Should I Buy A Tourmaster 4100 with Matching Cab?

[sea]

I want an amp for my studio that can cover it all (rock, classsic rock, britsh and american tones, jazz, metal, fusion, alternative, etc.) and so far the Tourmaster 4100 looks great to me.

I was also looking at the Mesa Boogie MK V and there were a few comments on a thread that I thought I'd ask over here to see what end-users had to say.

I own and have gigged many times with both of 'em...
Love the clean channel platforms on both of 'em,
but the OD channels on the Tourmaster were just so noisy I ended up only using the amp with OD pedals..

Not so with the Mark V...

Here's the link https://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... ost7725072

I also read how many preferred another cab vs. the stock 4X12. Personally I think a 2X12 Avatar loaded with maybe 2 different speakers might be a good way to go since my room is like 10X10. However I plan I using the head more for direct recording vs a mic'd cab.

With that being said. Here are some of my questions.

1. Can I run the Tourmaster on Standby and direct in my daw without using a cab and still be able to get some nice metal tones as well?

2. Would I THD Hot Plate (or another similar unit) be better, THEN take a line out and go direct into some cab/mic impulses.

I was also looking into the Two Note Torpedo VB-101 as an option (down the road) but if the cab sim and direct out of the Tourmaster would do the trick then it would save a lot of $$$.

Thanks for your help,
Jamie

 

[Roddy]

I don't think that with the amp on standby, you'll get any sound out of the line out.....The Hotplate line out is ok, but not that great sounding....Wouldn't waste my $$ on it for that application.....

 

[sea]

I don't think that with the amp on standby, you'll get any sound out of the line out.....The Hotplate line out is ok, but not that great sounding....Wouldn't waste my $$ on it for that application.....

Here's a thought.

How about cranking the amp... use the Hot Plate to soak up the juice... then use the line out with the cab sim on the 4100 to record with.

 

[Roddy]

I don't think that with the amp on standby, you'll get any sound out of the line out.....The Hotplate line out is ok, but not that great sounding....Wouldn't waste my $$ on it for that application.....

Here's a thought.

How about cranking the amp... use the Hot Plate to soak up the juice... then use the line out with the cab sim on the 4100 to record with.

Yea, that would certainly work....I have had great luck with mine just miking the cab with a Sennheiser 621...For going direct, I've used the cabtone box with great results both with the Tourmaster, and my Egnater designed RM4 Randall modular preamp rack, and RM100 modular head...

 

[sea]

I don't think that with the amp on standby, you'll get any sound out of the line out.....The Hotplate line out is ok, but not that great sounding....Wouldn't waste my $$ on it for that application.....

Here's a thought.

How about cranking the amp... use the Hot Plate to soak up the juice... then use the line out with the cab sim on the 4100 to record with.

Yea, that would certainly work....I have had great luck with mine just miking the cab with a Sennheiser 621...For going direct, I've used the cabtone box with great results both with the Tourmaster, and my Egnater designed RM4 Randall modular preamp rack, and RM100 modular head...

Thanks Roddy! I appreciate the help.

My next question is this. What about cutting the power down to 10 watts. Would that drive the 4X12 Tourmaster cab and would it be better to get a 1X12 or a 2X12?

 

[Roddy]

I don't think that with the amp on standby, you'll get any sound out of the line out.....The Hotplate line out is ok, but not that great sounding....Wouldn't waste my $$ on it for that application.....

Here's a thought.

How about cranking the amp... use the Hot Plate to soak up the juice... then use the line out with the cab sim on the 4100 to record with.

Yea, that would certainly work....I have had great luck with mine just miking the cab with a Sennheiser 621...For going direct, I've used the cabtone box with great results both with the Tourmaster, and my Egnater designed RM4 Randall modular preamp rack, and RM100 modular head...

Thanks Roddy! I appreciate the help.

My next question is this. What about cutting the power down to 10 watts. Would that drive the 4X12 Tourmaster cab and would it be better to get a 1X12 or a 2X12?

Hi Sea.....Because of the 3 piece band I'm in, I like a big sound, so I run mine at 1/2 power....50 watts...which I think sounds better than 100....If it's a really small room, I'll use 25 or 10 watts....I like those settings as well..Those would record well.......I like the sound of open back cabs running either 1/12 or 2/12's....The Tourmaster 2/12 cab I'm told sounds like a 4/12....I use a Germino cab that I've had for a long time and works for me, but I'd buy a Tourmaster 2/12 if I didn't have it.....The 4 channels on the amp are just great...I use all 4...although I play blues/rock, I do like a lot of gain, and channel 4 is a great high gain channel....I don't find it noisy UNLESS your guitar is 2 feet or less from the amp.....move away, and it's pretty quiet...better than most amps...plus, that 4/12 cab is pretty heavy....the head is bad enough at 60 lbs....

 

[sea]

Hi Sea.....Because of the 3 piece band I'm in, I like a big sound, so I run mine at 1/2 power....50 watts...which I think sounds better than 100....If it's a really small room, I'll use 25 or 10 watts....I like those settings as well..Those would record well.......I like the sound of open back cabs running either 1/12 or 2/12's....The Tourmaster 2/12 cab I'm told sounds like a 4/12....I use a Germino cab that I've had for a long time and works for me, but I'd buy a Tourmaster 2/12 if I didn't have it.....The 4 channels on the amp are just great...I use all 4...although I play blues/rock, I do like a lot of gain, and channel 4 is a great high gain channel....I don't find it noisy UNLESS your guitar is 2 feet or less from the amp.....move away, and it's pretty quiet...better than most amps...plus, that 4/12 cab is pretty heavy....the head is bad enough at 60 lbs....

How does the high gain sound at 10watts? Will the 10watt setting move the 2X12 pretty good? I was wondering if at 10watts how it moves the 4X12 (as far as getting high gain distortion etc.)

Perhaps even with 10w vs. 50w (or whatever) in my 10X10 studio would be a moot point since 10 can get loud too!

And since I'll be using a THD Hot Plate and disconnecting the cab then going direct out the cab sim (or out the Hot Plate into other cab sims) then the cab (for me) is more to have just for practice and since I'm not gigging out with it.

I'll also try to mic it... MAYBE put the cab in the other room in a sound proof box or something.

 

[Roddy]

If you are just using it at home, get a small 1/12 cab....no need for a 4/12....at lower volumes, you'll get a better sound from 1/12 than 4/12's..you need to get the speaker moving.....the 4th ch sounds great at 10 watts

 

[sea]

If you are just using it at home, get a small 1/12 cab....no need for a 4/12....at lower volumes, you'll get a better sound from 1/12 than 4/12's..you need to get the speaker moving.....the 4th ch sounds great at 10 watts

Thanks again man for the heads up!

The matching 4X12 looks great but I hear ya as far as sound goes.

If I go with the 1X12, I was thinking of either the Egnater 1X12 or get an Avatar cab with a Hellatone 30 or something for like $249 + $35 shipping. What's your take? If the Avatar... I'd get a wide cab. Maybe a blonde to match the head like this.

 

[Roddy]

Hi Sea...The Avatar cab is a good one....I'd go that route.....

 

[sea]

Hi Sea...The Avatar cab is a good one....I'd go that route.....

Cool!

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

I have the Tourmaster combo. I think channel 4 is noisy but not inordinately so. I don't think line out w/standby would work. I do find the line out noisy, but have gotten some decent recordings with it using a noise gate.

 

[sea]

I have the Tourmaster combo. I think channel 4 is noisy but not inordinately so. I don't think line out w/standby would work. I do find the line out noisy, but have gotten some decent recordings with it using a noise gate.

Has anyone used this piece for silent recording?

PDI-03 Speaker Simulator

The PDI-03 is the legendary predecessor to the PGA-04 Speaker Simulator. It is a re-issue of the early 90’s model with the "battleship grey" housing and metal knobs. The Palmer Speaker Simulator PDI-03 is a combined signal splitter, DI-box, and (when used as a load box) power soak. It comes in a single space rackmount unit. Especially designed for electric guitars and basses, all functions have been optimized for live and studio use.

The unit is directly connected to the speaker output of an amplifier, eliminating the need to mic up a speaker cabinet. With the built in 8 ohm load circuit, you can also use the PDI-03 without a speaker cabinet. The special filters within the simulator provide carefully contoured equalization. The signal from the unit is fed via a balanced XLR connector or unbalanced ¼” jack into a mixing console, tape deck, or power amplifier, etc. Amplifiers, particularly valve amps, can be driven really hard (into saturation) without being limited by volume. Amplifier noise and hum are greatly reduced to practically inaudible levels. Four parallel, unfiltered outputs are available to drive effects units.

The PDI-03 is a very simple to use piece of equipment. Two switches select between 6 filter presets enabling the unit to simulate various types of speakers and enclosures.

Low frequencies are affected by the three-way DEEP/NORMAL/FLAT switch. In FLAT position the sound is characteristic of an open-back 2 x 12 cabinet. The DEEP position reproduces the typical punch of a 4 x 12 stack.

The high end is affected by a three-way switch, MELLOW/NORMAL/BRIGHT. When using a heavily overdriven amp, the MELLOW position produces the warm singing “American” sound, whereas the NORMAL position has the bite of the classic “British” loudspeaker. In BRIGHT position, the top end is enhanced lending edge to lead guitar solos and brightness to rhythm parts. Spectacular sounds can be produced by mixing the dry FILTER OUTPUT with the LINE OUTS driving effects units.

Here's a youtube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuUyJuvK4dY

Is there a better unit out there?

Here's one by Two Notes VB-101 Torpedo for $2,500 or so.

Here's a link to the Torpedo http://www.diffusion-audio.com/store/ca ... ory_id=345

Jamie

 

[Roddy]

That's a great piece....!!

 

[sea]

That's a great piece....!!

Which piece?

 

[Roddy]

The Palmer PDI03