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What solid state head best emulates tube tone?
- Thread starter Pandafist
- Start date
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Carvin's BX1200 does a pretty decent imitation. I had a Redline 1000 with the tube emulator, but the newer BX does a much better job and is also a rock solid amp.
Just make sure you can deal with all the controls (I couldn't...traded it for a B1500). Any sound you want is in there, but you have to be ready to work through the very extensive EQ section to find it.
Just make sure you can deal with all the controls (I couldn't...traded it for a B1500). Any sound you want is in there, but you have to be ready to work through the very extensive EQ section to find it.
4 completely different answers.
This might be one you should answer yourself Pandafist by trying some out.
This might be one you should answer yourself Pandafist by trying some out.
4 completely different answers.
This might be one you should answer yourself Pandafist by trying some out.
Umm.
I was hoping to use these suggestions to help me decide which ones to try first. Seemed logical enough to me.Or maybe you'd rather I just go out and try every single bass head ever made. Shouldn't be too hard, right? I could squeeze that into my lunch break, probably.
C'mon man.
Umm.
Or maybe you'd rather I just go out and try every single bass head ever made. Shouldn't be too hard, right? I could squeeze that into my lunch break, probably.
C'mon man.
cross-post much?
I thought maybe there was a better way to phrase the question. That is all.
I've got a Carvin BX1200 and it does a pretty nice job of emulating a tube type sound. My brother owned a Carvin R1000 some years ago and it did the same.
The much-maligned (IMO) Ampeg B2RE has a sweet Ampeg old-school tube timbre to my ears.
NO, I don't think it's "underpowered" (Hello...it has a good D.I., unless somebody's performance is in a garage of course)
and when I worked rooms with one as backline,, it held it's own just fine, thanks, in a loud-enough situation. I would have had no trouble in working out with this rig.
But to each their own as far as how much they may want or need...
Other than that, +1 on the LMII, or in some ways, the G-K's have a great circuit that provides a tube grind with the right eq.
Otherwise....maybe a hybrid??
NO, I don't think it's "underpowered" (Hello...it has a good D.I., unless somebody's performance is in a garage of course)
and when I worked rooms with one as backline,, it held it's own just fine, thanks, in a loud-enough situation. I would have had no trouble in working out with this rig.
But to each their own as far as how much they may want or need...
Other than that, +1 on the LMII, or in some ways, the G-K's have a great circuit that provides a tube grind with the right eq.
Otherwise....maybe a hybrid??
Umm.
Or maybe you'd rather I just go out and try every single bass head ever made. Shouldn't be too hard, right? I could squeeze that into my lunch break, probably.
C'mon man.
I saw your other thread and instead of going out and trying those ones, you made this thread, and you'll be told to try out the MarkBass LMII. Cool your jets hotshot. Just trying to help.
You could get a pedal that emulates tube amps and get just any clean SS amp out there, even just a power amp. There may be a spare power amp in the PA rack right now.
I know some will pipe up and say Tech21 Vt-bass, but go try some and you may find many you like.
I know some will pipe up and say Tech21 Vt-bass, but go try some and you may find many you like.
I think the Mesa MPulse and Aguilar AG500 are very good warm amps. They have different types of "tubeyness". The Mesa is warmer and more tube-like, the Aguilar is a little grittier and more aggressive. Both amps are very good and would be great main amps. I think they're too good to be only backup amps.
The LMII gets praises all the tome too.
There are lots of option.
The LMII gets praises all the tome too.
There are lots of option.
Put a Sansamp BDDI in front of a solid state amp and it won't matter what you buy.
+1
Rick Auricchio
Registered Bass Offender
There is quite a range of tone called "tube sound." You're going to have to listen and decide. Try the various pedals first, because they're easier to find and fiddle with.
One man's warmth is another man's distortion.
One man's warmth is another man's distortion.
many heads these days.... I would just avoid the amps the pride themselves as having a SOLID STATE sound specifically (GK). Otherwise you can do pretty well with many brands.
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