Rack Mounted Power Amp for 5150 III

[fechart]

Hi,

Actually I'm running Wet/Dry, using my 5150 III 50 W head, two 212 cabs and a cheepo EHX Magnum 44 Power Amp. The difference in tone between both cabs is significant, of course...

I want to run Wet Dry Wet, so I was thinking of another 212 and a stereo power amp. I like the EVH a lot, but I feel it quite trebly, and the G12h30 s in those 212s don't help. I eq the signal just before it hits the power amp stage of the head, with an MXR 10-Band EQ (I run a TC G System in 4CM). The Magnum 44 provides a darker tone in Normal mode (bright mode is awful IMO).

So, I was thinking about a Marshall El34 50 or 100 Power Amp. I've read some reviews and they seem to be pretty good, but also I've read that they are kinda fizzy and they have a SS character.

For the 5150 I need something warm, and being able to tame the highs.

Any suggestions for a Power Amp with these specs?

Thanks!

 

[fechart]

Bump!

 

[slybird]

I'm an owner of a Mesa 2:50. I love the amp. Running WDW is a wonderful experience. I will put in my 2¢.

When running WDW the processor can add or remove just about any frequency needed for the wet channels.

For live: They are heavy for load in/out. Added set up time is usually not worth the hassle. My take is that all the added hassle gives nothing additional to the audience.

For home practice: unless you practice loud the fan cooling is loud. I think most stereo power rack amps have noticeably loud fan. I've read many complaints about fan noise.

For band practice: I think practicing with the same exact gear I'm planning on taking to the gig is best.

 

[fechart]

I'm an owner of a Mesa 2:50. I love the amp. Running WDW is a wonderful experience. I will put in my 2¢.

When running WDW the processor can add or remove just about any frequency needed for the wet channels.

For live: They are heavy for load in/out. Added set up time is usually not worth the hassle. My take is that all the added hassle gives nothing additional to the audience.

For home practice: unless you practice loud the fan cooling is loud. I think most stereo power rack amps have noticeably loud fan. I've read many complaints about fan noise.

For band practice: I think practicing with the same exact gear I'm planning on taking to the gig is best.

Hey thanks for the answer!

I play quite loud in my business's basement, it's a really big one. I play when I don't work, so there's nobody around when I do it...
I'm not gigging these days, but my plan is doing wdw just for the sake of sonic pleasure , and if I gig doing it just mono in the case of small gigs. I would have the power amp in a separated rack case, so for going mono I would have to do two things..
1. different connections
2. Make different presets for mono and wdw in the G System.

Thanks again and cheers!

 

[fechart]

Anyone has tried the Marshalls EL 34?

 

[davidespinosa]

For effects, I would use a solid-state amp. Here's one with no fan:

http://www.carvinaudio.com/products/dcm200l

Carvin also makes higher-wattage amps, but those have fans.

 

[fechart]

For effects, I would use a solid-state amp. Here's one with no fan:

http://www.carvinaudio.com/products/dcm200l

Carvin also makes higher-wattage amps, but those have fans.

So you think a tube power amp is not worthy? I don't want to loose the tube dirt vibe. I know I'll have me tube preamp throwing the dirt to the Power Amp... But I don't know.

 

[davidespinosa]

For effects-only, I think a tube power amp and a solid-state power amp would sound very similar.

 

[buddaman71]

back in the 90s, i gigged for years with a WDW rig consisting of a Mesa Maverick 212 > fx send to Intellifex > Intellifex L/R outs to input of SS Rocktron power amp (Velocity) > L/R outputs to stereo 212
fantastic sounding rig and very simple...i have used the same scenario with 50/50 and Randall stereo tube power amps and it wasn't a benefit due to much greater weight and cost...
plus, the cleaner WET channels sounded better to me, rather than adding more dirt...

if you're not hauling it around, it's SUPER fun to get 2 wet cabs and spread those suckers out.

 

[JB6464]

keep in mind EVH used SS power ams with his setup for years and everyone loved his tones .

 

[fechart]

back in the 90s, i gigged for years with a WDW rig consisting of a Mesa Maverick 212 > fx send to Intellifex > Intellifex L/R outs to input of SS Rocktron power amp (Velocity) > L/R outputs to stereo 212
fantastic sounding rig and very simple...i have used the same scenario with 50/50 and Randall stereo tube power amps and it wasn't a benefit due to much greater weight and cost...
plus, the cleaner WET channels sounded better to me, rather than adding more dirt...

if you're not hauling it around, it's SUPER fun to get 2 wet cabs and spread those suckers out.

Thanks for the answer mate, my only experience is WD with a cheepo EHX Magnum 44 Power Amp. It sounds awful, at the point it ruins my tone. That's why I thought I had to get a good tubes Power Amp. Plus, despite the dry cab would provide the body of the main tone, the wet cabs are two, and of course I want them to sound good.

Anyway, it's good news to hear that in your experience the SS vs Tubes issue is no big deal! I already had thought of throwing 2000 bucks on a VHT 2 90 2!

Cheers!

 

[Hamer95USA]

Hey fechart,

Try the Mosvalve MV-962 (2 space version) or MV-982 (one space version) power amps. I find them to be warm sounding for a solid state power amp and far better than the Electro Harmonix Magnum 44 power amp that you're using. Run a line out from your amp, connect it to your rackmounted delay and you can run it in either mono (wet/dry) or stereo (wet/dry/wet). You'll need an extra guitar cab for the wet signal.

Guitar George

 

[buddaman71]

yes...also, a Crate PowerBlock is perfect and ultra compact too...loud/clean power. they can be found pretty regularly on eBay and Reverb.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/crate/cpb150_powerblock

 

[fechart]

yes...also, a Crate PowerBlock is perfect and ultra compact too...loud/clean power. they can be found pretty regularly on eBay and Reverb.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/guitar_amplifiers/crate/cpb150_powerblock

I have one really bad issue... Here in Uruguay I can't find any power amp specific for guitar. The VHT I was looking at is in Argentina... Complicated...

So, now I did a research and what I can get locally is a general purpose power amp, like a QSC.

Is there a chance that I use one of those? There's one H class and a B Class. The B is quite expensive.

 

[fechart]

Buddaman are you there? (just bumping) )

 

[buddaman71]

Yes! Any stereo power amp will work well. No reason to spend too much; you just need a decent quality stereo/2-channel power amp. Good luck!

 

[big mike]

For clean effects the carvin is great.

 

[fechart]

For clean effects the carvin is great.

Hey Mike! Here in my country there's no Carvin dealer. I wish I could get one of those...

 

[big mike]

You could likely order direct. Cheap as chips and rock solid.

Or find a used mosvalve by tube works

 

[fechart]

I decided to wait for the VHT. My move would be:

As I don't have the third cab yet, I'll do stereo with the EVH preamp and the VHT power amp. I think this has many advantages... A master volume, control over Presence, voicing, topology. Exact same tone in both cabs. Power amp valve tone and compression.

If I want to switch ti wet dry wet I have to add the third cab and get a Empress Para Eq to eq the dry tone. Left and right will be eqed with G System. That's kinda complicated, but I'm always struggling with the EVH high end. Lately I'm cutting heavily on 10k and running the presence low. I compensate boosting a bit the high mids.