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Why do we tube lovers love tubes?

#421
Mudfuzz said:
Ok this thread has now gotten boring...
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maybe this'll help ;):

aline-02190801.jpg


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#427
Mudfuzz said:
As I keep saying.... cabs... they are heavy... they are big.... they are cumbersome, if they break on a gig you can't fix them...ect ect ect.
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I've never had a tube amp die on me - I don't use that argument. It is only weight. My cabs are 31lbs and 40lbs (AE112 and AE210). Most tube heads are heavier than that. And the rig is cumulative - I've got to carry everything. With my LMTube, I can play a lot of my gigs with one trip - cab, head, cables split between the gig bag and bag the head is in. If I swap out a 40-50lb head, it is going to be a lot more of a pita. And seeing as how I had 100mls of fluid drained off my knee a week or so ago, and will have to do it again, I'm all about small/light/loud (enough).
 
#432
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
Maybe, but it would be a matter of qualty of a specific emulation and not whether it is possible. The "sound" of an amp is all in the signals--what comes out versus what goes in.

It would be interesting to see if people can reliably tell the difference by sound alone--in double blind testing--instead of in sighted tests.
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I don't mean to pic nits, but I'm not sure I'd consider the results meaningful unless it were a double-blind playing test, instead of a double-blind listening test.

When I'm merely listening, I have no way of knowing how the sounds a rig is making relate to the way the player is playing. There's a dynamic relationship between the player and the gear that can be difficult to discern while listening passively.
 
#434
JimmyM said:
but stand me in front of my rig with a bass in my hand and i'll tell every time. i don't know anyone who couldn't, to be quite honest. and that's why i lug 'em, well that and because i look so damn cool in front of them ;)
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That's what I mean by a "sighted test."

If you had a tube amp and a modeled amp in front of you but you didn't know beforehand which one you were hearing, would you be able to tell from sound?

That would be the real test of whether an emulation could duplicate the sound of a tube amp.
 
#435
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
If you had a tube amp and a modeled amp in front of you but you didn't know beforehand which one you were hearing, would you be able to tell from sound?

That would be the real test of whether an emulation could duplicate the sound of a tube amp.
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i know that i definitely could.
 
#436
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
That's what I mean by a "sighted test."

If you had a tube amp and a modeled amp in front of you but you didn't know beforehand which one you were hearing, would you be able to tell from sound?

That would be the real test of whether an emulation could duplicate the sound of a tube amp.
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that's what i was referring to. i honestly believe i could tell the difference between an svt and a vt pedal/power amp if i had my back turned and didn't peek and had no idea what i was plugged into. now once it gets fed into the pa and i'm listening to someone else play, that's be another story. but as the player, i honestly believe i could tell every time.
 
#440
Cant we all just agree to the following:

a) We all like many different tones.
b) These tones are made by a variety of amplifiers all employing different technologies.
c) No one technology is inherently "better". That's why both types are still readily available in the marketplace.
d) It's ok if someone else prefers a technology or amplifier that I don't personally prefer.
e) It's ok if someone else prefers a technology or amplifier that I don't personally prefer.
f) It's ok if someone else prefers a technology or amplifier that I don't personally prefer.

:confused:

As to whether a "sound" can be modeled- that's really hard to measure! Keep in mind that listening to and playing through an amp are 2 different things! Granted, you can do both at the same time, but a 'modeled sound' doesn't necessarily provide the same 'performance response' as the real thing.
I've heard plenty of modelers that sound a lot like a classic tube amp (enough, even, to be worthwhile to use in professional recording). But I haven't yet played through a 'modeled rig' that feels anything like playing through an actual tube rig. It's not just the sound, but the feel and response as well. This type of 2-way connection between human & equipment can influence what and how you play!
 

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