It all depends on what "grabs" you. Acoustic makes (made) great amps that are solid state and famous for their overdrive tone. Same with Sunn. So it just depends
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Tube Amps. Worth it?
- Thread starter Tom Gotsch
- Start date
I guess they did. Haven’t seen one in the wild, yet...
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/markbass-classic-300-300w-tube-bass-head
For me, yes.
There are hundreds of pedals out there that are specifically designed to sound like a slightly or heavily driven tube amp. So, clearly, that sound is in demand. I have some pedals myself. But nothing does that sound like the real thing.
And "distortion" is a relative term. When you crank them up, tube amps get a little grit to them that is technically distortion. But it's not totally distorted like a crunchy guitar sound.... for most of us anyway.
There are hundreds of pedals out there that are specifically designed to sound like a slightly or heavily driven tube amp. So, clearly, that sound is in demand. I have some pedals myself. But nothing does that sound like the real thing.
And "distortion" is a relative term. When you crank them up, tube amps get a little grit to them that is technically distortion. But it's not totally distorted like a crunchy guitar sound.... for most of us anyway.
Tube amps are known as better than solid state. Though they sound very different, but there are musicians who better like tube, but are to like solid ones. So this is not a comment type - you should choose yourself.
Hello. Though I resisted replying, after quickly reading all the replies so far I noticed one thing missing: feel.
Some alluded to it, citing a 3D quality (I agree), but always they referred only to sound. It should be said that it feels different to play an all-tube amp. The circuits (tubes, capacitors, transformers and all) respond differently in time.
That's about dynamics; not only amplitude dynamics (which itself is not uniform throughout the frequency spectrum, which is important to the sound), but temporal dynamics. Ask any pocket player in any genre whether the feel of time dynamics is important to them. We experience time dynamics as we play, in relation to other players, and acoustical space, and also equipment (whether purely physical or electro-physical).
A player who acclimates to the feel of playing a tube amp learns to play the amp as part of their groove or lyrical expression. They don't have to think about it when it's there, but they would notice it when it wasn't.
Like some other respondents, I don't understand what "worth it" meant in this context. I only know that tube amps are different to play, since nothing else feels like them.
If its worth it is entirely up to you. I love my tube amp but I do my regular gigging with a tube pre and a qsc power amp only because its a bit lighter and I feel better about a rack case in the back of my car vs my tube head which has no road case
Tube amps each have their own sound and note response. If you’re into it then it’s totally worth it. If you’re not, then get something equally good besides being lighter and (usually) less expensive by going with a solid state amp.
Note: a hybrid tube preamp/solid state power amp is not going to get you an all tube vibe. You’re better off getting a solid state amp that’s designed to get you some of those desirable tube characteristics like Mesa builds. It’s the tube power stage that delivers the “tube thing” and not the 12AX7 or whatever in the preamp.
Note: a hybrid tube preamp/solid state power amp is not going to get you an all tube vibe. You’re better off getting a solid state amp that’s designed to get you some of those desirable tube characteristics like Mesa builds. It’s the tube power stage that delivers the “tube thing” and not the 12AX7 or whatever in the preamp.
I would go to a proper store and try one. Or rather visit a musician who owns one.
They are VERY worth it IMO. Nothing wrong with SS heads either. But my main amp became an all tube head, an Electric Tech Power Unit, a few years back and as long as I can keep it, it will be my main amp. It sounds great. I still love SS heads too but with my setup, yes, an all tube head is totally worth it. It helps that mine doesn't weight a ton.
LOL! That's what keeps me away from tubes
Dont be such a Girly-man. We're here to PUMP....YOU... UP!
Some swear by tube amps and are faithful, others (like me) are generally ok with hybrid or solid state amps. What it comes down to is the usually extra price for the tube tone worth it to you for what you're looking for and needing? Really with questions like this the only one who can answer it is you.
Everybody who knows me knows that I look for the most efficient gear out ther in terms of weight / tone / portability and that is why I go Sansamp live.
But..
After testing the all tube Ampeg SVT of a friend.. I can tell that nothing beats the warmth and the tone of a real tube amp.
But..
After testing the all tube Ampeg SVT of a friend.. I can tell that nothing beats the warmth and the tone of a real tube amp.
I played and gigged with an Ampeg B-15N(C) in the early 1970's at Holiday And Ramada Inn's. I purchased my first Walter Woods MI-100-8 in 1980. Say what you will, Walter's older amps into a pair of B-15N Double Baffle Reflex cabinets sounded great. I recently sold a Wood's MI-400-8. It emulates the sound of a tube amp remarkably well. Just my take.
Mr. Foxen
Commercial User
"300W @ 4 ohms or 2 ohms, 175W @ 8 ohms"
Shenanigans. Does sound like an Infinium type processor, which is handy, but already done.
Worth it to me! I haven't carried this amp by myself in years. I always get help, not that I can't do it myself, but why would I?
Fishheadjoe
Fishheadjoe
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
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- I suck, but nobody really notices
No, you cannot get tube compression without tubes. Period. But, you can get great sound without tubes. It completely depends on what you want. If you want solid, clean, defined sound, with a strong attack, go solid. If you're looking for a rounded, warm, harmonically rich tone, with an absolutely great distorted option, go tube. To me, solid = definition. Tube = big. My suggestion is to play through two amps from the same company on the same stack, and make a decision on that. That way nothing is biased in any way. Same bass, same company, solid or tube.
If I played on stages where I used an amp as my monitor, yes, I would probably have a tube amp. But I don't - I play on stages where we're ampless. I obsess about how to get the best tone possible into an xlr cable, so the person running the PA has the best chance he or she can to make the band sound great. So far that's a good bass and a pedal....or 4. so far they're all solid state.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I love tube amps maybe because I have an obsession with anything that uses tubes.
