Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Fun Stories => Topic started by: oggydoggy on November 04, 2007, 11:33:17 AM

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: oggydoggy on November 04, 2007, 11:33:17 AM

Currently running my F1-X and Wt-1205, but am interested in a component system. What tube power amps do you guys like? I know many of us use Qsc, Crown, solid state stuff, but any suggestions on Tube power??
Thanks,
-Ed

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: FC Bass on November 04, 2007, 08:21:26 PM

I use a Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo, lots of power and lots of tone.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/45563.jpg)

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: jet_powers on November 05, 2007, 03:34:41 PM

I like the spare tube of inspiration!
 
JP

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: David Houck on November 05, 2007, 08:39:14 PM

Tube of inspiration sold separately.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: 811952 on November 07, 2007, 07:02:02 AM

I have a pair of ~45 year old Bogen 200-watt mono amps that sound absolutely wonderful (when my back feels up to dragging them along, that is).  I think 20 years ago my brother paid something like $35 for the rack they were in, and the amps were free.  They came out of a de-commissioned IBM plant.  The old Bogen and DuKane tube amps can be found at school corporation auctions and such if you're vigilant.  The DuKane's are wonderful also.  The most prevalent model for school PA systems is a 50-watt tube unit that really screams as a guitar amp.
 
John
 
edited to add a linky to the sweet metric-tonne of tone:
http://scarysharkface.smugmug.com/photos/184253618-L.jpg (http://scarysharkface.smugmug.com/photos/184253618-L.jpg)
 
 
(Message edited by 811952 on November 07, 2007)
 
(Message edited by davehouck on November 07, 2007)

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: keith_h on November 07, 2007, 09:59:03 AM

In keeping with the theme I guess you could say the Bogen's are a tube of perspiration.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: 811952 on November 08, 2007, 07:59:12 AM

In keeping with the theme I guess you could say the Bogen's are a tube of perspiration.
 
If you put it that way, they're 8 output tubes of perspiration apiece!  :P

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: edwin on February 24, 2008, 11:07:51 PM

McIntosh 3500! 350 watts of super clean power in a nice convenient 135lb package!
 
Edwin

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: 811952 on February 25, 2008, 09:42:03 AM

That thing's gotta sound awesome!  I'd hate to have to move it though...  ;)

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: thomas on March 21, 2008, 10:12:28 AM

Yea my previous amp was a Mesa 400+ that i moded to use 12 6550's so yea. But now ive got my aggie DB750

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: David Houck on March 25, 2008, 07:11:25 PM

Hi Thomas; welcome to the board!

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: danny_bryant on April 12, 2008, 11:14:15 AM

Look at the new Mesa Boogie Fathom head. I have said it on a previous thread but it is the best sounding head I have heard in a long time. Loud as hell and tone for days. 1100 bucks and simple to use. This is the only head I use to gig now. 350 watts at 8 ohms, 600 at 4 ohms. I love this head and I cant stop singing its praises.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on July 28, 2008, 09:56:45 AM

Peavey (yes Peavey) has a great sounding Tube Amp under a grand and made in the USA

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: tomhug on August 06, 2008, 01:13:46 PM

Vann-Di, any more specifics (model # or URL) on the Peavey you suggest? I checked out their site and didn't see any tube power amps.
 
FWIW, a Peavey Mark IV was my go-to Bass amp for 8 years (as an impoverished HS/College student). I probably have more music production hours against Peavey amps than any of the higher-end stuff I acquired later.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on September 23, 2008, 10:07:06 AM

Here you are:
 
http://www.peavey.com/news/article.cfm/action/view/id/233/20072707.cfm
 
(Message edited by FunkyJazzJunky on September 23, 2008)
 
(Message edited by FunkyJazzJunky on September 23, 2008)

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: edwin on November 03, 2008, 11:26:25 PM

Here's the one I'd want:
 
http://tinyurl.com/5su4am (http://tinyurl.com/5su4am)
 
Way beyond my means though. Starting around mid 1972 Phil Lesh used 4 of these beasts!
 
Edwin

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: LMiwa on November 04, 2008, 02:05:01 PM

But Edwin, you'd be getting a PAIR of them for ONLY $32,500.00! You should just jump right on that Buy It Now

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: lbpesq on November 04, 2008, 03:01:19 PM

Edwin:
 
You might still be able to find a good sub-prime mortgage on the pair of Macs!
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: edwin on November 04, 2008, 11:47:45 PM

Loch and Bill are for some reason trying to ruin my back and my marriage. What gives?????
 
 
:-)
 
Edwin

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: LMiwa on November 06, 2008, 08:21:39 AM

nah... just urging you on to greater artistic endeavors  

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: dannobasso on November 06, 2008, 10:59:06 AM

Having blown out my back in summer 07 and then being in a car accident the following November and through diet and exercise shed 45+ pounds,  I am a huge fan of lightweight gear. I just bought an Epifani UL 902C head. Dual 900 watt amps @ 4 ohms each. Great sound, 14 pounds. Nuff said. If you have a crew to set up your gear, use whatever heavy gear you like. I don't think Phil lugged his gear but I could be mistaken. I'm not married so I don't have that as a variable in GAS issues. Love your spouses, your backs and your bass playing activities.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: wideload on November 06, 2008, 03:24:42 PM

Danno- Your rig may be light, but your playing is heavy! Be careful out there.
 
Larry

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: mario_farufyno on December 04, 2008, 06:14:44 AM

I have an Ampeg SVT, but I'm convinced that solid state amps are more suitable to use with such modern sounding Bass.
 
By modern I mean bright sounding and faster attack, that may be hidden by the typical tube sound (to me they sound rounder and almost compressed).

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: adriaan on December 04, 2008, 06:24:04 AM

Mario - perhaps an SVT doesn't sound terribly bright with a fast attack, but that doesn't say anything about other tube amps. I'd also look at the 8x10 speaker enclosure that's usually parked underneath.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: mario_farufyno on December 05, 2008, 01:05:43 PM

You're right Adrian, I should have tried other options before making such statement. To be honest, I didn't have much chances to try many diferent tube amps (and my SVT-III isn't really an all tube amp - in fact, its power section is FET driven)...
 
But I must say I'm not deep into harsh sounding rigs (altough I really dig fast response amps). A friend recomended me to try this Epifani Head to match my Epifani UL-210 cab (but it isn't a tube amp). Have anybody tried the Aguillar power amp?

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: 57basstra on December 12, 2008, 07:01:31 PM

Ampeg

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: blackelan on February 15, 2009, 08:24:41 AM

I know this is a older thread but I figure I will respond anyways.
 
I have a Strategy 400 for my guitars but I never thought to try it for bass...
 
I have a Ampeg SVT-II Pro that is supposed to do everything a Ampeg SVT head can do plus more. I never had a chance to compare side by side but my SVT II Pro is pretty much all I need with my ADA MB1 preamp.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: jos on June 26, 2009, 12:31:58 PM

If you like to have a great tube sound and want to sound ?modern? or like earlier mentioned have an ?fast attack? I suggest you try out Mesa/Boogie Strategy power amp (12 tubes) together with Alembic F-1X that is just an killer tube sound a great combination, the best I have experienced so far. Everybody in my band loves it too. I did play with a Mesa/Boogie 400+ but did not like it too much I did not feel the presence (fast attack) but with Strategy and F-1X whoooow! Ampeg SVT tube amps are great too for certain kind of music like Rock or Blues but Mesa and F-1X just works for almost everything! The only thing is that it?s really heavy so I do not use it that much anymore but for certain gigs and when it?s something really special and there is a need for raw power then I use it????..just killer stuff!!  
Nowadays I do use several different amps depending on the situation? but I just happened to read this about tube amps here so I thought I share some of my experiences.    
 
J-O-S

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: mario_farufyno on June 26, 2009, 02:11:49 PM

Great Tip

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: dnburgess on June 26, 2009, 05:49:55 PM

My favourite tube power amp is the Demeter VTHF-300M
http://www.demeteramps.com/products/poweramplifiers/index.html (http://www.demeteramps.com/products/poweramplifiers/index.html)
 
Its not small or light - but if I could afford it I'd have two for my home stereo.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: garth4664 on October 04, 2009, 04:57:04 AM

I have an old Mesa Bass 400 with a pair of 15 inch cabinets that was my dad's rig - he's still gigging but is too old to lug this gear around anymore.  The old 400 is great, has half the number of tubes of the 400+ and gets a tone that I have never been able to find with anything else.  
 
I love technical innovation, but have to say nothing beats the way tubes sound when they are being pushed hard and to my ears these lightweight powerful amps with clever switching power supplies don't come close.  
 
Perhaps we can start a petition to put big tube bass amps as permanent fixtures in every pub and venue around the world.  A guy can dream right?

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: krystoof on January 11, 2010, 01:30:03 PM

Hi, folks!
    I recently purchased a Aguilar rig, with the db680 ( tube preamp) and the db728 (tube power amp). Man, the sound is so huge, so rich, so.... beautiful! With my MK sig, they match perfectly, ad it's also a dream!..

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: christov on January 13, 2010, 04:05:47 AM

I am an SWR junkie!!  I currently use a small Basic Black combo for practice or very small gigs and my stage rig is the Megoliath 810 cabinet and the SM-1500 head.  I love the transparent qualities that SWR allows me to produce.  I LOVE tube amps as well, and my last tube amp was a Peavey Classic 400 which uses 8 6550 tubes in a push-pull configuration for a total of 400 watts over the 300 watt Ampeg SVT.  Amps are a lot like choices of vehicles or tools.  A mechanic can fix your car just as easily with Mac tools instead of Snap-On.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: tmimichael on November 10, 2011, 07:55:45 AM

There are a couple of options that I'm certainly curious about as well:  
Eden makes an all tube head, the WTB300V, and has anyone tried either of the 2 HIWATT tube bass heads?

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: jseitang on January 15, 2012, 06:25:42 AM

yes i have. i had a 200 watt. ive played through the 400. they sound huge and the tone is clear.its a little stiff but i stlll think they are pretty awesome. when you crank those amps, thats when the real power tube tone comes into play (which i have always been a big fan of.)

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: redcloud on January 18, 2012, 06:24:24 PM

I have a Reeves Custom 400 and a Reeves 410.  It is really something special.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: benson_murrensun on January 20, 2012, 10:58:50 AM

Yeah, they sound GREAT, but they are heavy and need more maintenance compared to solid state. Which is why I no longer have my SVT rig.

Title: Tube Power Amp
Post by: redcloud on January 21, 2012, 04:26:29 AM

Yeah.  THe Reeves pretty much stays put in my music room, though;  for SS I have a Thunderfunk TFB-800 B-2 through a Barefaced Big Twin-T which is pretty nice, low, and loud.  A really special micro rig is my EA  iAMP Micro 550 and EA M- Line Whizzy 112.