What small combo for Rectifier sound

[boogiecrush]

What Mesa small combo would you use for portable low volume Rectifier sound? I mean smaller than Rectoverb, maybe an old one?
thanks a lot[/u]

 

[screamingdaisy]

low volume

A Rectoverb combo with a THD Hotplate.

small

Hahaha. :wink:


If it's for practicing/traveling/dorm room/ect., think about a Line6 POD.

 

[boogiecrush]

A Rectoverb combo with a THD Hotplate.


LOL how much would that be around $1,500?? I want the real thing, tubes in a cheap used combo.

 

[mammothcave]

hey buddy. there aren't any small recto combos. the closest approximation to what you want would be an f 30 1x12. and that's only rectoISH, not the genuine article. though still a great sounding amp. old tremoverb combos are all 2x12s and exceed 100 lbs. The rectoverb is the smallest combo and still at least 90 lbs.

 

[boogiecrush]

How bout the studio .22 combo, DC-2, all those very small combos? It doesnt have to be rectifier, just a good powerful mesa distortion.

 

[screamingdaisy]

How bout the studio .22 combo, DC-2, all those very small combos? It doesnt have to be rectifier, just a good powerful mesa distortion.

Play them first...older Mesa's have a very different flavor to their gain than the Rectifiers.

 

[jargapix]

Try a Line 6 Spider! I'm gonna get one to take around with me because my Single Recto is to big.



jA

 

[TheRazMeister]

If you're going to do modeling, do yourself a favor and try a Vox valvetronix. I had the 60 watt AD60VTX (I still own a tonelab), which was very close to a mesa on the recto setting. Unfortunately, it is also a large amp, although MUCH more portable than my ROV. They have a 30 and 50 watt version which are not quite as good but also cost a lot less and are lighter. If you're looking for "gain" the Vox AD30VT ($239) will do the job and IMHO sounds ALOT better than the Line 6 junk....errrr...products.

Try a Line 6 Spider! I'm gonna get one to take around with me because my Single Recto is to big.



jA

 

[jargapix]

If you're going to do modeling, do yourself a favor and try a Vox valvetronix. I had the 60 watt AD60VTX (I still own a tonelab), which was very close to a mesa on the recto setting. Unfortunately, it is also a large amp, although MUCH more portable than my ROV. They have a 30 and 50 watt version which are not quite as good but also cost a lot less and are lighter. If you're looking for "gain" the Vox AD30VT ($239) will do the job and IMHO sounds ALOT better than the Line 6 junk....errrr...products.

Cool, I'm gonna check those out. I've seen lot's of Vox's but never inquired on what their story was. I really dug the little L6 Spider, because it was very small, light and $150. It had a bunch of killer sounds and got pretty loud without sounding like crap. Plus, I would care too much about banging it up and spilling beer all over it while rocking out at BBQ's this summer!!

JA

 

[vulture2600]

the ad30vt is about the coolest little practice amp ive ever seen, and
it sounds great! tons of models, and tons of effects. very cool
and worth every penny.

 

[TheRazMeister]

The Vox Valvetronix (has to be a VALVETRONIX!) line uses a 12AX7 as a psuedo power stage tube rather than pre-amp. The gain sounds are very authentic and react similar to a real tube amp. Don't go less than the 30 watt however. The speakers just don;t work well and they have no extension out feature.

If you're going to do modeling, do yourself a favor and try a Vox valvetronix. I had the 60 watt AD60VTX (I still own a tonelab), which was very close to a mesa on the recto setting. Unfortunately, it is also a large amp, although MUCH more portable than my ROV. They have a 30 and 50 watt version which are not quite as good but also cost a lot less and are lighter. If you're looking for "gain" the Vox AD30VT ($239) will do the job and IMHO sounds ALOT better than the Line 6 junk....errrr...products.

Cool, I'm gonna check those out. I've seen lot's of Vox's but never inquired on what their story was. I really dug the little L6 Spider, because it was very small, light and $150. It had a bunch of killer sounds and got pretty loud without sounding like crap. Plus, I would care too much about banging it up and spilling beer all over it while rocking out at BBQ's this summer!!

JA

 

[mesa115]

The feel and dynamics of any modeling amp is different than tubes as you all know.

Try a Boogie Subway Rocket, the contour setting is awfully cool!!! Not a rectifier, but I'd certainly preferr one to a solid state, even with a preamp tube.

 

[tele_jas]

I was recently looking at a bunch of different combo amps to take the place of my Triple Recto (at some of the smaller gigs and hard load-in gigs) and the Rectoverb was the obivious choice for me, but then I tried a Genz Benz El Diable 60 combo amp and it was really cool?!!??! Not exactly a recto sound, but it made me second guess my decision in getting a Rectoverb. I ended up getting a ROV anyways because I'm a boogie nut now, but I really think my next amp in my collection is going to be that Genz Benz El Diablo. I absolutely LOVED the cleans on that amp and it also has a contour knob to go from hard scooped (almost) Boogie sounds to AC/DC marshall-ish sounds when you backed off the gain. One other big factor in my decision is the fact the Boogie had the boost switch that is an actual volume boost whereas the Genz Benz boost is a frequency boost of the high mids and wouldn't work for me.

You might also check out the B-52 Stealth amps, they are called a "Poor Mans Recto" on a lot of the reviews I've read about them. You have the choice of 3 different rectifier settings: Class A tube, Class A/B tube or Class A/B solid state. I think they are about 1/2 the price of Boogies, but I haven't heard one in person.

Another tube amp I looked at that has a Killer distortion is the Peavey XXX, but the XXX cleans are too "Peavey-ish" for me. I like the warmer cleans like the boogie and fenders have (also the Genz Benz). And there is always the Peavey 5150 combo, I seen one go for $400 on ebay last week.

As far as Modeling amps, I've played Line 6 stuff for about 2 years now and recently tried a Vox Valvetronix and thought the Rectifier sound was alot better than the Line 6!! I also liked the cleans better on the Vox. I may be looking into a Vox table top modeler to trade my Podxt for.

If you check in to the B-52's, let me know what you find out?? It would be REALLY nice to have a good sounding amp that doesn't cost a grand so you wouldn't have to be worried about it at the "Bad" gigs (outside gigs or lake gigs with lots-o humidity).

Getting too long, so I'll end it here.

 

[TheRazMeister]

I experienced the same thing. A friend had the Line 6 spider and it just did not compare to the Vox. For the week I had the AD60VTX I found myself exclusively setting the amp model to "Recto" and sitting on my couch playing endless solos just to hear the tone. The Vox helped me decide on a Mesa over a Marshall for that reason and I find myself doing the same now with the ROV. The desktop Vox tonelab is a nice addition to my small but worthy arsenal but as stated earlier, does not replace a true all tube amp.

As far as Modeling amps, I've played Line 6 stuff for about 2 years now and recently tried a Vox Valvetronix and thought the Rectifier sound was alot better than the Line 6!! I also liked the cleans better on the Vox. I may be looking into a Vox table top modeler to trade my Podxt for.
.

 

[no soul]

for a small digi amp, try the Roland Cube. It rocks Line6 and Vox IMO.

 

[Jaroslav]

Well, after playing a Subway Rocket for a few days - I can tell, that there is more midrange in the distortion, but WITH AN EXTERNAL BOX, I can get tones similar to Recto, mostly at lower volumes. The internal speaker is not suitable at all. Add a Thiele with EVM12L and it quite kills

 

[tele_jas]

Wow, a year old post coming back to haunt us again!!! That's cool reading my opinions on this topic :wink:

A couple came true, I had the Rectoverb but ended up selling/trading it off for a Tremoverb and then for a Road King. I also got the Genz Benz 1x12 combo I said I'd be getting, it took a year to get but I got it.


Cool dig!

 

[ytse_jam]

+1 for Vox Valvetronix VTX series combos, although, as TheRazMeister said, they're not so compact-sized! they're also pretty heavy, but the tone is really wonderful, and it think they'll sound as well as a tube amp at very low volumes (and at low volumes you can get more gain from them). Line6 recto modeling isn't so bad at low volumes, but i would suggest line6 Spider (which i own - 50W 1x12" old model) ONLY if you play, as said, at very low volume levels (bedroom levels). I would not recommend a line6 Spider for other tones (bad cleans for me).

 

[MesaENGR412]

+ 1 for theValvetronix line. Those things are sweet once you figure them out.
Or, you could go Marshall AVT, they're not too bad. I've got a 275 and it's got some neat sounds in it. Probably too big for what you are looking for though, so i'd go for the Vox.

-AJH

 

[smallcrap]

++ 1 for one of my favorite Boogies, the SUBWAY ROCKET !!!

The preamp section is based on the Recto.

I've had and still have many Mesas(big and small) and the Rocket has always been one of my favorites. Low volume - YES. You can do very low volume and even recorded it gets some very beautiful low and high gain sounds.

But the thing is seriously loud too for 20ish watts. Sounds great on its own but ridiculous through a 4x12 or 2x12. I've used it extensively for recording and band practice with a moderately loud drummer and another guitar player with a Peavey Classic 30. I have been asked to turn down once or twice.