As I explore all the amp sims in my Rumble 40 Studio, for the most part, I find I continue to be drawn to the cleanest sounding settings/sims I can find, and seem to like to shape my tone otherwise. And now with the B7K, even more so.
So as I start looking at a ‘big boy’ amp/cab, an area I have done very little research, what are some of the cleanest sounding gear our there? I would have never thought a few months ago that I would entertain the idea of playing with others and ‘gigging’ so quickly, but I do have the bug, and therefore am going to start researching/demo-ing whatever I can.
You seem to go fast through a similar process that took me about two years. In the end, I went for the Bergantino B|Amp and two 1x12 cabs (so I can use one at home and one in the rehearsal room, and both together if I really need a lot of oomph).
A great alternative to the Berg is apparently the Genzler Magellan.
EDIT: had erroneously written 1x10 in my original post; those are, of course 1x12 cabs!!
This is the sim I find myself using the most as my “clean amp” in the Studio 40.
I use the B-15N for Motown stuff or just go direct into the DI, depends on what my ears hear that day.
I use the Ampeg SVT at times too, but, overall its this sim that I keep going back to.
Good place to start I guess.
Yeah, this is what @howard always states about modeling amps, and I tend to agree.
TC Electronics is one of the most TRANSPARENT amps that I know of.
I use antique amps, SWR, and love them to death, but they do have the SWR sound, but have excellent tone shaping abilities.
Carvin Amps also. There is a BX-500 on offer up right now for $250 that I want so bad, but don’t need, and can’t really afford right now. It has a tube preamp, but is still like 6lbs, and the size of legal paper.
It can sound just like an Ampeg SVT, but also has excellent tone shaping abilities, so you can get most of what you want from it.
But if you want JUST clear, with ONLY Boosts, that don’t change the sound at all, TC Electronics is a safe bet, and they are very affordable.
The BAM 200 is like $150 or less
But the 500 watt amp is about $450 I think. @LesterH has one.
Mike @itsratso HAD one.
I agree, good amp. TC gets a bad wrap for their customer service sometimes and that may be warranted. but I’ve never had a problem with any product of theirs and I’ve had a bunch.
Gallien Krueger are awesome. I do have a Backline 250 head that is bad ass.
However, they have a Gallien Krueger coloring to them, They sound GREAT clean, but not all the way transparent, BUT if that is the clean sound you like, then yeah, they are great.
Actually I am kind of the opposite - I prefer preamps and amp sims that add a good amount of tube tone color. I am not actually a fan of transparent, clean amps or sims - though I understand why some people are.
I much prefer a nice, dirty SVT or overdriving G-K sound, depending on mood.
I’m a big fan of (pre)amps but pointing out a typical clean sound is very subjective. Imo they all have a certain sound signature even on clean. If I had to pick one I would say TC Electronics or Phil Jones. Phil Jones has a philosophy that the tone should sound like your bass.
So if @JT is correct and the darkglass amps are ‘clean’ (not sure), couldn’t I always stick a cab sim on the amp to get the SVT or other sound I want if I really wanted?
Since I have the B7K already, I have all the tone shaping of that before the amp. Let’s say I bought the DG Alpha-Omega amp to get the ‘other’ distortion sounds and EQ etc, which also allows for cab sims. If the DG A-O is truly cleanish running straight through, doesn’t this get me the best of all worlds? (Ya, I know, pushing away from clean, just thinking how to incorporate cab sims into a clean amp as well, which some of the other ‘tradtional amps’ don’t do, why not be flexible if possible, I just also want to be able to go ‘clean’).
No. Cab sims simulate cabinets by slightly degrading and convoluting the sound the way a cabinet would acoustically. They don’t do anything to give an amp effect - you need an amp sim for that.
Amp sims do way more than just EQ. They also model what actual amps sound line, either tube or solid state, and modify the tone to match. Some amps add significant color to the tone (many Ampeg tube amps, G-K tube and solid state amps, many Orange amps, etc.)
That is what I want in an amp sim.
Now, the Darkglass amp power stages are clean but remember it is fronted by a dual preamp based on the VMT and B3K (or one with an A/O as well I think?) They can have some nice added tone as well, like your B7K.
If you use AMP sims, then the TC, being ultra transparent, (phil jones too), then yes, you will get the amp sound you want.
This is the reason, I thought you were asking about CLEAN amps, but I think what you really want is TRANSPARENT amp, if you want to get the truest representation of another amp from an amp sim. @howard, correct me if I am wrong.
But like Paul said, if you get a head, one you like, like a Gallien Kruger, AND it has an FX loop, that bypasses the preamp, then you would have your normal Gallien Kruger sounding amp, and when bypassed, you would get the amp from the SIM selected.
What I am not 100% sure of, is if an IR pedal, can get amp sims as well as cab sims. i think so, and that would be a good place to start for when you want to use Amp sims instead of the head. The tech is there, just need to make sure I am talking about the right electronics to do it.