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The Tube Challenge

Which amp is the tube amp?

  • Amp 1

    Votes: 73 44.8%

  • Amp 2

    Votes: 90 55.2%
  • Total voters
    163
#81
Okay, well I don't think I necessarily need to put my ears where my mouth is, as my mouth generally says straight up that I like a variety of tube and solid state amps depending on the sound I want in a given situation. That said, I think amp 2 is the tube amp, the B15N. I have a couple of specific reasons from the sound samples that cause me to believe this, but as I'm not very adept at explaining sonic things in technical terms I'll spare myself the embarrassment! Anyway, both sounds are nice, although I'm partial to the sound of amp 2 in most regards.

Fun experiment. Can't wait to find out the answer. Thanks!

Matt
 
#82
Amazing how close the voting has been. People on here used to deride me when I'd say that the Markbass head sounded as close to clean tubes as I've ever heard in a SS amp. My hybrid heads don't even come close to this level. But so far, half the listeners have chosen the Markbass head and half have chosen the B-15. Therefore, I feel I have been exonerated, and I shall feel confident when I tell people of the Markbass' tubey tone, and I shall refer people to this thread when they try to tell me I'm FOS.

I'll see how the voting goes over the next day, and if it tapers off significantly, I'll give the answers early.
 
#84
Nemo, the LM2 goes for $600 in America. The average used price of a 70's B-15N is right around $1000 in good condition and that includes the speaker cab. You can get them for even less sometimes. I have no idea what a B-15 would go for in the Czech Republic, though. But even though it's only 30 watts, it's the best sounding 30 watts in the world, or at least I thought it was :D
 
#85
JimmyM said:
Amazing how close the voting has been. People on here used to deride me when I'd say that the Markbass head sounded as close to clean tubes as I've ever heard in a SS amp. My hybrid heads don't even come close to this level. But so far, half the listeners have chosen the Markbass head and half have chosen the B-15. Therefore, I feel I have been exonerated, and I shall feel confident when I tell people of the Markbass' tubey tone, and I shall refer people to this thread when they try to tell me I'm FOS.

I'll see how the voting goes over the next day, and if it tapers off significantly, I'll give the answers early.
Click to expand...

Can't wait! This has been fun!
 
#90
the number 1 is the tube amp if not , thats is something.
I think I can spot the tube for sure on the #1, I feel the number 2 more transparent and more on the treble side , and a lack of the life and fullness that I feel in the #1, if # 1 is the SS that will blew my mind , the #2 I think is a good SS Amp, more warmer then most, well, I hope not be wrong.
Hey Jimmy post the results man, the curiosity is almost killing me !! LOL !!
 
#92
JimmyM said:
Both of these samples were recorded using an SX PJ with broken-in rounds, a 69 SVT cab loaded with newly reconed CTS speakers, a Shure SM-58 placed on axis to an upper row cone, an ART Dual MP tube pre, into an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 card.

The only thing different on each track was the head. One is an Ampeg B-15N head from 1977, the other a Markbass Little Mark II. Both heads were set flat and recorded at the same medium volume, and the mic was never moved.
Click to expand...

I think these two clips sound more similar then different, if the point of this test is to see if the recorded sound of your B15 and LMII yields similar results I think your onto something. I don't know if that is any indication of the results on a gig though.

To be honest I don't think either sound is unique enough in a way that you couldn't get a very similar result with a good quality DI and move on.

If I had to guess and I did I'd say #2 was the B15 but I wouldn't put money on it. I wonder how different a DI from the LMII or from a countryman would sound.
 
#93
I've recorded the same licks with the DI from the LM2 and compared. The mic sound is similar, but more intense (I refer to it as "angrier" for lack of a better word). The DI is clean and pristine. The mic has an edge to it that probably doesn't matter to anyone else but me, but it matters greatly to me because it's just enough to make a difference for the good.
 
#94
JimmyM said:
The mic has an edge to it that probably doesn't matter to anyone else but me, but it matters greatly to me because it's just enough to make a difference for the good.
Click to expand...

I hear ya! Most of this stuff we discuss as being so important to us, usually has very little impact on other musicians we play with and the audience.

That doesn't mean we can't have fun with it!

I meant no disrespect in my prior post just that the two clips in a mix of any kind would be almost undestingushable(sp WOW UNDISTINGUISHABLE). When you recorded with the DI, did you run the DI signal through the Tube preamp? Just curious....
 
#96
Ok, I'm going with #2 as Tube for the following reason:

On Amp #2, the walking blues bassline starts dragging at about 15 seconds into it, while Amp #1 holds the groove. The tube amp weighs way more, 5x more at least compared to the MarkBass. So the player got all tired and fatigued, and as a result could not hold the tempo.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
#98
meatwad said:
I will say I have learned a lot about those who are giving their opinions...

Half of you don't know what you are talking about.

:)
Click to expand...

Actually, the numbers so far say there's no significant difference. On average, nobody can tell the difference, LOL. Once again, the Emperor ......is buck naked. I love real data
:-)
 
#100
I voted for number two because it sounded more like a tube amp.
But, I've never heard a B-15 before.

I say there's more variation between amps in either category than between SS and tube generalizations.

I mean, stack a Traynor MonoBlock up against, say, a Fender Bassman or a that old Univox tube amp. Different amps have different tones, SS or solid state.
 

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