Talk me out of getting back into amps

Brother I have gigged for many years. I had pretty much every flavor of popular amp you could imagine. I purchased the original Axe FX and gigged it constantly but I also had that same itch. I went through that twice and as another Fractal brother stated above, I ended up wondering what the heck I was thinking in mere weeks, if not days. I tried a few of the other modelers along the way too and always had the same experience. I ran right back to the Axe FX. My roaming eye days are well in the past. :)
 
I’ve got this rig currently set up in the music room. It’s pants flapping awesome, and the axe is the mastermind of it all, controlling channel switching, and 7CM stereo effects. It’s amazing, 10/10 would recommend.IMG_1307.jpeg
Wanna know how it sounds? Easy- the Carol Ann Tucana in stereo with the Carol Ann Triptik model. It’s in the box. The models are really good. Seriously, putting the models into the power amps of the amps is right on. If it were me in your shoes, the power amp and real cab gets you there.
But hey, sometimes you gotta try something, so if you want an amp and can swing it, have a blast. The axe is the perfect advanced pedalboard.
 
Orvillain said:
I haven't I'm afraid. I have a bit of a prejudice against ENGL - probably completely unfounded - after trying a Screamer 50 about 17 years ago and not liking it!

In retrospect, I bet it is actually sick AF !
o_O
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The 50W screamer is a very great Amp but so damn loud. Could get my hands on one for 300€ 2 years ago but opted for a fender blues junior with a G12M25, slightly modded and that fit for me as a "pedal platform" amp with FM3 in front. But the screamer definitely has a more nice tube compression when pushed hard.
 
yek said:
Converting my Fractal rig to a complete traditional ‘analog’ rig would cost me around 12k.
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This! Not this much but u would be not cheap.
Diezel VH4, matching Cab and controlled with a Voodoo Lab Setup. Just when I think about doing the cables again
 
The problem with amplifiers is that they are big and heavy and make noise. Period. If these things are not a problem for you, I suggest you get at least one.

Having the Fractal together with the weight of a power amp (maybe a tube one) is sometimes equivalent to the weight of a head. Personally, when I bought the Fractal (First the Axe2 XL and then the 3) I didn't feel the need to sell even one. In fact, exactly the opposite happened: by deepening the sounds of some models of my Axe, I bought new heads and ended up having 15 of them (in addition to other preamps + power amps).

In my opinion, the two experiences do not cancel out but complement each other. Personally, I find it a certain difficulty on a dynamic level to switch from playing one to the other. It takes me a certain period of getting used to it because I find it more difficult to play on a tactile level on a real amp (probably because on the Fractal there are gates and other things).

Personally I also have an attenuator but I use it very little and I hate the castrated sound of the 30w and below amplifiers that are popular now. Honestly, I have to smile with those who want to buy a tube amp that doesn't make too much noise and I recommend a transistor power amp.

I love guitar and the sound pressure, for example, of a Mesa MKIV pushed with its classic V or an SLO with its 4x12 that cannot be defined as anything other than explosive enjoyment.

OTOH, if you are interested in the sound itself, the Fracal is spot on and you don't need anything else. By the way, amps could be expensive, considering I paid €4,400 just for the Bogner Uber Ultra.
 
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To me a real amp with the Redseven amp central evo in the Axe FX3 with cab block (with my own IRs) and effects sounds and feel much better.
Mids are more « raw » and rich than any stock model.
It sounds more natural especially on single notes.
Dynamic is also better with the real one.
 
Adman103 said:
I’ve got this rig currently set up in the music room. It’s pants flapping awesome, and the axe is the mastermind of it all, controlling channel switching, and 7CM stereo effects. It’s amazing, 10/10 would recommend.View attachment 148381
Wanna know how it sounds? Easy- the Carol Ann Tucana in stereo with the Carol Ann Triptik model. It’s in the box. The models are really good. Seriously, putting the models into the power amps of the amps is right on. If it were me in your shoes, the power amp and real cab gets you there.
But hey, sometimes you gotta try something, so if you want an amp and can swing it, have a blast. The axe is the perfect advanced pedalboard.
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Nice!
Got a preset that does that?
 
Dave Merrill said:
Gotta admit, there's a little voice that wants me to get a small tube amp to jam with friends. Thing is, I'd want at least a 3 channel combo amp, which I'm not sure exists besides Mesa, and those are expensive and heavy and way more power than i need.

Maybe i should investigate.
Maybe.
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Hughes & Kettner do 3 channel combos. Tubemeister 36 I believe. Good amps. I have a Grandmeister 36 head and 2x12 speaker set up. I put new (non-cheap Chinese) tubes (valves) in it and it is a great versatile amp. The combo is a little less versatile but still sounds great (and loud).
 
the axe 3 sound better in recording than the cab clone incorporated in the real jp2C .... more "produced". I have tested that today for fun recording tracks with both. the cab clone is usable but I already miss the loadbox I have sold some years ago.....
 
Budda said:
So @bigfoamfinger watcha thinkin
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leaning towards the 2902 and 2x 412’s, but that can change any minute. This is the favorite because of the stereo capability, just not sure HOW important stereo really is though.

The good thing about the traditional amp setup is the head can also double as a power amp. Can’t do stereo but again I just need to figure out how necessary stereo is
 
My name is mud said:
the axe 3 sound better in recording than the cab clone incorporated in the real jp2C .... more "produced". I have tested that today for fun recording tracks with both. the cab clone is usable but I already miss the loadbox I have sold some years ago.....
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Same with the Triple Crown, the Cab Clone output is useable but not ideal.
 
bigfoamfinger said:
leaning towards the 2902 and 2x 412’s, but that can change any minute. This is the favorite because of the stereo capability, just not sure HOW important stereo really is though.

The good thing about the traditional amp setup is the head can also double as a power amp. Can’t do stereo but again I just need to figure out how necessary stereo is
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You’re talking about 4x12s, so “necessary” has already exited the discussion. Stereo takes things to the next level.
 
bigfoamfinger said:
leaning towards the 2902 and 2x 412’s, but that can change any minute. This is the favorite because of the stereo capability, just not sure HOW important stereo really is though.

The good thing about the traditional amp setup is the head can also double as a power amp. Can’t do stereo but again I just need to figure out how necessary stereo is
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Stereo is only really happening if you have distance between the cabs.
 
Budda said:
Stereo is only really happening if you have distance between the cabs.
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Which I wouldn’t. My music room is small. To be honest back when I was running a 2502 it was simply too loud running 2 cabs and essentially 2 x 60 watt amps. Maybe the tube head is the answer
 
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