Tube Amps?, Are they really worth it??? |
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Jun 16 2008, 02:00 PM
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So..... First I want to get this straight. I don't need a new amp. I recently got a nice little line six practice amp. And I'm not really good enough to be doing live performances at this point.
But I do want to join a band in the next few years, and I just wanted this cleared up- IS A VALVE AMP SO MUCH BETTER THAN A SOLID STATE??? I see a ton of my favorite players using nothing but valves. They have great tone and such- but theyre expensive. A solid state 50 watt combo can cost hundreds less than a valve one. And, having compared the two (but briefly), I think, is it worth it  ? Any experience you may have with this type of amp is very useful to me...
-------------------- I spelled my username wrong...I didn't even think that was possible!
Look at the topic for my guitar... Finished Guitar Build Gear: Homemade strat (You still need to look at its topic!) Squier strat (probably going to get rid of it and get another guitar instead) :) Line 6 spider amp (not actually used for anything, just acts as a speaker) Digitech Gnx2 (kind of old, but cheap, and sounds amazing!) |
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Jun 16 2008, 02:26 PM
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QUOTE (OrganisedConfusion @ Jun 16 2008, 08:10 AM)  Simple answer: Yes  Tube Amps are awesome when you crank the volume. Beautiful sound. what he said |
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Jun 16 2008, 02:47 PM
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There are some extremely good transistor/solid state amps around: Roland Jazz Chorus, Yamaha DG1000 preamp, H&K Zentera for instance. However they aren't cheap either: JC100 is about 1000Euros new and the Zentera more like 3000 - DG1000 (if you can find one) are a few hundred euros used plus the cost of a good power amp and cab.
So arguably a good SS is not worlds away in price from a lot of tube amps. Where a SS wins out is it's usually easy to keep and maintain and the volume and tone tends to be linear across the range - tube amps really only start to win out when cranked. Also most SS do crystal clean very well. Where they often lose out is they lack the multiple order harmonics - and therefore richness and musicality of tone - of a cranked valve amp. Best way to check the difference though is to go in to a friendly guitar shop and try them out back to back at high volume. Cheers, Tony -------------------- Get your music professionally mastered by anl AES registered Mastering Engineer. Contact me for Audio Mastering Services and Advice and visit our website www.miromastering.com
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Jun 16 2008, 04:37 PM
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At home all those modeling amps are perfectly fine, but in the studio or on stage I would always pick a tube amp!
-------------------- Guitars: various Gibson Les Pauls / Gibson J 45
Amps: Mesa Boogie Tripple Rectifier / Triaxis / 2:90 Poweramp / Rectocabs Effects: Rocktron Intellifex / Rocktron Xpression Homepage: www.marcussiepen.com www.blind-guardian.com Check out my video lessons! |
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Jun 16 2008, 04:41 PM
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QUOTE (Marcus Siepen @ Jun 16 2008, 12:37 PM) At home all those modeling amps are perfectly fine, but in the studio or on stage I would always pick a tube amp! 100% agree . Now that I have my Podx3 live I use it all the time at home for practicing and recording demos but live and for recording I preffer my tube amp.
-------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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Jun 16 2008, 06:20 PM
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At home I use a POD X3 Live, works perfectly well. From time to time I do want to play my Classic 30 tube amp at home and the difference is huge. While the POD X3 tried to do it, a real full tuber actually does it for real.
Compare eating a luxurous dinner compared to fast food, where the tube amp is the luxurous dinner. Compare kissing a real girl vs. practicing on your little sisters dolls, where the tube amp is the real girl. Compare the roar from a 600 Hp V8 to the noise from a pneumatic drill at a construction site, where the 600Hp V8 is the tube amp. Fast food, dolls and pneumatic drills are all good but can't beat luxury dinners, girls and a V8 when you want the real thing. -------------------- My bands homepage
All time favourites: B. Streisand - Woman in Love, M. Hopkin - Those were the days, L. Richie - Hello |
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Jun 16 2008, 07:49 PM
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I would agree with everyone here and say tube amp is really way better then a solidstate one. But still you have to be careful what you choose. As many said, tube amps deliver great sound when crancked so be carefull not to take too big amp.
-------------------- - Ivan's Video Chat Lesson Notes HERE
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Jun 16 2008, 07:58 PM
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Tube is great for gigs and recording, but for home I would always recommend solid state...
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Jun 16 2008, 09:44 PM
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QUOTE (audiopaal @ Jun 16 2008, 08:58 PM) Sorry, but there is no need to buy a good tube amp for practice at home.. If my neighbor complained about my silent practice with POD X3 and headphones, you can imagine a cranked up tube amp... I am not very experienced with tube amps, but I tested a JCM-2000 in a store using a Gibson Les Paul custom. Oh yeah, that's the real thing! 
This post has been edited by Gus: Jun 16 2008, 09:46 PM -------------------- my "Thank you GMC!" video
If you like it please vote in the competition ;-) Gus Stairway to Guitar Heaven - my practice agenda Check out my lesson here Phrygian Dominant Solo lesson Gear : Ibanez RGT320q (I just love the neck-thru sustain), Washburn EA-20SDL (acoustic 6 string), Standard strat (Mexico), POD X3 Live Some of my Guitar heroes: Jimmy Page, Slash, Kirk Hammett, Augusto Licks, Joe Satriani, Gus G, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler... |
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Jun 17 2008, 01:14 PM
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QUOTE (tonymiro @ Jun 16 2008, 09:47 AM) There are some extremely good transistor/solid state amps around: Roland Jazz Chorus, Yamaha DG1000 preamp, H&K Zentera for instance. However they aren't cheap either: JC100 is about 1000Euros new and the Zentera more like 3000 - DG1000 (if you can find one) are a few hundred euros used plus the cost of a good power amp and cab. So arguably a good SS is not worlds away in price from a lot of tube amps. Where a SS wins out is it's usually easy to keep and maintain and the volume and tone tends to be linear across the range - tube amps really only start to win out when cranked. Also most SS do crystal clean very well. Where they often lose out is they lack the multiple order harmonics - and therefore richness and musicality of tone - of a cranked valve amp. Best way to check the difference though is to go in to a friendly guitar shop and try them out back to back at high volume. Cheers, Tony good advice... taking another trip to the sam ash store will sort out this problem! Then I can be disappointed when I don't have enough cash!  Its seriously terrible to go there and look at all of the shiny, wonderful guitar stuff... Playing with effects pedals just kills me, you know?  better save up some money so I can see why everybody thinks theyre so wonderful.QUOTE (audiopaal @ Jun 16 2008, 02:58 PM) I think it's safe to say, that if you'll use the amp for home practice and later just practice with a band you can just as well buy a good solid state (and they can be really good).. And then if you're starting to play live shows and get more serious about playing and start recording proffesionally you can buy a tube amp Sorry, but there is no need to buy a good tube amp for practice at home.. A good solid state amp is better than a bad tube amp IMO Youre absolutely right! which means I can get back to practicing, working, and dreaming!
-------------------- I spelled my username wrong...I didn't even think that was possible!
Look at the topic for my guitar... Finished Guitar Build Gear: Homemade strat (You still need to look at its topic!) Squier strat (probably going to get rid of it and get another guitar instead) :) Line 6 spider amp (not actually used for anything, just acts as a speaker) Digitech Gnx2 (kind of old, but cheap, and sounds amazing!) |
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Jun 17 2008, 01:25 PM
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Tube for ever, but a cheap tube amp don't sound as good as an expensive tube amp...so many time an amp modeler will sound quite good if not better compared to a cheap tube amp.
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Jun 20 2008, 11:32 AM
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For Sure
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