Help me choose an amp..!!

[Mr.P]

yeah..
it's 4000US$.. :twisted:

 

[kissing]

MY GOD!
thats crazy!
but i am thinking of either a MKIV or RKII, wat about you?

 

[CudBucket]

I would like to chime in on the tube vs. solid state theme. If you want the same tone at all volume levels, get a solid state amp. The tube amp, regardless of make, will react to the input and volume levels, wheather you like the results or not. Set the tube amp up to your liking (the best you can) at your favorite volume level (mine is usually jacked up). There will be a give and take situation from this point. Maybe you can find the sweet spot. Good luck.

Joey B. makes a great point. Don't write off the "Line 6 thing" so quickly. While I have an Road King II, I also have a Vox Tonelab, POD XT Live and even a Roland MicroCube. Why? Because, the RKII doesn't sound like "Train Of Though" when it's played at speaking levels.

Line 6 amps are UNBEATABLE for getting great low volume tones (and recording of course).

I think the thing that shocks new tube amp owners is the low volume tone. We see so many threads like: "Hey, just got my Triple Rect. It's my first tube amp and it doesn't have enough gain. My settings are volume at 8 oclock, etc. etc."

Unless you can crank, and I mean crank, a tube amp, you're not going to get true tube saturation. Know that going in.

 

[kissing]

will a Marshall powerbrake or THD hot plate help bring out the colors?

 

[oyster]

I called mesa about how to drive the power tubes ...so you can get that power tube saturation even with relatively low overall volume...
They said turn up the master volume (this hits the power tubes harder) and set the overall output level relatively lower.
this will get the power tubes cookin'.

 

[CudBucket]

will a Marshall powerbrake or THD hot plate help bring out the colors?

Despite what many will say, attenuators are not designed to provide bedroom levels. They are for driving an already loud amp a little harder, without having to raise the level.

Remember, the more you attenuate, the more tone it sucks from your signal.

 

[CudBucket]

I called mesa about how to drive the power tubes ...so you can get that power tube saturation even with relatively low overall volume...
They said turn up the master volume (this hits the power tubes harder) and set the overall output level relatively lower.
this will get the power tubes cookin'.

It gets them "cookin' relatively speaking. It's still not a substitution for pure volume.

 

[Russ]

Yeah attenuators suck. Sure it can help to cook tubes but, there isn't any replacement for displacement... in this case it is air that is displaced. Without moving air you cannot get the sounds you are probably looking for. The only way to move the air is to turn up and physically move your cones.

 

[JOEY B.]

Preach on brother Russ. I agree with your statement 100%. The air movement affects your pickups (harmonic feedback), even more so if you play hollow body guitars like Ted Nugent. Listen to Double Live Gonzo, you will hear it.