I don't understand why there are almost no stereo amp heads.

R

RussMuller

Member
I would really love to have an amp with some great tone and personality in the preamp but have a stereo power amp. Why does it have to cost an arm and a leg? I can only think of the Diezel VH4S. I don't get it! Every friggin' effects unit under the sun has a stereo output. I don't get what is so hard about having two 50-watt power amps in a head to allow full appreciation of the stereo effects with a good amp?

It seems to me like this is a very logical idea. Anyone else with me on that?
 
Its a great Idea but cost (2xamps in one head), weight (2x transformers in one head) and most people are still into traditional land even with modern amps. I've been using stereo since the mid 90's and it sounds wonderful in the room but in a band situation its almost impossible to get that effect to the audience unless its a very small space. most don't run pa in stereo either ? but for a stereo rig there are some great rackmount tube and solid state amps out there. It can be enjoyable to build your own with components :)
 
I used to play a Hughes & Kettner AX 64 Stereo Combo with two 12" and also an Ampeg stereo Combo with two 12" (this also is the one that I would use to amplify my Axe if needed). Both of them weren't tube amps. Don't know about heads or tube amps but some Combo were there in stereo. Not may though.
 
Well first off it's going to cost you near twice as much to build. Secondly it's going to weigh almost twice as much because of the power and output transformers. Then having those transformers so close together is probably going to cause interference with each other because they're so close. Then getting both sides to match exactly would be a pain (everyone knows that every tube amp sounds just a little bit different).

But in the end it'd be just like buying two amps...so buy two amps.
 
RussMuller said:
I don't get what is so hard about having two 50-watt power amps in a head to allow full appreciation of the stereo effects with a good amp?

It seems to me like this is a very logical idea.
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Logically it is a good idea. Practically it is not.. due to observations already posted (cost, weight, etc.) and the fact that stereo mostly does not work for live use.

Without opening a whole can of worms on the subject, there are few stereo guitar amps because stereo is seldom used for stage/live work. It's a logistics and an audience experience thing that doesn't translate well in a live audience setting. Studio sure (CD), but that is solved by double-tracking and panning L/R, or recording a stereo track.

Why would a manufacturer build something that would be more expensive and mostly wouldn't sell?
 
Rivera too: S120 Top.

Along with all the other stuff, you'd really want to carry two cabs and separate them. More weight... But then again, I'm old and wont be able to gig forever (alas!), so screw the weight. Bring the kitchen sink and get the tone that makes you smile.
 
I have thought about this a lot too. I've come to the conclusion that you need your stereo effects after the output stage to get the best tone. I guess there are good reasons the pros do it the way they do.
 
I owned a Diezel VH4s and ran it stereo after a wile I couldn't tell unless I was using some outlandish effect. It was heavy, it sounded great but in the end I don't think it was really worth the money.
 
Sixstring said:
I owned a Diezel VH4s and ran it stereo after a wile I couldn't tell unless I was using some outlandish effect. It was heavy, it sounded great but in the end I don't think it was really worth the money.
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That is one amp i would love to try out with the Ax for effects!! Serious money though, and just way to powerful for present needs..but would still love to test that along with the Herbert!
 
shasha said:
Well first off it's going to cost you near twice as much to build. Secondly it's going to weigh almost twice as much because of the power and output transformers. Then having those transformers so close together is probably going to cause interference with each other because they're so close. Then getting both sides to match exactly would be a pain (everyone knows that every tube amp sounds just a little bit different).
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That doesn't make much sense (other than doubling up on some components) since pretty much every tube guitar rack mounted power amp is in stereo. Two channels of tubes and transformers get crammed into a rack chasis and I don't here any VHT 2/90/2 or Mesa 2:50 users complaining.
 
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s0c9 said:
It's a logistics and an audience experience thing that doesn't translate well in a live audience setting. Studio sure (CD), but that is solved by double-tracking and panning L/R, or recording a stereo track.

Why would a manufacturer build something that would be more expensive and mostly wouldn't sell?
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Live, I can agree that stereo doesn't translate too well but in smaller venues, it can be somewhat appreciated with two cabinets positioned properly. But even for my own listening pleasure I'd like to enjoy moving air in stereo in my studio and at rehearsal.

I disagree that it mostly wouldn't sell though. As I just mentioned in another reply, unless you go for the Atomic, it's hard to find a mono standalone power amp for guitar; they're all in stereo because they are being put into racks with stereo FX units. Obviously there is a market for stereo tube amps for guitarists. I would think it's an obvious step for keeping high quality tube amps relevant in an increasingly digital and solid-state world. The best you get in most cases is a buffered loop and if you dig around you can find amps that will change channels via MIDI commands. It's easy for me, who has very little knowledge of what it would actually take to build, to balk at the engineering challenges or make up reasons why it is or isn't a great idea but I hope that in the future more amp makers would take that step to make their amps more attractive in terms of simplicity of integration with digital gear.
 
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