AX8 into Powerstage 170 or Tube Amp or Fryette PS2

G

Gasp100

Power User
I've owned the PS2 and loved it, but it's a bit bulky and not sure it is warranted for gigs. I think there is a thread where people mentioned you need to mess with resonance and once you did that it would throw off you direct to FOH tone?
I just bought a cool tube amp with great FX loop (is not here yet) and I may try 4CM and other options including AX8 straight into FX loop. I think it will sound good.
There is a powerstage 170, a bit pricey but is it even close to the level of the Fryette?
I've done the SS amps in the past with:
EHX 44, Tubeworks Mosvalve, Matrix GM50 and never been super thrilled.
But the 170 looks perfect for gigging.
 
"170 is fine" - not exactly a glowing recommendation Yek :)
I believe you had the Fryette before this, would you say the Fryette is still a better overall experience? The PS170 of course is much more sensible in form factor, weight, etc. But I also have an amp and I could use the Fryette to load that down, use it for silent play/recording, etc.
On the used market the 170 goes for ~$350 and the Fryette goes for ~$600.
Is $250 worth much better power amp tones, being able to incorporate with a real tube amp, etc? To me it is UNLESS the 170 works really, really well with the AX8.
 
Have the EHX 44, a Matrix GT800, and a Carvin DCM-200.

The EHX is fine for its price point, I use to use the GT800 and liked it better than the DCM-200. But somewhere along switched back to the DCM-200, it was with the Axe Fx II and I think it was around the time Quantum firmware's started coming out, just found the DCM a bit more neutral.

Tried the Powerstage 700 a few weeks ago, I liked it a bit better than the GT800 and the DCM-200, but not enough to make me hit "buy it now". I will pick up a 170 for myself in the future, but no rush
 
Finally a topic that I can add my 2 cents to...

The SD170 is a great sounding solid state power amp. Quiet, reliable, lightweight, all good. I bought mine to replace a Behringer rack power amp that I used for years. It checked all the boxes, and immediately replaced the Behringer.

I've never been happy plugging into the power section of a tube amp. They are not really flat response, so I can never dial out the inherent tone of the amp itself. To me that defeats the whole purpose of power amp modeling in the AX8. Whatever amp model I use has the added and unwanted tone of my amp's power section. For me it turns the AX8 into nothing more than a fancy effects unit.

When I discovered the Fryette, I was intrigued because it is flat response. (It didn't hurt that Dan & Mick from That Pedal Show also raved about it as a power attenuator.) In my opinion it CLEARLY surpasses any tube amp or solid state power amp for tone. It is clearer and more dynamic, just more ALIVE sounding. Is it light years better? No. Is there a difference? Absolutely.

I hardly ever gig out, so I don't have to worry about the size & fragility of the Fryette, or dealing with front of house issues. It is the only way I power my AX8 at home. However, on the rare occasion that I play a gig, I take the SD170 every time with no reservations. Whatever tonal benefits the Fryette has are washed away as soon as I get into a band situation anyway.

Sorry to drag on and on. My suggestion is to get the SD170, you'll be more than happy with it. However, if you ever plan to play a real tube amp again, keep the Fryette for it's power attenuation abilities alone.

Hope this helps.
 
Gasp100 said:
"170 is fine" - not exactly a glowing recommendation Yek :)
I believe you had the Fryette before this, would you say the Fryette is still a better overall experience? The PS170 of course is much more sensible in form factor, weight, etc. But I also have an amp and I could use the Fryette to load that down, use it for silent play/recording, etc.
On the used market the 170 goes for ~$350 and the Fryette goes for ~$600.
Is $250 worth much better power amp tones, being able to incorporate with a real tube amp, etc? To me it is UNLESS the 170 works really, really well with the AX8.
Click to expand...

IMO, the Fryette is more organic and natural in the lows, and the best PA I've used.

However, as you've mentioned, the fact that it needs LF+HF to be set at neutral on the Axe-Fx / AX8, makes it hard to use when you're also feeding a direct signal to the board.

The PS-170 is the best solid-state PA I've used. Beats Matrix IMO. And I like that I don't have to dedicate rack space to it, and the tone controls are handy too.

I still have my Fryette and don't plan to sell it, because it's so useful for many situations. For example, it's the PA for the only traditional tube amp I've got: Fryette GPDI.
 
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I'm probably a minority of one here, but I actually prefer keeping the LF/HF frequencies in their authentic positions even when I'm running the AX8 into the Fryette.

Don't get me wrong, everything sounds good with the LF/HF set neutral. However, when I put them back to their stock settings each amp model sounds more dynamic to me. (Maybe I'm just dumb.)

Is there a definitive reason that LF/HF should be set neutral? Are there any real world consequences to not doing so?
 
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I had the Seymour Duncan, it was okay. I agree with Yek, the Fryette sounds and feels so much more natural.
 
CSW said:
Is there a definitive reason that LF/HF should be set neutral? Are there any real world consequences to not doing so?
Click to expand...

The LF/HF params simulate the interaction of resonance and impedance between a tube power amp and guitar speaker. The Power Station, being a (neutral) tube power amp, does not need that simulation and takes care of that itself. Maintaining the default LF/HF values doesn’t hurt at low volume levels, but turning up the volume will “hype” the lows and lows, requiring additional EQ-ing and causing undesirable feedback.
 
The Fryette is the best amp I've used for the AX8. I havent't tried the PS170, but I did try a SLA2, Matrix 800, Quilter TB and several amp fx returns.

If you are going to use a guitar cab, the Fryette is allot better than any SS solution IMO. It will give you a tube feel as well as feedback that SS amps don't do well.
I would also throw out the Quilter Tone Block 200 is my second favorite. It was also much more amp like than the matrix and art plus you get an EQ and more volume than you would ever need.
 
studiodunn said:
If you are going to use a guitar cab, the Fryette is allot better than any SS solution IMO. It will give you a tube feel as well as feedback that SS amps don't do well.
Click to expand...

Isn't the "tube feel" when using the AX-8 a function of the cab block? The touch sensitivity, harmonics, etc.--the guitar interacts with the AX-8 for sound dynamics rather than an actual amp? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but in a rig using the AX-8 to simulate different cabs (and cabinets) a solid state amp would seem the better choice.
 
Wi
WahooNC said:
Isn't the "tube feel" when using the AX-8 a function of the cab block? The touch sensitivity, harmonics, etc.--the guitar interacts with the AX-8 for sound dynamics rather than an actual amp? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but in a rig using the AX-8 to simulate different cabs (and cabinets) a solid state amp would seem the better choice.
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The cab block more of an EQ function.
With a guitar cab/speaker I'm disabling the Cab sims. I guess I see the AX8 as my fx and preamp and use the Fryette as the poweramp. With the PS-1 I get a much spongier tone than the same preset through any of the SS amps I've tried. That said, the SS amps create a crisper more detailed tone, but that's what I would expect form SS.

Through a FRFR, yes a SS amp would be better at preserving the Cab sim and the overall emulation.
 
Gotcha. I down-sized and use it as the full cab sim. Have one channel going to FRFR and the other with cab disabled going to PS-170 with 2x12. I definitely like having the cab too. I'm not sure I have the channels set up exactly right, yet, though. : )
 
WahooNC said:
Gotcha. I down-sized and use it as the full cab sim. Have one channel going to FRFR and the other with cab disabled going to PS-170 with 2x12. I definitely like having the cab too. I'm not sure I have the channels set up exactly right, yet, though. : )
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With that setup the SS poweramp is better than a tube poweramp, since you want to have the poweramp modelling turned on for the FRFR, and it's a global parameter.

You also gain the benefit of modeling different poweramps, as opposed to using just the one you happen to own.

There was a good comparison video on the subject floating around somewhere here, maybe by Leon Todd? You might wanna try and dig that up.
 
Just wanted to throw my vote in for the PS170. Honestly I've never been more happy with my setup. I was using the power section of a tube amp, (Mesa Boogie two channel Triple Rectifier) but the PowerStage is honestly great with me and I love the size of it.
 
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