Are tube amps living on borrowed time?

[norburybrook]

More and more these days I'm seeing professional friends looking for ampless solutions for their gigs. I'm not talking small gigs here but well known Artists who don't want loud amps on stage. I've recently been laid up due to having a trapped nerve and my attention has turned to my kemper. I recently finished an express and build a new alnico cab and re housed my rocket to make a nice rig.

Yesterday I thought i'd profile them with my kemper. I'd forgotten how well the Kemper can do this. I mic'd up my rig with an Sm57 and an Orpheus LDC mic through some nice UA pre/comp. I blended the sound to taste and then sent the signal back to the Kemper fro profiling. I was staggered, as it has been a while since I've done this, at the sound that came back, it's virtually indistinguishable from the mic'd amp/rig .

IMG_20171027_185303-01.jpeg

In reality, if I needed to I could profile my entire collection and sell everything and I'd still have access to the best they could all do.

So, a person who buys a kemper these days can, for a nominal fee, purchase Profiles of the worlds best amps, mic'd by top engineers with world class mic's and pre's.

I'm reminded of the time maybe 10 years ago when digital photography was taking hold. The old pro's said 'they'll never replace high end film' didn't take that long before they did however. Same with studios and tape.

So my question stands; are tube amps going to go the same way?


Discuss




Marcus

[10thTx]

Respectfully, ................ Can you repair a tube amp? My guess is the answer is yes.

Can you repair your Kemper yourself if it breaks? My guess is the answer is no. Do you know of someone you could take it to for repairs and trouble shooting other then the Kemper folks themselves or authorized repairman? What I mean by that is can you today actually name a specific person other then a Kemper guy that could fix it?

Since I've built all my amps, I'm confident that I can fix anything on them for the cost of parts. Because of that, I'll always have some tube amps.

The Kemper seems to be a wonderful technology and it also seems quite expensive to me compared to the amps I've built for myself. Maybe someone could sell all their tube amps and buy 2 or 3 Kempers for what they got and not have to worry about turn around time if something broke?

Just my thoughts. I don't think tube amps will go away but I certainly have a category that they become a much much smaller part of the market at some juncture.

With respect, 10thtx

[Guy77]

I also think the simplicity of tube amps will aid in keeping them alive. Another important factor is that all the famous artists of the 40's 50's 60's 70's etc were mainly using tube amps and so there will always be those that will want to have the gear their favorite artist was using back in the day.

Cheers
Guy

[Guy77]

.Sorry for double post

[lord preset]

Sampling keyboards have not replaced pianos. Reduced the market? Yes, but no piano player would ever mistake one for the other. Modelers do what they are designed to do, which is emulate the sound of a miked amp. What they do not do IMO is sound like an amp in the room with you. On large stages the distinction is irrelevant from the audience perspective, but musicians spend most of their playing time offstage.

[pompeiisneaks]

Sampling keyboards have not replaced pianos. Reduced the market? Yes, but no piano player would ever mistake one for the other. Modelers do what they are designed to do, which is emulate the sound of a miked amp. What they do not do IMO is sound like an amp in the room with you. On large stages the distinction is irrelevant from the audience perspective, but musicians spend most of their playing time offstage.

I've been worried about this as well, and this really hit home. I've heard digital pianos, and they do sound amazing, but they still sell and use real ones all the time. I guess it's more of a 'on tour' thing vs 'in the studio' maybe? I'd wager per the discussion here, there will always be a place for finely crafted hand wired amps for some time. Even if it's just those that like having them around and are willing to pay top dollar. People still buy tube hifi stereo's for use with record players... I think that's a pretty good point.

~Phil

[romberg]

Look at the effect digital technology has had on the recording industry. How many large analog mixing consoles are still being used? Large racks of audio processors are now pieces of software "in the box". Analog tape is still praised for it's warm sound. But almost no one uses it.

I think with time the same will happen with electric guitar amplification. Most guitar amps will eventually be just software plugins you run inside some disposable computing device. Digital won't take over 100%. There will be vintage collectors and hold outs. But I think it will happen. Look for the days when the standard electric guitar no longer comes with a 1/4 inch jack but instead some more computer friendly interface (usb, bluetooth, etc).

Mike

[Scumback Speakers]

I own two solid state amps, an old Randall RG-80 combo, and a Marshall 1w 9 volt...and about 25 tube amps. There will always be a market for tube amps, IMO.

[xtian]

Western, classical music is still a cultural newcomer, at only a couple of hundred years old. But the same instruments are used to play it today: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion--all acoustic instruments.

Rock is just a baby at only 60+ years old. But as long as rock is revered and replicated, like classical music, musicians will continue to use the same vintage instruments, including tube amps.

Long live rock!

[brewdude]

Tube amps have been living on borrowed time for the last 30 years. Doesn’t mean there won’t be those who will apreciate and value them for many years to come. Of course, the supply of tubes available is deteriorating in terms of both quantity and quality—supply and demand—cost will continue to rise and the market will Deminish.

[amplifiednation]

Maybe I’m biased (heh) but the feeling is not the same for me when playing those modelers. I don’t think they move the air the same way or respond like a good tube amp. I wonder if places will stop making transformers for tube audio, and the tubes themselves. I think that is more of a danger to the tube amp world than the Fractal stuff...those modelers are cool as all get out though...and I’m sure awesome to have when the family is home or it’s late at night. Hopefully we can just continue to have more and more cool guitar toys to play with.

[norburybrook]

Actually, if your kemper/fractal is going through a decent power amp into speakers it moves air just like a regular amp

I went to see Eric Gales last night and went to look at his rig. He had one of those new DV Mark class D amplifiers the size of a large hardback book sat on top of two 2x12 DV MArk cabs.

its this.

http://www.dvmark.it/product-detail/dv-raw-dawg-eg/


interesting amp, valve pre and digital power.



what did it sound like?

Quite possibly the Biggest, cleanest, badest Loudest guitar sound I'd ever heard, except for standing on stage next to SRV. It was awesome, he used pedals for OD and grit but man, what a sound, MASSIVE, FULL CLEAN HEADROOM , great dynamics , I was knocked out.

IMG_20171031_210242.jpg

IMG_20171031_230354.jpg

Interesting times indeed.

Marcus

[martin manning]

Yes interesting discussion. Gales' DVMark still has a tube pre, though, a sub-miniature pentode, which is small and runs relatively low voltage. That could become a trend. I wonder if there will be any new production of those types? Class D is super efficient and super lightweight. You don't see many big tube power sections (bass amps, e.g) they are just too expensive and too heavy.

[M Fowler]

Around my area guitarists are using every device they can get to mold their sound.

However; tube amps remain a driving force.

Mark

[norburybrook]

here's a track from the gig last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... crBd_RsoFI



M