Anyone using a Valve Poweramp?

Yea I'm trying to wait around for it as well. I did get a response from them somewhat recently. They are still working on it so they haven't written it off at least. Tough to wait though. I'm just using a ehx magnum 44 right now...I must say for the weight and money that thing works really well too...
 
ya, the 11 Rack video really goes into what the differences are between using an SS power amp and a Tube power amp with a modeler.
and yes I agree Fryette will sell a boatload of these if he can get them to market.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
Theres the other issue though - all the light weight amps are 20 watters. IMO thats not enough to give the headroom you need before it starts to compress/clip. Using traditional valve pres thats not an issue because you want it to happen - with modellers you dont want it at all really.

The Fryette at 40w will work - but other wise its 20, 50, 90 or 100 watts for valve power amps. 20 are too small, 90/100 are overkill and VERY heavy for most. 50w are really what you need, but there just too damn heavy for me.
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True, but if you're playing small venues or jamming with your friends, 20 watts is plenty. That Rebel is loud! Besides, I like the early breakup of the power section. But that's me, as they say YMMV.
 
I tried all the SS offering. Some were terrible, some were great but none could stand up against my tube offerings when A/B ing.

The complex relationship between amp and speaker has yet to be fully decoded and emulated IMO.

I used a 2/90/2 for years with power amp sims off, these amps color the sound a bit but its really to avoid double filtering from the power amps and having to compensate for dual resonant peaks that have no consonance. Doubling up is very unnatural when compared to traditional guitar sounds.

These days I'm using a 2150 as the full size transformers made a pretty big difference in the sound. Smaller transformers smaller tone.
 
I have an Engl E840 and play it through a Hughes & Kettner Statesman 4x12 loaded with Celestion V30's. I keep the power amp sims off. I think the sound is more 'open' when you set up your Axe-fx like that.

I tried the Matrix GT800FX for a little while, but no matter how much I tweaked my Axe-fx Ultra, connecting the Engl always brought a big smile on my face so I sold the Matrix. But I do regret the fact that I never tried the Matrix in combinatio with a FRFR speaker. I only tried it with my 4x12. Maybe the Matrix would have sounded better with a FRFR solution.
 
Jacques65 said:
I have an Engl E840 and play it through a Hughes & Kettner Statesman 4x12 loaded with Celestion V30's. I keep the power amp sims off. I think the sound is more 'open' when you set up your Axe-fx like that.

I tried the Matrix GT800FX for a little while, but no matter how much I tweaked my Axe-fx Ultra, connecting the Engl always brought a big smile on my face so I sold the Matrix. But I do regret the fact that I never tried the Matrix in combinatio with a FRFR speaker. I only tried it with my 4x12. Maybe the Matrix would have sounded better with a FRFR solution.
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I ha matrix 1000 2u and couldn't stop tweaking to get the right sound. With my 2/90/2 I don't even touch my axe fx anymore.
 
I wonder, with the power amps sim off going through a tube power section, Is the Axe II that much better than the Gen1's?
 
Roktron velocity valve Tube Power amp, P.A sim off.

I tested all SS solutions , none comes close to the sound of a good tube power amp.
 
My caveat with any amp - tube or SS - is that it MUST work with the Power amp sims ON, I just dont see the point any other way. If you run a rig with PA sims off and a real cab, you may as well run any pre-amp out there - why go to the expense of an AFX. The magic of the AFX is in the PA sims and cab irs so turning both off ?????

UNLESS of course you want the AFX for FX only. There are other contenders out there for that mind, but the AFX is damn good in that respect.
 
I just recently got an Axe FX II and have been running it through the power section of my Mark V into a Bogner 4x12. Sounds great... honestly it's hard to differentiate the USA amp models from the real Mark V in this setup.

I would be very curious to try one of the Matrix power amps instead. If I could get a similar sound and feel it would be amazing to have everything in a 3 space rack.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
If you run a rig with PA sims off and a real cab, you may as well run any pre-amp out there - why go to the expense of an AFX. The magic of the AFX is in the PA sims and cab irs so turning both off ?????
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Even with the PA sims off, the Axe is still much more versatile than going with any other preamp. You still have the modeled preamp section of each model and the various tone stacks to choose from. Then the stellar FX which you won't have in another preamp. Having all the options of speakers and mic placement with IR's is great but playing through a real cab with my favorite speakers (Greenbacks or V30's) is more gratifying.

Don't get me wrong Paul, I like being able to use the PA sims and IR's in the Axe too, but only when I'm recording or just playing at home at low volumes through my monitors.
 
paulmapp8306 said:
My caveat with any amp - tube or SS - is that it MUST work with the Power amp sims ON, I just dont see the point any other way. If you run a rig with PA sims off and a real cab, you may as well run any pre-amp out there - why go to the expense of an AFX. The magic of the AFX is in the PA sims and cab irs so turning both off ?????
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I can't agree with that. Your choice of preamp is a big factor in your tone. And together with the cab, it's the dominant source of your amp's voicing.

Dial up a patch you like, go to the amp's Advanced page, and try out all the Tonestack Type choices. You'll hear what a big difference the preamp can make.
 
axe fx ultra and mesa 2:100; output 1 to FOH with amp/cab modeling and output 2 to power amp without.. never tried any of the ss amps and will not likely go there unless AMT's tube replacements are as advertised.
 
Axisman5150 said:
Even with the PA sims off, the Axe is still much more versatile than going with any other preamp. You still have the modeled preamp section of each model and the various tone stacks to choose from. Then the stellar FX which you won't have in another preamp. Having all the options of speakers and mic placement with IR's is great but playing through a real cab with my favorite speakers (Greenbacks or V30's) is more gratifying.

Don't get me wrong Paul, I like being able to use the PA sims and IR's in the Axe too, but only when I'm recording or just playing at home at low volumes through my monitors.
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Oh - me too. Ive never liked the FRFR thing and only use that for recording. For practice and live use I always go Power amp/cab. The point was that when I used valve power amps I tried PA on and off - and TBH with PA sims off, there wasnt that much difference in similar amp types - that is clean amp models all sounded similar once you got into a band mix. Ditto crunch tones, high gain tones, dumble tones etc. What you end up with is 4 or 5 basic tones types that could be arrived at by using any one of many models. It just took away too much of the tonaly variations and subtleties.

Using valve power amps with PA sims on was much better in that respect - though some added too much of their own colour and caused other compromises with any tones where that flavour was not needed. Mesa amps in general are like that, though the bigger they are the less impact there is. The 20 watt Mesa was awful for anything but mesa tones. The VHT 2:50:2 worked really well, and so did the Engl e840. Didnt try the MArshalls or Peaveys - nor the Rocktron valve.

For me that is the benefit of SS amps along with reduced weight. Its all a compromise really, but you find what your prepared to compromise most and go with that. For me it was reduced feel (a little) for tonal variation and lower weight. For others they dont mind the weight and go for a neutral sounding amp like the VHT. Other still have their favourite amp such a Mesa 2:90 and go with that because its what there used to. Others only play one type of tone and pick an amp accordingly - again maybe a Mesa 2:90 as they play mesa tones only - and many of those find joy with PA sims off.
 
Nice bit of kit. The down sides for me .... its as expensive as a good valve power amp. Its nearly as heavy as a valve pwoer amp. Its the same size as a valve power amp. So - why use it?

Yes you can dial it to be quite neutral .... or not - so you could use it with a traditional pre like a valve amp or a modeller with propper neutrality (rather than just fairly neutral like the VHT/Fryette amps), so it does have benefits. BUT not huge over real valve power amps. Certainly worth a trial though if logistically possible (so mainland US only I think).
 
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