Tube/ valve head... Do I need one?

[Reggaebass]

8 hours ago, bartelby said:

My Ashdown CTM300

That’s a powerful beast ☝️

[BassAdder60]

A few years back I played an Ampeg SVT CL 300w valve head and 610 cab

I now play the Ashdown RM800 !!

Do I miss valve amps, not sure I do really and having a lightweight Class D head is a joy to carry around. 
I think they do give you a warmth in the tone but in most band small / med sized gigs I don’t think you would hear a lot of difference in my opinion 

 

 

 

[uk_lefty]

10 hours ago, BassAdder27 said:

Do I miss valve amps, not sure I do really and having a lightweight Class D head is a joy to carry around. 
I think they do give you a warmth in the tone but in most band small / med sized gigs I don’t think you would hear a lot of difference in my opinion 

 

This is the thing... Because I already have the RM500 with its "tube emulated drive" and a Helix Stomp with all its own trickery I'm not sure an actual amp is required. I think it's just boredom and the connected facts: I've sold some gear so want to buy some, I haven't sold enough gear to buy what I want, what I want isn't likely to be in stock for months, I want to buy some gear. 

[wateroftyne]

‘Tube emulated drive’ ≠ Tube head

[Woodinblack]

I have a TC-450, an Ashdown CTM-100 and an ashdown ABM600.

I haven't had a chance to gig the ABM600, as I bought it since the pandemic, but the idea is that that will be my gigging amp.

No doubt the CTM-100 sounds better than the TC, but I don't gig it, as I never had the space of the energy to lug it to a gig with everything else (I have the PA as well). Really I should sell it, but its not something that is easy to ship!

[Pow_22]

Ive tried all number of pedals and 'tube emulated' heads, in my humble ive yet to find something that cops the EXCAT feel and tone of a valve head.  I get the 'in a band context' thing too but to get a real all valve sound you need an all valve head in my opinion

[chris_b]

You answered your own question. . . . you have a great rig, but you're bored.

[Lozz196]

16 hours ago, BassAdder27 said:

A few years back I played an Ampeg SVT CL 300w valve head and 610 cab

I now play the Ashdown RM800 !!

Do I miss valve amps, not sure I do really and having a lightweight Class D head is a joy to carry around. 
I think they do give you a warmth in the tone but in most band small / med sized gigs I don’t think you would hear a lot of difference in my opinion 

 

 

 

I know what you mean, at rehearsals I always used my RM500 as there was no real difference to my ABM600, however on a proper big stage the ABM came into its own delivering a solid powerful sound.

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I know what you mean, at rehearsals I always used my RM500 as there was no real difference to my ABM600, however on a proper big stage the ABM came into its own delivering a solid powerful sound.

The ABM600 isn't a valve head though, so not really the same.

I think I would probably use the CTM100 more if it was more powerful, but at the same time, that would make it a CTM300, and I would be even less likely to want to carry it anywhere!

[bartelby]

21 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

The ABM600 isn't a valve head though, so not really the same.

I think I would probably use the CTM100 more if it was more powerful, but at the same time, that would make it a CTM300, and I would be even less likely to want to carry it anywhere!

Yeah. I’m really looking forward to shifting mine about. Especially as it means that if I’m shifting it about more, it’ll need to be in a flight case.

[Lozz196]

39 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

The ABM600 isn't a valve head though, so not really the same.

I think I would probably use the CTM100 more if it was more powerful, but at the same time, that would make it a CTM300, and I would be even less likely to want to carry it anywhere!

Yes, I can only imagine how good it must be to have a CTM, but the back sadly isn’t in agreement. The difference on a big stage between the RM to the ABM is pretty apparent, wonder if it’s the same sort of difference again from the ABM to CTM.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Just get old Trace Elliot solid state head, it'll cost a faction of the price of a tube amp used, and it'll sound better  (in my opinion at least, mind the Ampeg B-15S that I once owened and still regret being stupid enough to sell did sound amazing, but still the best bass tone I ever had was with an old Trace Elliot SMGP7 amp), and if you still want some tube coloration buy a proper tube preamp, and still having ended up spending less money.

Those old Trace Elliots are some of the absolute best sounding amps ever made, and the SMX series comes with a tube in the preamp that can be blended in and driven according to taste.

Edited April 7, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, bartelby said:

Yeah. I’m really looking forward to shifting mine about. Especially as it means that if I’m shifting it about more, it’ll need to be in a flight case.

Going to need something with wheels!

[Woodinblack]

26 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Just get old Trace Elliot solid state head, it'll cost a faction of the price of a tube amp used, and it'll sound better  (in my opinion at least, mind the Ampeg B-15S that I once owened and still regret being stupid enough to sell did sound amazing, but still the best bass tone I ever had was with an old Trace Elliot SMGP7 amp), and if you still want some tube coloration buy a proper tube preamp, and still having ended up spending less money.

Doesn't that effectively give you an ABM600? A trace elliot class A/B head and a preamp with a tube.

[Lfalex v1.1]

I could never get the AX7 in my Trace SMX to even vaguely distort, no matter how hard I tried. All it did was soften the sound and made it slightly warmer sounding. The SMX was awesome otherwise, just lacking in power against the QSC PLX1202.

The aforementioned SVP Pro, however had a dedicated Overdrive valve/circuit which did exactly what you'd expect. Want more? Overload the gain tube and it'd do a wall of distortion.

[Steve Browning]

I would just say scratch the itch and get it out of your system. I have loved the sound out of my (variously) Marshall, Sound City, Orange and Boogie all valve rigs but my current (valve pre/digital power stage) gives me the same result (to my ears).

I clung on to my first Boogie amp for years and realised it just wasn't going to be used again. I didn't need to.

[Beer of the Bass]

Even if you don't stick with a valve amp in the long term, the experience might inform your use of modelling in a useful way. And if you find a decent deal used, you shouldn't be out by much if you do later move it on.

[la bam]

The best I've found is the gallien krueger fusion 550.

3 valve preamp with a solid state power section. 2 channel, loads of tone changing flexibility.

Weighs about 12kg I think.

Gives that heft, volume and valve drive in spades at 1/3 of the weight.

I've had an ashdown ctm300 and the gk absolutely hammers it in terms of volume, tone, weight, heft and flexibility for me personally.

Not strictly a valve amp - most people refer to a valve amp as one with a valve driven pre and power section, but youd never know. It's a real valve feel and breaks up the harder you dig in.

It's also not a nightmare to move around and you wont be risking a knackered back.

[wateroftyne]

1 hour ago, la bam said:

The best I've found is the gallien krueger fusion 550.

Not strictly a valve amp

Not actually a valve amp 😄

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, la bam said:

The best I've found is the gallien krueger fusion 550.

3 valve preamp with a solid state power section. 2 channel, loads of tone changing flexibility.

Weighs about 12kg I think.

Gives that heft, volume and valve drive in spades at 1/3 of the weight.

I've had an ashdown ctm300 and the gk absolutely hammers it in terms of volume, tone, weight, heft and flexibility for me personally.

Not strictly a valve amp - most people refer to a valve amp as one with a valve driven pre and power section, but youd never know. It's a real valve feel and breaks up the harder you dig in.

It's also not a nightmare to move around and you wont be risking a knackered back.

12lbs rather than 12kg (= 26lbs), though, right? 

[la bam]

22 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

Not actually a valve amp 😄

Apart from the 3 valves in it ....

[la bam]

19 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

12lbs rather than 12kg (= 26lbs), though, right? 

No, the fusion 550, not the fusion 500.

Different amps altogether.

[la bam]

[wateroftyne]

3 minutes ago, la bam said:

Apart from the 3 valves in it ....

Which shedloads of hybrids have. Dun't make them valve heads.

[bartelby]

so a hybrid amp then...