Amplifier FAQ

[Damage Inc.]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, on the fact that Dimebag Darrell used SS-amps exclusively:

Once he was moving to the band 'Damageplan', he also moved to KranK-amplifiers, which were all-tube amplifiers.
Because then he was able to get the warmth and the fuller tone/sound, but also the, as he called it, "shred-your-face-off" edge.
Which was the reason that he used SS-amps, because they'd sound harsher and get more of that "shred" with higher gain (at least from Randall-amps).

This was just a special case though. I couldn't really imagine anyone, but fans, wanting his sound.
It was his thing and it could be an inspiration of course, but that was really one of the things that made his and PanterA's sound.
So yes, as said, tube-amps are generally preferred, at least for guitars.

[FC]

But the biggest names in rock/metal will shell out that kind of money(not including amp maintenance), because that's what gives them the sound that made them big in the first place.

I disagree. An incompetent player like me couldn't make a triple rectifier sound good. Give a cheap battery operated amplifier to EVH and he will make it sound good. It takes both, quality equipment and talent to make it work, but talent is the most important. But then, if you hit a power chord on the triple rectifier of course it will sound better than if you hit a power chord on the cheapo amp. Anyone can use their noggin to change their perspective and see both points.

[FC]

The masses listen to highly compressed music off their iPods with their terrible DAC's, through unspeakably awful earbuds - their preferences of music and sound aren't built upon music and sound.

You are such an elitist.  I guess I am guilty of that too...

[FC]

   You know , we're always having the SS vs Tube debate here ...    Being an amp maker as well as a GP , we've had Many amps over the years , both tube and SS ....  Yes the old SS amps (60's) were just dead Awful , if overdriven ... and their reliability wasn't so good either ...     But that's all changed , with SS circuits becoming not only Very reliable  , but the tone shaping is much improved... the digital modeling allowing for any manner of Tone (s) ...      The Truth is , SS amps sound just as good as tube amps ... played CLEAN....   Tube amps sound GOOD when overdriven  ... Just the Nature of the Beast !!!    So for our humble needs , we use SS amps , played Clean , with "dirty" effects ...  and using an amp of enough wattage to ensure we have enough LOUDNESS for the particular gig , without driving the SS amp into it's unnatural distortion ... The effects provide the necessary "grit" ...   Perfect !!!    Works in small clubs to outdoor gigs   ...  
   Tube amps when overdriven produce a really Sweet distortion, no doubt about that  ... but Not all the time ...  Tubes are "finicky"  and require that each amp be "tweaked" to get those tasty Tones we all Love ...   Rarely do I hear a factory tube amp that doesn't need to be "adjusted" ...    just a change of a few caps and resistors  can completely re-voice the amp ... in a good or bad way ...   Around here we just tweak the tube amps to the taste of the customer ... Each one is different ...  
    Then when you get it voiced , it's essentially a "one trick pony "   ( But  GOOD Pony )   Different voicing s requiring different preamp channels ... complicated , expensive , and  HOT ...   And then you still need the amp to be the correct wattage for the situation , because tube amps sound only Great set at their "sweet Spot" ... which can sometimes get really LOUD ...  

    Since we're on a Gear forum , I feel safe in saying that if you're a serious musician , you need an assortment of both tube and SS amps ...   Plus a shedload of pedals ...  Not to use all at once (although that idea sounds Interesting )  but to give you a bag of options to better serve the "Gig", recording , venue, engagement , party , whatever...     It's a Job eh ??     Gotta' have the Tools !!!!    

I see where you are coming from. When I was doing my "new amp" research I fell in love with a Randall amp and I almost went for it, but I chickened out because at the last minute I found out it was SS. I don't know why I did not buy it, it sounded pretty good and it was cheaper than what I ended up buying.

[Glassy]

The masses listen to highly compressed music off their iPods with their terrible DAC's, through unspeakably awful earbuds - their preferences of music and sound aren't built upon music and sound.

You are such an elitist.  I guess I am guilty of that too...

You know it's true.

I'll just point to Chris' post and leave it at that, so as not to derail the thread: http://guitarforum.net/guitarist/index.php/topic,18774.msg234347.html#msg234347

[Damage Inc.]

But the biggest names in rock/metal will shell out that kind of money(not including amp maintenance), because that's what gives them the sound that made them big in the first place.

I disagree. An incompetent player like me couldn't make a triple rectifier sound good. Give a cheap battery operated amplifier to EVH and he will make it sound good. It takes both, quality equipment and talent to make it work, but talent is the most important. But then, if you hit a power chord on the triple rectifier of course it will sound better than if you hit a power chord on the cheapo amp. Anyone can use their noggin to change their perspective and see both points.

I agree. Every artist will use what suits them best.
And sure a more expensive amp would tend to initially sound better than a cheaper device.
But they will indeed have to make it sound good in their own way.
Just like, again, Dimebag Darrell made his sound with SS-amps which many people love.

When I got to know MetallicA, I also fixed my eye on getting "the rectifier" or a Mesa.
But once I found out how boutique and expensive it was and that it wasn't that necessary, I quickly forgot about it.

I see where you are coming from. When I was doing my "new amp" research I fell in love with a Randall amp and I almost went for it, but I chickened out because at the last minute I found out it was SS. I don't know why I did not buy it, it sounded pretty good and it was cheaper than what I ended up buying.

The Randall-amps were also one of the first I looked at in a perspective of balance between quality and price.
I was really going to get the V2 they came out with, as it was an amp that would sound as good as tubes.
But it was generally a SS-amp driven by a single tube to get a lusher sound and what not.

I also moved away from it for some reason. Maybe I was afraid it wouldn't give me enough versatility (at least in sound) after all.
But some time later I noticed an amp by ENGL and I looked into that. I'm still on it to get one as they're also more affordable.
These are all-tube though and full of extra features depending on which you get.
It's really good to see alternative brands rise up to popularity instead of the never-ending clichés of Marshalls and Mesas and what not.
Now you also have, like I said, ENGL, but also KranK and such brands. Also Randall came back with tube-technologies.