[Drache713]

So I took the plunge and bought my first tube amp, a Peavey Ultra Plus w/ footswitch. Today was the first day I got to properly turn it up and run it through it's paces. I compared it to my 5150 II model on my GNX3000 running through a colorless Tech 21 Poweramp, both rigs going into my Behinger BG412S. The amp has Groove Tubes 12ax7's in the preamp that I was told have 3 hours of playing time on them, and Sovtek 6l6wxt power tubes but I don't know how much time these have had on them. Are Groove Tubes and Sovteks good brands of tubes?

I was expecting pretty much what everyone has always said, and it was true. The tube amp felt more liquid and organic and "musical". But the sound still sounded kinda dull and loose and it was bothering me. I thought "oh great, i need a pickup change or the amp is just loose sounding" cause it sounded tight and edgy with my modeling, that's when I remembered the ultra channel had a gain boost switch. BOOM, lower the gain back a bit and it has just as much gain but sounds so much tighter and more aggressive. I expected this to happen based off of what people have been saying about putting an overdrive pedal before the amp as another gain stage (my guess is it provides a similar effect), I can't wait to get a TS7 with Chaos mod and see how that sounds instead of the gain switch on the amp. The amp is kinda noisy, so I'll probably grab a NS-2 or something, perhaps switch to Blackouts to be even quieter.

Flipping the half power switch did what was explained and it reduced the volume a little bit (i think mathematically that 120 watts is only 11% louder than 60 watts anyways, to the human ear) but made it sound a little darker, looser and more saturated, I suspect from the tubes that are still active being driven harder. And as others have said, the amp isn't as loud as other heads with the same power rating, but it's still plenty loud enough for what I need it to do. I was suprised with how good the clean channel sounded. I read reviews where they complained about a delay between switching channels, i'm not sure if it's cause my tubes aren't stock or not but there isn't but a millisecond delay when switching channels, perfectly manageable.

That all being said, all of this made me realize something. My GNX3000 comes DAMN close to nailing the sound of a real amp. I actually got them to sound pretty close, and they both sounded amazing. A lot of people probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But even then the modeling did feel SLIGHTLY colder and rigid, it wasn't as smooth or creamy as the tubes. And you still get the odd order harmonics using the modeling pedal, if I listened carefully i could almost hear the harmonics ringing in my ear, and the cymbals in the room resonated differently after I stopped playing compared to when I stopped playing with the tube amp. With the tube amp I couldn't hear any higher pitch harmonics ringing in my ear, and the cymbals didn't resonate with as high a pitch or as loud, it was a quieter and smoother resonance even though they were both just as loud.

This all also made me realize how AMAZING my guitar is, as I used my bandmate's guitar as well. Seriously guys, if you have any doubt about the XPT707FX, don't. It's amazing. It also speaks volumes for the Behringer cab I have, AWESOME speakers and bass galore. I was considering getting a matching Peavey 412MS cab, but I don't think there is honestly any need to now.

This also just goes to show how far modeling has come. The GNX3000 with MFX Supermodels is THE best modeling I have ever heard, hands down. Things are getting so close these days that it's insane.

It's a really tough decision to either keep the head around and sell the tech 21 amp, or sell the head and keep using my modeling sounds. I'm leaning towards keeping the amp, and using my pedal for recording direct and effects, but we'll see. I've read people saying sticking an EQ in the effects loop makes it a night and day difference. Or if these tubes suck and getting new better tubes put it, or if putting an overdrive pedal in front of the amp would help further...if all these things really do help to make it sound better like reviews have said, then HOLY SHIT it's gonna sound like a fucking beast, because it sounds phenominal already as is!

[budda]

tubes ftw, kiddos!

TSovChaos ftw!

[budda]

you could use the fx loop of the ultra (i think it has one) for the GNX, warm up the patches a bit.

[turmoil]

what speakers do you have in that behringer cab? i had one of those with the stock speakers and god, that thing sounded awful. seriously, i upgraded it to a marshall 1960A cab and it made a WORLD of difference.

but yeah, tubes all the way! haha

[LionHeaRT]

Definitely think about upgrading that cab, speakers make more difference than you think!

[Drache713]

Yeah I also thought of using the FX loop of the Ultra Plus too and tried it out, and it sounded pretty good. Definitely another viable option.

The cab has some sort of Jensen/Bugera speaker. I know behringer makes two different cabs, they have a 200 watt version which is supposedly the one with shitty speakers, and the 400 watt version which I have that has Jensen/Bugera speakers which most people seem to love. The ones with the metal grille are the better speakers, the one with the cloth grill is the crappier speakers. I dunno, maybe I should try to pick up a Peavey 412MS and see how the Sheffields sound in it.

[budda]

i've had a good experience with aaron's behringer cab . the sheffields are ok.. but im glad i put new speakers in my cab.


but i do prefer my XXX w/ CL80's.

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Those behringer 400 watt cabs are killer. I have one, and even though I'm working on courting a sexy Vader, I still think the Behringer is a great cab despite it's "cheap" status. It sounds a shitload better than a marshall 1960 A cab. I hate that thing with a passion. My other guitarist has one and I seriously wonder why he paid more than double what I paid for mine.

[7 Dying Trees]

Nice, it's not a myth this tube thing, it really isn't

[turmoil]

Originally Posted by DrakkarTyrannis

It sounds a shitload better than a marshall 1960 A cab. I hate that thing with a passion.

maybe i just got a bad cab but i had the same cab you have. mine was a behringer which the jensen speakers with the metal grill and all. i played a 5150II through it for weeks and kept wondering why my clean channel and distortion channel sounded awful. then i went to a local store and just happened to try out a 1960 cab and immediately all the channels sounded 100 times better.