All-tube Amps Rule!!

Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
218
Reaction score
27
Age
54
Real Name
Kevin
IMG_1730.JPG
I finally got all tubes with a SVT-2 PRO and I couldn't be happier!!! My old SVT-3 Pro was great, but I was never completely happy with it. It's been a month now and I'm like a little kid - I rush home from work and just play and enjoy! I purchased used from GC ($850) and it had issues so they bought me all new output tubes (Tung Sol 6550's) and I installed them along with a couple burnt resistors and IC's (bias sense). That's luv it didn't work, I had to fix it and I am still totally in luv with it!!!
IMG_1725.JPG
 

DiMarco

nutcase
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
Nov 19, 2009
Messages
6,979
Reaction score
4,738
I agree completely and wholeheartedly.
Tube amps, or valve amps as the Brexit people like to call it are simply better then any solid state will ever be at sounding big and buttery fat (but not wooly like software emulated tubes).
More dynamic, more responsive, more alive, more in your face, more heft, more push, more tone.
Key element: Better blending in the mix.

That said, I also like my Darkglass M900 class D amp. Less blending in the mix, less "big" low end but more articulate and direct sounding. These are aspects that can be important in more modern sounding mixes where you want the bass to remain an entity that does not blend with other sounds in there. (You will have to play damn good though as this tone reveals any and all mishaps).

Whether or not one or the other works better for you depends on your circumstances, taste and musicality.
In most cases I prefer my Mesa tube head, but the Darkglass is a small and very convenient addition, especially where I need my low B to not make the ceiling plates come crashing down.

The SVT2-pro are awesome amps btw! Congrats on scoring this one!
 

RIP

California U.S.A.
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
1,042
Reaction score
1,248
View attachment 16926 I finally got all tubes with a SVT-2 PRO and I couldn't be happier!!! My old SVT-3 Pro was great, but I was never completely happy with it. It's been a month now and I'm like a little kid - I rush home from work and just play and enjoy! I purchased used from GC ($850) and it had issues so they bought me all new output tubes (Tung Sol 6550's) and I installed them along with a couple burnt resistors and IC's (bias sense). That's luv it didn't work, I had to fix it and I am still totally in luv with it!!! View attachment 16925
Congrats!!.....that's a great amp!
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
902
Reaction score
1,028
Yep tubes all the way, I hardly use my hellborg system these days after landing this Mark Bass classic 300.

The only thing is with tubes you actually rent your tone as you can expect to have to replace tubes every year or so. But so worth it. My mark bass has a high definition mode which send more current to the tubes. the result is more amazing tone but you have to replace power tubes more often. Who cares when it sounds this good. I run in high def mode all the time.

20170105_181804.jpg
 

kimgee

Wenge Taste Tester
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
900
Reaction score
1,070
Age
67
Real Name
depends on who's asking
Yep tubes all the way, I hardly use my hellborg system these days after landing this Mark Bass classic 300.

The only thing is with tubes you actually rent your tone as you can expect to have to replace tubes every year or so. But so worth it. My mark bass has a high definition mode which send more current to the tubes. the result is more amazing tone but you have to replace power tubes more often. Who cares when it sounds this good. I run in high def mode all the time.

View attachment 17025
Wow! That is one awesome amp! I love the wood case. Congrats!
 

kimgee

Wenge Taste Tester
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
900
Reaction score
1,070
Age
67
Real Name
depends on who's asking
Yeah I got it made custom as when I purchased the amp second hand it had been dropped and the original sleeve was cracked down one side. I had left over wood so made the matching pedal board.
Does that amp have a fan in it? I can't find an image of anything but the front of the Markbass Classic 300 online. The reason I ask is, I have a 50w and 30w tube amps and neither of them have fans. The tops of both get quite warm, so I have small computer case fans rigged to them to reduce the heat. The 30w is an inexpensive Ashdown Little Bastard, but the 50w is a kinda pricey 65Amps Apollo head, which I would think the price of a built in fan would not be a consideration in the build cost. Is there a reason not to have a fan in a tube head?
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
902
Reaction score
1,028
Does that amp have a fan in it? I can't find an image of anything but the front of the Markbass Classic 300 online. The reason I ask is, I have a 50w and 30w tube amps and neither of them have fans. The tops of both get quite warm, so I have small computer case fans rigged to them to reduce the heat. The 30w is an inexpensive Ashdown Little Bastard, but the 50w is a kinda pricey 65Amps Apollo head, which I would think the price of a built in fan would not be a consideration in the build cost. Is there a reason not to have a fan in a tube head?
This has a fan on the back panel which sucks air through the front, past the valves and out the back.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk
 

kimgee

Wenge Taste Tester
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
900
Reaction score
1,070
Age
67
Real Name
depends on who's asking
This has a fan on the back panel which sucks air through the front, past the valves and out the back.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

That seems like a sensible and logical design.......since tube amps make great portable heaters. I have noticed that quite a few models, including some higher end units don't have them. I was checking out the Mesa Boogie tube amps and they do not appear to have fans in them either. Anyone know what the thinking behind not having a fan in a tube amp might be? Could they induce noise of some kind? As much heat as tube amps generate, a cooling fan seems like a good thing to me.
 

Nachobassman

Bass, Tapas, and Rn´R!
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
7,571
Reaction score
4,335
I think most tube amps that don´t have internal fans are like that to keep noise low. Also, most tube amps has very wide and big housings with grills at both front and back, so I would carry a small and powerful clip fan to feed fresh air into the amp, problem solved. :)
 
Last edited:

Augie

The Desert Bass-ape
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Messages
2,225
Reaction score
203
Most toob amps also have large grills directly above the valves, creating passive air flow. air rises from the heated toobs, heads up and out through the grille and pulls cool air from the front or back of the large, mainly ope head. The hotter the toobs the greater the airflow, this can be enough to prevent it from cooking. unless of course you are in Australia in the summer where its 45 in the shade.
 

DiMarco

nutcase
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
Nov 19, 2009
Messages
6,979
Reaction score
4,738
The Mesa Bass Prodigy has a fan mounted inside, which is placed diagonally to create an air stream that blows over the four KT88 powertubes in the back of the amp.

A lot of bedroom rockstars sold their Prodigy over this, the fan being too noisy for them. I say a 250w tube amp is not fit for playing in a bedroom, what were they thinking?

Also, the Prodigy is by no means a softy, wooly tube thing. It sounds very dynamic, full and in your face. No solid state I know of can compete with its ability to push the band. Compared with my (Tech21 and Darkglass) lightweight tops it sounds MUCH more powerful at the same volume. Huuuuge tone.

That said, the neat and tidy tone of the Darkglass has its use too. More even, great with modern overdriven guitar tone.

Everyone needs at least 3 amps imho. Enjoy life to the fullest.
 

DiMarco

nutcase
Good Vibe Sponsor
Joined
Nov 19, 2009
Messages
6,979
Reaction score
4,738
Been using this amp exclusively lately... 380 whopping all valve watts.
It blows away everything else I have or had.

HexaValve.jpg
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
159
Reaction score
88
Still like this set-up. Fafner II. Only one tube I know, so apologies if this is seen as a fraudulent post

EBS basic stack.JPG
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
2,728
Reaction score
175
Age
114
Real Name
Chris
SVT-2 Pro is my next amp. I have a killer USA SVT-4 that's just had all the soldering reflowed, jacks replaced, and tubes replaced by a factory-authorized Ampeg tech with all Ampeg parts + any service bulletin items performed. It's truly bad-ass. I can't decide if I'll keep it and get the SVT-2 or sell for an SVT-2. It's really hard to complain about an SVT-4, but the 2 is where it's at.
 
Top Bottom