High gain amps that sound *huge*?

[MatrixClaw]

So, recently, I finally got all my amps hooked up into my 4x4 amp/cab switcher and spent some time A/Bing through all of them. Interestingly, I found that, the amp I had been playing the most before (my Bogner Twin Jet) just didn't have nearly the "oomph" as my Engl Savage or Armored Sabot, the same with my 101b. I still love both of these amps, but I really can't get over how much more weight the Engl and Armored had vs the Bogners.

Over the years, I've owned a lot of amps. The only amps I really remember having the saturation and chunkiness of these two amps were the Rev F Racktifier and Rev Blue Uberschall. Both needed a boost to get into that territory though, which I didn't love. The two I own now don't need one at all...

What amps might be worth looking into if I were to swap the Twin Jet out for something else? Is the Uber Ultra that much more chunky than the TJ? Should I just look into another Engl - Fireball or an SE? Maybe I should try a Fryette again?

I know some would disagree, but I find the Savage to be more in the British realm the way its mids are voiced, at least how I like it. It sounds very similar to the Sabot, which is a Jose modded Plexi. I think my ears are just shifting toward this sound lately, but I'd like to find something a bit more American voiced to balance them out.

Thoughts??

 

[GTR37]

Are you talking about weight or chunk in the lows or amps that cut through more

Weight and Chunk I would Say Deizel, Some Rivera like the K7, Rectos, Driftwood

For more cut the modded Marshall thing that you have discovered you like

 

[sleewell]

i think almost every amp that most people on forums buy are described as that in NAD threads hahahahaha

 

[MatrixClaw]

Are you talking about weight or chunk in the lows or amps that cut through more

Weight and Chunk I would Say Deizel, Some Rivera like the K7, Rectos, Driftwood

For more cut the modded Marshall thing that you have discovered you like

I think it's less about the low end. All 4 of my amps have plenty of low end, though yes, the Engl and Armored are probably bigger sounding here as well... It's more about the low-mid content than anything. That said, the Engl and Armored also have a lot of sizzle in the top end and high mids, which I think is what really sets them apart. Instead of just feeling super heavy on the low/low mids like a Recto, they hit you like a 10 ton brick with a big wall of sound. Where I've found most low mid focused amps to fall short in clarity and real cut in a mix (they sit well into a mix, but don't stand out), the Savage and Armored are so mid-forward, while not just being ONLY mids, like what I associate the more classic British sound with.

I think Diezel definitely has a similar wall of sound, but I find their mid voicing to be a bit too hollow. The Einstein I recently had was probably the closest I've gotten with their amps, but it still seems too low mid focused and the low end was too boomy for me.

Rivera might be interesting! I had a K-Tre years ago that I loved. I remember it being kind of a cross between British and American voicings. The KR7 might work really well!

i think almost every amp that most people on forums buy are described as that in NAD threads hahahahaha

LOL for sure. I keep hearing people say the EVH Stealth amps are the biggest sounding amps they've ever heard and I really just think they maybe haven't tried that many amps

 

[Shask]

LOL for sure. I keep hearing people say the EVH Stealth amps are the biggest sounding amps they've ever heard and I really just think they maybe haven't tried that many amps

I think all the 5150 style amps have a big sound to them because of the resonance control. However, they don't have the immediate punch, jump out of the speaker thing like some amps. I get more of that with my Synergy and KT88 poweramp, with something like the Killer Kali.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I think all the 5150 style amps have a big sound to them because of the resonance control. However, they don't have the immediate punch, jump out of the speaker thing like some amps. I get more of that with my Synergy and KT88 poweramp, with something like the Killer Kali.

Yeah, the Killer Kali looks really cool. Would like to try that one, but I got rid of my Synergy rig a while ago Still, I have a feeling it'd be very similar to the Sabot. Maybe the real answer here is just keep the Sabot and Savage and be happy not needing anything else LOL.

 

[Genghis]

I was gonna say I really dig the way my Killer Kali sounds with my band. The only reason I went to using my JP2C live is because stages in this little town are small and the Kali would do the muffin top thing sitting on the stacked 1x12s.

 

[Shask]

Yeah, the Killer Kali looks really cool. Would like to try that one, but I got rid of my Synergy rig a while ago Still, I have a feeling it'd be very similar to the Sabot. Maybe the real answer here is just keep the Sabot and Savage and be happy not needing anything else LOL.

I was thinking something with a 2/90/2 like I mentioned on the other board, because I think they they would have those immediate lows that feel like they jump out of the speaker when you attack the strings. To me, there are 2 "huges". One is like a Recto, where is is just big and wall-like, and the other is the punchy jump out of the speaker type, which is what I think Fryettes do.

Maybe you just need an EQ pedal so you can tweak those 2 amps to be slightly different, while still keeping the parts you like.

 

[DISTORT6]

My Sig:X is a corpulent bastard.

 

[GreatGreen]

The biggest sounding amps I’ve heard are Wizards, especially with KT88 power sections.