Rackmount Power Amps[views:4826][posts:30]_________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 3:48pm - martins ""] Does anyone know anything about these? As part of my whole rig overhaul, I'm looking to switch to rackmount amp and preamp. I'm pretty sure I'm getting the Engl E530 for the preamp but I have no idea what to do for a power amp. I've looked at Mesa, VHT/Fryette, Marshall, and the Carvin TS100. I have no idea where to start. I don't like the Mesa and Marshall power amps because you can't bridge the channels to double the wattage... something you can do with the TS100. But the TS100 is being called too transparent and not tubey enough. I've only heard good things about the VHT power amps but $$$. Any advice or knowledge to be dropped? |
| ____________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 3:57pm - arilliusbm ""] Where are you getting all of this money from? Something smells fishy to me. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 3:58pm - reimroc ""] ^this |
| ______________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:01pm - Blue ""] how much do you want to spend, tiger? |
| ______________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:02pm - goatcatalyst ""] Pretty sure the older Mesa power amps can be bridged to double your wattage. I've got a mid 80s Simul 295 that I love. If you're patient they sometimes pop up on ebay. Pair that with the Quad preamp and you'll be rad like me. |
| ____________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:03pm - arilliusbm ""] I'm still curious how a 13 year old affords 2000 dollar guitars, mesa boogie equipment and final fantasies while in college? Martins is a man of mystery |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:03pm - martins ""] Work, guy. Plus, I've been selling some stuff and will be selling more off after the purchases. Also, I'm not buying this stuff right now or anything. This is most likely months to a year+ away. It helps that my parents are paying for college right now. I basically got a year free from scholarships, a year to pay off in debt from a loan and my parents are getting the rest right now. As a studying electrical engineer wanting to end up working on and designing audio gear, this is partially educational for me. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:05pm - martins ""] Also, I'm probably wanting to spend less than $2000 altogether which shouldn't be that hard, I think. Unless I buy NEW. Ya, fuck that. |
| __________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:06pm - brian_dc ""] goatcatalyst said:Pretty sure the older Mesa power amps can be bridged to double your wattage. I've got a mid 80s Simul 295 that I love. If you're patient they sometimes pop up on ebay. Pair that with the Quad preamp and you'll be rad like me. I thought all of your stuff was stolen? this is good news |
| ______________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:07pm - Blue ""] 2 grand on both a pre/power amp? id stay away from the carvin ts100...the older t100s are much better, and you can run one side 6L6 and other EL34 if you wanna get sexxyyy. but if you're going all out might as well go VHT. |
| ____________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:08pm - arilliusbm ""] ah, I hear ya. I'm just giving you a hard time as usual. listen to the real gearheads here; I'm not one of them by any means. |
| ____________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:09pm - PatMeebles ""] I've got a pretty awesome tone from my jmp 1 preamp going into a mosvalve power amp and then playing through a mesa cab |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:11pm - martins ""] Ya, I can't find a t100 anywhere. I've found some VHTs for $900. Couples with a used E530, I think that might be pretty sweet and reasonably priced. I'm waiting to see what guitar I'm getting first though. I'm hearing back from a guy about a Parker next week and if I don't buy that, I'm getting a Carvin kit and will have almost a grand of extra money lying around. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:16pm - martins ""] PatMeebles said:I've got a pretty awesome tone from my jmp 1 preamp going into a mosvalve power amp and then playing through a mesa cab The thing with preamps like the JMP-1, is that I don't know for sure how much of/where the signal is being converted to digital. I want an all analog signal path (at least until I get an AxeFX... hehe) |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:27pm - martins ""] Well, I just found a t100 for 400 dollars... |
| ______________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:31pm - Blue ""] if you're running a stereo rig, id go for the carvin that way you can mix tube types. otherwise, i would say if you're going all out preamp wise why not for the power amp? |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:35pm - martins ""] I've been wanting to rewire my cab for stereo operation so that's a possibility but nothing is set in stone. I mostly made this thread to see what people know because there's surprisingly little up-to-date information on this stuff. |
| ______________________________ [Aug 13,2009 4:41pm - Blue ""] cus peoplez are afraid of racks. |
| _____________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 5:14pm - TRUCK_BALLS ""] [img] as they should be. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 5:48pm - Martins ""] There goes my thread :( |
| _________________________________ [Aug 13,2009 8:59pm - Martins ""] Ya, I don't get the fear of rackmount shit. Way more versatile in general. |
| __________________________________________ [Aug 14,2009 2:43am - douchebag_patrol ""] [img] |
| __________________________________ [Aug 14,2009 12:39pm - martins ""] I just found another T100 for like 350 so I might just try it out with the preamp section of my amp and if I don't like it, sell it again. It all depends on if I'm getting a Parker next week or not, though. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 31,2009 3:38pm - martins ""] Pretty sure I'm getting an ADA MP-1 (or the Engl e530, a Sansamp PSA-1.1, and some sort of stereo power amp. I'm going to rewire my cab for stereo and have one preamp for each speaker. The problem is that I don't know what power amp to get yet. I was jonesing for the Mesa 20/20 but it's more expensive and harder to find than I expected. |
| __________________________________ [Aug 31,2009 3:39pm - brian_dc ""] whoa...a preamp for each speaker. You sly fox, you. |
| _________________________________ [Aug 31,2009 3:48pm - Martins ""] Yeah I thought it was swell. Plus if I get the PSA 1.1, I'd use it for the piezos in my Parker that I'm picking up today! |
| ________________________________ [Sep 1,2009 6:11pm - Martins ""] Blue/brian_dc, I'm going to this guy's house this weekend to try out an ADA MP-1 and an ADA Microtube 100. The Microtube is a hybrid design but it sounds coolio. I just wanna know what you gearfags thinks. I'm still going to get another preamp though, hehe. |
| _____________________________ [Sep 1,2009 6:18pm - Blue ""] the mp-1 is cool, but the only hybrid power amps i really like at all are the mosvalves. the mp-1 and psa should be fairly boneriffic. look for a better power amp. |
| ________________________________ [Sep 1,2009 6:29pm - Martins ""] Well I'm going to see the guy this weekend so I'll find out for surez. Even if I get both, it's a pretty good deal at $400. I don't know if the guy is open to selling half his bounty. Have you ever played through at Microtube? It's getting harder to find a reasonably priced 20/20 and impossibler to find a not-insanely-priced VHT anything. |
| _________________________________ [Sep 7,2009 11:43am - Martins ""] Just snagged an Engl e530 for $355 on the 'bay. Is this awesome? (y/n) |
| ______________________________________ [Sep 7,2009 11:45am - joeyumbrella ""] y |