KF2B Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Greetings, First post... I´m a novice player, age 43. Thought I was a drummer but... Yeah... I´ve used the search... Extensively. As well as googled... Extensively. I´ve read and researched, and now I´d like to know what you who have real life user experience with either or both heads think of them and their differences beyond the obvious facts. I´m looking for a training amp to be honest so the twin amp would more than suffice what comes to power. That being said a bit of extra ooomphf! never hurts.. Or does it? Thanks, J Edited November 15, 2014 by KF2B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 You might have to wait a while before either come up for sale. I've been looking for a hexavalve for the last 7 years and haven't found one yet. Twins come up a little more frequently but maybe one every couple of years. I suppose the question in my mind is why you want one of these amps for practice when there are many others that would do the job as well...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andytoad Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Don't forget the quatravalve also, I have one, it's great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF2B Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1416088513' post='2606851']I suppose the question in my mind is why you want one of these amps for practice when there are many others that would do the job as well...? [/quote] I guess the answer is why do we marry our wives instead of some other women as there are so many to choose from... I guess I could go on and on about this but the simple truth is I just want one - it is as simple as that. Practicing for me is where it is at - in my job I deal with people day in and day out and for me practising in the tranquility of my home is relaxation and charging of batteries. If I like to do this with gear I learnt to equate as "the coolest stuff out there" in my teens... Well, I guess nostagia is not that bad when it is recognized. In short: why? - Just because I like to - no reasoning herein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggy Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I did have the Quatravalve and now have a Hexavalve (which TBH I never use anymore/enough). Big clean power from both, the emphasis being on clean, they do not really break up but you do get a fantastic growl out of them. I would say for home use, the Twin would be the better option as the Hexa is a beast. But then for me, the volume goes both ways and too much is never enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andytoad Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 [quote name='Raggy' timestamp='1416141858' post='2607240'] I did have the Quatravalve and now have a Hexavalve (which TBH I never use anymore/enough). Big clean power from both, the emphasis being on clean, they do not really break up but you do get a fantastic growl out of them. I would say for home use, the Twin would be the better option as the Hexa is a beast. But then for me, the volume goes both ways and too much is never enough [/quote] Ooooooh hexavalve! The holy grail for me!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF2B Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Yeah... I reckon the Hexa is a beast. Probably taking a couple tubes off to cut the power in half would not go a miss in home usage... - It would still carry most gigs and have the potential for stadium SPL (like I´d ever play such a gig ) with all tubes inserted... Soooooooooo... anyone can compare the two against each other tone-wise? The power tubes on the twin probably are easier to saturate with hi-gain low-volume setting for some gentle overdrive, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I had a Twin Valve for a while and really liked it. It was easy to carry, easy to get a filthy tone, and easily as loud as the average 500w SS amp. Also, not only does it resemble a Dualit toaster, but the top gets so hot you can make toast on it :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 My TwinValve is the combo version. Compact, heavy but plenty loud enough to stand up to most situations. And it sounds great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF2B Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Any recommendations for a smaller/midsized cab to match the Twinvalve? - Glockenklang, Bergantino etc? Also what´s your experience re 4ohm/8ohm speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1416168176' post='2607582'] I had a Twin Valve for a while and really liked it. It was easy to carry, easy to get a filthy tone, and easily as loud as the average 500w SS amp. Also, not only does it resemble a Dualit toaster, but the top gets so hot you can make toast on it :-D [/quote] Intrigued by this. I had a Twin Valve - 2 in fact - and couldn't get any real grit out of it. It was an nice amp, but not 'gritty'. MY ABM500 was far more so. Having said that I'd entertain another, as long as I didn't have to carry it round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I liked the twinvalve I had as it was the only TE I got along with..and made sense of that ghastly gp7 EQ stage. Even putting in a pre valve couldn't do that..and also by the time they'd gone down that road, the competition had moved way ahead. Not sure I'd use one for training, IIUC..?? I'd get a more resiliant SS amp for that sole purpose. I'd be more keen to gig a Twinvalve if I wanted to own one. But yes, their twinvalve was amongst their very best efforts amp-wise, IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 [quote name='4000' timestamp='1418131291' post='2627131'] I had a 4x8 V Type combo once. Nice preamp. [/quote] Me too (wonder if it was my old one?) but IMO, I have to say I prefer the T/V.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 [quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1418144629' post='2627335'] Me too (wonder if it was my old one?) but IMO, I have to say I prefer the T/V.. [/quote] I've seen a T/V combo for sale and keep thinking I'd love to buy it. Only thing is, my back it utterly screwed - I have several prolapsed discs , which is the reason I sold my 4x8 (my mate still has that I think and I had it from new) and the Trace and Ashdown gear that followed it. I suspect it would sound gorgeous in my acoustic (all but me) band but I really have to be sensible about the weight. I played one once and I'd agree it was better then the V Type 4x8 I had, which sounded great with some guitars but not with others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 They are pretty unpleasant weight wise, the 4808 weighs about the same as a T/V although the unit is a little more compact. Neither are good for those with bad backs, sadly.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I also had a v type 4x8 combo, 48kg if I recall. Ouch! Never had a Twin Valve, quite fancy the Quatra Valve but rarer that a rare thing from raresville... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 I'd love to try the T/V with a 4808 extension cab.. Now that would be a beastly (and back breaking!) but compact rig.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Oh man the 4x8 cab sounded glorious. Wasn't too good at being super loud but sounded soooo sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Those little Celestion BG8 were a great little driver, I'm sure SWR used them in their early versions of the Henry 8x8 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 I've said it before but I've always vastly preferred the sound of the various Celestions I've used to any of the Eminence I've used. What the actual difference is, I've no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Never really had any issues with Eminence as a bass guitar speaker, the Peavey 4x10 was pretty good but the 4808, the 1084 and now the T/V are the sweetest speakers / cabs I've owned.. My Ashton rig is loaded with TF / Tru-vox series Celestions and they're spot on too.. I had a number of failures of Eminence in some PA cabs a number of years ago, Omega Pro 18s to be specific. A change to PD and later Celestion saw the situation rectified. The T/V Celestion is pretty much a standard issue K series with nothing spectacular about it's spec but there really is something special about its sound. According to Dr Decibel at Celestion it's spec falls half way between the current TF1520 and TF1525 (as found in my Ashton 1x15) models.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matte_black Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I think the Twin Valve is just excellent... small, light, powerful, not too expensive to revalve... I'm not exactly in love with the GP7 preamp but the amp sounds just great. A 300w amp will be more powerful but IMHO not more powerful to the point to justify the much higher weight (at least 20-25kg) and the much higher cost to buy and mantain. I think the Twin Valve is just a winner... but I would just hate having it in the combo version. I have an Ashdown 427 (very close to a V8, I think) and of course it sounds amazing but it's huge, ultra-heavy and costs easily 6 times the price of a Twin Valve (used vs used). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 [quote name='Matte_black' timestamp='1418340586' post='2629443'] I have an Ashdown 427 (very close to a V8, I think) [/quote] Unfortunately, not according to Mark Gooday. I asked him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matte_black Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Really? Uh. Strange, I thought they had the same preamp but looks like I was wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I asked whether the current Ashdown CTM series were a hark back to the Trace V-Type series and was told they were a totally new design. The pre-amp loooked very similar in terms of controls but aparently they were developed in partnership with the chaps over at Matamp.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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