Tube Tone from a Tube Pedal into the Axe FX II

HornsUp247

HornsUp247

Member
Has anyone here tried the Maxon RTD800 or a Blackstar HT Dual Tube in front of the Axe FX? I understand that many players put actual overdrive pedals in front of the Axe FX so I was wondering if anyone tried a tube driven OD in the chain? I plan on using my Whammy and Bad Horsie 2 and possibly an OD but I've been curious about these real tube pedals and was wondering if they gave the Axe FX, or any modeling software, more of a tube feel? Curious but not $400 curious in the case of the Maxon.
 
Never found anything with a preamp tube really giving much of a "tube tone". The overall "feel", and to a lesser degree, tone, of a tube amp is more a factor of the powertubes.

Put a preamp tube in front of a solid state amp and it still tends to play like a solid state amp.

That all said, do you really think the axe doesn't sound like a tube amp and needs the help?
 
HornsUp247 said:
Has anyone here tried the Maxon RTD800 or a Blackstar HT Dual Tube in front of the Axe FX? I understand that many players put actual overdrive pedals in front of the Axe FX so I was wondering if anyone tried a tube driven OD in the chain? I plan on using my Whammy and Bad Horsie 2 and possibly an OD but I've been curious about these real tube pedals and was wondering if they gave the Axe FX, or any modeling software, more of a tube feel? Curious but not $400 curious in the case of the Maxon.
Click to expand...
You know there's already a Whammy in the box, as well as a Morley wah model. Add a couple expression pedals and do it all in the box ;)
 
I have always done this, restore "real" amp feel with passives. Not usually looking for tone. The axe can handle that.

The axe feel is great but not the same. I have been ABing this way since I got my axe2 which was first batch. Maybe mkii are better in this regard.

Study up on the relationship between a passive pickup and its connection to the first tube.

I prefer running into the rear input with a buffer.

Vht valuator is good but adds minor dirt. effectrode glass a is great, but the feel is more like the axe with the submini. Sarno black box is great.

Been wanting to try Kingsley page.

Try it!
 
Last edited:
"Feel" of a tube amp largely is more of a power tube thing. Pedals running just a typical preamp tube, like a 12ax7, really aren't emulating a true tube amp

If it did, the market would be flooded with the hybrid tube pre paired with a SS power amp, but those models have pretty much always disappointed.

If a tube pre pedal sounds good, then more power to ya, but a single tube isn't going to give the feel of a proper tube amp
 
The HT-Dual is a very nice pedal. I had one for the longest time. It has rich harmonics along with a transparent saturation unusual in a pedal. When I got the AX8, however, there was nothing the Dual added to the FAS modeling, so I sold it.

HT-Dual behaves more like a full amp than just a preamp, but does not have the same touch response. Nor will it overdrive the front end like a regular pedal (in the focused fashion of a Tube Screamer, eg). With its wide frequency response, its utility is more along the lines of the Tech 21 Character series as an amp substitute, for fly gig direct to PA, even direct recording. HT-Dual can do well for Marshalleque full amp sounds into a clean front end, or the effects loop, or a SS amp.

I could see buying an HT-Dual again, if I wanted to do dual amps in the AX8: running this in the FXLoop would probably be serviceable for dual amp patches. The two amps at a time in an Axe FX would be better: Just my take on how the HT Dual plays with FAS.
 
Last edited:
Had an HT-Dual I tried with my HD500. Overall disappointing. I guess you can't add a tube to certain devices. The Fractal IMO does NOT need that kind of help. I've tried several boutique ODs with mine (before I realized they were going to be dust collectors) and always found what was already in the box was better. And a bunch more convenient.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom