Some rack rig questions for all you gurus

[Devotee]

So, i'm thinking of putting together a simple, inexpensive rack setup that is easier to travel with rather than lugging around a 30kg head while also enabling me to have my own sound regardless of venue backline. As i want something relatively lightweight and compact, something that i can carry quite easily along with guitar, pedals, etc., i came to the conclusion that a simple pre-amp and power amp setup is all i need. Throw in a power conditioner for good measure as well.

So for this i'm thinking of getting an Engl E530 tube preamp for the tone, and a Rocktron Velocity 300 to push it out to the speakers and a cheap and cheerful Samson PB10 power conditioner providing the juice. All this will fit into an SKB 3U roll rack quite nicely.

I'd like to know about the Rocktron Velocity 300. Anybody have one of these? It's obviously a solid state power amp but apparently the extra controls it has on the front panel emulate the responsiveness of a tube power amp. What i'd like to know is how it colours the sound? Can anyone suggest a 1U power amp that packs enough wattage for live gigs? I might consider a 2U PA if it can beat the Rocktron for value, power and sound.

Ideally i'd go for a tube power amp but i don't have that kind of cash yet. I've also heard very good things about the Carvin TS100, but mostly that it's generally transparent. I would definitely prefer to go for one of these but it's impossible to find any dealers in Europe. Perhaps in the future i'll splurge for a VHT/Fryette 2/90/2 but we'll see...

Please don't suggest any Peavey Classics as they're pretty much impossible to come by round these parts since they're discontinued...

[charvelguy]

http://www.carvinguitars.com/manuals/DCM200L.pdf

I don't own it, but I doubt you'd go wrong here. I have the TS100 and Peavey Classics. They both weigh a good deal.

[Devotee]

I did consider the DCM200L but i'm worried it might not have enough headroom. Plus Carvin dealers in Europe are hard to come by. I've also considered the Matrix GT800FX, which is an 800W SS stereo power amp, they also have a 1000W version (!): http://matrixguitaramplification.com/products/

[Newc]

Carvin dealers aren't plentiful in America, either. Maybe because they generally sell Direct.

[Devotee]

Yes but being an international customer, ordering from Carvin directly unfortunately isn't an option, i have to go through a dealer.

[catzodellamarina]

I "retired" from live playing for a year. During that time I sold my VHT 2/90/2 that I had fixed. I thought I wasn't in need of all that power anymore and I could rely on my backup poweramp: MosValve 962.
Well I started playing live again and was using the backup poweramp. My huge tone was gone. I went shopping for a tube poweramp and steered clear of a Fryette because of the whole name change thing made me uncertain of the company. I bought a Mesa 2:50. It was OK but not the caliber of my old VHT. I sold the Mesa and now I play through my tube combo for power.

I should have gotten the Fryette 2/90/2 and been done with it. So that's my recommendation. It's a back breaker but worth the load.

[Hellbat]

Buy local! These are now being pushed by Tonemerchants (Dave Friedman) with the Axe-FX2 as a compact soultion. They seem pretty good paired with that pre-amp.

http://matrixguitaramplification.com/products/gt800fx-instrument-amplifier/

Vid w/axefx2...

[roodyrocker]

The problem with most tube power amps is that they add all that weight you're trying to avoid right back into your rack. Back in the late 80's when I couldn't buy the power amps I wanted, I ran my ADA MP1 through a 1u QSC power amp. It was 50w a side in stereo or 100w bridged mono. It was light and powerful enough to gig with. No, it did not sound as good as a tube power amp, a little too clean for that but QSC made and still makes, nice stuff. The tube power amps I own currently are all back breakers but sound good (Marshall Dual Monobloc, Mesa Simulclass 2:90, Randall R/T 250). I also use an ADA Microtube 200 (also a 1u piece) with my MP1 but its not really the greatest sounding power amp when compared to the real tube power amps I listed above. So if you need light, loud, and clean with a reasonable price then a 1u solid state power amp is available. But if you want the true sound of a tube power amp then unfortunately they're big, heavy, and expensive but sound really good! If you're expecting the tone you got from your old VHT then I think you'll be searching for a long time if you're looking for a solid state amp to deliver that.

[Devotee]

Thanks for the advice Rudy. I'm not looking for a tube power amp for the time being, just a good, reliable solid state 1U power amp with enough wattage for rehearsals and gigs without causing me scoliosis. I will in the future look into Marshalls, Mesas, Randalls and Fryettes but for the time being i'm looking for something more compact and less pricey. I can live without the colouration and boomy punch that a tube power amp offers for now, i'm just wondering if there are any great 1U SS power amps that offer some kind of similar colouration to the preamp signal with enough headroom to turn an audience to dust. I've read that most SS power amps tend to be lacking in low end punch, but i think a GE-7 in the effects loop of the preamp can remedy that.

Hellbat, an Axe-FX would be nice but is completely out of the question, i don't have that kind of disposable income. Plus it's waaay too much for my needs, i simply don't need something that models 70 different types of amps when 90% of the time i'd only be using one.

[achren]

Might still be worth checking out that Matrix link as they seem to have some 1u power amps for around £400 that could be what you're looking for. Other than that, why not just pick up a second hand Marshall 8008 on ebay? I've heard a guitarist using one that had a great sound, and it's probably the cheapest option if you can find one in decent condition. I doubt there's any 'great 1u SS power amps' unless that Matrix stuff is as good as it looks, but I could be wrong. I'd steer clear of anything not specifically voiced for guitar.

[roodyrocker]

In that case look for a used 1u QSC power amp like I described before. It's loud enough to do what you want to do. I just don't remember the model I had but it was a QSC.

[Hellbat]

I wasn't suggesting the Axe-FX, I was suggesting the Matrix power amp would be a good match to the Engl pre-amp. And since it's made in the UK it would be more bang for the buck for you because you want have duties and import fees strapped on to the price.

[charvelguy]

Voiced for guitar is subjective as it is/ or can offer coloring of tone in various degrees of flavor. (which, some models were made to go with certain preamps much like cabs and speakers are designed to be tuned with certain heads - but also can be used interchangeably on the open market.)
So you have different camps on that as some guys prefer a flat, powerful transparent power output source vs something akin to a Mosvalve that emulates tube warmth/tones with mosfet tech.

I understand where you're coming from though. Its a matter of preference but before you know it, you may allocating cash to a purchase that you'll want to flip.
The thing is, unless you were to match comparison test it up to a regular ss power amp that is 'voiced' flat, you wouldn't know how drastic the tonal voicings were with the preamp.

Hence, why someone asks the question in the first place.

[mjtripper]

I know you said the carvin stuff has hard to come by but if you do find one the dcm amps are nice amps. The art and rocktron power amps also get high marks from quite a few people and might be easier to find.

[Rsmacker]

I wasn't suggesting the Axe-FX, I was suggesting the Matrix power amp would be a good match to the Engl pre-amp. And since it's made in the UK it would be more bang for the buck for you because you want have duties and import fees strapped on to the price.

Matrix power amps are shit. I sent a load of them back to their distributor a few years ago - their pre-prod demo model was blinding, absolutely monster, but the production models were...just shit.

I agree with the idea of getting a used Marshall power amp...or buy a Powersoft.