paulmapp8306
Fractal Fanatic
Ive been happy with my SLA-1 for around 9 months now - but I have read a few seople saying itsw mid heavey, 2d or flat sounding when compared to using a tube amps power section.
Well, I had my mates Orange Thunderverb 50 head last week so did some A/Bs.
I played a mid gain patch through my normal Axe/Art/VHT 2x12 and it sounded good to me. I then replaced the Art with the Orange going into its FX return. It did seem to sound better. A bit more bite and harmonic.
I did the same for a clean patch - and the difference was even greater.
I started to think Id made the wrong choice with the Art - and maybe there were better options. The amp really did sound better. :?
Heres the thing though. I then played a higher gainpatch through both set ups - but also added the Orange head as a complete signal chain. The Axe/Art combo was very close to the Orange head (channel A, mid/bass at noon, trebble at 2 o'clock, gain at around 2 o'clock). The Art/orange power conbo sounded too bright, a little harsh and brittle by comparison. :shock:
So - I have concluded that while the Art on first listen is a little mid heavey - and when compared to an amps FX loop sounds dull and 2d - its actually closer to to a real amp than the FX loop option. The Art is certainly VERY close to a real amp, (dynamics, harmonics, 3d etc) when your patches are dialed in correctly.
Of course this could be changed by re-doing the patches, and indeed as my patches were designed using the Art its maybe not surprising that sounded closest to a real amp. Still - its not worth changing my Art for either a Valve amp head, or Valve amp PA (it really was close. In fact with some EQ tweeks to match the Orange I couldnt tell the difference - my patches were a little brighter than the real thing).
Of course when the Atomic comes out - and Ive saves the extra £250 I had to spend on a new cooker (unexpectedly !!!) Ill have to have one of those.
Well, I had my mates Orange Thunderverb 50 head last week so did some A/Bs.
I played a mid gain patch through my normal Axe/Art/VHT 2x12 and it sounded good to me. I then replaced the Art with the Orange going into its FX return. It did seem to sound better. A bit more bite and harmonic.
I did the same for a clean patch - and the difference was even greater.
I started to think Id made the wrong choice with the Art - and maybe there were better options. The amp really did sound better. :?
Heres the thing though. I then played a higher gainpatch through both set ups - but also added the Orange head as a complete signal chain. The Axe/Art combo was very close to the Orange head (channel A, mid/bass at noon, trebble at 2 o'clock, gain at around 2 o'clock). The Art/orange power conbo sounded too bright, a little harsh and brittle by comparison. :shock:
So - I have concluded that while the Art on first listen is a little mid heavey - and when compared to an amps FX loop sounds dull and 2d - its actually closer to to a real amp than the FX loop option. The Art is certainly VERY close to a real amp, (dynamics, harmonics, 3d etc) when your patches are dialed in correctly.
Of course this could be changed by re-doing the patches, and indeed as my patches were designed using the Art its maybe not surprising that sounded closest to a real amp. Still - its not worth changing my Art for either a Valve amp head, or Valve amp PA (it really was close. In fact with some EQ tweeks to match the Orange I couldnt tell the difference - my patches were a little brighter than the real thing).
Of course when the Atomic comes out - and Ive saves the extra £250 I had to spend on a new cooker (unexpectedly !!!) Ill have to have one of those.