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Comparing Class D amps

Pbman

Pbman

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Jul 23, 2001
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#1
I've owned the Bugera Veyron T for almost 3 years and it's been great. My main goal was a class D with a tube pre-amp.

Now I've read a bunch from owners of the Bergantino Forte, Mesa D-800, Demeter & GK fusion etc.

The question is will I notice a difference in sound quality going to a more expensive amp?

Feature wise the Bugera does have compression but I never use it because I don't know how to. One thing I do like is there is an adjustable midrange. It's not a sweep frequency but a fixed.

Funny enough I played through an Elf last week and it was punchy!

Thanks!
 
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#4
Every amp is a little different but ultimately there is no best amp.

In my complete blown-head idiot opinion the more you like the amp you have the less you’ll like an amp you replace it with.

What is it about the amp you would change? What has you looking?

Of your list, each has features that appeal to me. The GK and Mesa have a more recognizable tone so if that is “your” tone it’s a winner. I’d advise playing a few amps and comparing.
 
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#5
I own several Class D amps and they all sound different, react different and feel different. I owned the Mosfet Veyron for about 45 days and I did not like it at all. You will definitely notice a difference going from that to any of the amps you already listed. Even though yours is a Veyron T, you should still be able to hear a difference. IMHO.
 
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#8
Killing Floor said:
Every amp is a little different but ultimately there is no best amp.

In my complete blown-head idiot opinion the more you like the amp you have the less you’ll like an amp you replace it with.

What is it about the amp you would change? What has you looking?

Of your list, each has features that appeal to me. The GK and Mesa have a more recognizable tone so if that is “your” tone it’s a winner. I’d advise playing a few amps and comparing.
Click to expand...


It's not what would I change, it's more of hat am I missing out on. I decided like many to use a class D for the portability for gigs. Before I'd use my tubes amps-Traynor YBA- 3 Special, Sunn 2000s, or my converted to a head the Fender Super Twin.
I walked into a Music Go Round and I saw the Bugera, knowing it had a tube pre-amp , and gave it a try. In the end I kept it and it's been very reliable. It has scary reserve power but I'm a sound quality nut.

I wonder what I'm missing out of. The only class D's I've used, but not side by side with mine, was a GK 500, the Elf, Demeter 800D. The GK was with a 2 x10 Bergantino pair of cabs. The Demeter with a 12" Bergantino single cab and the Elf with a GK Neo 2-10. All sounded great. I'd need to A/B with mine .I'm running a Bergantino 2x12 NXV212.
 
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#10
My experience has been that class-D amps are pretty clean and transparent. As long as there is an effects loop, you could feed the final amp section with a signal from a pre-amp or pedal(s). I use a 12AX7 preamp with a "Fender" tone stack, overdrive the gain a bit, and feed it directly into the return of my Quilter. Loud and definitely tube-sounding. If I feed it from my Ampeg 210 head, I get a really loud AMPEG amp. I wouldn't invest more money in another class-D amp. If you want a range of tone, get a good pedal or tube preamp to feed the Bugera.
 
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#12
Killing Floor said:
Every amp is a little different but ultimately there is no best amp.

In my complete blown-head idiot opinion the more you like the amp you have the less you’ll like an amp you replace it with.

What is it about the amp you would change? What has you looking?

Of your list, each has features that appeal to me. The GK and Mesa have a more recognizable tone so if that is “your” tone it’s a winner. I’d advise playing a few amps and comparing.
Click to expand...

Good advice!
 
#16
Pbman said:
Did you see what I have? The 2 x12 bergantino is great
Click to expand...
Ahhhh,
A Berg 212 is superb - I would imagine anything will probably sound at least “pretty good” through it.
If you’re itching for a change or to try something new, then go for it!
But I suspect the differences will be more subtle improvements (better eq control and features, etc…) than a giant sonic revelation.
 
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#20
Pbman said:
It's not what would I change, it's more of hat am I missing out on. I decided like many to use a class D for the portability for gigs. Before I'd use my tubes amps-Traynor YBA- 3 Special, Sunn 2000s, or my converted to a head the Fender Super Twin.
I walked into a Music Go Round and I saw the Bugera, knowing it had a tube pre-amp , and gave it a try. In the end I kept it and it's been very reliable. It has scary reserve power but I'm a sound quality nut.

I wonder what I'm missing out of. The only class D's I've used, but not side by side with mine, was a GK 500, the Elf, Demeter 800D. The GK was with a 2 x10 Bergantino pair of cabs. The Demeter with a 12" Bergantino single cab and the Elf with a GK Neo 2-10. All sounded great. I'd need to A/B with mine .I'm running a Bergantino 2x12 NXV212.
Click to expand...

The Forté D as absolutely fantastic through the NVX cab you have: everything from recording console clean to heavy tube distortion.

 
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