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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
#101
Eminor3rd said:
I still think #1 is the tube amp...

The compression in the slapping part sounds tubey to me.

Plus the treble in the second fingerstyle line during Amp #2 sounds much more clear, and thus solid statey to me.
Click to expand...

That's how I was hearing it too. On my first listen (thru decent computer speakers w/ a small sub) I though some of the high notes on #2 sounded a little bit "hard", which I associate with a solid state amp. (Is that vague and subjective enough for ya? :atoz:) But when I listened again on headphones I didn't really hear that quality as clearly. (Not the best headphones -- maybe the speakers are actually more accurate.) In fact, the more I listened to it, the less sure I felt. I could hear differences, but I don't have enough experience with all-tube amps to be confident that I really know the difference. I think the "tube sound" in my head is really the sound of a hybrid amp with the tube preamp cranked enough to get a tiny bit of distortion when you dig in. Apparently an all-tube amp run clean doesn't sound all that different from an SS amp to my ears. I'll admit that is a surprise! :eek:

Overall I like #2 better, even though (with very low confidence, admittedly) I think it's the LMII.
 
#102
lomo said:
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
:-)
Click to expand...

That's not the case here. Both amps were purposely set for similar sounds and not necessarily how they would sound with typical use. In addition, the recording has some problems and the tube amp has a lower impedance than rated cab attached to it, which is going to mess with its sound. IOW, the only real result of this poll is that Jimmy can set two very different amps to sound very similar.
 
#103
I didn't do anything, bro. I set them flat and ran them through the same gear. That's actually my usual usage for them, although I roll some high end off the Markbass when I use the combo because its cab has a very loud tweeter.

BTW, I couldn't get the other amps I have to do it. It was pretty obvious which one was the B-15 with all the other amps.
 
#106
JimmyM said:
I didn't do anything, bro. I set them flat and ran them through the same gear. That's actually my usual usage for them, although I roll some high end off the Markbass when I use the combo because its cab has a very loud tweeter.
Click to expand...

You may have set the tone controls the same, but you have never mentioned gigging the SVT cab with either of them before and also that their levels were purposefully tame due to recording difficulties. That's a BIG difference, but a good testament to the sound of the old SVT cab.

I'm not accusing you of intentionally skewing the test for any particular result, but several respondents to this thread have commented as though this is some sort of particularly revealing insight into perceptions of different amps. It's not a strech to think that this thread will have its results interpreted and used to support any number of opinions, so it's important that it is clear that this is just a fun thing and NOT a reliable double-blind test.
 
#107
meatwad said:
I see more folks are leaning to number 2 as the tube amp, possibly because it sounds better? I say this because tubies are going to want to represent the better sounding example as tube, but is it true?
Click to expand...

..or Amp 2 has a smoother, more compressed overall tone, which most people associate with tubes. As I said, I like the sound of that amp better, but within the confines of this survey, there's nothing definitive that makes it a 'tube' sound.
 
#109
fretster said:
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
Click to expand...


This is without a doubt the best non-technical explanation I can possibly imagine. (Actually, I guess it is technical in its own way...) More of a detective's approach to solving this little mystery. Well done!

Matt
 
#111
It really doesn't matter what the results actually are or what you voted for personally because the voting is effectively dead even at 50/50 (the +-3-4% separating the two are statistically insignificant). Jimmy proved the point that people really can't tell which is which.
 
#113
debassr said:
It really doesn't matter what the results actually are or what you voted for personally because the voting is effectively dead even at 50/50 (the +-3-4% separating the two are statistically insignificant). Jimmy proved the point that people really can't tell which is which.
Click to expand...

You're right, it doesn't matter. It never really has IMO, because tubes are not a huge deal with bass anyway. (Well, not like with guitar)

A great sounding amp is just that... great! No matter if it weighs 80+ pounds and can fry eggs, or if it weighs 10 pounds and can fit in your back pocket.

But, there are those who will swear that tube amps ALWAYS sound better than SS, there is always a huge difference in tone, ect... Whether you are speaking up in this particular thread or not, you know who you are.

And there is already a lot of "copping out" going on, so I do find this interesting in that respect. I'm not trying to be an ass, but I'm sure some of the diehard "tubies" are.....

wrong.

:hiding:
 
#115
Psycho Bass Guy said:
You may have set the tone controls the same, but you have never mentioned gigging the SVT cab with either of them before and also that their levels were purposefully tame due to recording difficulties. That's a BIG difference, but a good testament to the sound of the old SVT cab.

I'm not accusing you of intentionally skewing the test for any particular result, but several respondents to this thread have commented as though this is some sort of particularly revealing insight into perceptions of different amps. It's not a strech to think that this thread will have its results interpreted and used to support any number of opinions, so it's important that it is clear that this is just a fun thing and NOT a reliable double-blind test.
Click to expand...
LOL! I think people know that but it does bear repeating.

But yeah, I can't wait to take that SVT cab out again. I'm waiting for the head to get done, though. The guy isn't really excited about working on it, I think. But I'm in no real hurry because I could use paying down some credit cards first. I do think we'd still be having the same conversations if I had used a cab I was more familiar with, though.
 
#116
meatwad said:
But, there are those who will swear that tube amps ALWAYS sound better than SS, there is always a huge difference in tone, ect... Whether you are speaking up in this particular thread or not, you know who you are.

And there is already a lot of "copping out" going on, so I do find this interesting in that respect. I'm not trying to be an ass, but I'm sure some of the diehard "tubies" are.....

wrong.
Click to expand...

A tube and SS preamp will sound different.
I have a B15 and it does have it's signature sound , but I would not use it everytime , very nice on some gigs ,in other cases a good clean SS preamp is better suited depending on the repertoire.
If the "diehard" tubies os SS'ers are wrong on something it would be that it's better than the other. It's no better , it's different.

I agree that the OP made a good point that under these conditions , it's hard to tell the difference , not ideal conditions but nontheless interesting
 

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