the studio monitors

The advantage of IR and power amps is they work at any volume although for mixing tracks I do like them quite loud but then I have 3 amps usually into 6 pairs of speakers so doesnt take much for them to get loud. That is before I throw the mixdown tracks at my Adams just to make sure I didn't mess the mix up and its all balanced.

[JRC1]

In this day and age I'd not worry about watts and get whatever you want 50-100 watts and then get a loadbox / IR solution so many good options out there, Universal Audio OX, Suhr Reactive Load IR, Two Notes do a few, Boss entered the game recently.

I have a 120 watt Peavey I can crank that up ! That said it may be worth checking out the new Neural DSP Quad Cortex which is available soon sounds pretty immense

You need to be very careful with those boxes as the guy that does my amps says that he is getting more and more work in due to people using those.