How to use the Fryette Power Station as a shit tier amp comparison system

[laxu]

To help understand all the following, here's the block diagram of the Fryette PS-100:

So yesterday I wanted to see how the Fractal AM4 compares to the amps I have. Naturally putting them through the same real cab and using the Fryette PS-100 as a poweramp for all of them is a good way to go about it, to reduce variables. You don't want to just mic it up, record and swap gear because that's not the same as hearing and feeling it right there in the room.

But then you get into complications. Your favorite tube amp is hooked up to the Amp In jack on the Power Station, so how the hell do you switch between things?

This is how you connect it:

1. Fryette PS Speaker out -> Cab.
2. Tube amp speaker out -> Fryette Amp In.
3. Modeler direct, or another tube amp through a separate loadbox -> Fryette Line-in.
4. Guitar -> A/B box or splitter -> Amp + modeler.

The way it works is that when the Line-in is connected, the Amp input is not in use. Then you just need a splitter to run your guitar into two devices, and can just pull the line out cable from the PS to switch.

Well...kinda. I found that part of the Amp In signal can bleed into the sound anyway with the Line-in connected.
If someone has a Fryette PS and can test if the Line-in truly overrides the Amp-In, then please report back. It's possible mine is just busted - this is after all my "pile of issues Power Station".

To get around this, you need a way to mute the input signal into one of the connected devices.

• The easiest way to do this would be an A/B box, but I don't have one so instead I used a Lehle P-Split to run the signal to my amp and the AM4.
• I then used the AM4 tuner mode and the Mute switch on my Mesa Mark V.
• If you don't have this sort of functionality, but your amp has multiple channels, you can set one of the channels to zero gain/volume and switch to that channel to mute.

But pulling the line-in cable to switch is not very practical, right? Well, there's another way: using the Fryette Operate/Bypass switch.

1. When set to Operate, the Fryette's poweramp is in use. You will now hear the Line-in signal.
2. When set to Bypass, the Amp In gets connected straight to the speaker out, so you hear the tube amp.

With this, just flicking that switch lets you switch between the line-in signal amplified by the Fryette poweramp, and the direct sound of the tube amp connected.
Obviously, you should not crank your tube amp in this scenario as it would be really loud.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Can you run the Fryette amp DI into the AM4 and switch in there?

 

[laxu]

Can you run the Fryette amp DI into the AM4 and switch in there?

That's actually a novel idea. With other Fractal products, for sure you can do this.

I don't think the AM4 works. At most you'd just move the "switching" to pulling the cable from the insert return, but the AM4 doesn't have enough inputs to allow switching between anything via software.

Maybe it will work if I just mute one of the signals and keep the cables connected. I'll test this out!

 

[MatrixClaw]

Is the PS100 more transparent than the PS1/2? Because I just recently sold my PS1 because, after patching it through my amp switcher and being able to hear the amps with and without it on, I found that it was NOT transparent, like not even close. No amount of flipping of switches or turning of knobs could get that thing to sound like it wasn't there. When comparing a preamp like the AM4 and the real amp, it'd probably be a decent comparison, but I wouldn't have used it as an accurate representation of what the amps actually sounded like.

 

[laxu]

Can you run the Fryette amp DI into the AM4 and switch in there?

Tried this out. Fryette Line-out -> AM4 insert return, AM4 main out left -> Fryette line-in.

It kinda worked but was very weird. It seemed like the line out volume pot started working in a weird manner where maximum level became quiet and something like 50-70% up was loud. I don't know if it starts working like some kind of mixer when both Amp in and line in are connected, or if it is just Her Bustedness acting up.

 

[laxu]

Is the PS100 more transparent than the PS1/2? Because I just recently sold my PS1 because, after patching it through my amp switcher and being able to hear the amps with and without it on, I found that it was NOT transparent, like not even close. No amount of flipping of switches or turning of knobs could get that thing to sound like it wasn't there. When comparing a preamp like the AM4 and the real amp, it'd probably be a decent comparison, but I wouldn't have used it as an accurate representation of what the amps actually sounded like.

The PS100 performs identically to PS2 in my experience. Can't speak for the PS1.

I find the Fryette to be fairly transparent, like there's some difference between amps but it's pretty marginal overall. I have always been able to use the loadbox switches on it to match the behavior of my amps and cabs pretty well.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Didn't Fryette release a product for this specific use? Cyclops or something?

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Is the PS100 more transparent than the PS1/2? Because I just recently sold my PS1 because, after patching it through my amp switcher and being able to hear the amps with and without it on, I found that it was NOT transparent, like not even close. No amount of flipping of switches or turning of knobs could get that thing to sound like it wasn't there. When comparing a preamp like the AM4 and the real amp, it'd probably be a decent comparison, but I wouldn't have used it as an accurate representation of what the amps actually sounded like.

I found it to be very transparent if set up to be that way, which means switches in the middle and presence/resonance all the way down and volume set at unity gain.

I made a quick video a while ago to show the PS in/out of the chain with my Marshall




Obviously, when you start turning it up/down, things change but that's with everything really, since it changes the relationship with the speakers etc...that's when the switches and tone controls come in handy to compensate.

I have my issues with using the Power Station live but transparency is not one of them.

EDIT: this is a PS2 btw

 

[MatrixClaw]

I found it to be very transparent if set up to be that way, which means switches in the middle and presence/resonance all the way down and volume set at unity gain.

I made a quick video a while ago to show the PS in/out of the chain with my Marshall




Obviously, when you start turning it up/down, things change but that's with everything really, since it changes the relationship with the speakers etc...that's when the switches and tone controls come in handy to compensate.

I have my issues with using the Power Station live but transparency is not one of them.

Interesting. The PS1 completely changed the midrange of all my amps and completely killed the low-end response on them.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Interesting. The PS1 completely changed the midrange of all my amps and completely killed the low-end response on them.

Yeah, I added to the post that mine is a PS2. Maybe the PS1 is different and if so, that's probably why they came up with the second version.

I've owned the PS100 and have the PS2 now and they are very transparent with the right settings.

 

[laxu]

Didn't Fryette release a product for this specific use? Cyclops or something?

Yes they did, but it costs 262 euros and I'm not going to spend that for what is just a setup for messing around.

Hence my "shit tier solutions" thread.

Looking at its manual, it seems setup exactly how I hooked up the AM4 with both line in and out. I just don't have the A/B switching and the Fryette line level control is fucked up.