B7K or Microtubes 900

[gingerfish]

Posting this in pedals rather than amps I think you guys are the more knowledgeable on Darkglass.

So my Tech 21 VT500 amp was playing up and was sent back to Thomann under warranty. They have decided to refund me, it was bought in August 2015 so I really cant complain. It was a great amp but the issue with it now makes me wary to get another one to be in the same situaton 18months down the line.

So I now need to decide what to do next. I have been using my Ashdown MAG 300 and its doing a fine job with the big TKS cab, really suprised by the volume is it kicking out, but, I miss having a proper distortion option.

So do people rate the head unit that much over having just a B7K. Trying to work out if the head is worth 4x as much, I will still be running a pedal board just for tuner and boost pedal so adding another pedal to the current set up isn't an issue. Anyone using an Ashdown with a B3K/B7K? Anyone made the jump from pedals to the amp?

[Bigwan]

I went the other way, amp to pedal (Vintage Ultra) mostly because my ears are shagged and I'm going in-ears to protect what hearing I have left!

It's a close call, but if somebody held a gun to my head, tonally I'd say I prefer the amp by a hair. The tone control in the microtubes section is the secret sauce of the amp and you can't quite replicate its effect on the pedal. Having said that I'm EXTREMELY happy with the Vintage Ultra and since you're happy with the volume of the Ashdown I'd stick with it.

[sifi2112]

I've now got both .. I've had B3K & B7K before ' stupidly sold both when trying different setups but have come back to Darkglass again.

I like just plugging into to M900 & using fs to mute or engage B3K/VMT circuit esp as there are no psu's to worry about , however I also got the B7K so I could basically just show up to reheasal with just that (& psu) as they provide a backline included in reheasal price.

I thought I might do the same for gigs but I've always been ask to at least bring an amp even if I could use the cab provided, so pedal is kinda overkill ... if I sell the pedal I'm still good to go but not the other way round esp as amp has preamp out just in case you want to hookup to a 'slave' amp .... I'd like to slave to a nice tube/valve power but not sure if the B7K has enough juice for that.

I also got the B7K for parallel out to 'effects' then back into Little Lehle AB box so could go clean to dirty in one stomp but unfortunately not using any effects in my (reformed) band now so M900 is probably all I need. Which is more like 3x the price I think ...

You're welcome to come try em both out ... might even sell you one

Simon

[Lozz196]

Might be a sideways suggestion, but if you liked the VT500, why not get the VT DI pedal? That way you get the sound you had before, a preamp/DI to use with provided rigs if necessary, and keep the MAG - in my experience Tech 21 pedals pair really well with Ashdown amps.

[Cuzzie]

I had VMT and B7K pedals, bought the amp, sold the pedals.

The amp is good clean or dirty.

I think the suggestion of a Tech21 pedal infront of the ashdown is also a great idea, they are bringin the dUg preamp pedal probably later this year.....!

[gingerfish]

Might look into the VT pedal. I bought the amp before the darkglass M900 was available and have always been tempted.

A secondhand pedal might be the route to go down for now I'm thinking. Not going to be gigging much or recording so I have a little time to play. Might just get a VT and a B3K to play side by side, see which tone works best.

The flexibility of the M900 does have massive appeal. Just turn up and plug in the amp.

[fretmeister]

I love my M900.

Sold my DG pedals because of it.