BottomEndian Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Here's a question for the all-valve users out there... I had the chance to try out an all-valve head the other night (my first time), and I was blown away by the tone. Simply awesome. It was a 70s Traynor YBA-series head, and it micturated upon my solid-state Peavey Max 700 from a great, great height. Lovely, lovely clean tones, and plenty of grind and rage in there when I cranked it up. It felt like the sound I'd been looking for. I'm a little bit in love. :blush: So my question is this: how much of the tone of an all-valve head do you think comes from the power stage? Obviously there's a great deal of tone-shaping in the preamp stage, so I would assume that's where the majority of the tone is coming from. But feel free to disagree. (It was impossible to really tell on the Traynor -- it didn't have separate pre and power controls, just volume.) And the reason for the question is that I'm getting hold of an 800W solid-state power amp for next to nothing, and wondering if a valve pre would give me enough of that magic -- maybe one of the DHA boxes? Or if I'd be horribly disappointed and weep for my lost love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yes, power tubes make a difference - and there are detectable differences between manufacturers versions of the same class of valve. That said, circuitry plays a huge role in tone, but I'd argue that the foundation of the sound really comes from the valve type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 different valves have different frequency responses, so affect the sound pretty wildly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seb_C Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 A valve power stage makes a huge difference to tone. Solid state amps with a valve in the pre tend to sound like solid state amps. I'd rather run a solid state pre and valve power than vice versa (but i'd prefer all valve over either). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoombung Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 [quote name='Seb_C' post='432527' date='Mar 12 2009, 03:14 PM']A valve power stage makes a huge difference to tone. Solid state amps with a valve in the pre tend to sound like solid state amps. I'd rather run a solid state pre and valve power than vice versa (but i'd prefer all valve over either).[/quote] Who makes valve power amps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Nailed Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) The most radical tone shaper is a preamp, no doubt about it. In a Tube amp the V1 preamp tube will have the most effect on tone. But Tube power does have an impact that can't be ignored. A tube pre into a solid state poweramp doesn't sound like a tube amp however tube-driven MOSFET style poweramps (such as an Ampeg SVT3 or SVT6 for example) are a lot closer in tone to an all-tube head IME. However I ran an Ampeg SVP-PRO into a QSC PLX1602 for a long while and the tone wasn't far removed from a couple of SVT Classics and SVT2's I used...so I say give your tube pre/solid state power a go. It'll sound better than the Peavey anyway! Edited March 12, 2009 by Dan_Nailed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 Thanks for the advice and opinions, fellas. [quote name='Dan_Nailed' post='433044' date='Mar 12 2009, 11:41 PM']...so I say give your tube pre/solid state power a go. It'll sound better than the Peavey anyway![/quote] Farting through a straw would sound better than the Peavey. I used to have a lot of love for the Peavey, but we've drifted apart. Ultra-clean just doesn't do it for me any more. I think I'll give the valve pre > SS power a whirl. If it sounds rubbish, I'll just have to save up the pennies for an all-valve. It's that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodl2005 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 An ALL valve amp sounds NOTHING like a valve pre & S.S. power amp... I wouldn't even BOTHER going that route- I did & wasted much $$$$, by having to sell & buy the real thing-ALL VALVE in the end. Haven't bought an amp since!!!!! U can ge some all tube amps at pretty good prices these days- look for 2nd hand Ampeg V4/V4B/V4BH, Yorkville YBA-2, Peavey VB-2, even older Marshall superbass are great amps!!! So are old All valve P.A. heads- I used a 150w (6CA7x6 tubes) PA head for yrs as a great bass head!!! paid about $400AUS- about 200UK lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHA Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='432233' date='Mar 12 2009, 10:51 AM']Here's a question for the all-valve users out there... I had the chance to try out an all-valve head the other night (my first time), and I was blown away by the tone. Simply awesome. It was a 70s Traynor YBA-series head, and it micturated upon my solid-state Peavey Max 700 from a great, great height. Lovely, lovely clean tones, and plenty of grind and rage in there when I cranked it up. It felt like the sound I'd been looking for. I'm a little bit in love. :blush: So my question is this: how much of the tone of an all-valve head do you think comes from the power stage? Obviously there's a great deal of tone-shaping in the preamp stage, so I would assume that's where the majority of the tone is coming from. But feel free to disagree. (It was impossible to really tell on the Traynor -- it didn't have separate pre and power controls, just volume.) And the reason for the question is that I'm getting hold of an 800W solid-state power amp for next to nothing, and wondering if a valve pre would give me enough of that magic -- maybe one of the DHA boxes? Or if I'd be horribly disappointed and weep for my lost love.[/quote] Chris B is selling a DHA VTX-400-Bass on this site. Silly price! It's an all valve pre-amp plus a low wattage valve power stage which then feeds a 400W SS amp. So you get both valve pre-amp and output valve tone but very loud. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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