Solid State/Tube Hybrid Amp Heads with Character?

[hennessybass]

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I have one of these - not the lightest amp, but fat, tubey goodness abounds.

I had the preamp version of that (TBP-1)... VERY nice.

 

[Mastermold]

My choice for "hybrid with character" ,
no graphic EQ, but it has parametric mids.
3x12ax7 tubes

View attachment 4946461

I bought this new after Jeff and Andy debuted it at NAMM and I had to have one. Lots of good amps have come out in the years since but this one is special and a "lifer" for me personally, it's got power and a unique warmth and tone that just works well with the music I play.

 

[Lowendtech]

Mesa Boogie Subway WD800 or TT800 would be at the top of my list.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hey, so I'm on a quest toward a new amp setup. A problem area for me in this regard has been choosing an amp head. A modern, lightweight Class D thing seems like the practical thing to do, but I'm really not super inspired by many of the options.

A point of confusion I have regarding this type of amp: why do they all have ubiquitous 3/4 band active shelving/band pass EQs? Is there an option that has some other type of tone stack? I know that that this type of EQ, as well as graphic EQs, parametric EQs, etc, enable everything from totally flat response to powerful EQ, but... it gets a little boring.

So... is there a solid state/tube hybrid amp with a more vintage type of EQ arrangement? Or... if not, is there a technical reason why not? Besides the more practical nature of the active EQ.

Micro VR

 

[Nuage420]

Two very different but equally amazing hybrids

 

[donhank]

My favorite hybrid ( tube pre / mosfet power) has three-band EQ plus three-band parametric EQ. BEAUCOUP character !!

 

[Jeff Scott]

... is there a solid state/tube hybrid amp with a more vintage type of EQ arrangement?

Sure, one of these!

 

[Dave Leighton]

Milkman Half and Half 700 - has the vintage clean sound with just treble-mid-bass control knobs, and the vintage look to go with it. I love mine.

I missed one of these at a great price by 30 seconds. I cried...

 

[chuck3]

The Genz BenZ Streamliner, available in 600W and 900W versions is exactly that.

Only available used, I purchased mine new for full price and have been very happy.

Still have mine

 

[Alivefor5]

My Mesa TT-800 is currently playing backup to a Streamliner 900 that I got here at TB recently. Really fun amp with tone, punch and very interesting EQ. Highly recommended and both of these amps were designed by our resident guru engineer. Also, a Streamliner 900 is currently available here in our classifieds (no affiliation).

 

[BaltBass5]

Mesa Subway WD800

 

[Topkat13]

Huh?

 

[57pbass]

Jad Freer Audio Sisma.

Nothing sounds like it!

Haven’t seen one in US .. looks like an amazing piece of gear. I would be slightly concerned about repair issues since builder is overseas and it would be complicated to repair if ever needed.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Hey, so I'm on a quest toward a new amp setup. A problem area for me in this regard has been choosing an amp head. A modern, lightweight Class D thing seems like the practical thing to do, but I'm really not super inspired by many of the options.

A point of confusion I have regarding this type of amp: why do they all have ubiquitous 3/4 band active shelving/band pass EQs? Is there an option that has some other type of tone stack? I know that that this type of EQ, as well as graphic EQs, parametric EQs, etc, enable everything from totally flat response to powerful EQ, but... it gets a little boring.

So... is there a solid state/tube hybrid amp with a more vintage type of EQ arrangement? Or... if not, is there a technical reason why not? Besides the more practical nature of the active EQ.

This...

WD 800 with ultra lite 115

Tuby goodness

This has passive Baxendall bass and treble tone controls. That is a vintage tone circuit.
It also has a passive mid-cut as well as
the ubiquitous semi-para 3-band mid EQ but, you don't have to use it.

This replaced an Ampeg B-15n for me

 

[57pbass]

This...
View attachment 4947252

WD 800 with ultra lite 115

Tuby goodness

This has passive Baxendall bass and treble tone controls. That is a vintage tone circuit.
It also has a passive mid-cut as well as
the ubiquitous semi-para 3-band mid EQ but, you don't have to use it.

This replaced an Ampeg B-15n for me

WD 800 is such an Awesome piece of gear…I think I’m going to buy the Subway 15 just to hear them paired together..

 

[CoffeeLove]

It does not check all your boxes, but my favorite class D after trying what seems like all of them is the GK Fusion 500 or 800, I have both. Definitely a "tube vibe" since it has 3 of the 12ax7's in the pre section, and plenty of character, and not as grindy as the GK MB series which was off-putting for me.

 

[jdjk7]

This...
View attachment 4947252

WD 800 with ultra lite 115

Tuby goodness

This has passive Baxendall bass and treble tone controls. That is a vintage tone circuit.
It also has a passive mid-cut as well as
the ubiquitous semi-para 3-band mid EQ but, you don't have to use it.

This replaced an Ampeg B-15n for me

The WD-800 is one of the only options I've come across outside of this thread that seems like a contender

I have a friend who owns one, and I'm talking to him about possibly giving it a spin.

 

[DJ Bebop]

The WD-800 is one of the only options I've come across outside of this thread that seems like a contender

I have a friend who owns one, and I'm talking to him about possibly giving it a spin.

I got the head first.
Sweetwater had one of their 36 months same as cash deals that Mesa fell under at that time. I wouldn't have been able to get it without that deal.

I liked it and A/B it with my B-15 and found it gave me what I liked about the B-15. It was my dad's but it had been rode hard and put up wet sort to speak. It worked fine but could use a going through and needed a freshening up and I didn't have the money or the interest in doing it.

I enjoyed the WD head even though the cabs I had but the SW 115 also interested me. So I decided to let the B-15 go and use the proceeds to acquire the 115.

For me, it was the best thing as I'm getting all the B-15 vibe I enjoyed about it. Gritty to clean, vintage, and modern.

I can run the amp at 300, 400, 600, or 800 watts at 8, 4, and 2-ohms depending on amount of cabs.

Tube front end into a class D power amp with power tube emulation.

It's working for me!

 

[jdjk7]

I got the head first.
Sweetwater had one of their 36 months same as cash deals that Mesa fell under at that time. I wouldn't have been able to get it without that deal.

I liked it and A/B it with my B-15 and found it gave me what I liked about the B-15. It was my dad's but it had been rode hard and put up wet sort to speak. It worked fine but could use a going through and needed a freshening up and I didn't have the money or the interest in doing it.

I enjoyed the WD head even though the cabs I had but the SW 115 also interested me. So I decided to let the B-15 go and use the proceeds to acquire the 115.

For me, it was the best thing as I'm getting all the B-15 vibe I enjoyed about it. Gritty to clean, vintage, and modern.

I can run the amp at 300, 400, 600, or 800 watts at 8, 4, and 2-ohms depending on amount of cabs.

Tube front end into a class D power amp with power tube emulation.

It's working for me!

If I run something in to the power amp in, does that get affected by the dampener control? If so, that interests me...

 

[matbard]

Haven’t seen one in US .. looks like an amazing piece of gear. I would be slightly concerned about repair issues since builder is overseas and it would be complicated to repair if ever needed.

Yes, but you'll have lifetime warranty...