What’s the tightest amp with the biggest low end you’ve played. ?

[DISTORT6]

That is my experience as well. I sold my Sig:X because of that... there's this inherent stiffness and dryness to the tone with KT88's. Sure, it also has to do with VHT/Fryette's design, but I heard a specific quality that I never encountered with EL34's, 6L6's or 6550's.
With KT77's also less so, and I've been running those for years now in my Invader.

Those are the same reasons I’ll never sell my Sig:X!
Funny how that works.

 

[Racerxrated]

I'm calling Mike Monday Racer....the outcome could be like landing on the moon for the first time in a spaceship that sounds like no other C+/++ simulclass Coliseum that is fueled by nothing this world has ever heard, mixed with a pair of STR416

Uncharted territory....that could be the biggest sounding amp in the history of ampdom.

 

[braintheory]

Uncharted territory....that could be the biggest sounding amp in the history of ampdom.

Could be very epic for sure, but I don't predict those tubes alone would be enough to get as big as a Blueface or Hiwatt with just their EL34's. I'll be taking in my blueface to my tech this week to see what are the most powerful tubes it can accommodate. Trying to see just how massive is possible with it. I've been thinking of doing the same with the Hiwatt, but might revisit that later

 

[glip22]

With most amps KT88s for me have 'hollow' mids, maybe since I'm used to EL34 Marshalls. But, owning some VHT amps changed my mind on that. Those are biased right where they should be, 50+ ma and sound nice. Same with popping 6550s in there, or KT 90s (even better IMO). When you play a Marshall with 6550s (like my 83 2203) they can sound cold or sterile and I think that's because they are biased like an EL34, since the transformers aren't designed for 6550s you have to bias them like a 34 and they end up cold. The exception are when a Marshall has GE 6550s which to me are very 3D-like, similar to what Sylvania 6L6s do for Mesa Marks. But if you try and bias the 6550s/KT88s where they should be in a Marshall (50+ma) you end up stressing the transformers. Ideally, if you love Marshalls and KT tubes you could buy some custom transformers designed for KT tube draw and then you'd be all good to bias them where they should be.

I agree. You hit diminishing returns fast trying to bias them higher as you would in a circuit designed for them. The output transformer must have the correct impedance to optimize the big bottles like 6550. A Marshall does not, as most know which is why you can only treat 6550 as a 25 watt tube when biasing, not 30 watts. You will not get the full tonal spectrum, etc., unless you have the proper OT impedance.

 

[DanTravis62]

The Larry can’t get as much low end as a Wizard MTL? Was hoping it could send that and a few other things packing whenever I finally get one, but if they have more lows then they might have to stick around for me. Does it punch as hard as the MTL or more? That’s the main reason I’ve still kept my Wizard. Larry is still one of the few amps I’ve not yet tried

I think this depends on your playing style.

They're both big and tight, but which is bigger and which is tighter probably depends on your playing technique and the rest of the rig.

 

[Steinmetzify]

That is my experience as well. I sold my Sig:X because of that... there's this inherent stiffness and dryness to the tone with KT88's. Sure, it also has to do with VHT/Fryette's design, but I heard a specific quality that I never encountered with EL34's, 6L6's or 6550's.
With KT77's also less so, and I've been running those for years now in my Invader.

KT77s in my Herbert, dig em. Nice balance.

 

[stephen sawall]

Mesa Strategy 500.... Pushing two 4x12 with EVM12L.

Might not be the tightest....but was the biggest / loud amp I heard.

 

[harddriver]

Tightest lowend... I would venture to say would be anything Hermannson has modded or built, it seems all of his circuits cater to the new metal tight lowend genre for 7 stringers or detuned metal.

Next to those the VHT ultralead was always descirbed as real tight.

 

[LanierP]

Oh man I love that clip. Such a killer grind! That one yours?

Yeah. She's mine. Was in a band with another very solid guitarist when I was using this amp. After Our first practice together, he asked if there was another amp I could play thru instead. He said that my Gower was just 'too much'. He had a Naylor SD60. I ended up switching to a BE-100 I have. Lineup didn't last long. He left. The Gower returned!

 

[skullfxr]

Mesa Strategy 500.... Pushing two 4x12 with EVM12L.

Might not be the tightest....but was the biggest / loud amp I heard.

That will pound your chest for sure.

I have not played my Splawn KT88 Nitro for a while but it has tight and thump like a motherfucker. It liked the k85 cab a ton, but most speakers it didn't get along with for one reason or another.

 

[jabps]

Framus Cobra
Splawn Nitro
VHT/Fryette UL

I gotta go with the Cobra as well. Just massive low end thump and super tight.

I remember years ago when it first came out bringing that thing to rehearsal when I was flipping amps right and left. And by the end of the first song the bass player with his mighty Ampeg rig was like, dude I cannot hear my low end. True story. I didn't keep the amp very long but lord, low end tight city no doubt and tons of gain.

 

[ErikT]

Yeah. She's mine. Was in a band with another very solid guitarist when I was using this amp. After Our first practice together, he asked if there was another amp I could play thru instead. He said that my Gower was just 'too much'. He had a Naylor SD60. I ended up switching to a BE-100 I have. Lineup didn't last long. He left. The Gower returned!

LoL the Gower gave him that penis/tone envy. Seriously one of the best Gower clips out there. Gives me major GAS for a KK++. Such beastly growl and low end. Killer playing too by the way!

 

[thegame]

The Larry can’t get as much low end as a Wizard MTL? Was hoping it could send that and a few other things packing whenever I finally get one, but if they have more lows then they might have to stick around for me. Does it punch as hard as the MTL or more? That’s the main reason I’ve still kept my Wizard. Larry is still one of the few amps I’ve not yet tried

No, not as much low end, nor does it punch as hard as the MTL or any other 100w Wizard. It's about as big sounding as a healthy JCM800 with a depth control added. So bigger than stock JCM800, but not much bigger. However what the Larry offers that the MTL or MC cannot is a literal tidal wave of singing harmonic overtones in the high end and more touch sensitive playing feel. In that regard, no Wizard is even close.

 

[braintheory]

No, not as much low end, nor does it punch as hard as the MTL or any other 100w Wizard. It's about as big sounding as a healthy JCM800 with a depth control added. So bigger than stock JCM800, but not much bigger. However what the Larry offers that the MTL or MC cannot is a literal tidal wave of singing harmonic overtones in the high end and more touch sensitive playing feel. In that regard, no Wizard is even close.

That’s all good to hear. Sounds like it’ll be the amp I like more. I have very high hopes for whenever my Larry PMM comes and am just trying to anticipate which amps (if any amps) it could send packing. Sounds like it probably won’t be my Wizard then. Still haven’t had anything punch as hard or sound as rock solid as my Wizard, which is why it’s stayed. Maybe my ‘79 JMP2203 or Naylor could be some that go. I remember you said it offed your iic+’s, which would be quite something if it did that for me too. Some of the clips also seemed like the cleans were top notch, so there’s that to consider too. Would be interesting how it’s clean tone would stack up against the ‘64 Vibroverb, Hiwatt and ‘63 AC30 Top Boost

From my experience, actually, a stock good old JCM800 or JMP2203 has a similar amount of low end to my MTL100, at least mine did, but just nowhere near as hard punching or tight

 

[thegame]

That’s all good to hear. Sounds like it’ll be the amp I like more. I have very high hopes for whenever my Larry PMM comes and am just trying to anticipate which amps (if any amps) it could send packing. Sounds like it probably won’t be my Wizard then. Still haven’t had anything punch as hard or sound as rock solid as my Wizard, which is why it’s stayed. Maybe my ‘79 JMP2203 or Naylor could be some that go. I remember you said it offed your iic+’s, which would be quite something if it did that for me too. Some of the clips also seemed like the cleans were top notch, so there’s that to consider too. Would be interesting how it’s clean tone would stack up against the ‘64 Vibroverb, Hiwatt and ‘63 AC30 Top Boost

From my experience, actually, a stock good old JCM800 or JMP2203 has a similar amount of low end to my MTL100, but just nowhere near as hard punching or tight

Yes the older Marshalls can sometimes get that low end happening, but really only at cranked levels. I never heard an old one really thump at lower volume. Modern amps are usually designed to get that satisfying thump at much lower levels.

I've played a couple C+/C++'s, never owned one myself. Love them, they're classic but I'm a bit burnt out by their tone, especially if going overboard with the graphic EQs which rely heavily on active circuitry. They're simply not as organic as the Larry. Believe me, "organic" is one of my favorite cork sniffer terms as well lol!

 

[Exo-metal]

Yeah, that's wayy too much cork Gar lol
I'm looking forward to a sick modded jcm 800 Sam just sold me. I owe you Sam

 

[braintheory]

Yes the older Marshalls can sometimes get that low end happening, but really only at cranked levels. I never heard an old one really thump at lower volume. Modern amps are usually designed to get that satisfying thump at much lower levels.

I've played a couple C+/C++'s, never owned one myself. Love them, they're classic but I'm a bit burnt out by their tone, especially if going overboard with the graphic EQs which rely heavily on active circuitry. They're simply not as organic as the Larry. Believe me, "organic" is one of my favorite cork sniffer terms as well lol!

They do need volume to get there. I wouldn’t say cranked, but enough where it’s loud and opened up

I consider the c+’s to be one of the most organic metal amps I’ve tried, so if a Larry is even more so that would be amazing. The most organic tone to me would be my ‘67 1987T, but that’s more of an old-school sound

 

[mooncobra]

IMO Hermansson Marshall & Mesa. With the added depth and tight knobs they both get ridiculously tight and stay sounding huge. No boost needed what so ever.

I’ve heard some Hermansson builds, especially the PA builds get some ferocious metal tones.

my modded SS100, with buxom boost and a Jackson misha mansoor with BKP juggernauts gets brutal metal tones, just monstrous, or channel 3 with the SAT switch on and the EQ adjusted properly for metal, also with the Jackson misha mansoor and BKP juggernauts.

Both those get brutal metal tones, the second you hear it, you feel a hint of that metal inducing anger and head banging, and you have a compulsion to attack the guitar with a muted E strong assault, it’s so damn vicious sounding, you feel like you are the conductor of hell, conducting Satans hounds of hell as they blow on their wicked trumpets of death launching a sonic blitzkrieg laying everything to waste in its path!

 

[ericb]

I’ve heard some Hermansson builds, especially the PA builds get some ferocious metal tones.

my modded SS100, with buxom boost and a Jackson misha mansoor with BKP juggernauts gets brutal metal tones, just monstrous, or channel 3 with the SAT switch on and the EQ adjusted properly for metal, also with the Jackson misha mansoor and BKP juggernauts.

Both those get brutal metal tones, the second you hear it, you feel a hint of that metal inducing anger and head banging, and you have a compulsion to attack the guitar with a muted E strong assault, it’s so damn vicious sounding, you feel like you are the conductor of hell, conducting Satans hounds of hell as they blow on their wicked trumpets of death launching a sonic blitzkrieg laying everything to waste in its path!

Post clips!!! I wanna hear

Eric

 

[mooncobra]

Post clips!!! I wanna hear

Eric

I have a new recording set up, have to figure out how to run ableton, switched to it after my brother raved about the awesomeness of it. It’s definitely not similar to pro tools or logic and has a learning curve. I haven’t been able to get the UA ox box into ableton at a decent volume. I am doing something wrong obviously and it is making me nuts.

when I get it figured out,I will post some clips. Prepare to be surprised.

the negative feedback control I had added tightens the amp up pretty well, and adding the buxom boost and the SAT switch gives you heavy duty metal tones. Super tight and punchy, retaining clarity and articulate as can be. It’s definitely tremendously brutal.