Fryette 2/50/2 vs Fryette Power Station

demorior

demorior

New Member
Hey there.

I know a lot of you guys are big fans of the 2/50/2 and was just wondering if
anyone has tried a Power Station

The 2/50/2 being more than twice the price is there any reason why i shouldn't just get the power station?
 
Don't own the PS but have tried it. I liked the tone just as well as the 2/50/2--very similar open hifi-like character as Steve's power sections are known for. If I didn't already have a 2/50/2 I'd probably just go with the PS... still may switch down the road. I like that the PS is half the weight.

The price differential isn't that bad if you get a used 2/50/2.
 
The Power Station sounds very good. I used to gig with a 2/50/2 years ago and it was very good too. Of those choices, I'd take a Boogie 2:90 any day LOL Seriously, the Power Station is supposed to be a nearly flat sounding amp so if you need the attenuation and/or want to add a loop to an amp that doesn't have one it is a fantastic choice. If you just want a tube power amp I don't think I'd pick it again. Once I played through a Boogie 2:90 I was spoiled. What a great sounding power amp.
 
The power station is mono and has a bunch of attenuation features, etc. The other is a traditional stereo rack power amp (as such it should cost fully 2x). Looking at the features and your budget should make picking between them pretty trivial. All the Fryette power amps are excellent products.
 
hippietim said:
The Power Station sounds very good. I used to gig with a 2/50/2 years ago and it was very good too. Of those choices, I'd take a Boogie 2:90 any day LOL Seriously, the Power Station is supposed to be a nearly flat sounding amp so if you need the attenuation and/or want to add a loop to an amp that doesn't have one it is a fantastic choice. If you just want a tube power amp I don't think I'd pick it again. Once I played through a Boogie 2:90 I was spoiled. What a great sounding power amp.
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I agree 100% gigged for many years with a Boogie 2/90 and it was an absolute beast. Also owned a VHT 2:50:2 for a few years great power amp as well but not as warm and fat as the simul class Mesa.
 
Well if we're talking Mesa 2/90 I think it's fair to mention VHT/Fyrette 2/90/2 and the venerable 2150. All beasts in their own right. If I were to go that direction again I would probably seek out a 2150. BUT, these are all different from the 2/50/2 / 2:50 / Power Station vibe
 
Choral Mist said:
Well if we're talking Mesa 2/90 I think it's fair to mention VHT/Fyrette 2/90/2 and the venerable 2150. All beasts in their own right. If I were to go that direction again I would probably seek out a 2150. BUT, these are all different from the 2/50/2 / 2:50 / Power Station vibe
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Fair point I agree.
 
Choral Mist said:
Well if we're talking Mesa 2/90 I think it's fair to mention VHT/Fyrette 2/90/2 and the venerable 2150. All beasts in their own right. If I were to go that direction again I would probably seek out a 2150. BUT, these are all different from the 2/50/2 / 2:50 / Power Station vibe
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Tonally, I'd still take the Boogie 2:90 over the 2/90/2 and the 2150. I've owned all of them and the Boogie is my favorite. The 2150 is seriously fucking heavy too!
 
Just bought one ....

I used to use a 2/50/2 with my AFX standard, and as many will know was involved int he Development of the Matrix stuff. I tried the power station and have gone back to this.

Its a better fit than the 2/50/2 actually. The 2/50/2 while being fairly neutral for a valve power amp, isnt flat. The PS, is actually a reactive load (which you dont use when in Power Amp mode) input, coupled with a FLAT response 50w power output stage. Its designed like a valve Hi-Fi amp. This is how is keeps the tone of a real amp when used as an attenuation. The upshot is, it IS neutral (or as near as its possible to get with valves).

Compared to the GT1000.... Well the top end and upper mids are pretty much identical, This is where I thought any improvement would be found. Its actually the bass and low mid response where it shines. There is more weight to the low end and more transparency/note separation. The Matrix actually has more bottom, BUT as its range is lower - and coupled with the high impedance output, results in a rounder bottom with less "clunk" and a slightly more congested low mid range. The PS wins here. On clean tones its really hard to tell the difference unless you do single note "dig ins" and listen REALLY hard. The more gain you put on your patch though, the more the difference shows, and the PS just gives more of what you expect.

So - Ive jumped from Matrix back to Fryette (keeping the Matrix as backup - and will eventually rack both in a separate 4U "Power Amp" rack).

*EDIT* I will say - the Bright/edge and Warm/Deep toggles on the PS have no effect when in pure Power amp mode as there for the reactive load. The Presence and Depth controls do though. Both at noon sound the most neutral, though you can play to help compensate for different volume levels.
 
Hi Paul,
What cab are you playing the PS through? I have the PS and play it through a Vox 2X12 and really like the sound. I ordered a Matrix FR212 (which arrives today) and am wondering about using the PS with the FR212 and cab sims?
***sorry, did not intend to hi-jack the thread :) ***
 
Its a Zilla loaded with a G75 Creamback and a V30.

Shouldnt have any problems powering the Matrix FR with the PS. Should sound good.
 
Tried the Power Station with my 412 cabinet using the AX8 earlier this week and it sounds great. My cabinet is a Carvin Legacy 412 with Greenback speaker @ 16ohms. Plenty of headroom and really loud with the PS at 1/2 and AX8 output just under 1/2. Very impressed.
 
I'm thinking of getting a VHT 2:50:2 for the Axe FX. I like hitting the volume on the power amp to 4, 5, so, would I need an attenuator for that? Or could I just regulate the volume from the Axe output? And if so, is there a change in tone when changing the output levels on the Axe FX?
 
miguelete1978 said:
I'm thinking of getting a VHT 2:50:2 for the Axe FX. I like hitting the volume on the power amp to 4, 5, so, would I need an attenuator for that? Or could I just regulate the volume from the Axe output? And if so, is there a change in tone when changing the output levels on the Axe FX?
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wow - resurrecting the dead lol.

you can just regulate using the AFX volume. At vol 4-5 your not into power amp clipping yet (it will be sagging but not clipping) so your not loosing anything when you turn the afx vol down...to a point. Once the IP volume goes too far down it will start to loose body and get thin and toppy.

FWIW I used to run my 2:50:2 flat out.... and regulate the vol from the AFX.

Honestly though - with the AFX your better off with the Power station, or LX11 than the 2:50:2. Its quite linear and flat for a traditional valve power amp (compared to the mesa, marshall and engles) BUT that doenst make it flat. It was the best option at that time - which was before LX11, Powerstation, Matrix Amplification, SDs Power stage, Orange Pedal Baby (and others). It is now FAR from the best option with the AFX.
 
I’m in the middle of a deep dive with the Fryette LX II and the Power Station 700. I’m going to document when complete. Short of it is the LXII is the best piece of gear I have gotten for the Axe. All these years, this is exactly what I have been looking for!
 
The LX11 is basically two Power Stations in one box as its stereo.

FWIW Ive literally bought a Seynor Duncan Powerstage 170. Still have my original Mk 1 Fryette Power Station. initial thoughts.... not a lot of difference.

Now - the Fryette is SLIGHTLY better IF you disable the speaker resonance settings (which you should - because the PowerStation does it naturally - its a function of the output transformer). I mean there is a TINY bit, but you wont tell once other band member kick in.

Short of it its the fryette power station/LX11 are PROBABLY the best if you ONLY go amp cab. If you mix though, and send a feed direct to desk while using Amp/Cab on stage, the Seymore Duncan is better. you can disable the resonance tab in both feeds so either desk or cab is compromised using the valve amps (again not because there valve as such, but because of the output transformer they use).
 
Thanks for the comments and suggestions, guys. If I where to go with the Axe FX only I'd use a Matrix (I have one), but the thing is that I will be building a more analog-like rig, with a few preamps, and the VHT 2/50/2 is the right power amp for that. The Axe will be serving its amazing effects, but I don't think I will be using the emulation. Nothing wrong with it, it's just that I love my preamps. I also have a Waza tube amp expander that I could definitely use to attenuate, but I'm thinking of building an stereo rig, and for that matter, I don't have 2 Waza.
 
Yeah, I'd probably be running a JMP1, or a Nirvana in the Axe 3 loop, and from then going to the VHT. But I always have that doubt about how much tone I'd lose if I were to set up the VHT at 5/6 and attenuate with the output pot and the output levels. I definitely don't want to buy another attenuator to use the rig stereo.
 
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