ART SLA2 for Axe-FX?

R

Random Hero

Inspired
So I've decided to keep my Cornford oversized 1x12 cabinet rather than going direct with the Axe-FX so I'm gonna be wanting a power amp. I see Mark Day uses the ART SLA2 with the power amp sims on for the tube feel. Any other power amps anybody can recommend? I'm just trying to look at my options. It seems like a good price really but I'm curious as to what else is out there, for whatever reason :) I don't have the Axe-FX yet, hopefully by the end of August or so but I wanna get it all sorted in preperation.

Any disadvantages of running through a real cab apart from the obvious, i.e. not being able to get a V30 to sound like a Greenback or whatever?
 
I have a ART SLA-2 running non-FRFR through a Weber/Genz-Benz 2x12 and playing mostly alt-county to hard rock.

The ART (with power amp sims) is 95% as good as a VHT 2/50/2 for a fraction of the size, weight and cost. I have done some extensive blinded A/B testing with both musicians and non-musicians and very few of the musicians can tell the difference, and absolutely NO ONE can tell the difference in a live band mix.

FWIW, I still have a 2/50/2 (with 6L6's) that I haven't plugged in for about 6 months.
 
Ventanaman said:
I have a ART SLA-2 running non-FRFR through a Weber/Genz-Benz 2x12 and playing mostly alt-county to hard rock.

The ART (with power amp sims) is 95% as good as a VHT 2/50/2 for a fraction of the size, weight and cost. I have done some extensive blinded A/B testing with both musicians and non-musicians and very few of the musicians can tell the difference, and absolutely NO ONE can tell the difference in a live band mix.

FWIW, I still have a 2/50/2 (with 6L6's) that I haven't plugged in for about 6 months.
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Thanks man. Sounds great :cool:
 
I use my SLA-2 with both a 2x12 guitar cab or a passive FBT monitor, depending on the situation. (Or the house monitor, if applicable.)

Sounds great with all applications, but I mainly bought it because it's 1U. It is a heavy one, though, and really deep. My rack has rear rails, and it has some rear tabs that I bent into place to be able to secure it front and back. It's in there rock solid now.
 
I should specify that I'm still going to use the Axe direct to my PC for recording aswell as probably running it to the PA in conjunction with running to the power amp w/ cab but something about the power amp w/ cab route really appeals. That 'moving air' type thing, I guess?
 
Weighing in :lol: .... Again the Axe is a great single space amp for the money. I have been running two 16 Ohm 412 cabs with Vin 30's and it's nothing short of Huge. I just finnished two home built 112 recto style cabs running 8 Ohm 60 watt Hellatones and they sound reall good. The open back Cornford will sound great just be mindfull of your volume settings and you should be fine.

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I love my sla,
I sold my VHT 2/90/2.
To me, it sounds much better,with my 412 or 212 cabs.
Highly recommended!
 
All I can say after selling my SLA-2 is that it sounded flat, cardboardy and lifeless compared to running my Axe through the power section of my all tube head... Better than a Valvestate 8008... but not much. I would never get another one. Instead I am now looking for a good valve power amp on the used market.
 
Stringtheorist said:
All I can say after selling my SLA-2 is that it sounded flat, cardboardy and lifeless compared to running my Axe through the power section of my all tube head...
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That is EXACTLY the same impression I got when doing the same comparison. No contest whatsoever the tube head power section slayed the SLA. I am beginning to wonder if it is the fact we both used tube heads and not tube poweramps.

Everyone says that the SLA has 95% of the tone of their tube poweramp. Either that remaining 5% is a HUGE difference or there is something else going on here. Heads always sound larger than life to me while poweramps combined with preamps seem to sound smaller and more one dimensional - something I still don't understand. Maybe using a tube head as a power section (vs a tube poweramp) is the key to unlocking the huge tone out of the axe.
 
Ringleader, have you tried your Axe with a tube power amp yet? I'm probably leaning towards a Marshall EL34 50/50 but I could do without the weight and if it isn't going to sound as good as my head I may as well wait until the Fratomic FRFR comes out and spend the money on that. :|
 
Stringtheorist said:
Ringleader, have you tried your Axe with a tube power amp yet?
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No. But... with a little ass kissing I may be able to do the perfect test. One friend of mine has a VHT Sig:X head that is exactly like the one I sold. Another forum member in my same town has a VHT 2:90:2. According to Marcus from VHT, the Sig:X is supposed to have a VERY similar power section to the VHT 2:90:2 but is just in a "head" form. I'm thinking I need to buy some beer and/or coffee and get them both over to my house to do a side by side comparison and we'll settle this dilemma once and for all.
 
Ringleader said:
Stringtheorist said:
Ringleader, have you tried your Axe with a tube power amp yet?
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No. But... with a little ass kissing I may be able to do the perfect test. One friend of mine has a VHT Sig:X head that is exactly like the one I sold. Another forum member in my same town has a VHT 2:90:2. According to Marcus from VHT, the Sig:X is supposed to have a VERY similar power section to the VHT 2:90:2 but is just in a "head" form. I'm thinking I need to buy some beer and/or coffee and get them both over to my house to do a side by side comparison and we'll settle this dilemma once and for all.
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Sounds like a plan. :)
 
Even more - I'll see if the store that I traded that nasty SLA-2 to for QSC gear still has it in stock and I'll see if I can borrow that and bring it to the party too. That way we'll know for sure which is best. I'm contacting the members right now!
 
Ringleader said:
Stringtheorist said:
All I can say after selling my SLA-2 is that it sounded flat, cardboardy and lifeless compared to running my Axe through the power section of my all tube head...
Click to expand...
That is EXACTLY the same impression I got when doing the same comparison. No contest whatsoever the tube head power section slayed the SLA. I am beginning to wonder if it is the fact we both used tube heads and not tube poweramps.
Click to expand...

Just curious... When you used the SLA-2 did you have Power Amp enabled and did you adjust the MSTR, Depth, Damp, Sag and Pres controls in the amp settings?
 
rickboot said:
Ringleader said:
Stringtheorist said:
All I can say after selling my SLA-2 is that it sounded flat, cardboardy and lifeless compared to running my Axe through the power section of my all tube head...
Click to expand...
That is EXACTLY the same impression I got when doing the same comparison. No contest whatsoever the tube head power section slayed the SLA. I am beginning to wonder if it is the fact we both used tube heads and not tube poweramps.
Click to expand...

Just curious... When you used the SLA-2 did you have Power Amp enabled and did you adjust the MSTR, Depth, Damp, Sag and Pres controls in the amp settings?
Click to expand...
I had the power amp enabled and I spent some time dialling in my presets using all the tools available.
 
rickboot said:
Just curious... When you used the SLA-2 did you have Power Amp enabled and did you adjust the MSTR, Depth, Damp, Sag and Pres controls in the amp settings?
Click to expand...
I took a preset that I knew sounded great with my VHT Sig:X power section and used it exactly as it was with the SLA. When it didn't sound at all as expected I started messing with all the different controls and it just had this overall bland tone no matter what I dialed. It had a sound almost as if the cab sims were on but to a lesser degree and don't worry I triple checked that they were off. :) No hugeness and life like it had with my VHT. It made my Axe-Fx sound like a POD through my VHT cab. :eek:

BTW, the guy with the Sig:X head is in and the dealer said I can borrow the SLA no problem. I just need confirmation from the 2:90:2 owner and it's on!
 
R.Milbeck said:
I'm in. PM me when you want to borrow the 2/90/2.


My $.02 on the subject,
I've compared rack amps against heads from the same company/designer.
Heads win every time. Heads have more of a "presence" to them.
I attribute it to 1.) larger transformers in a head 2.) absence of questionable quality patch cables.

Ironically, a similar rack vs. head question was recently posted on the Egnater forum.
Other members feel the same way I do.


R~
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This makes me nervous.

I've just begun selling off all my pedals, committing myself to a rack system with the Axe at the heart of it. I'll be sorely disappointed if I find I have to continue humping my present rig to all my gigs as well as a rack case full of stuff AND some pedals. If the Axe doesn't fulfill the promise of sounding good enough to replace all this gear I may have to stay with valve amps and pedals after all. :|
 
I've actually been pretty happy with the Electro-Harmonix 22 Caliber when using my Axe-fx with a guitar cabinet. Its not crushingly loud, but it sure is portable.

Doesn't work well at all with a full-range cabinet.
 
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