Cake and Eat it Power Amp?

L

Layer8Cake

Member
I‘ve owned the usual suspects when it comes to digital rigs playing first through a pair of HS8s and more recently through A7Xs.

I invariably fall out of love with it and go back to an amp with a cab but this time round, given the design, I’ve been using my AF3/FC6 with my 5153 (50w) in 4CM and love it.
That inspired me to use the 5153 as a power amp and love it. (This is a record for me in terms of having a digital rig and not flipping it).

The 5153 power is pretty clean and I think I’m missing out having sag set to zero to bypass power amp modelling so want to get a power amp fro my rig.

id like stereo but it’s not essential (I have 2 beautiful Zilla 212s). I’ve been looking at the usual suspects:

Powerstage 700
GT1000fx

Im not considering the power station 2 as it was too noisy (fans). When I stop playing I want nothing louder than the AF3 (I play at home).

To complicate the decion process, and because I also like valve amps, I’ve spent a lot of time watching @Guitarjon‘s excellent videos which has inspired me to look at getting a load box for use with my AF3. This in turn has lead me to consider the Boss Waza TAE to use as a load box and also a power amp.

The alternative would be to get the powerstage or matrix and the Suhr reactive load (the FAS loadbox is out of stock).

What do you think on these approaches? Anything else I should consider? Is anyone using the TAE?

option 1: Power stage 700 and Suhr RL
option 2: Matrix gt1000fx and Suhr RL
option 3 Boss Waza

i want to try the approach @Guitarjon uses for recording (and playing through a cab) so am letting this influence my power amp decision and would like some real world feedback ( eg is it a noisier approach and only suited to recording?)
 
What is the load box for? Unless you’re using a tube power amp you won’t need one (most load boxes specifically state not to use solidstate amps with them, or you risk damaging both).

Both solidstate amps you mention are highly regarded, it will probably come down to features required (eq or not, placement of jacks) and whether you care about class AB vs class D.

since you mention liking the tube power from the 5153, something like the new Fryette LXII might be worth looking into, though it May end up not being any quieter than the power station.
 
Hi @mnemonic

The load box is so that I can use a valve amp in the AF3 instead of an amp block and either record it or send to an external power amp and amplify it.
Another way to look at it, is that I’m turning the AF3 into a Boss TAE on steroids. I’d be loading down a cranked amp to line level, then putting it into the AF3 as an amp block with effects in front and in the loop. I then either send the signal into a cab block and record it or back out into a flat power amp and through a cab.

The more I think about it, the more I think that I should forget the waza TAE and use my AF3 as the effects alone make this box of pure joy worth the upfront cost.


Edit: in terms of Jack placement, I need to put my AF3 in a case (suggestions welcome) and I’m not fussed whether the power amp is in the rack or on the rack. I’m not taking it out and about etc
 
Layer8Cake said:
Hi @mnemonic

The load box is so that I can use a valve amp in the AF3 instead of an amp block and either record it or send to an external power amp and amplify it.
Another way to look at it, is that I’m turning the AF3 into a Boss TAE on steroids. I’d be loading down a cranked amp to line level, then putting it into the AF3 as an amp block with effects in front and in the loop. I then either send the signal into a cab block and record it or back out into a flat power amp and through a cab.

The more I think about it, the more I think that I should forget the waza TAE and use my AF3 as the effects alone make this box of pure joy worth the upfront cost.


Edit: in terms of Jack placement, I need to put my AF3 in a case (suggestions welcome) and I’m not fussed whether the power amp is in the rack or on the rack. I’m not taking it out and about etc
Click to expand...

that makes more sense. I suppose the TAE is more full-featured as it has the (adjustable) load and power amp built in. And effects but I guess that would be covered with the axe III. You definitely pay for those features though.

I haven’t seen any plots of the TAE impedence curves, but the Suhr is the most ‘realistic’ compared to a real cab, that I’ve seen.

I suppose cost-wise they’re close, SRL + Poweramp, vs TAE.
 
I was in the same boat with a Friedman head, minus a loadbox. So I built my AxeFX III rig in a 4u with a Matrix GT1000fx. It’s great to have that option for real cabs easy plug and play at the venue or whereever. The matrix into a real cab is awesome IMO. Especially with the latest Axe firmware. I set the power amp settings in the amp block to “SS” output. It sounds and feels amazing. Leaving all modeling on. My presets always use a pre-cab block out to the matrix and real cab, and final out with cab modeling to FOH or FRFR for me. Axefx cab block last in chain for this. I also have a pair of CLR’s but prefer the Matrix as backline into a pair 1x12 v30’s. I use my CLR’s for low vol playing, dialing in preset IRs to match my cabs, or bring as monitors to venues. I tend to match my FRFR out to match my real cab sound. This rig setup allows ultimately quick change LIVE play flexibility in any situation (FRFR only, real cab only, IEM, all simultaneously, 4cm, stereo/mono, . I prefer stereo for my own inspired monitoring, either way though. With some creative preset planning , and global blocks you can have your gig presets ready for any situation in this rig that sound amazing however used. It’s like having 200+ amp heads w/ effects ready for any back line cab like this. Very happy with matrix applied to the axe for this reason. Have a PS170, poweerstation, xitone mbritt, and fender combos too, but prefer the matrix. YMMV
 
Cool, thanks @Paulinfl

For frfr I will use my monitors. The rest through the cab.

Will have to think whether I go with the clean TAE route with its selective RL or SRL and ether a PS700 or GT1000FX

i might buy all three and audition/return if I can’t make my mind up...
 
Layer8Cake said:
Cool, thanks @Paulinfl

For frfr I will use my monitors. The rest through the cab.

Will have to think whether I go with the clean TAE route with its selective RL or SRL and ether a PS700 or GT1000FX

i might buy all three and audition/return if I can’t make my mind up...
Click to expand...
I can highly recommend the WAZA TAE as being a great match for what you have in mind, I have an OX and the LB2 as well, but the Boss feature set, silent noise floor, very effective built in (mono) power amp and excellent load box makes it the winner for me. ..sending the III amp signal directly into the TAEs FX return to use the power amp and impedance/FX with your cab is an added treat.
 
I’ve just spent a good hour browsing the show your rig thread.
I need to up my game, some fantastic rigs there.

Thanks for the feedback @bradlake - can you tell me! Is there much fan noise on the TAE? When I’m not playing, I do like relative silence. It’s what put me off the PS2
 
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