Solid state power amp for wet/dry rig

[tripstan]

If your are spending $500+ I highly recommend Fryette Power Station. It's not SS but it's only 20 lbs. 50 watts of pure tube power. Also doubles as a attenuator. It can be rack mounted too. Enough said.

 

[psychodave]

If your are spending $500+ I highly recommend Fryette Power Station. It's not SS but it's only 20 lbs. 50 watts of pure tube power. Also doubles as a attenuator. It can be rack mounted too. Enough said.

I had one for about 5 minutes. When attenuating down I heard too many artifacts in the sound. It just didn't work for me as an attenuator and a simultaneous power amp. Of course this was just based on my needs.

 

[metalmaniac93]

I have the Matrix 1000FX and it sounds killer even running W/D. The 800FX is also just as good as I tried one out at Tone Merchants back in 2012 in a W/D/W set-up. Does not overpower the dry sound nor is thin at all. I need to get off my butt and get a splitter so I can run two of my SDE3000s for W/D/W.

 

[paulyc]

I have an H&H V200 (100 watts per side, smaller brother to the 800) and it sounds awesome. I got it for around $500.00 because it's not THE one EVH uses, but EVH plays in arenas, I don't. It's thick and punchy though, for sure. I'd like to try one of the Matrix amps though...smaller, lighter, frees up space in the rack. I still own a Rocktron Velocity 300 (150 watts per side) and a 1 rack space Marshall Valvestate (40 watts per side) in my smaller "B" rig, and it's not nearly as good, but it's passable for W/D/W. Keep in mind that all these amps only put out rated power with the cabs wired for the lowest impedance the amp is rated for (and that for only W/D you can run the amp bridged for the most wattage).

 

[tripstan]

If your are spending $500+ I highly recommend Fryette Power Station. It's not SS but it's only 20 lbs. 50 watts of pure tube power. Also doubles as a attenuator. It can be rack mounted too. Enough said.

I had one for about 5 minutes. When attenuating down I heard too many artifacts in the sound. It just didn't work for me as an attenuator and a simultaneous power amp. Of course this was just based on my needs.

I'm running a wet/dry with it as the wet power amp. The Smallbox is power my dry cab. The attenuator is a bonus. I guess it's not for everybody.

 

[psychodave]

If your are spending $500+ I highly recommend Fryette Power Station. It's not SS but it's only 20 lbs. 50 watts of pure tube power. Also doubles as a attenuator. It can be rack mounted too. Enough said.

I had one for about 5 minutes. When attenuating down I heard too many artifacts in the sound. It just didn't work for me as an attenuator and a simultaneous power amp. Of course this was just based on my needs.

I'm running a wet/dry with it as the wet power amp. The Smallbox is power my dry cab. The attenuator is a bonus. I guess it's not for everybody.

The smallbox has a master volume. I'm sure that makes a big difference. I was using it with a non-master volume Marshall. I just couldn't get it attenuated enough where it sounded good.

 

[barnesjd]

Not trying to hijack your thread here, but I'm curious... do y'all find that using a SS power amp changes the speakers you like? I would imagine the dynamics between the speaker and amp would be different enough to change what sounds best to your ears.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Not trying to hijack your thread here, but I'm curious... do y'all find that using a SS power amp changes the speakers you like? I would imagine the dynamics between the speaker and amp would be different enough to change what sounds best to your ears.

From what I gather and believe I've learned from this thread is that for best results using a SS power amp, it really needs to be used in a w/d or w/d/w set up where the effects are set to 100% wet. This set-up is more about blending in effects in the cleanest possible way without it "muddying" or covering the dry tone. As with ANy set up though, speakers will make a difference. I think the biggest difference (besides tone) in SS amps is the attack. They are sort-of stiff, or immediate in the attack whereas tube amps are spongier. Not sure if this answers your question though.

 

[paulyc]

I run some dry in the wet cabs, so does Steve Stevens and EVH...

 

[Bronco]

Don't overlook the Electro-Harmonix 44 Magnum...I have used one for precisely this topic, and they are no joke. They can be found on Reverb for less than $150, and they are the size of a stomp box. Phenominal product and plenty loud for the wet cab...at the very least, check them out on YouTube.

 

[Anonymous]

I run some dry in the wet cabs, so does Steve Stevens and EVH...

So do I, so does psychodave.

Steve

 

[paulyc]

It's the best way

 

[7 Stringer]

I run some dry in the wet cabs, so does Steve Stevens and EVH...

So do I, so does psychodave.

Steve

I tried running some dry in the wet, sounded great for nice big spacious chords or medium speed rock,but when playing tight metal riffing, or speedy thrash, i felt like it lost the punch of a solid mono signal. Maybe thats just me.

Mu band plays metalcore, so i used the wdw sparingly for solos and cleans. But me and my drummer when playing alone, we do halen, leppard, ozzy and the wdw is wonderfull.

Chris

 

[Zachman]

I run some dry in the wet cabs, so does Steve Stevens and EVH...

So do I, so does psychodave.

Steve

Same here.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

i would do the fryette power station. then you also have all the other features and remain tube.

 

[paulyc]

I think the tube thing is overrated for a W/D/W setup if you use the right line out (one tapped from the speaker output jacks or a Suhr Line Out box or similar) because you're getting all the tube tone from the main amp, the W/D/W amp only reproduces what it "sees', so these high powered PA style clean response amps fit the bill perfectly. Years ago, I had a Marshall 9005 (4 rack space 50 watt/side tube amps behemouth) and I A/B'd it against the Rocktron Velocity 300, I didn't hear much difference, even at stupidly loud volume.

On another note, the whole H&H thing is completely overblown...I'd bet money the fact that EVH uses it was a happy accident. I'd bet that's what they used for the touring PA amps, and he just tried it and it happened to work...but it probably could have been anything they could have been using at that time. The V800 is more than anyone that doesn't play really big shows needs, and it's high price tag is only because of the EVH connection. It's just a MOSFET poweramp. Many companies have made them.

 

[psychodave]

I think the tube thing is overrated for a W/D/W setup if you use the right line out (one tapped from the speaker output jacks or a Suhr Line Out box or similar) because you're getting all the tube tone from the main amp, the W/D/W amp only reproduces what it "sees', so these high powered PA style clean response amps fit the bill perfectly. Years ago, I had a Marshall 9005 (4 rack space 50 watt/side tube amps behemouth) and I A/B'd it against the Rocktron Velocity 300, I didn't hear much difference, even at stupidly loud volume.

On another note, the whole H&H thing is completely overblown...I'd bet money the fact that EVH uses it was a happy accident. I'd bet that's what they used for the touring PA amps, and he just tried it and it happened to work...but it probably could have been anything they could have been using at that time. The V800 is more than anyone that doesn't play really big shows needs, and it's high price tag is only because of the EVH connection. It's just a MOSFET poweramp. Many companies have made them.

I respectfully disagree about the HH. If you've never played one, you can't comment on how they sound. I feel into my first one (my happy accident) and was shocked how good it sounded. Not cold or sterile and it has huge headroom. Plus it is built like a tank. I didn't buy mine because EVH used one. With that said. I also use a Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 with depth mods...so I can color my wet/dry cabs for a different sound.

Don't base their value on the lone one on eBay for $2,000. I paid a lot less. Shit, I'll sell both of mine for $2,000 each in a second

 

[Racerxrated]

I think the tube thing is overrated for a W/D/W setup if you use the right line out (one tapped from the speaker output jacks or a Suhr Line Out box or similar) because you're getting all the tube tone from the main amp, the W/D/W amp only reproduces what it "sees', so these high powered PA style clean response amps fit the bill perfectly. Years ago, I had a Marshall 9005 (4 rack space 50 watt/side tube amps behemouth) and I A/B'd it against the Rocktron Velocity 300, I didn't hear much difference, even at stupidly loud volume.

On another note, the whole H&H thing is completely overblown...I'd bet money the fact that EVH uses it was a happy accident. I'd bet that's what they used for the touring PA amps, and he just tried it and it happened to work...but it probably could have been anything they could have been using at that time. The V800 is more than anyone that doesn't play really big shows needs, and it's high price tag is only because of the EVH connection. It's just a MOSFET poweramp. Many companies have made them.

I respectfully disagree about the HH. If you've never played one, you can't comment on how they sound. I feel into my first one (my happy accident) and was shocked how good it sounded. Not cold or sterile and it has huge headroom. Plus it is built like a tank. I didn't buy mine because EVH used one. With that said. I also use a Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 with depth mods...so I can color my wet/dry cabs for a different sound.

Don't base their value on the lone one on eBay for $2,000. I paid a lot less. Shit, I'll sell both of mine for $2,000 each in a second

I had a Mosvalve MOSFET power amp that I ran with an ADA all through the 90s. Its nowhere near close to what I get out of the Strategy 400. And I don't mean volume. Girth, feel..everything is better. IMO. Power amps are not created equal.

 

[zuel69]

How about a vht 2150?

i would do the fryette power station. then you also have all the other features and remain tube.

 

[paulyc]

I'd stack my HH V200 up against a V800 any day, I agree they sound awesome, no argument. But if you're not playing an arena I don't think you need anything that big for W/D/W, that's all I was saying.

As far as the MOSVALVE poweramp, you would have to compare for similar wattage. Cantrell used those with his Bogner Fish preamps live and he sounded massive.