The Poweramp

[Desertdweller]

In my life, I’ve owned the following power amps:

ADA Microtube 200
Seymour Duncan PS170
TC Electronic BAM200
Mesa 50/50 (3)
Mesa 2:90 (3)
Mesa 2:fifty
Synergy 5050

Right now I own the Synergy 5050. It’s honestly the perfect power amp for modelers and I run both an Axe FX and synergy preamps through it. The Mesa 2:90 is the best I’ve owned, but the Syn5050 is a close second, and they have really maximized the tone from the toroidal transformer in it. It sounds amazing.

So just my $.02.

 

[jellodog]

@Boudoir Guitar How did you get on with the Sampson 120?

 

[GuitarDave]

In my life, I’ve owned the following power amps:

ADA Microtube 200
Seymour Duncan PS170
TC Electronic BAM200
Mesa 50/50 (3)
Mesa 2:90 (3)
Mesa 2:fifty
Synergy 5050

Right now I own the Synergy 5050. It’s honestly the perfect power amp for modelers and I run both an Axe FX and synergy preamps through it. The Mesa 2:90 is the best I’ve owned, but the Syn5050 is a close second, and they have really maximized the tone from the toroidal transformer in it. It sounds amazing.

So just my $.02.

The Mesa 2:90 is an amazing power amp - and it's ~ 35lbs.

 

[Blix]

I've yet to try my VHT 2/50/2 with my Axe, should get around to it one day....

 

[Orvillain]

I've noticed a marked difference between valve power sections and these shitty class D poweramps that everyone is releasing. The class D things are TOTAL WANK!! I hate them.

Grab a Laney VH100R. Cheap as chips. Loads of clean headroom. Take modellers really well. Ask Opeth!

 

[TubeStack]

I can't help but think, if I'm going to bring a big 30lb+ tube power amp and a cab to play my FM9 through, I may as just well bring my 40 lb Mesa head and be completely happy.

 

[hippietim]

All I know is running my Fractal into the Duncan 170 watt power amp into my V30 cab absolutely kills. The proverbial Amp where I'm at is happening so all the guitar <-> amp interactions are there. I think using a tube power amp is not as good if you’re using various amp types in your modeler.

 

[jellodog]

I can't help but think, if I'm going to bring a big 30lb+ tube power amp and a cab to play my FM9 through, I may as just well bring my 40 lb Mesa head and be completely happy.

I mean yes... that's 60% of the for / against argument right there. I can't disagree with that!

But for me, in addition to amp modelling, the modeller is also about FX modelling and the potential to replace the rigmarole of pedalboards, power supplies and patch cabling, weird pedal impedance interactions, signal degradation; as well as the consistency of being able to call up those settings in presets over and over again. Or the flexibility to alter the signal routing without having to redo parts of the pedalboard. And then of course you can record with it and don't have to mic it up either.

 

[TubeStack]

But for me, in addition to amp modelling, the modeller is also about FX modelling and the potential to replace the rigmarole of pedalboards, power supplies and patch cabling; as well as the consistency of being able to call up those settings in presets over and over again. Or the flexibility to alter the signal routing without having to redo parts of the pedalboard. And then of course you can record with it and don't have to mic it up either.

I do all that with my FM9 in 4cm, though. Everything up to your last sentence.

Well, I still have some additional patch cabling, but it's just a snake I leave connected to the FM9 on one end, super simple. But no in-between, pedal to pedal cables, extra power cords, etc.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

@Boudoir Guitar How did you get on with the Sampson 120?

Still haven't plugged it in. Busy fall

 

[ragingplatypi]

I mean yes... that's 60% of the for / against argument right there. I can't disagree with that!

But for me, in addition to amp modelling, the modeller is also about FX modelling and the potential to replace the rigmarole of pedalboards, power supplies and patch cabling, weird pedal impedance interactions, signal degradation; as well as the consistency of being able to call up those settings in presets over and over again. Or the flexibility to alter the signal routing without having to redo parts of the pedalboard. And then of course you can record with it and don't have to mic it up either.

Agreed. All that, and being able to hit a tonal sweet spot where I don’t have to go through the disappointment of being told to turn down.

 

[ragingplatypi]

I was curious if anyone has experience or thoughts about the Blackstar St. James and what they’re doing with their poweramp section. I’ve always been attracted to the idea of a tube poweramp that doesn’t need the heavy iron transformer.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I was curious if anyone has experience or thoughts about the Blackstar St. James and what they’re doing with their poweramp section. I’ve always been attracted to the idea of a tube poweramp that doesn’t need the heavy iron transformer.

I was thinking about this concept this AM. The PS-100 I had for a while was great. Superfunctional and a solution to a number of different problems.

Compared to the ElectraDyne simulclass and the 100 watt Badlander power amp though; not even close. The punch from those power sections was UNDENIABLE. Much more devastating vs. the PS100 imo.

 

[ragingplatypi]

I was thinking about this concept this AM. The PS-100 I had for a while was great. Superfunctional and a solution to a number of different problems.

Compared to the ElectraDyne simulclass and the 100 watt Badlander power amp though; not even close. The punch from those power sections was UNDENIABLE. Much more devastating vs. the PS100 imo.

I’m not familiar with the PS-100 (despite owning VHT Pitbull 50 a couple decades ago!). I see that it’s light. Did Blackstar copy him?

 

[JiveTurkey]

I’m not familiar with the PS-100 (despite owning VHT Pitbull 50 a couple decades ago!). I see that it’s light. Did Blackstar copy him?

Sorry I didn't connect the dots very well. The PS-100 has smaller transformers and is doubel the power of the St. James. I think the transformer size is going to provide some oomph though.

 

[Whizzinby]

Compared to the ElectraDyne simulclass and the 100 watt Badlander power amp though; not even close. The punch from those power sections was UNDENIABLE. Much more devastating vs. the PS100 imo.

Id be inclined to agree, compared to my FB100 which is actively trying to rip a hole into the roof the second it’s turned on. That said, I also think some of it is, generally speaking, the PS100 is by design extremely clean and transparent, and generally used to tame big ole power sections, so it just seems to have a little less mojo due to application. It gets ear bleeding loud, and has plenty of chunk and sizzle with the well thought out brite and warm switches, just in a little more polite way than say an ENGL power section which is intentionally vulgar. lol

 

[Stratzrus]

The Mesa 2:90 is an amazing power amp - and it's ~ 35lbs.

I've yet to try my VHT 2/50/2 with my Axe, should get around to it one day....

Both are excellent choices.

I really liked my Randall RT 2/50 stereo power amp with a quad of late distortion SED Winged =C= 6L6s but that amp is really heavy, enough that it was a deal breaker, but it's a hell of an amp.

While not stereo, I'm now using a Fryette Power Station PS-100 and it's great as an amp for modelers.

 

[laxu]

Id be inclined to agree, compared to my FB100 which is actively trying to rip a hole into the roof the second it’s turned on. That said, I also think some of it is, generally speaking, the PS100 is by design extremely clean and transparent, and generally used to tame big ole power sections, so it just seems to have a little less mojo due to application. It gets ear bleeding loud, and has plenty of chunk and sizzle with the well thought out brite and warm switches, just in a little more polite way than say an ENGL power section which is intentionally vulgar. lol

The switches do nothing unless you have an amp connected to the load. They just control the loadbox reactiveness. The presence/depth controls are active if you plug a modeler into the Power Station line input or fx loop.

With modelers you would want the amp modeling to do any tone shaping and the poweramp to just make things loud. I do still think you need to dial in your tone for a particular poweramp and cab rather than expect your sounds to just work if you plug into a poweramp and cab instead of "FRFR".

 

[Whizzinby]

The switches do nothing unless you have an amp connected to the load. They just control the loadbox reactiveness. The presence/depth controls are active if you plug a modeler into the Power Station line input or fx loop.

With modelers you would want the amp modeling to do any tone shaping and the poweramp to just make things loud. I do still think you need to dial in your tone for a particular poweramp and cab rather than expect your sounds to just work if you plug into a poweramp and cab instead of "FRFR".

Yep. I was talking in direct comparison of a Badlander power section versus PS100. (or in my instance the FB vs PS power section) It sounds like crap with the frequency response of the reactive load set to flat with every amp I’ve run through mine. I’ve always run it with some combo of Warm/Deep and Brite/Edge. (Which is what adds the mojo back)

Of course if you bypass the reactive load you bypass the reactive load controls. Then it’s just ultra flat. Good for some applications and less for others.

 

[laxu]

Yep. I was talking in direct comparison of a Badlander power section versus PS100. (or in my instance the FB vs PS power section) It sounds like crap with the frequency response of the reactive load set to flat with every amp I’ve run through mine. I’ve always run it with some combo of Warm/Deep and Brite/Edge. (Which is what adds the mojo back)

Of course if you bypass the reactive load you bypass the reactive load controls. Then it’s just ultra flat. Good for some applications and less for others.

The "flat" settings make it a resistive load. That tends to sound kinda crap unless you are already running it at very loud volumes in which case...why you using an attenuator?