Should I Buy an Amp?

[dutchlander]

Katana's are awesome. I keep one in our performance venue where I teach for students to use for classes and it's always easy to dial in something that fits. Haven't tried running my FM3 thru it, not sure if that one has an fx loop.

I just got a Katana MKii 50 and used the 'power amp in' with my AxeFx III. I thought it sounded really good. I compared it to my FRFR speakers (Atomic CLR) as well as to my PreSonus PA (2 satellites and 2 subs) and thought that I can definitely use the K-MKii50 with my AxeFx. I will try the FM9 and FM3 as well, but I am expecting similar results. So...probably, I will get a second K-MKii50 as so to have two channels.

 

[Djentle_boogieman]

With the FM3 you absolutely don't "need" and amp at all. Its kinda buying a gaming PC when you already have the latest gaming console or vice versa, I know many guys that own both. This is coming from a guy that was a tube amp purist then going the amp sim route and now being back at tube amps mostly using them through a load box and a cab sim / effects through my computer or FM3. There is a tactile element of twisting really physical knobs that respond differently than the interface of a modeler or plugin, it can feel very inspiring and its also a cool experience to know what an amp in the room actually sounds like which is nothing like a microphoned amp that we hear simulations of in the modeling world.

Ironically I don't like anymore the sound of an amp in the room compared to the directness and detail richness of close mics.



It boils down to a very simple answer that can only be gained by experience: I you feel inspired by it, if its fun and it makes you pick up your guitar more often and write/play better/more music then yes, its worth it.

If not its wasted money...

 

[Xcdchdchjjf]

I’ve owned 30 tube amps over the last 10 years. Most of them “boutique/high end”. I’ve owned several fractal products. I’ve owned a few hybrid (think Revv with embedded two notes). I’ve done FRFR, big guitar cabs, small guitar cabs, stereo rigs, wet/dry, wet/dry/wet. Net, it’s a never ending chase. I’ve “kinda” solved by having 3 setups:

1. Mesa Mark V 90 used with a Torpedo Captor X
2. Fractal FM3 used with a Xitone active wedge and a Seymour Duncan PS700 into a pair of 1x12 Mesa Widebody closed back cabs
3. A Revv D20 with a few distortion pedals.

never ends…

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[JFR]

With the FM3 you absolutely don't "need" and amp at all. Its kinda buying a gaming PC when you already have the latest gaming console or vice versa, I know many guys that own both. This is coming from a guy that was a tube amp purist then going the amp sim route and now being back at tube amps mostly using them through a load box and a cab sim / effects through my computer or FM3. There is a tactile element of twisting really physical knobs that respond differently than the interface of a modeler or plugin, it can feel very inspiring and its also a cool experience to know what an amp in the room actually sounds like which is nothing like a microphoned amp that we hear simulations of in the modeling world.

Ironically I don't like anymore the sound of an amp in the room compared to the directness and detail richness of close mics.



It boils down to a very simple answer that can only be gained by experience: I you feel inspired by it, if its fun and it makes you pick up your guitar more often and write/play better/more music then yes, its worth it.

If not its wasted money...

That is why i think i will sell all my amps to just fit my FM9 with my BOSE L1 Pro 8 and use the FM9 for what it is : with his amps and fx.