best sounding high gain solid state guitar amps for metal?

[dunwichamps]

oops my bad, yes i see quad of el34s, so yes 100W or so EL34

[Hemisaurus]

Just looking, the iron+chassis+headcase = $496.23 Peavey Windsor was $399 new, you can see where Hovercraft make a saving by used iron. Most expensive part is the headshell, then the PT, OT, chassis and faceplates, cool.

What is surprising is the ancilliaries cost more than the main parts, I figured most of the money would go on iron, casing, chassis and control panel, you've got about twice again on other parts.

I should go back into the spreadsheet and total up each section, and add that back in, then again the sheet is at the 20,000 character limit of the board already. Had to add some extra control codes to keep it in line.

[dunwichamps]

8.5 per pot, 1-3 bucks per coupling cap shit adds up.

I dont go super broke on iron, its mostly all done by Mag Comp which has good pricing for solid iron cept on the 200W unit, thats all Merc

[liquidsmoke]

If you need me I'll be building my dream amp, texts would be best.

Cool

I was joking but I'm sure you know that.

I get the point of your sig. Between this place, all the info I've culled up from Google searches, conversations with friends, and hands on experimentation over the last few weeks I'm really close to the sound I want so fortunately for you I've just about run out of dumb questions to ask and new pieces of gear to buy. If others continue to annoy you with their teenage level inquiries I suggest you ignore their posts.

[liquidsmoke]

Regarding the preamp distortion tone, the Ampeg SS 150 isn't a bad sounding amp in comparison to other solid state amps but it's not working out for me. Not quite enough gain on it's own either.

The Amptweaker TightMetal is the best sounding high gain metal pedal or preamp I've ever played through. I wish it's noise gate was usable but I am declaring that search over.

Neither the Ampeg or my SS Laney have a pure clean channel or a volume knob that works when you hook up though the rear effects/slave in. My Laney GH does but being tube and 50 watts it breaks up too quick.

So I guess I need either a SS amp that can do pure cleans through it's preamp or at least has a master volume knob that works when you go through the back

or

some type of volume or clean preamp pedal with tons of headroom.

If there is a gain knob in the circuit it can not effect the tone.

Roland JC? Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight? Any random modern SS amp with an effects loop? Sansamp pedal? Volume pedal?

Wondering what you folks think.

In the past when I was using Muffs and what not I would mix them up with preamp distortion and never cared if there was extra power amp distortion so this is new territory for me. It seems like it's common for bass amps to offer mega loud clean tones but not guitar amps. Although I prefer the look of traditional guitar amp heads I am open to power amps but there again I still need a volume knob.

While I'm on the topic of SS power amps(inside heads and stand alone units) I have no idea which ones sound good or bad. I hear heavy is good but class D stuff is super light and is becoming popular. My Ampeg sounds good to me but I have no idea if the power amp it has is a relatively good sounding one or not. Electro Harmonix makes a *pedal* sized 44 watt unit. What gives doc?

[Hemisaurus]

Ignoring volume, for a bit, have you come across a setup that sounds good to you, even if it's not loud enough? I'm wondering if you need to do the Matt Pike thing, preamp into tube amp, into a load box, into a big ass power amp?

[bitter]

Solid state or tube, I still suggest a boost/OD to refine, tighten, and add gain.

[mutantcolors]

I've done the "Matt Pike" thing.

Good god it rules. Pure tube tone. Gi-fucking-gantic volume. Like explode your 4x12 volume.

[liquidsmoke]

The TightMetal is perfect, I just want an amp that can give me that sound but mega loud if I want mega loud. Right now I just need practice loud and I'm pretty much covered although as I was saying I'd like a proper master volume knob.

I may not have explained things well enough.

The tube Laney breaks up too much even when I bypass it's preamp.

The 2 solid state amps I have are not clean enough for a pedal through their preamps and when I take these girls through the back door their front knobs are bypassed leaving me without a master volume knob.

The TightMetal and Boss EQ pedal don't have enough headroom to be used as preamp volume controlling type devices, they are more to be set for perfect tone and not touched.

I can understand the Matt Pike thing but I just need a clean as fuck preamp into a solid state power amp. So maybe a Roland or Fender head or some type of volume pedal into a power amp or just the effects loop of one of my heads. Ideally a solid state guitar head that has a functioning master volume knob even when you hit it from the back. This is the norm with more modern tube heads and I imagine is also the norm with more modern SS heads. I didn't really need to post about this but I am curious about solid state technology and about what other pedal users who want to simply amplify their pedal's tone without any extra gain in the signal do.

[liquidsmoke]

A SS power amp with a volume knob. This is what I need. No gain knobs or eq knobs to alter and color the signal in other ways. A volume knob in a pedal would also work but it can not produce more gain when I turn up the volume because I don't need more gain and I don't want to have to adjust my distortion pedal simply because I turn the volume up.

I'm a new born baby with this stuff. Sorry.

[moose23]

I'm sure I suggested this a few weeks ago but just buy a solid state power amp. They all (well vast majority) have a volume control.

Something from Crown or Peavey would be top of my list but anything built for PA use will be clean and loud.

[Hemisaurus]

So, both your solid state amps are loud enough and clean enough for you when used through the back door all you need is a volume control?

Remind me which solid state amps you have, and which back door you are using.

[VOLVO)))]

I'm sure I suggested this a few weeks ago but just buy a solid state power amp. They all (well vast majority) have a volume control.

Something from Crown or Peavey would be top of my list but anything built for PA use will be clean and loud.

Im sure we all have suggested viable options. Dean does this to me all the time, asks me something, then does the opposite.

[liquidsmoke]

So, both your solid state amps are loud enough and clean enough for you when used through the back door all you need is a volume control?

Remind me which solid state amps you have, and which back door you are using.

Laney GH120(rare SS) "effects loop return"

Ampeg SS 150 "effects loop power amp input"

The only rear in these amps have. They are older amps without as many modern bells and whistles. I didn't buy them specially for this purpose. I suspect that any cheap newer Crate or Acoustic or whatever would at least have a functioning master volume knob when used this way as my Laney GH does.

[liquidsmoke]

I'm sure I suggested this a few weeks ago but just buy a solid state power amp. They all (well vast majority) have a volume control.

Something from Crown or Peavey would be top of my list but anything built for PA use will be clean and loud.

Im sure we all have suggested viable options. Dean does this to me all the time, asks me something, then does the opposite.

This is perfect. I never knew that power amps had volume controls, I thought the preamps people pair them with controlled everything. I will probably go this route.

I was previously trying to find a SS with useable preamp distortion. I have given up that search in favor of TightMetal to a power amp.

So long as these bass/PA/whatever type preamp's volume knobs function the same as "regular" guitar/bass all in one head volume knobs I should be good with one.

[VOLVO)))]

Get big watts. You'll regret it if you dont.

[bitter]

Get big watts. You'll regret it if you dont.

+1.

[liquidsmoke]

100-150 seems to be mega loud but something like a Crown XLS 1000 is only $300. I have an 8 ohm 2x12 and an 8 ohm 4x12, each 300 watts RMS handling, sometimes I only use one of them. I want to make sure I don't buy something that is too powerful if I'm really cranking although I've read that it's best to go double the power of speakers RMS handling for solid state.

XLS 1000 info:
"Minimum Guaranteed Power (per channel, both channels driven)"
- Stereo, 2 ohms: 550W
- Stereo, 4 ohms: 350W
- Stereo, 8 ohms: 215W
- Bridged mono, 4 ohms: 1100W
- Bridged mono, 8 ohms: 700W

Based on this it looks like I would go 8 ohms stereo for 215 watts for each cab, that's pretty serious power unless it would actually be 4 ohms stereo because of the 2 cab thing. I'm a bit confused. Bridged for one cab looks to be speaker suicide.

Some of these things use fans to cool them so I'm thinking if the fan takes a shit you're done unless you want to risk overheating. I don't like that idea but if it's the norm it's the norm.

Curious about the various classes of power as well, A/B vs D, etc..

I'm Google searching but it's harder to find info on using solid state power amps for guitar.

[liquidsmoke]

So, both your solid state amps are loud enough and clean enough for you when used through the back door all you need is a volume control?

Actually it's hard to say. I'm still not that used to judging my tone when I really crank because it changes in various ways. To avoid clipping the idea of going huge on power sounds pretty wise.

With unlimited funds and a roadie I think an all tube 300 watt SVT would probably do me right as a power amp 

[Instant Dan]

I have an Randall RG100SC 2x12 combo, pretty good for high-gain sludgy tones.

I hope I can get $150 for it.

[liquidsmoke]

Buddy has a Mosvalve 500 he wants to sell, I've read they put out 360w at 8 ohms. Because it's solid state I'm not sure if that would be 60 watts more than each of my 300 watt cabs could handle although I suspect I'd have to have the thing almost at 10 to actually put out the full 360 watts. I'll try the unit this week and see what I think about it.

[RacerX]

All the waffling, sniping, and off-topic tube amp talk makes this thread one of the most frustrating reads in the Jam Room.

Shit or get off the pot, already, fer crissake...

[moose23]

Buddy has a Mosvalve 500 he wants to sell, I've read they put out 360w at 8 ohms. Because it's solid state I'm not sure if that would be 60 watts more than each of my 300 watt cabs could handle although I suspect I'd have to have the thing almost at 10 to actually put out the full 360 watts. I'll try the unit this week and see what I think about it.

I doubt you'd ever turn it up anywhere near full volume so that extra 60 Watts shouldn't ever be a problem. How much is he looking for for it? Defo worth trying out at least.

Actually it's 250 a side for the Mosvalve so just using one side of the stereo will have you at 250 or 180 at 8 Ohm.

[liquidsmoke]

Shit or get off the pot, already, fer crissake...

Was this commented directed towards me? I've been shitting, a lot. I've been learning, a lot. I've bought 2 heads, 2 pedals, and a cab since starting this thread and will probably buy my friend's Mosvalve 500 which I just picked up to try out.

I will try to lurk and search more and ask fewer questions from now on.

SORRY.

[liquidsmoke]

Buddy has a Mosvalve 500 he wants to sell, I've read they put out 360w at 8 ohms. Because it's solid state I'm not sure if that would be 60 watts more than each of my 300 watt cabs could handle although I suspect I'd have to have the thing almost at 10 to actually put out the full 360 watts. I'll try the unit this week and see what I think about it.

I doubt you'd ever turn it up anywhere near full volume so that extra 60 Watts shouldn't ever be a problem. How much is he looking for for it? Defo worth trying out at least.

Actually it's 250 a side for the Mosvalve so just using one side of the stereo will have you at 250 or 180 at 8 Ohm.

Cool, good to know. I think I read some bullshit on another forum that wasn't correct. He only wants $175 for it and I hear they are becoming more sought after. Tomorrow morning it's getting cranked up. I will report back and hopefully those who are annoyed by this thread will stop reading it.

edit: just figured out the line level vs instrument level issue. The TM has a complete ready to be amplified sound in every way aside from being short on decibels. I should have an actual preamp for a line level signal. Will look for a clean and transparent pedal unit to throw on my pedalboard.