Goog small amp for recording metal

[Outlaws]

Lets hear these sound clips. Email them to me if you need me to host them on my website. I have plenty of band width so everyone can hear without subscribing.

Are we game? I like this. I say the rules are no drop tuning unless you both do it, and you both need to play ruffly simular styles.

Say, pick either single coil or humbucker with a few open chords.....EAGD? Maybe a little picking of notes to hear the break up of the distortion? and maybe a few licks just to hear how smooth the solos can be.

Get going. I'll post a thread for it if I get the emailed tunes. I am not taking sides. I just bashed the shit out of tubes amps in that last post, but I have a awsome THD that I wouldn't trade for very many amps. can you get more open minded than that?

(you both get one thing you want...mixmkr doesn't want drop tunning chugging, and jonnyc doesn't want it to be based on skill....hence the simple chords and picking)
Email

 

[ericlingus]

Scottgman, I said I dont have much money to spend in my post if you actually read it. SO stfu and get out of my thread.

 

[ericlingus]

amra, yeah I agree. I don't think i'll get a better sound unless I buy a more expensive amp. I'm pretty happy with my sound at the moment anyways and im still really new to recording. My sound can only get better with more experience.

 

[jonnyc]

Lets hear these sound clips. Email them to me if you need me to host them on my website. I have plenty of band width so everyone can hear without subscribing.

Are we game? I like this. I say the rules are no drop tuning unless you both do it, and you both need to play ruffly simular styles.

Say, pick either single coil or humbucker with a few open chords.....EAGD? Maybe a little picking of notes to hear the break up of the distortion? and maybe a few licks just to hear how smooth the solos can be.

Get going. I'll post a thread for it if I get the emailed tunes. I am not taking sides. I just bashed the shit out of tubes amps in that last post, but I have a awsome THD that I wouldn't trade for very many amps. can you get more open minded than that?

(you both get one thing you want...mixmkr doesn't want drop tunning chugging, and jonnyc doesn't want it to be based on skill....hence the simple chords and picking)
Email

Actually I can play pretty good, I just didn't want it to be a contest of who plays better, but what method of capturing the sound is better. Nothing like a friendly competition, oh and after we find out that tubes sound better then we'll get another thread going on who's a better guitar player.

PS I think chugging and drop tuning should play a factor in this. I think there should be some sort of clip showing every aspect of what each(tubes/pedal) can do. I don't mind mixing it up. It'll give people a chance to hear which does better at what.

 

[gbdweller]

Maybe I missed it in the thread somewhere, but I don't think we ever found out how the sound is being recorded and to what. Are we talking digital, 4-track cassette, 2 inch tape? What type of equipment do you have to capture the tone to tape/hard drive once you've achieved it and how much outboard gear will it be going through during mixdown and mastering? All of these questions should be answered before everyone starts bashing each other. I mean, can't we all just get along?...

 

[Rickson Gracie]

yeah, i would love to hear a tube vs. modeler stand off

 

[cellardweller]

We got us a rumble!

And for once, one in which I am interested!

C'mon guys, if for no other reason than to help guys like me stuck on the fence

 

[jonnyc]

I'm down. Motherfuckers(said I had to have at least 10 characters, sorry for the insult).

Sorry had to add a little bit. You guys want me to throw a valvestate amp in on this also? Kinda get the solidstate into the battle.

 

[ermghoti]

yeah, i would love to hear a tube vs. modeler stand off

It won't be as fun as you think. Many of the real advantages of tube amps are in how they react to the player's (not playas) touch, which is very difficult to hear. Additionally, the MP3 encoding tends to make it impossible to make distinctions among tones. Perhaps most deceptive is the fact that recording direct with a modeler eliminates our crappy rooms, recording gear, and technique, making modelers sound much clearer compared to tube amps.

Maybe the deathmatch should be WAV only, and with ALL amps miced. Of course, somebody would have to host the WAVs...

 

[ericlingus]

I have a sm57 and firebox. My recording software is cubase LE. I have m audio bx5a's. Yeah i'm really interested in hearing this tone battle.

 

[metalhead28]

That's not necessarily true man, I have two tube amps and have played through others and I still play through a solid state randall and a V-AMP sometimes. Why wear the tubes out on my tube amp by moving carrying them to every rehearsal? I can get a pretty good high gain tone out of my solid state - more than good enough for rehearsal. Why take hours of life off my tubes by practicing and 'brainstorming' on my tube amp, when I can have a V-AMP plugged in ready to record ideas at a moments notice? Sometimes whirlygigs come in handy....

I never said they were useless. I also own a V-amp Pro and I use it for writing songs all the time. I also use it for recording scratch tracks all the time. They are definitely nice to have in that respect.

I am in no way defending the tube amp based on value or versatility or anything like that. You're right, if you want to have 20 different tones at your fingertips I'm sure a guitar processor is much nicer to have. However if you are looking for uncompromising tone for something like heavy metal (which is what this guy asked about), then what's wrong with having a dedicated amplifier that excells at it even if it isn't good for anything else? To me that is just the ultimate combination.

But hell, who cares? This guy asked what was a good amp to buy for recording heavy metal and a few people told him. Obviously there are plenty of people who have decided that tube amps are a waste of money and I sure as hell don't feel the need to try and convince those people that they're wrong. If you enjoy digitally modelled guitar tones than more power to ya!

However, I will happily record the absolute best V-amp tracks I can muster and follow suit by recording the best tube amp tracks I can muster and you guys can pick the winner!

 

[legionserial]

You guys want me to throw a valvestate amp in on this also? Kinda get the solidstate into the battle.

Valvestate isn't purely solid state, its a hybrid. Combination of solid state and tube is a good choice I would say for a small amp at a reasonable price imho (still talking bout the old ones here. You can pick them up on ebay for pretty cheap). The 8080 still kicks out plenty of volume too, and has a nice fairly tubey sound. Very smooth distortion, and plenty of it.

I also have a newer Valvestate AVT150h. And I never use it for anything other than clean to slightly dirty guitar. They royally screwed the tone on the overdrive channels by comparison. I would definitely, if I had to choose again which one to buy, pay for a second hand 8080 hands down.

Of course I'd love a triple rec or a 5150 but I don't need anything that loud at the mo....oh and theres the money....

 

[jcmm]

I have owned both tube and SS in my day.
What is best for you depends on what you are trying to do.

A tube amp can make sounds that nothing else can truly copy. (like a strat for instance) But if you need a different sound, or A LOT of different sounds, then it may not be right for you.

The best tuber I ever owned was a Mesa 60/100 watt head in the mid 80's.
It had a wider variety of sounds than most tube amps I ever heard, and I think the rectifiers of today sound like ass compared to it. (at least the heads and combos I have been lucky enough to play)

Since money is an issue there have been some great suggestions in this thread already.
The Fender Blues Jr. is tube and comes in a variety of power sizes depending on what yuou want to spend. They are available starting at around 300 bucks. I would also suggest the Vox AD30VT which is a hybrid. It goes for around 240 bucks and has a ton of sounds.
Try a few and see what happens.
If you can't go at least 300 + dollars for a budget, save until you can.

 

[amra]

I am in this model V.S. Tube amp test, and I will submit both!
I think it is fair to have them in MP3, because that is how we hear stuff here all the time, but I think we need to set a standard bitrate (192?)

 

[gvarko]

Can't wait to hear the results

In the words of the great John McCarthy

"Let's get it on guys"!!!

 

[mixmkr]

my goodness... thread got interesting real fast

here is a modeler... NOT my GT-8 because it's at my rehersal place.
Howver in this clip, this modeler cost me $100, and I am using an 88 Amer Strat. After a bit, I'll devulge what "black box" I used here.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1322&alid=-1
(modeler snippet)

One thing (or a couple actually!) I HAVE to say at this point. I am NOT dissing anyone, or anyone else's talant. That is FARTHEST from my intentions. I only want to support my fellow musicians, and if I came off blunt to jonnyc let me publically express my apologies.
Additionally, I do NOT use my "black boxes" to EMULATE. Again, NOT my intentions. I just to use them to get a good sound. IF in any way they simulate a tube amp, ANY amp, and people draw that comparision, how interesting. And I realize tone is just as much as an opinion as anything else and I do "notice" that these modelers like to use name settings that "suggest" a particular amp. I only use that as a starting reference. However, if someone sets it on "Twin Reverb" and gets that sound, more power to them. However, I will confess, I have not really heard TRUE emulations of amps outta modelers... but I HAVE heard sounds that I think are as good, if not much better. Especially the sounds a home reccor might get using a Peavey Classic 30 mic'd in their bedroom, for instance.

and... I thought this clip would be appropriate


oh...I suppose you could look at the "properties" of the mp3 file and figure out what "black box"...but NO cheating!! ..or I don't care really!!


I even dropped tuned down to Eb for it!! ha!

 

[mixmkr]

btw, isn't this thread about a goog amp anyway!!

never "used" that brand!!

 

[metalhead28]

Holy shit, is this "Crossroads"?

That sounds good mixmkr

 

[mixmkr]

Holy shit, is this "Crossroads"?

no..that's by J. Bruce, E. CLapton, and G. Baker!!


but yea.....something "in the vein"

 

[metalhead28]

I meant "Crossroads" the movie.....that clip sounded like the head-cuttin duel.

I thought it was a cool clip!