Modeling pre's into Tube Power Sections

[Alvin Lee Fan]

I've run a J-Station into the FX return of a Peavey Classic 30 and it was great! I turned off cabinent modeling in the J-Station since the C30's cab and speaker were being used. Very thick, wam sounds, even got some usable harmonic feedback. That setup cost under $500.

[some_dude]

You may understand somepart of electronics that i don't so correct me if im wrong, but wouldn't even using a different type of cable anywhere in that signal chain alter the tone somewhat, and if you used different amplifier wouldn't that not alter it significantly? i.e using a marshall 50/50 as power amp then switching to a 2000watt PA amplifier?? there's obviously going to be different "colours"added to the tone from the marshall, then different ones added by the PA amp no?

We tried explaining that to him before, but he just won't listen.

You're waisting your time.

[Quencho092]

Theres a reason why most kickass heads are tube powered-because even when the power section is offering huge headroom, there is still a substantial difference in sound.

We tried explaining that to him before, but he just won't listen.

You're waisting your time.

I see what you mean.

[y2stevo]

We tried explaining that to him before, but he just won't listen.

You're waisting your time.

fair enuff

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Woah... I just turned the cab simulation off while running through the FX loop. Almost a better sound than my XXX itself!

[Hot _Grits]

One issue I have with the hybrid approach is the fact that you will essentially have two power sections. If you feed a pod or whatever's output with the speaker modelling off into a tube power section, you'll still have whatever the modeller does to replicate the tonal aspects of the power section of the amp being modelled. So in effect, you have a virtual and a real power section.

The first step to getting this hybrid concept off the ground would be rethinking the way modellers work. Perhaps start by modelling the preamp sections of the amps only, and separating the power section emulation, making it bypassable like speaker modelling currently is.

The next problem would be for rack users. If you're matching gear to a modeller, it'd be cool if the modeller could somehow sample the tone of the rig it is plugged into, and adjust it's settings accordingly. Something similar to the white balance control on a digital video camera, which takes into account the colour of natural light (blue outdoors and yellow indoors) and adjusts accordingly. This seems far fetched, but then again modelling was far fetched ten years ago.

[y2stevo]

One issue I have with the hybrid approach is the fact that you will essentially have two power sections. If you feed a pod or whatever's output with the speaker modelling off into a tube power section, you'll still have whatever the modeller does to replicate the tonal aspects of the power section of the amp being modelled. So in effect, you have a virtual and a real power section.

The first step to getting this hybrid concept off the ground would be rethinking the way modellers work. Perhaps start by modelling the preamp sections of the amps only, and separating the power section emulation, making it bypassable like speaker modelling currently is.

The next problem would be for rack users. If you're matching gear to a modeller, it'd be cool if the modeller could somehow sample the tone of the rig it is plugged into, and adjust it's settings accordingly. Something similar to the white balance control on a digital video camera, which takes into account the colour of natural light (blue outdoors and yellow indoors) and adjusts accordingly. This seems far fetched, but then again modelling was far fetched ten years ago.

So basically your saying that it would be cool if there was a moddler that only moddled the preamp section or had a way of only doing so so you could use the real power section etc.. to produce its sound naturally?

[Hot _Grits]

Yes, in the case of situations where the user liked the sound of the power section they had. But that doesn't solve the problem of integrating the emulation of amp power sections and overlaying them onto another power section. perhap Vox are the closest to offering a solution to this, and just need to adjust the technology a bit. would it be crazy to do a valve reactor thing with a 6l6, el34 and el84, then send it to a tube power section? -probably on a unit cost basis.

[papersoul]

A friend of mine gets some of the best tones I've heard from any local band and he runs a Boss GT-5 into the input of his Marshall and sometimes Mesa MK IV head run clean. Killer tones.

I am happy with my Vetta II head and VHT Valvulator.