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Would you ever replace an all tube with a hybrid?


ashevans09
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Hello!

Been a while... life keeping me busy and all that. Still playing bass though :) . Good to see basschat's still going strong :) .

Though on topic, seriously considering this at the moment...

Don't know if I'm just looking back on things favourably but I feel I got a better tone out of my old Mesa Big Block 750 over my 400. Felt it did better with active basses and paired better with my basses as a whole. Also think I preferred the tone. The problem with this is it's all in retrospect. I'm so conflicted! Am I just suffering with a case of favourable retrospection or is there anything to this? I moved on the BB750 because I had to cart round a transformer with it (it was a USA model) and it was a hassle. It was nothing to do with how it sounded. I've noticed I've been digging the tone on hybrids more the past year anyways, particularly the hartkes.

Is this absolute sacrilege?

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Depends who was carrying it and depends on the stage set.

I liked big valve heads when I had the good fortune to plug into them and they worked very well straight off.
I am of the opinion that with Ampegs, for example, you need to be able to do this or you are in EQ hell, as
there is not a lot you can do to change it. For me, IME, it is what it is. The EQ issue is also lessened by the fact that
side fills or monitors will do a lot of work anyway, so the problem with the amp not working so well for you is disapated

If I wanted a grindey sound, then a valve pre is ok.. but to get around the EQ side, I'd want a semi 4 band parametric stage
and to my knowledge, you are then looking at SWR SM or Eden amps. There may be others, but not that I've tried.

I've since gone with SS with valve simulations but find myself not even wanting to use that now.

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[quote name='ashevans09' timestamp='1330522675' post='1558774']

Don't know if I'm just looking back on things favourably but I feel I got a better tone out of my old Mesa Big Block 750 over my 400.

Is this absolute sacrilege?
[/quote]

Not at all.
I owned a 400+ for years with a Mesa 4x10 and loved it at the time.
I then sold it and got a Mesa M6 and Mesa 2x12 cab and I have never looked back. The tone is great and very versatile. I have owned quite a few amps but never had one that produces such an overall full tone, the bass, mids and highs are all clearly heard in the mix. People comment that the bass sounds really "musical" and not just a muddy underlying rumble.
Sorry if I sound like a Mesa salesman, I can assure you I am not, just a very happy bassist.
Cheers
Thebassman

Edited by thebassman
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Hmm. Thanks for the replies so far guys :) . I think I might have to side by side it with one. In a perfect world I could do it with a BB750 but I've found an Aguilar DB750 near by which I've heard is reasonably similar, so might see if they're willing to do that :) .

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always worth a punt. I very very nearly gave up my V4 for a hybrid and use that with a sansamp to bring back the valve grunt and save lugging the big bugger around!

I'm so glad I didn't! I used the V4 in the recording studio one weekend before getting shot of it and changed my mind, for me there is nothing like an all valve amp, they just kick ass. I chose to man up and keep on carrying the beast as its worth it for the sound I want.

the hybrid mesa amps are amazing ain't they so I doubt you would miss much going back to something like the big block.

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I've got a Mesa m-pulse hybrid, which I think stands up to any all valve amp I've played thru

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1330527804' post='1558882']
Depends who was carrying it and depends on the stage set.

I liked big valve heads when I had the good fortune to plug into them and they worked very well straight off.
I am of the opinion that with Ampegs, for example, you need to be able to do this or you are in EQ hell, as
there is not a lot you can do to change it. For me, IME, it is what it is. The EQ issue is also lessened by the fact that
side fills or monitors will do a lot of work anyway, so the problem with the amp not working so well for you is disapated

If I wanted a grindey sound, then a valve pre is ok.. but to get around the EQ side, I'd want a semi 4 band parametric stage
and to my knowledge, you are then looking at SWR SM or Eden amps. There may be others, but not that I've tried.

I've since gone with SS with valve simulations but find myself not even wanting to use that now.
[/quote]

The m-pulse has a 5 band parametric

Edited by peteb
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If any of you bassplayers out there considering a Hybrid amp , then try to grab a Hughes&Kettner Quantum amp. I tried one years ago. A friend of me had one (now it's sold). Sounds incredible. Think they don't make it anymore.
But of course , there are many good Hybrid amps on the marked.

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Get the amp that's the best compromise between your preferred tone, volume and weight/size. I don't see why it matters what's "under the hood" so to speak.

I mainly use a hybrid amp and love it, I also have a SS amp that I love. I've never even been tempted by an all-valve head. They're heavy and my two amps sound brilliant, I don't need a valve amp just because it has valves.

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I had a Orange PA120 (IIRC) and then a Orange AD140HTC. But I only used them for clean so the point of having an 'all tube' head was pointless.

Been using hybrids since, never looked back. In a mix the sound difference between a alltube job and a hybrids with a good dirt box is negligable.

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[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1330862036' post='1563839']
...But I only used them for clean so the point of having an 'all tube' head was pointless.

[/quote]

IMO having a valve amp for clean is far from pointless. I vastly prefer my current (valve) clean sound to my previous (SS/hybrid) ones.

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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1330955782' post='1565277']
IMO having a valve amp for clean is far from pointless. I vastly prefer my current (valve) clean sound to my previous (SS/hybrid) ones.
[/quote]

Totally agree with this .. I don't use my terror bass head for anything but clean. The clean 'warm' valve (like) sound (can't think of another way to explain it) is what sold me on the terror bass. Never before had I been able to get a nice clean valve sound from anything but all valve.

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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1330955782' post='1565277']


IMO having a valve amp for clean is far from pointless. I vastly prefer my current (valve) clean sound to my previous (SS/hybrid) ones.
[/quote]


My all valve head is a Hiwatt so I'm all about tube clean. Best, fattest clean sound i've had.

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One of the best sounds i ever had was Fender Jazz into Roland pre-amp into 2off Mattamp valve slaves and into custom 12 & 15 peavey cab.
Later traded the cab for a custom 2x10 cab and 15 reflex. Both had a fantastic warm sound but damn heavy rig.
Closest I've found to that was my GB stl 600 with Bergs although I'm now using my Warwick Profet in "stereo" from my Roland pedals.
That gives me the best of both worlds.

Dave

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[quote name='ashevans09' timestamp='1330522675' post='1558774']
....Would you ever replace an all tube with a hybrid?....
[/quote]

Of course.

I changed a Mesa Boogie 400+ for an Ampeg SVT3PRO, which I then changed (10 years later) for a Thunderfunk.

Each was a step forward and the right thing for me to do.

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