[SarnoMusicSolutions]

Just wanting to get some feedback on peoples experience with various power amps. Here are a few that I'm interested in hearing some thoughts on:

Carvin TS100

Rocktron Velocity 300

Fryette Two/Ninety/Two


I've heard the Carvin is actually pretty good, BUT it needs a tech to truly bias it. They tend to ship it biased a bit cold to be on the safe side. Have heard fairly good reviews of the Rocktron as a transistor alternative for a fairly good price. The Fryette seems to be the Rolls Royce of the bunch, super loud, super clean, monster tube amp. We've all talked about the Mac's, but I'm interested in hearing about newly available power amps that help achieve a good Jer' tone, clean with a bit of nice grit and sparkle at the top. I'm sure there are others people have been trying as well.


Brad

[Jon S.]

I'll go first. I'm running my SMS Classic Preamp into a Rocktron Velocity 300. I must say, I am very, very pleased with the tones I'm getting. In fact, I'll take it further than that - for the first time in my life, I'm totally satisfied. FWIW, a fan posted this video of a song from our last gig 10 days ago. I'm on the right. At the beginning, I'm playing the simpler/lower part straight into the SMS Classic/no effects. My leads come at 4:00 and 8:05, for those I'm using my Line 6 M13's Distortion model (Rat-based) w/just the smallest hint of added grit. Yeah, I know, I'm straining on the vocals (not my natural key for CCS-IKYR but the band prefers to stick with G and D) and hit some obvious clams on the leads but for purposes of this thread, focus on the tone. If nothing else, I think most would agree it sounds natural/organic and full, not at all sterile or thin. Whatever that reactance control on the Rocktron is actually doing in terms of varying the signal impedance, it flat out works!



Also, here's an off-the-console/raw recording of our sound check the same night, (Big Boss Man). Again, focus on my guitar's tone in the 2nd lead (at 3:41) which also illustrates well, I believe, the Rocktron's capabilities. Skip to 21 seconds to go straight to the music.

http://home.comcast.net/~billvh/mp3/bigBossMan.mp3

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

Wow,

I guess I totally spaced the other thread titled "Best Power Amp on the Market". This one is a bit redundant given that ongoing discussion. And thanks for sharing Jon!

Brad

[JonnyBoy]

Wow Jon. You have a killer sound. I love it. You guys really look like your having fun even though you are being thrashed in the hot sun. That SMS is the secret to the deal. My twin is about the same, but what a bunch of useless junk (to me at least) I have to carry around just to use the preamp stage. You are really nailing some great sounds there plus have reverb on board. Thanks for sharing...

Brad, I haven't used any of the above power amps, but it looks like Jon is really nailing it with his Rocktron. My Mosvalve was/is great too, but the Macintosh is so much better and warmer. The mosvalve can get ice picky especially after I have been turned on to the Mac world. Plus at a 100 watts, to push the mosvalve amp and transistors, you are really loud. If I didn't have a mac I would be along the lines of another Mosvalve(Stereo amp) or a Rocktron. I have always liked their power amps too for the price. Unless its a tube masterpiece, I just can't think of spending more that $4-500 on a SS power amp. Especially if you can buy an MC250 for about the same... I just got mine under 4.

This may not have anything to do with the thread, but I have been loving my latest experiment of a Gdec Jr. Blackface modeling preamp out (aux out) to the mc50 and a 2x10 K-110 cab. after some tweaking it is a spot on and very adjustable tone. the gain knob dials in dirt perfectly for low volume "pushed tube" sound. That amp, like some of the other modeling around that is good, really surprised me and they're cheap as hell. I am not sure about the Vox and Marshall settings, I haven't used those amps extensively enough to know if the modeling is good, but they are playable and good sounding tube OD tones also.

[Jon S.]

Wow,

I guess I totally spaced the other thread titled "Best Power Amp on the Market". This one is a bit redundant given that ongoing discussion. And thanks for sharing Jon!

Brad

Can an Admin. or Mod. merge the two?

And as long as I'm asking that, how does one delete his own thread here? (On all the other forums I participate on, the OP can delete his own thread by deleting his opening post but if that option exists here I've missed it.)

P.S. I don't think this thread is necessarily redundant. Yes, the topic overlaps, but I just took a quick look there and the people there don't seem to be discussing the 3 current issue amps of interest to Brad.

[strumminsix]

Wow,

I guess I totally spaced the other thread titled "Best Power Amp on the Market". This one is a bit redundant given that ongoing discussion. And thanks for sharing Jon!

Brad

Can an Admin. or Mod. merge the two?

And as long as I'm asking that, how does one delete his own thread here? (On all the other forums I participate on, the OP can delete his own thread by deleting his opening post but if that option exists here I've missed it.)

P.S. I don't think this thread is necessarily redundant. Yes, the topic overlaps, but I just took a quick look there and the people there don't seem to be discussing the 3 current issue amps of interest to Brad.

Brad, merge? I'd suggest, instead, re-titling it "Current Power Amp Opinions"

Jon - I'm fairly certain on TGP you can only do that in the emporium. It'd be a huge waste here if some big conversation happened and the OP decided to just delete the entire thread.

[KCJones]

I would consider the Mesa Boogie 50/50 or 2:90. I had a 50/50 6L6 and loved it. I did away with my rack mount rig hence sold it.

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

It seems that the Boogie 50/50 you refer to would be ideal for our purposes.

Brad

[raisingfreen]

Hope this is an ok thread to ask this. Would using the SMS Classic with something like the Tech21 Power 60 be a good idea? Basically the Power 60 would act as the power amp with the SMS Classic Preamp in front of it. I have been wondering about this, as that way you get the power amp and the cab in one. Could also be used for a AxeFX or modeling rig as well. Just wondering if this application even makes sense. If this would work then you could just get a K120 in the Tech21 Power amp and be all set. There is a guy selling 2 Power 60s cheap on CL in my area and it seems like a simple setup.

[Jon S.]

Jon - I'm fairly certain on TGP you can only do that in the emporium. It'd be a huge waste here if some big conversation happened and the OP decided to just delete the entire thread.

Waste of time or not, your certainty is overstated.

[JonnyBoy]

Hope this is an ok thread to ask this. Would using the SMS Classic with something like the Tech21 Power 60 be a good idea? Basically the Power 60 would act as the power amp with the SMS Classic Preamp in front of it. I have been wondering about this, as that way you get the power amp and the cab in one. Could also be used for a AxeFX or modeling rig as well. Just wondering if this application even makes sense. If this would work then you could just get a K120 in the Tech21 Power amp and be all set. There is a guy selling 2 Power 60s cheap on CL in my area and it seems like a simple setup.

You can hook the SMS or any other preamp through the effects loop in like its the input and use the power section only on any amp that has an effects loop. otherwise you will be processing the SMS through another preamp and that would mess with the good tone.

[raisingfreen]

Thanks for the info. The Tech21 Power 60 is not an amp per say. It is just a power amp. There is no processing.They do make amps that have both preamps and power amps like their TRademark series however the "Power 60" is supposed to just be a power amp and therefore has no effects loop. I just wanted to know if you can use the SMS classic with a combo power amp meaning the power amp has a speaker cab built in. I think the idea behind these was to "bring your own preamp" kinda thing. I am not certain of this though so wanted to get a few opinions before I purchase them. I have a line on 2 of them for pretty cheap. I figured a speaker swap and this may be a good option for running the SMS into. I don't own the SMS yet but want to get one as soon as I figure out what I will use with it besides just the power amp section of an existing amp. So to ask another way... can I use any power amp combo that does not have a preamp in front already? I just like the idea of a power amp with a built in cab and speaker. Less stuff.

[tigerstrat]

can I use any power amp combo that does not have a preamp in front already?

Yes. Or, with a combo that has an fx loop, you can feed the preamp signal into the FX Return... as in my current rig which goes Showman Reverb preamp out to FX Return of a Boogie Mark III combo.

[JonnyBoy]

So to ask another way... can I use any power amp combo that does not have a preamp in front already? I just like the idea of a power amp with a built in cab and speaker. Less stuff.

Make sure it doesn't have a preamp. A lot of combo amps do for guitar. a plug and play amp usually does, meaning if it has a bunch of knobs it probably does. if it has distortion or effects it does. Some amps don't have FX loops. If it is just a power amp with a speaker, like a powered speaker, it should be OK to go direct from the SMS. I wish I had an SMS, I am waiting until brad has an anniversary Sale one day! really, I just need more money and less hassles in life, and maybe less interest in expensive gadgets.

[raisingfreen]

Thanks for all the answers. I have confirmed that the Tech 21 does make just a "power amp" within a speaker cab. They call it the "power engine 60". I think they mainly did this for the modeling community however in this case it will work with a tube based preamp. I imagine something like the AxeFX is meant to work with this as well.