Curiousity as part tech, part player. Is it the brite switch, or the pull bass boost? Is it the two channels, the four input jacks, the slave output. Feel free to say it's because you can fit six beers along the top of it, or that it fits just dandy in the trunk of your Fiero.
The Betas = both input
JCM800 = 6 Knobs
Concert Lead = Boost
Sonaro = 3 knobs
5150II = door stop
VTM60 = dipswitches, set bias
VTM120 = two VTM60s
All of them don't shock the fuck out of me anymore?
My current head, it's the 4 button footswitch. It's a Fender Stage 100. I can switch channels, boost gain, turn reverb on/off and DSP effects on/off. I bought this head because I got tired of lugging around a tube head and a bagful of pedals. It simplifies my life as far a jamming goes.
on my v4, it's the eq knobs, followed by the external master input, them the ohm switch which goes down to 2. handy. On the concert lead, I'd also say the boost switch. The acoustic 140, it just works with no special features and you can drop it with no problems. That in itself is useful
The volume knob.
probably the push pull knobs on my AOR
I really enjoy the Bright Switch on my amp. Although I wish it was available on the footswitch as well. I also enjoy the fact I can switch it down to a 4 ohm load, depending on the type of cab I'd like to run with my combo.
I like the "bridge both channels with a short patch cable" feature on my Traynor YBA-1. It's a pretty simple amp, not much more to it. Same with my Silverface bassman. Plug and play for the most part. Any radical effects and such come from the pedal board, and are used sparingly.
On my VTM60, it's set it and forget it. Plug in and destroy all fucking day long. Channels? HA!
well it would be a stand by switch, if it had one..
What ever knob allows me to turn off the most treble is my fave.
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 22, 2011, 10:15:55 PM
What ever knob allows me to turn off the most treble is my fave.
That's called the tone knob Leroy, you'll find it on your instrument ;)
(http://luthierssupplies.com.au/images/Metal-top-tone-knob.jpg)
It doesn't have lots of features really. The fx loop is nice, but I seldom use it, I only put a reverb pedal there sometimes when recording. The same with the fac control, 95% of the time it's on the first click. The MV would be nice if I had a two-amp setup and I could turn up the drive and run the other one fairly clean. But since I like to use a many different fuzz and drive boxes (and I like the way they sound through a fairly clean amp) I always have the master on full and set the volume with the drive.
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 22, 2011, 10:41:13 PM
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 22, 2011, 10:15:55 PM
What ever knob allows me to turn off the most treble is my fave.
That's called the tone knob Leroy, you'll find it on your instrument ;)
(http://luthierssupplies.com.au/images/Metal-top-tone-knob.jpg)
That one is already rolled down and I still need an extra treble knob on the amp to turn down ;D
The best feature on my amp (OR120) is the simplicity. Just set the gain, treble and bass knobs to taste and it always sounds good! No need to go fiddle with 20+ knobs.
Laney GH50. For full on metal- the second gain stage knob which I have all the way up along with the other gain knob.
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 23, 2011, 03:56:08 AM
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 22, 2011, 10:41:13 PM
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 22, 2011, 10:15:55 PM
What ever knob allows me to turn off the most treble is my fave.
That's called the tone knob Leroy, you'll find it on your instrument ;)
That one is already rolled down and I still need an extra treble knob on the amp to turn down ;D
Now that John the Hermit is doing guitar duties for us, it's nice that I don't need to pretend to be a guitar as well anymore. What you need is a crossover, but you only use the low pass side of it, or a decent low pass shelving filter with a good 16-24dB cutoff. I have a little jumper cable on the back of my T-Max that feeds the low out of the crossover into the power amp, so all that nasty HF stuff is just thrown away. I have it rolled all the way down to 300Hz now ;D
The tone. Ha. Seriously though... old SVT+Svetlana powers+original Magnavox pres = awesome toanz. I also love that through the 810 I only have to turn it to 10:00 to be loud. I also love the multiple, bridgable, inputs.
The OFF switch.
The (recently known to me) fact that I can run TWO 4 ohm cabs with my SVT.
The semi-parametric mid on my Shuttle 9.0 is its best feature. It enables me to adjust almost any bass to have the mid response that I like.
The flexible Mids EQ on an SVT (toggle switch to target specific mid frequencies, and a knob to boost or cut them).
I'm sure this isn't a popular belief held here, but my VOLUME control is it's most useful feature. Nothing can ruin EVERYTHING like being way too fucking loud. Also the on/off switch. Turning the amp off and playing acoustic is very important to developing dynamics.
it's versatile. Great great clean channel, very good od channel, and pretty good distortion channel. It just happens to be one of those amps where if you set everything to 10 you ain't gonna like it. You can dial almost anything in if your ears work and it takes pedals well.
On my Matamp's...it's the fact that the tone knobs seem to disappear when they're on 10. Turn the treble on 8 and it's sharp, turn it on 10 and it fades into beautiful, natural tone. If I couldn't pick them it would be mixing the gain and boost knobs since I always run the volume on 10 and the eq on 10...mess with this balance gives me an absurd amount of control in my tone.
I have a lot of amps but I wish they all had the feature that my Vox Night Train has...when you turn it on "Tight" mode it defeats all of the eq knobs so you can only adjust gain and volume...that tone is pretty fucking impressive. I really just want a Matamp with maybe gain and boost...everything is set and hardwired. There is something magical about amps with as few knobs as possible. My '57 Fender Harvard only has 2 knobs, my modified Champ only has 1 and they sound so direct and alive.
Fixed bias.
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 23, 2011, 10:04:48 AM
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 23, 2011, 03:56:08 AM
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 22, 2011, 10:41:13 PM
Quote from: spookstrickland on May 22, 2011, 10:15:55 PM
What ever knob allows me to turn off the most treble is my fave.
That's called the tone knob Leroy, you'll find it on your instrument ;)
That one is already rolled down and I still need an extra treble knob on the amp to turn down ;D
Now that John the Hermit is doing guitar duties for us, it's nice that I don't need to pretend to be a guitar as well anymore. What you need is a crossover, but you only use the low pass side of it, or a decent low pass shelving filter with a good 16-24dB cutoff. I have a little jumper cable on the back of my T-Max that feeds the low out of the crossover into the power amp, so all that nasty HF stuff is just thrown away. I have it rolled all the way down to 300Hz now ;D
I've been working on something like that. I breadboarded a little circuit that was a 500HZ boost with a real heavy cut above and a gradual taper below. I need to fine tune that and box it.
shelving or peaking?
The Sanct. Tank. (it totally makes me think and act like I sound better than everyone else)
:P
The "club setting" switch that turns my Mesa 50/50 into two 15-watt amps instead of two 50s.
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 09:24:42 AM
The "club setting" switch that turns my Mesa 50/50 into two 15-watt amps instead of two 50s.
Is that a triode mode switch, or a cathode resistance?
Beta's = Both Input (and to a lesser extent the way you can feed A into B)
Concert Bass = Using the Power Amp In as an Input
Coliseum Bass = Hi/Lo Switches
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 24, 2011, 11:03:06 AM
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 09:24:42 AM
The "club setting" switch that turns my Mesa 50/50 into two 15-watt amps instead of two 50s.
Is that a triode mode switch, or a cathode resistance?
As I understand it, it cuts out one of two 6L6 tubes on each side.
the most useful feature on my amp (vtm 60) is the fact that it is rugged as hell: a speaker cable wiggled loose from my cab last thursday during a soundcheck. didn't even blow the amp. and loud.
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 12:27:04 PM
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 24, 2011, 11:03:06 AM
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 09:24:42 AM
The "club setting" switch that turns my Mesa 50/50 into two 15-watt amps instead of two 50s.
Is that a triode mode switch, or a cathode resistance?
As I understand it, it cuts out one of two 6L6 tubes on each side.
Hmm, is it the Hi/Lo switch? That's what is marked on the schematic. What it does is drop the plate voltage of the phase splitter from 436V to 112V, basically turns down the gain of the phase splitter, so the power tubes still run full tilt, but the signal getting to them will never be big enough to drive them to full swing. Neat :)
The Stage/Studio switch on Matamp/Orange works on the first gain stage, which I imagine would lose you the overdriven tone of the preamp stages, sounds like a better idea.
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 24, 2011, 12:52:50 PM
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 12:27:04 PM
Quote from: Hemisaurus on May 24, 2011, 11:03:06 AM
Quote from: RacerX on May 24, 2011, 09:24:42 AM
The "club setting" switch that turns my Mesa 50/50 into two 15-watt amps instead of two 50s.
Is that a triode mode switch, or a cathode resistance?
As I understand it, it cuts out one of two 6L6 tubes on each side.
Hmm, is it the Hi/Lo switch? That's what is marked on the schematic. What it does is drop the plate voltage of the phase splitter from 436V to 112V, basically turns down the gain of the phase splitter, so the power tubes still run full tilt, but the signal getting to them will never be big enough to drive them to full swing. Neat :)
The Stage/Studio switch on Matamp/Orange works on the first gain stage, which I imagine would lose you the overdriven tone of the preamp stages, sounds like a better idea.
Yeah, that's it. Hi Power/Low Power...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/Racerx420/Music/IMG_0568Copying.jpg)
I didnt read others responses so i hope this hasnt been said yet, but the most useful feature of any amp is its ability to take low impedance electrical signal, amplify it, and broadcast it thru a speaker. Without that feature its a doorstop.
In general I like amps with as few other electronic features as possible.
The less circuitry the better, the fewer knobs the better.
Some features I like in an amplifier, electronic and non electronic are:
Keeping the weight down.
Reverb.
Channel switching
Tremolo
the 'bright' switche's usefulness depends on the amps design. ON fenders its very useful.
The badass spring reverb...
It goes to 11
My favorite feature on my Sunn is the mid boost switch as turning it on makes it sound more awesome. I also like that the bass and treble knobs don't do hardly anything and the contour knob is best set at ten. Makes it really easy to remember my settings. One day, I am going to get a custom made version w/ all the settings I like hardwired and only a volume knob.
Quote from: LogicalFrank on June 02, 2011, 09:57:58 AM
My favorite feature on my Sunn is the mid boost switch as turning it on makes it sound more awesome. I also like that the bass and treble knobs don't do hardly anything and the contour knob is best set at ten. Makes it really easy to remember my settings. One day, I am going to get a custom made version w/ all the settings I like hardwired and only a volume knob.
TAD did this back in the day. i don't know what kind of amps they were though.
The ass-load of knobs and switches. ;D
My favourite amp is my Marshall JCM 800 2204 (50w, single chan). Its best feature is it sounds how a Marshall should, fat and loud ;D
Quote from: justinhedrick on June 02, 2011, 11:59:40 AM
Quote from: LogicalFrank on June 02, 2011, 09:57:58 AM
My favorite feature on my Sunn is the mid boost switch as turning it on makes it sound more awesome. I also like that the bass and treble knobs don't do hardly anything and the contour knob is best set at ten. Makes it really easy to remember my settings. One day, I am going to get a custom made version w/ all the settings I like hardwired and only a volume knob.
TAD did this back in the day. i don't know what kind of amps they were though.
Now I am definitely sold on the idea. I also remember they showed a heavily souped up silverface Champ in that documentary they did on them a while back. It had an effects loop and stuff built in.
Edit: Wait, do you mean TAD as in Tube Amp Doctor or Tad as in motherfucking TAD?
Quote from: LogicalFrank on June 02, 2011, 02:36:16 PM
Quote from: justinhedrick on June 02, 2011, 11:59:40 AM
Quote from: LogicalFrank on June 02, 2011, 09:57:58 AM
My favorite feature on my Sunn is the mid boost switch as turning it on makes it sound more awesome. I also like that the bass and treble knobs don't do hardly anything and the contour knob is best set at ten. Makes it really easy to remember my settings. One day, I am going to get a custom made version w/ all the settings I like hardwired and only a volume knob.
TAD did this back in the day. i don't know what kind of amps they were though.
Now I am definitely sold on the idea. I also remember they showed a heavily souped up silverface Champ in that documentary they did on them a while back. It had an effects loop and stuff built in.
Edit: Wait, do you mean TAD as in Tube Amp Doctor or Tad as in motherfucking TAD?
i meant TAD as in Tad Doyle. what is this documentary you speak of?
Ask Erik, he's a TAD fan. I just like this:
(http://guitargeek.com/rigs/img/t/tad_tad_1988.gif)
I read an interview where he was talking about having to explain why 4 distortion pedals is his sound to some producer (maybe Albini, though Albini is pretty accepting of whatever)
Quote from: justinhedrick on June 02, 2011, 03:10:05 PM
i meant TAD as in Tad Doyle. what is this documentary you speak of?
MOTHERFUCKING TAD! It's called
Busted Circuits And Ringing Ears. I think you can watch it on YouTube in these troubled times.
Quote from: LogicalFrank on June 02, 2011, 05:27:37 PM
Quote from: justinhedrick on June 02, 2011, 03:10:05 PM
i meant TAD as in Tad Doyle. what is this documentary you speak of?
MOTHERFUCKING TAD! It's called Busted Circuits And Ringing Ears. I think you can watch it on YouTube in these troubled times.
i shall watch it tonight at work.
I'm watching it right now at work!
is it on vimeo, so I can download it and watch it later? Found it all in one part, no annoying searching for the parts.
hemi,
you are the best x-pat resource i have in illinois! if yr ever over in the champaign area, look me up and we'll hang out and drink beers. or brink deers?