Grateful Dead Music Forum

Im looking to expand from tube combo to a tube preamp/ solid state power amp. Does any one have any experiance with this? Because Ive never played through a preamp and power allways just a regular amp.

Im considering the alembic fx1 or a mesa studio preamp, and i have no clue about power amps. Any help would be great.

What exactly are you asking?

In today's world, there isn't anything in a preamp / poweramp rack that you can't get out of many combos. There is only 1 feature I've seen and that an FX loop pre the preamp from an old IVP I had.

Mesa Studio is nice so is the Formula.

But isn't the FX1 a bass pre?

I was just curious of the sound. Is there a noticeable difference in the sound, with the solid state power amp compared to the tube power amp? (besides the power tube distion.)

IMO the most noticable diff's are found with preamp tubes and rectifier tubes. But then again, what do I know I've been drinking all night...

I'm currently running a '68 Showman Reverb as pre into one side of a 250watt@8ohm(400w@4ohm)x2 80's Yorkville Beta 800, and into one JBL E-120(8ohm). I made the change from using the Fender's power section about 10 months ago and I wish I has done this a few years ago!

The thing I love about it is the sound is soooooo consistent and transparent at all volume levels... that, AND I don't have to ever wonder if it is time to replace any pricey-a$$ power tubes, OR ever wonder if the bias is correct (btw some amp techs are total greedy lazy liars and upon getting your amp in their shop, will fully retube($$!), not do ANY bias readings or adjustments at all but CHARGE you for same($$!), and worst of all give you back an unbiased amp and wait for you to come back in a few months for new tube$.) I can squirrel away my lightly-used 6L6 quartet and save them for the day I ever need really them for a intolerably loud 60's-eque hard-driven Fender tube amp sound. Then I just pop them in their former sockets pop in my Hearos earplugs and go.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe I can remove the huge output transformer from the Fender now to save weight? Anyone have a clue? (obviously I could then no longer plug-n-play as above)

BTW, the Alembic FX-1 (like the F-2B, which was used by the Dead for both guitar and bass) is a full-range multi-use preamplifier.

Does any one notice if different makes and models of power amps effect the actual guitar tone at all? for example i use a nady power amp for my pa now its cheap and gets the job done.Is the anyreason to put lots more money into more expensive power amp even if the wattage is the same?

Poweramps are a big part of your signal.

Never take for granted anything in your chain:
guitar
jacks
cables
preamp
poweramp
tubes
pedals

Everything will impact your tone.

a solid state power amp probably won't color the guitar tone much if at all.