Drakglass experts - some advice please!

[Russ]

So I'm thinking of trying out a Darkglass head. They've got some Alpha Omega heads at the studio I rehearse at, and I've always managed to coax a decent sound out of them. They must also be pretty reliable, if they're standing up to the rigours of living in a rehearsal studio!  

 

Given that Darkglass are best known for their distorted sound, which one of the three ranges (ie, Microtubes, Microtubes X, Alpha Omega) available provides the best clean tone? It'd be nice to have the distortion as an option, but I'd mostly be using a clean tone. I really like the look of the amp section that's in the Infinity combos, but I don't think that comes as a separate head. 

Edited December 29, 2024 by Russ

[Al Krow]

My guess is that the power amp and clean tone will be pretty identical across all three, and what you are choosing is what flavour dirt you want to add on top?

 

I've previously had the Microtubes mk1 and A&O mk2 heads. Both excellent clean tones and plenty of headroom, particularly when combined with my former Vanderkley or Barefaced cabs!

 

Edited December 29, 2024 by Al Krow

[Dan Dare]

Darkglass is yet another brand that pairs its own preamp design with IcePower modules. If you like their flavour of preamp voicing, you'll probably like their heads. Their clean sound is likely to be the same as or very similar to Mesa, Aguilar and others who do the same thing. Try one and see if you like it.

[basshead56]

I have found trying to coax a super 'clean' tone out of my AO900 to be a bit fiddly on the fly, but it can certainly be done.

This is because I bought it primarily for it's Dist. sounds as this was what I needed at the time and this amp is absolutely BRILLIANT at doing just that - making loud, crisp, clanky drive sounds. What I have gotten from the clean side is ok but I've certainly had much nicer clean tones in the past.

I have since replaced this live rig with a GK 1001RB and my dUg pedal and the DG and 8x10 cab have been relegated to the Jamnasium at home. Still evaluating the right bass to drive it. Had been using the Aria CB and an AM PRO II Jazz and both sounded great, just missing some zing with the clean side of things (but only on a couple of tunes). Otherwise both paired with either rig are a match made in fuzzy heaven/hell...

 

But while I'm off work for the festive period, I will certainly be sitting down with it and spending some time dialing it all in.

Will let you know how it progresses.

[Russ]

I guess it doesn't have to be SWR or Tecamp-level clean. I quite like a little bit of preamp drive, in that slightly squishy, slightly hairy SVT-ish style. Not full-blown distortion - I have that on tap with my pedalboard. 

 

Yes, I could get (another) Ampeg. But I trust their stuff about as far as I can throw it these days after having an SVT-7 and a Portaflex 800 both die on me mid-gig. I'm pretty happy with my Ashdown and Trace gear right now, but I am feeling the need for something that's maybe a little juicier-sounding. 

[uk_lefty]

It might not be the answer you want but from my experience using Ashdown ABM head, or Rootmaster, is great for clean sounds and tons of power. Disable to EQ, add your preamp pedal of choice straight to the input and you're away, any sound your pedals can produce. 

[NancyJohnson]

Speaking from personal experience with the AO900, I found the drive engines way too aggressive for me; the allure here was the combination of output and the thought that it would do everything I'd ever wanted in a tidy little box (had Tech 21 produced a similar unit with a GED-2112 or XB Driver front end, I'd have bought that without hesitation).  There were just too many knobs on the thing, all of which had a subtle effect on each other and in the end, I just kind of gave up on the thing, favouring the belief that jacking a Sansamp into the effects return would at least give me a usable front end tone and reasonable levels of output.

 

Clean tones were easy, though.  There just didn't seem to be any issue once the AO engines were off.  You could go from dubby, through ponky, to a shrill slap tone with ease.

[Adee]

I have a Microtubes 900v2 and it has bags of clean headroom on tap with the distortion engine turned off, compression is great too. You can tickle in a small amount of distortion in if you want to liven up your tone with the drive & blend knobs. I’ve found it very good so far and not struggled to tame the overdrive / distortion 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Adee

[Downunderwonder]

19 hours ago, Russ said:

I guess it doesn't have to be SWR or Tecamp-level clean. I quite like a little bit of preamp drive, in that slightly squishy, slightly hairy SVT-ish style. 

Quilter BassBlock does that, and clean clean.

[Hellzero]

Is it a new Viking boat made of glass?

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Hellzero