Hi guys. I'm new on here and wanted to know what people's opinions are on on the above. I've owned both and prefer solid state with built in compression (Ashdown ABM EVO III to be specific) as i can hear the d and g strings a lot better and all notes seem to 'cut through'. I've always read that valve amps don't like compression but naturally compress the sound but I don't hear it! Am I mad?!
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Valve v solid state
- Thread starter bass74200
- Start date
I havent heard that "valve amps don't like compression", and they certainly do have a level of natural compression.
The other thing I don't quite understand is not hearing the D & G strings as well. Certainly never had that problem (and I use my SVT most of the time, have used a number of SS amps too)
The other thing I don't quite understand is not hearing the D & G strings as well. Certainly never had that problem (and I use my SVT most of the time, have used a number of SS amps too)
Welcome to TB.
Tube amps sort of have a natural compression when driven to saturation (distortion). You need to turn up pretty loud to hear it.
There's a lot of SS Vs valve discussion here and it usually turns into a food fight and the thread gets shut down. Use the search function up top and you'll find quite a bit of info.
Tube amps sort of have a natural compression when driven to saturation (distortion). You need to turn up pretty loud to hear it.
There's a lot of SS Vs valve discussion here and it usually turns into a food fight and the thread gets shut down. Use the search function up top and you'll find quite a bit of info.
Agree with Vin*tone
It really becomes a matter of personal taste. I like hybrid designs, myself, in part because of the natural compression a preamp tube offers... but without any power amp distortion/sag. But that's *me*. It's like anything else - you have to decide what you like.
It really becomes a matter of personal taste. I like hybrid designs, myself, in part because of the natural compression a preamp tube offers... but without any power amp distortion/sag. But that's *me*. It's like anything else - you have to decide what you like.
Valve amps like compression just the same as ss amps do but a lot of guitarists like valve amps because the harder you play the more they saturate and the more distortion and compression you get. If you use a compression you loose some dynamics so you loose the ability to vary the amount of distortion with your playing dynamics.
If you don't use your valve amp for distortion or don't have the desire to vary the amount of the distortion with your playing dynamics than there is no reason not to use a compressor.
(and if you use a compressor without it killing your dynamics than you can still do it)
If you don't use your valve amp for distortion or don't have the desire to vary the amount of the distortion with your playing dynamics than there is no reason not to use a compressor.
(and if you use a compressor without it killing your dynamics than you can still do it)
T
tifftunes
Guest
I prefer the tube amps in all things bass and guitar...
That said, I like different end results from these two groups...
For bass, I want strong and "MOSTLY" clean, gutsy, chest thumping sound. Not so much interested in overdrive or distortion, though both are inherent in small amounts anyway tube circuits. I can get overdrive and distortion in a more controllable way from pedals. I just want a tough, powerful delivery.
For guitar, the saturation of the transformers, power tubes, overdrive and distortion mean a lot more... I want the amp to be the source of overdrive and distortion, and have it controllable by how hard I push the amp (hit the string) - clean to overdrive in one "arpeggiated" chord, so-to-speak...
With bass, I like how tube amps presents the sound. Tube amps are "tuned" or "voiced" to deliver a limited frequency range that will compliment the instrument. As opposed to SS (my 2 Edens come to mind), which simply deliver the whole audible range of 20-20,000 hz. I also like the sound a transformer adds to the tube amp's sound. There is a dynamic quality to the tube amp's components I've not found in solid state amps. It is this difference that means the most to me, and has 'til recently, kept me firmly in the tube/transformer camp.
However, with age, I'm now more interested in getting the tube amp sound from a much smaller and lighter set-up. I've found a couple of amps that do the "Tube Thang" brilliantly, but without tubes or big heavy transformers! One of these new "discoveries" has more "life" to it than the other, and makes me believe I'm hearing the heavy iron transformers and power tubes of an SVT, or Traynor, or Fender PS400 - a large, heavy tube amp in other words. It's a kind of psycho-acoustic effect that I'm glad has fooled me. 'Cause, 'til now, I was stuck with amps weighing in at 65 lbs or more!
Welcome to the madness!!! And I hope you enjoy your tone journey as much as I have!!!
That said, I like different end results from these two groups...
For bass, I want strong and "MOSTLY" clean, gutsy, chest thumping sound. Not so much interested in overdrive or distortion, though both are inherent in small amounts anyway tube circuits. I can get overdrive and distortion in a more controllable way from pedals. I just want a tough, powerful delivery.
For guitar, the saturation of the transformers, power tubes, overdrive and distortion mean a lot more... I want the amp to be the source of overdrive and distortion, and have it controllable by how hard I push the amp (hit the string) - clean to overdrive in one "arpeggiated" chord, so-to-speak...
With bass, I like how tube amps presents the sound. Tube amps are "tuned" or "voiced" to deliver a limited frequency range that will compliment the instrument. As opposed to SS (my 2 Edens come to mind), which simply deliver the whole audible range of 20-20,000 hz. I also like the sound a transformer adds to the tube amp's sound. There is a dynamic quality to the tube amp's components I've not found in solid state amps. It is this difference that means the most to me, and has 'til recently, kept me firmly in the tube/transformer camp.
However, with age, I'm now more interested in getting the tube amp sound from a much smaller and lighter set-up. I've found a couple of amps that do the "Tube Thang" brilliantly, but without tubes or big heavy transformers! One of these new "discoveries" has more "life" to it than the other, and makes me believe I'm hearing the heavy iron transformers and power tubes of an SVT, or Traynor, or Fender PS400 - a large, heavy tube amp in other words. It's a kind of psycho-acoustic effect that I'm glad has fooled me. 'Cause, 'til now, I was stuck with amps weighing in at 65 lbs or more!
Welcome to the madness!!! And I hope you enjoy your tone journey as much as I have!!!
