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dantonel · November 4th, 2009, 07:33 PM

OK.. This thread arises because I came into a small sum of money and I've been wanting to get a Mesa Mark IV. Well it just so happens that a good friend of mine owns one and has let me borrow it. So I'm thinking Metallica Black album, John Petrucci, Mark Morton... Well I have a young son who was in bed and I figured with all of those gain stages I could get something pretty nice right...

Wrong, I got something I could only describe as small brittle dry... Anyway, My question is: What Tube amp translates best from Low Volumes in the Bedroom to Higher Volumes on the stage.

Example, My Marshall Valvestate (yes I know it's not all tubes) sounds wonderful down low but it sings when you turn it up...

bouncepogo · November 5th, 2009, 06:09 AM

One you've heard a tube amp cranked at a gig or full volume band practice it will never sound anywhere near as good in the bedroom. And I find that especially the case if you are going for distortion as a major component of it is getting the speaker moving and hearing the 'thump' from the cab (i own a mesa single rectifier btw).

There might be some that do an ok job, but i would always have a low wattage home amp to play with rather than the gig rig (unless I lived in the middle of nowhere and noise didn't matter!)

Donnie55 · November 5th, 2009, 08:20 AM

You could use a Variac or some type of volume break.

Strat God · November 5th, 2009, 08:23 AM

Two different animals.
I don't know of any amp that does both well.

Parma_TeleMon · November 5th, 2009, 08:27 AM

Egnater makes amps with built-in attenuators. I can dial my Rebel 30 from 1-30w. Way cool, and it sounds pretty darned good a low volume.

No affiliation, just a big fan.

Donnie55 · November 5th, 2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat God

Two different animals.
I don't know of any amp that does both well.

+1 Me either,, maybe for recording. To get good tube tone ya gotta put the juice to them. And that = volume

Strat God · November 5th, 2009, 08:41 AM

True tube-tone nirvana comes from driving the power stage, not the preamp stage.

AVT's (I have a 50 & 150 head) sound great alone at low volume but get thin and buzzy with the band. Swarm of bees is a good description.

My DSL100 heads sound great with the band but suck for low volume practice at home.

Dan German · November 5th, 2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat God

Two different animals.
I don't know of any amp that does both well.

I disagree. Some amps do both well. Unfortunately, they are two different things. You won't get the sound you liked at bedroom volume on stage, and vice versa.

Parma_TeleMon · November 5th, 2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat God

My DSL100 heads sound great with the band but suck for low volume practice at home.

Uh, yeah, I could see where that could be an issue.

jefrs · November 5th, 2009, 11:11 AM

Using a broad brush, anything in the "15 watt" class of valve amp.

Anything smaller won't do stage. Anything bigger won't do bedroom.

Mik · November 5th, 2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parma_TeleMon

Uh, yeah, I could see where that could be an issue.

Size of your house would be an issue, let alone the bedroom.

Mik · November 5th, 2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefrs

Using a broad brush, anything in the "15 watt" class of valve amp.

Anything smaller won't do stage. Anything bigger won't do bedroom.

I'll paint with that broad brush. There are exceptions, like some classic Fenders.

cmm71 · November 5th, 2009, 11:42 AM

I recently bought a Marshall DSL401 and I feel it sounds amazing at bedroom levels.

gitlvr · November 5th, 2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strat God

True tube-tone nirvana comes from driving the power stage, not the preamp stage.

AVT's (I have a 50 & 150 head) sound great alone at low volume but get thin and buzzy with the band. Swarm of bees is a good description.

My DSL100 heads sound great with the band but suck for low volume practice at home.

I used to have one of those, but had to sell it for financial reasons. That was about 4 years ago, and I haven't stopped regretting it. Crank those beasts up and enjoy them for me once in a while.

patrickhowell · November 5th, 2009, 03:47 PM

Check out the Mesa Express 5:50. It runs on two 6L6 tubes in push-pull class A/B for 50 watts, but it has a switch to run just one tube in single-ended class A for 5 watts. That will get you a little less than 1/2 of the volume of the amp running at full power. Combine that with some adjustments on the amp and a smaller speaker cab, and you should be able to get close to the tone you want at home.

stantheman · November 5th, 2009, 03:51 PM

Once more with feeling - Ceriatone 1974xTMB.

dantonel · November 6th, 2009, 02:00 AM

Thank you guys! you all Rock, I'm thinking about a Marshall TSL 601 but I like the thought of an attenuator also. Anyone like attenuators in the bedroom? (that just sounds dirty) lol

November 4th, 2009, 07:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
dantonel Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Yuma, AZ Age: 24 Posts: 277	From the Bedroom to the Stage... OK.. This thread arises because I came into a small sum of money and I've been wanting to get a Mesa Mark IV. Well it just so happens that a good friend of mine owns one and has let me borrow it. So I'm thinking Metallica Black album, John Petrucci, Mark Morton... Well I have a young son who was in bed and I figured with all of those gain stages I could get something pretty nice right... Wrong, I got something I could only describe as small brittle dry... Anyway, My question is: What Tube amp translates best from Low Volumes in the Bedroom to Higher Volumes on the stage. Example, My Marshall Valvestate (yes I know it's not all tubes) sounds wonderful down low but it sings when you turn it up... __________________ Even some of the Best guitarists will never understand the Love a man has for his Tele.

November 5th, 2009, 08:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
Donnie55 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Jacksonville Fl. Age: 54 Posts: 355	You could use a Variac or some type of volume break. __________________ www.myspace.com/redtele2 If the music business was easy, then smart people would do it.

November 5th, 2009, 08:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
Parma_TeleMon Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: parma, oh Age: 49 Posts: 1,016	Egnater makes amps with built-in attenuators. I can dial my Rebel 30 from 1-30w. Way cool, and it sounds pretty darned good a low volume. No affiliation, just a big fan. __________________ ================================ Packin' a Tele, lookin' fer trouble.... ================================

November 5th, 2009, 11:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
jefrs Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Newbury, England Age: 54 Posts: 2,136	Using a broad brush, anything in the "15 watt" class of valve amp. Anything smaller won't do stage. Anything bigger won't do bedroom. __________________ There's two kinds of people, those that hear the music and those that don't.

November 5th, 2009, 03:51 PM	#16 (permalink)
stantheman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 5,945	Once more with feeling - Ceriatone 1974xTMB. __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime

November 5th, 2009, 06:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
bouncepogo Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 100	One you've heard a tube amp cranked at a gig or full volume band practice it will never sound anywhere near as good in the bedroom. And I find that especially the case if you are going for distortion as a major component of it is getting the speaker moving and hearing the 'thump' from the cab (i own a mesa single rectifier btw). There might be some that do an ok job, but i would always have a low wattage home amp to play with rather than the gig rig (unless I lived in the middle of nowhere and noise didn't matter!)

November 5th, 2009, 08:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
Strat God Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bethel, CT Posts: 103	Two different animals. I don't know of any amp that does both well.

November 5th, 2009, 08:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
Strat God Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bethel, CT Posts: 103	True tube-tone nirvana comes from driving the power stage, not the preamp stage. AVT's (I have a 50 & 150 head) sound great alone at low volume but get thin and buzzy with the band. Swarm of bees is a good description. My DSL100 heads sound great with the band but suck for low volume practice at home.

November 5th, 2009, 11:42 AM	#13 (permalink)
cmm71 TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Age: 37 Posts: 67	I recently bought a Marshall DSL401 and I feel it sounds amazing at bedroom levels.

November 5th, 2009, 03:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
patrickhowell Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lynchburg, VA Age: 24 Posts: 253	Check out the Mesa Express 5:50. It runs on two 6L6 tubes in push-pull class A/B for 50 watts, but it has a switch to run just one tube in single-ended class A for 5 watts. That will get you a little less than 1/2 of the volume of the amp running at full power. Combine that with some adjustments on the amp and a smaller speaker cab, and you should be able to get close to the tone you want at home.

November 6th, 2009, 02:00 AM	#17 (permalink)
dantonel Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Yuma, AZ Age: 24 Posts: 277	Thank you guys! you all Rock, I'm thinking about a Marshall TSL 601 but I like the thought of an attenuator also. Anyone like attenuators in the bedroom? (that just sounds dirty) lol __________________ Even some of the Best guitarists will never understand the Love a man has for his Tele.

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