Tube Amp as Power Amp?

Keg8605

Keg8605

Power User
Does anyone know of a nice head that has a good clean power section to it? I've been wanting to pickup a power station to use with my XL but I'm starting to think maybe just a nice tube head with a good power amp section would be better since I would have the option of using 4cm as well then.
 
Any amp wont be as "clean" as the Power Station though. Its neutrality is its thing. The choice is - PS for good clean power amp,or a head that you like and use that for the tone primarily.
 
That said, the Axe works really well in the 4CM if you can live with the fact that every model is going to sound like it is going through a 6L6, EL34, or whatever, power section. It is just like going with a guitar cab rather than FRFR (I do this in one of my rigs) you lose the flexibility of picking and choosing but the non-modeled portion of the rig is never in question as to what it is going to do or whether it is going to be accurate. You could go much higher wattage than you need like say a 100W+ tube amp to maybe improve the headroom. You'll likely want to turn power amp modeling off most of the time, or maybe tweak some of the deep params if you leave it on and want to adjust the feel of the rig for the volume you are playing.

So, I guess my starting point for building that kind of rig would be pick a relatively high wattage head that you like the sound of on its own and then use the flexibility of the Axe to make a great rig.
 
There are many racks power amps so you dont have to get a whole amp. I use a Marshall 2x50w power amp from 80's and it works great.
 
aziz said:
There are many racks power amps so you dont have to get a whole amp. I use a Marshall 2x50w power amp from 80's and it works great.
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Right I know. Just thinking if I'm going to lug around a tube power amp. Maybe it would be more worthwhile using a head to have the option of 4cm as well. And also as a nice backup within my rig too then. But prices of decent heads are higher than I'd like to go anyhow so still thinking I'll head the Power Station route for awhile anyways. For some reason I'm just yearning to have a tube head around to play now and then.
 
Keg man, look no further than the EVH 5153 50w, like that other guy said. That thing is something really special.

I've tried the ENGL 840/50 which was ok, tried the Carvin TS100 (I think it is) and none of them could even come close to what the EVH delivers. So much so, after going down the 4CM path with the EVH head, it made my decision of selling my beloved Bogner XTC head with a clear and non-regretful conscience. The HBE amp sim sounds f_cking incredible! As does the Euro Red (which was the reason why sold my XTC head), and even the actual 5153 amp sims are more tweakable and versatile than the real thing!! Go figure, right!?

*** I repeat what I wrote above.. using the EVH 5153 50w head in 4CM made my decision of selling my beloved Bogner XTC head with a clear and non-regretful conscience.. But, you won't know until you try it.

If you end up getting an EVH 50w head, let me know and I will happily send you some patches to try out (as long as it's Axe-ii). I've set up some scenes where I can toggle between (or X/Y) amp sims vs the blue and red channels of the EVH... and every time I do that at band prac, my band mates all unanimously agree that the amp sims do sound better than the real thing..

Food for thought mate..
 
Georgy said:
Keg man, look no further than the EVH 5153 50w, like that other guy said. That thing is something really special.

I've tried the ENGL 840/50 which was ok, tried the Carvin TS100 (I think it is) and none of them could even come close to what the EVH delivers. So much so, after going down the 4CM path with the EVH head, it made my decision of selling my beloved Bogner XTC head with a clear and non-regretful conscience. The HBE amp sim sounds f_cking incredible! As does the Euro Red (which was the reason why sold my XTC head), and even the actual 5153 amp sims are more tweakable and versatile than the real thing!! Go figure, right!?

*** I repeat what I wrote above.. using the EVH 5153 50w head in 4CM made my decision of selling my beloved Bogner XTC head with a clear and non-regretful conscience.. But, you won't know until you try it.

If you end up getting an EVH 50w head, let me know and I will happily send you some patches to try out (as long as it's Axe-ii). I've set up some scenes where I can toggle between (or X/Y) amp sims vs the blue and red channels of the EVH... and every time I do that at band prac, my band mates all unanimously agree that the amp sims do sound better than the real thing..

Food for thought mate..
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Definitely, thanks for the reply. I'll being heading one of these routes soon. I think it would be a bit more fun having an amp around just for kicks if anything.
So it sounds like you prefer just running into the fx loop return and using the 5153 sims? Probably easier than running 4cm. Do you keep the PA sims turned on or off then?
 
You're right - it's not only fun having an amp around for kicks, but heavens forbid something happened to the Axe, you could still use the head in a live situation.

I primarily use the BE/HBE amp sims, and even the EURO RED.. these seem to work/sound the best. I do however have 2 or 3 patches set-up so I can toggle between amp sims AND the EVH blue+red channels. But, I actually primarily use the HBE amp sim more than anything else. I keep the PA/cab sims turned off.
 
Nice - thanks for sharing. I recently borrowed my brothers Mesa Mark V 25 and noticed a better cab tone. Then I ventured back into 4cm and wow I think I'm close to going full circle. There's just some mojo that gets lost going into the guitar cab with the axe fx I think. I definitely want a small lightweight head to lug around though.
 
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