Whats the best way to get an all tube sound without an all tube amp?

mastershake · #1 06-11-2011, 06:14 PM

Whats the closest I can get? emulation? tube preamp? I want the soft clipping that tube amps give as well as some power tube saturation feel/sound.

mastershake · #2 06-11-2011, 06:31 PM

how bout this it has power amp emulation with a tube preamp DEEP END HD TECH
YouTube - ‪Kustom Amplification DE 300 Amplifier‬&rlm; I see it listed for around 300$usd

Crabby · #3 06-11-2011, 07:33 PM

Walkabout. End thread here!

Seriously, this is the warmest, fattest most tube like sounding amp many of us have ever heard. It only weighs 13 pounds and is completely unique with nothing comparable.

Makatak · #4 06-11-2011, 07:34 PM

Pre gain on ten lol .

JimmyM · #5 06-11-2011, 07:49 PM

Geez, there are a lot of things that give you really good emulations out there now, but my favorite is still the Tech 21 VT. There are also a handful of really good SS and hybrid amps that do tube emulation as well. My favorite that I've played recently is the Ampeg SVT 7 Pro.

Still, with emulation being better than ever these days, I'd rather have an all tube amp. Noticeable difference in feel and response.

mastershake · #6 06-11-2011, 08:03 PM

I have both vt bass and the walkabout and like them both the only problem is i have vt bass v1 and it dosnt have speaker sim defeat button, which i think sounds better when the speaker simulator is off. theres also the bugera bvp5500 (svt 3 pro clone) and the TC Electronic Classic 450.

chunkstyle · #7 06-11-2011, 11:41 PM

SWR Interstellar Overdrive. It's the real deal.

IntrepidCellist · #8 06-12-2011, 12:05 AM

-Mesa Walkabout
-TC Electronics RH450/750/Classic450/Staccato '51/Blacksmith
-Axe-FX (Standard or Ultra)

mastershake · #9 06-12-2011, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunkstyle

SWR Interstellar Overdrive. It's the real deal.

I was just about post that but you beat me to it. I heard about it somewhere on this site but cant find the thread

rpsands · #10 06-12-2011, 12:16 AM

If I were going to go out and buy an amp that's a reasonable price that does this, I'd say that the that little mini-SVT-Vr stack Ampeg is putting out is how I'd roll. Closest out of the box for me.

I've been using a VT Deluxe for a while now and it requires a LOT of knob turning to get Ampeggy and requires being reset for every bass. It sounds good, but is basically useless without another Eq stage in my opinion.

The mini VR thing does the job out of the box a lot better.

By that same token I'd give some serious thought to trying out that Ampeg PF500 with the fliptop-looking cab -- Saw some dude jamming on one of those at GC and was pretty impressed.

Those Fender micro amps look pretty promising too but I haven't seen one in person yet.

mastershake · #11 06-12-2011, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntrepidCellist

-Mesa Walkabout
-TC Electronics RH450/750/Classic450/Staccato '51/Blacksmith
-Axe-FX (Standard or Ultra)

is this the Axe-FX (Standard or Ultra) digital processing?

drewkelly · #12 06-12-2011, 12:42 AM

I just got a DHA VT-2. Its fantastic. Never has my passive j bass been so punchy and full. It has 2 12ax7 tubes driving the pedal. And its not as expensive as a head.. check them out!

mastershake · #13 06-12-2011, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewkelly

I just got a DHA VT-2. Its fantastic. Never has my passive j bass been so punchy and full. It has 2 12ax7 tubes driving the pedal. And its not as expensive as a head.. check them out!

I think someone once made mention of this to me, it has switching between tube and germanium diodes circuitry if I'm correct.

mastershake · #14 06-12-2011, 02:14 AM

correction, it was actually the DHA VT-1 EQ

markorbit · #15 06-12-2011, 05:20 AM

Jule Monique. It puts my Micro VR in it's place. One is tube, the other is Solid-State and it's immediately noticable. The Reddi is also extremely nice.

MAMMOTHvolume · #16 06-12-2011, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mastershake

Whats the closest I can get? emulation? tube preamp? I want the soft clipping that tube amps give as well as some power tube saturation feel/sound.

depends what kind've valve amp sounds you're after. Not all valve amps clip in the same way.

TomB · #17 06-12-2011, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewkelly

I just got a DHA VT-2. Its fantastic. Never has my passive j bass been so punchy and full. It has 2 12ax7 tubes driving the pedal. And its not as expensive as a head.. check them out!

I've never tried the VT-2 but the Dave Hall Amps (DHA) Mark III offers an astonishing array of tube amp-like sounds and germanium diode choices. ...a smorgasbord, but with a wide range of subtle, gradual impact within the knobs' travel.

As noted though, nothing's quite the same as a tube-driven power section, not even a Walkabout IMO ...just the way it is.

chunkstyle · #18 06-12-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB

As noted though, nothing's quite the same as a tube-driven power section, not even a Walkabout IMO ...just the way it is.

Which is why the SWR IOD is so awesome... EL84 power section complete with output transformer all in a single rackspace. I'm really kind of surprised that these things aren't all over the place.

gillento · #19 06-12-2011, 07:55 AM

VTBass
or
GenzBenz Streamliner!

pedroims · #20 06-12-2011, 08:04 AM

VT BASS and LH500 or Streamliner.