Tri Axis?

[dragonworks]

I have read references to "Tri Axis" preamps here, can someone expound and tell me about them.

[foo]

It's a Boogie in a single rack space unit.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_In...s/triaxis.html

And it's a killer - like the whole damn family.
Buy a Boogie - live happily ever after.

foo

[Neve]

Yeah, the Triaxis is a great preamp. I used it a lot when I played progmetal, easy to get chunky powerful Dream Theater sounds.

Amund

[Lopp]

Great Mesa/Boogie preamp. Different configurations for Rectifier, Mark III, Mark IIC+, and other classic classic Mesa/Boogie amps. Changing the configuration actually changes the interal circuitry to match the actual amp being used.

Great pristine cleans and warm cleans.

Great classic crunch and smooth crunch.

Extreme high gain shred and modern metal.

Ahhhhhhh.
I love mine.

[dragonworks]

How is it for just plain ole rock and roll.

[Lopp]

Originally posted by Lopp

Great classic crunch and smooth crunch.

Meaning it can get good raw crunch that works great for rock.

However, if you equate "plain ole rock and roll" with the classic Marshall sound, you should get a Marshall, not a Mesa/Boogie. Possibly a JMP-1 if you want a rackmount or a DSL or TSL if you want a combo or a stack.

I personally prefer the variety of the TriAxis. Not to mention the fact I prefer the Mesa/Boogie sound. (Yet, I do like the Marshall sound).

[dragonworks]

I have never owned a marshall and probably never will. It has always been Fender and Ampeg and at this point in time it is an Ampeg. I do want something better though.

[Lopp]

"Better"
When you get to top of the line amps, such a term is subjective.

Regarding the TriAxis
Extremely versatile: yes
Variety of incredible tones: yes
Shimmering glassy cleans: yes
Warm cleans: yes
Rocking crunch: yes
Smooth crunch: yes
Searing lead: yes
Ultra-gain fat modern rhythm: yes

The tone you want: Who knows?
(It also can take a bit to get past the presets and learn how to dial in your own tone).

They sell for around $1500 new. You can find them on eBay for under $1k.

I knew mine had the tone I wanted when I bought it.

You should definitely try before you buy to make sure it's to your tastes. Make sure you have time to play through a variety of presets without any pressure.

"Better?"
For me, better than all other amps I've ever tried or heard. In fact, I would rather have it than ANY other preamp. But, that's just me.

[Neve]

Originally posted by dragonworks
How is it for just plain ole rock and roll.

Completely useless!!!!!


Yes, the Triaxis is a killer metal/fusion/modern/numetal preamp, but for guitar straight into amp tones, like AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Rolling Stones ect...... It can`t do that.
It just hasn`t that "in your face" punch like a good Vox or Vintage Marshall. But whan you buy a Triaxis, you are probably not looking for that......

Amund

[dragonworks]

It seems we have some contrasting opinions here. I am glad you told me that neve, I am looking for that classic rock sound.
I have an ampeg with 6550s in it but it has a bias switch so you can switch to EL34s, i think i will try that before i do anything else

[foo]

Not so fast, my disbelieving friend!

The way these things work gives you the sound.

Generally speaking, Marshalls use power tube distortion to get that classic Marshall distortion.
Boogies use pre-amp tube distortion to get the various sounds they can get - but if you set up a Boogie to overdrive the power tubes, you can get a really toasty power tube distortion.
Which works really well for the classic rock genre (e.g. Stones, Bryan Adams, Doobie Bros etc etc).
I've used a Boogie since 1979 - I've had 3 different models. At no time have I ever played nu metal or . . . whatever that super overdriven to the point you can;t hear individual notes distortion is called these days (Dual Rectifier?).

TriAxis is a pre-amp - if you match it up with an all-tube power amp and then set it up so that the power tubes are overdriven, you will get power tube overdrive sounds - which will depend on the quality of your power amp and the tubes in it. In the meanwhile, you will also get all the great Boogie preamp sounds too.

Marshalls do one thing EXTREMELY WELL.

Boogies do everything extremely well.

Confused yet?

Questions welcomed.

foo

[GONZO-X]

IT'S HOW YOU SET THE THING UP THAT COUNTS......

a 100 watt marshall idleing on 1.25 isn't going to give you ad/dc crunch..........

what gives you that is volume, and power amp touch sensitivity..

same with the triaxis......

plug it into a 100 watt tube amp, and crank that son of a bitch up, with the output of the preamp down, and the gain of the preamp down, and the power amp wide open, and you'll get all the crunch you want......

[dragonworks]

My ampeg has an attenuator so I can accomplish all of the above.
The only problem with it is it operates on both channels at the same time and is not footswitchable. Maybe I can get a tech to look into this?

[foo]

Yes, you can certainly do that.

Any reasonably qualified amp tech will be able to put channel switching into a tube amp, plus individual volume controls etc. etc.

People who don't own a Boogie will tell you it will sound '. . . just like a Boogie . . .'

As a Boogie owner for many years, who has heard this said many times, who used to work in a guitar store and had lots of opportunities to hear modded amps, I can tell you that it won't sound just like a Boogie.
Nor will it have the flexibility of a Boogie.

It may sound good - I've heard some good results from this type of thing - but I've also heard some really iffy results, too.
The bottom line is if you want the sound, you've got to buy the real thing.

Sorry, but that's the way it is.

foo

[dragonworks]

The ampeg has channel switching and is footswitch operated but once you turn on the attenuator it is active on both channels.
You MB owners are so vain.

[GONZO-X]

You MB owners are so vain.

You can attenuate all you want, but when it comes to hitting the mic, and hitting the (virtual) tape, you gotta have that volume and speaker interaction.....

that's what all the people with bugs up there ass about using amp modelers (and then complaining that it doesn't sound as good) are struggling with....
they are missing the "voodoo" piece of the puzzle......

[dragonworks]

What, me complain? As far as volume is concerned I am deaf now.

[foo]

Some baseball player from the 50's once said:

"It ain't bragging if you can do it"

Boogie's can do it.



foo