Recommend me a meaty Valve amp!

Duncorama · #1 07-05-2010, 01:18 PM

Hello! So i'm going to get rid of my current amp, i use a separate power/pre and although it's great it just takes too long to setup and is massive. I'm starting to use three separate rigs live now so the easier to setup the better and i've been after a valve for sometime.

Basically i want something that's relatively affordable, has loads of punch/clarity but also has that BIG valve sound we all know and love.

Any ideas of what models to look at? I'm not totally against solid state heads either so if anyone know of anything worth looking at then that'd be great.

This is my band so you might have an idea of what kind of noise i'm looking for www.myspace.com/apesfightback.

taaaaaaa.

MAMMOTHvolume · #2 07-05-2010, 01:27 PM

wall of 5watt practice amps?

msquared · #3 07-05-2010, 01:29 PM

I guess the question that I have is, what valve/tube amps don't do exactly what you're talking about? It's just a question of degrees.

If you want punch and clarity you're basically looking for the best EQ section and higher watts. The first thing that springs to mind is the Mesa 400+. The next is any head with an effects loop so you can put a parametric EQ inline.

Duncorama · #4 07-05-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAMMOTHvolume

wall of 5watt practice amps?

heheheheheh, my mates in a grind band and he is dying to do this one day!

Quote:

Originally Posted by msquared

I guess the question that I have is, what valve/tube amps don't do exactly what you're talking about? It's just a question of degrees.

If you want punch and clarity you're basically looking for the best EQ section and higher watts. The first thing that springs to mind is the Mesa 400+. The next is any head with an effects loop so you can put a parametric EQ inline.

Yeah i guess something with a good eq is definately on the cards, i love Ampeg svt's (obviously) but the cost of these is massively high. Orange heads tend to be too muffled for my liking, i love the power they have but when you're going full pelt i tend to find they get really muddy. So yeah more towards the ampeg way of doing things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

Please use an actual dollar figure. What's affordable to one person is out of the budget of another person.

Very true! Sorry i should have been more specific, i'm definately looking for 2nd hand, around £500 would be the top of my spend i reckon, so is that around $850/900?

Greevus · #5 07-05-2010, 01:40 PM

For your musical style, ditch the valves, get a micro head/VT pedal and crank it. You'll save $$$, weight, and the grindiness will add chaos to the mix.

Duncorama · #6 07-05-2010, 01:55 PM

whats a micro head?

msquared · #7 07-05-2010, 04:10 PM

You don't say what preamp you're using, and I don't know why it takes long to set up since it should all be good to go once it's in a rack, but you might want to consider a Sansamp RBI or RPM preamp.

Duncorama · #8 07-05-2010, 04:30 PM

Aye that's what i use at the moment - a sansamp rbi, a crown power amp. The pain at the moment is the combined time it takes to take the lids off the rack, plug in the power di (as i use it in stereo and the extension lead i use is too big to leave it plugged in when i put the lids back on), plug in the two power leads and then hook the whole thing up to the mains, i know it's not much when that's all i'm doing but when i've got to hook up the other two amps too it can really drag our setup time out.

Jim C · #9 07-05-2010, 04:34 PM

SVT or LMII

bolt_thrower · #10 07-05-2010, 04:40 PM

In ascending order of wattage, all of these amps are beasts and have tons of beef:
Traynor YBA-1
Traynor YBA-1A Mk.2
Traynor YBA-3
Traynor YBA-3A

Alex1984 · #11 07-05-2010, 05:35 PM

Ampeg V4B or B15 variants could fit you.

msquared · #12 07-05-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncorama

it can really drag our setup time out.

Generally what drags my bands' setup times out is the drummer.

Duncorama · #13 07-06-2010, 02:28 AM

i've looked at those ampeg v4b heads before, a friend of mine had one and he said that although they sound great there's not enough volume behind them to really get a really heavy sound, he said it always felt like his cabs were under powered even though the head matched them.

Has anyone ever tried those Gallien Kruger heads? I was looking at the backline 600, dead cheap and it seems to be pretty heavy sounding?

bolt_thrower · #14 07-06-2010, 02:33 AM

The GK Backline is not a tube amp and I don't really like the GK amps that I've played. I expect the Backline series to be not that great considering that it's their low end series.

ridgeback · #15 07-06-2010, 02:43 AM

boogie 400+....have mine years never let me down...
any ampeg, have tried so many owned a few but not very reliable..(reason i change to the boogie)
trace elliott quatra valve..great little amp sounds sweet!

Son of Bovril · #16 07-06-2010, 03:40 AM

Fender 300 Pro: if you can't find a sound in it that you like then tubes are not what you are looking for, plus it has loads of volume but just like every tube head it's a beast to move!

Kingkananga · #17 07-06-2010, 05:45 AM

Definately try out a Matamp, you're in the UK - you've got to try one. the website is sh*te but give em a call, they're funny on the phone and will speak their minds, but they make awesome big meaty amps!

www.matamp.co.uk

check out the history on wiki or something too.

Kingkananga · #18 07-06-2010, 05:50 AM

and I use GK heads, you'd like the 2001rb but you would be hard pushed to find one under £500 second hand, i got mine for £650. the overdrive channel has really good tubey bass meatyness, with alot of punch and clarity too.

try out a GK 2001rb, just for sh*ts an giggles.

I played a backline 600 which was ok.

Low Sound Love · #19 07-06-2010, 06:06 AM

Ampeg SVT CL or SVT 2 pro, or the Mesa 400+. All about the meat!

PSPookie · #20 07-06-2010, 06:20 AM

The first two heads that come to my mind are the Peavey VB-2 and the Traynor YBA-200.