Moving away from tube amps. Need power amp help.

[karpathion]

I'm just not gigging anymore and don't plan on starting back up anytime soon. So, the big tube amps are gone for now. All I'm worried about is a nice sound in my studio for me to play live and record.

I plan on using a separate power amp and preamps.
After my week of reading article after article, I think I may have found the best candidate for my needs.

It's a ISP Stealth Pro 90W x2, or 180W mono. If anyone knows of anything else please chime in. I want to stay SS, and plan on using an 11rack or something similar.

I know nothing of these types of rigs. Like, do I need to worry about impedance matching with the pre and power amp?

Is a Furman necessary in a rig like this?

Anything would be helpful. Just trying to get all my bases covered before I go on a buying spree.

[FORMULA73]

I wish I could help but my last (and favorite) ss amp was a Randall RG75g2, basically a big practice amp.

I may find myself in your shoes, soon enough. I haven't played a real gig in 6 years. The closest I came was joining a band last year about a month before they imploded, and it doesn't look like that's will change in the foreseeable future.

[Big Flannel]

I don't know much about the setup you're going for, but I'd definitely recommend using a furman just to keep the power as clean as possible and regulated.

EHX makes the 22 caliber and the 44 caliber. Both of which are pedal sized power amps.

Stef Carpenter uses the 22 calibers in his AxeFx setup for live shows.

[karpathion]

After even more looking around, the ISP Theta pre amp is starting to look like a beast.

The Theta and stealth power amp together can be had for about $500- 600 used. That's not bad considering what a new top end Mesa, Engl, Marshall, etc etc, go for used.

I would imagine that the theta could be set for a clean pedal platform as well. I'm guessing most of the modern distortion and OD pedals would sound great thought it.

The sad part is, this is not something I can go play with at a guitar center or local rock shop. It would be a blind leap.

[Oinkus]

On the side of a something different point of view , my litlle Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 18 with the 10 inch speaker is pretty dern spiffy for recording with the red box out you can choose silent recording mode and the built in attenuator runs 1 ,5 or 18w. You can get one used for 500ish , head a little cheaper. No matter what you do at this time in the state of music gear SS is going to sound like SS until you go up to something like an Axe FX II with all the extras. For much less you can get the amp floor pedal from Tech 21 Fly Rig 5 one used on MF for 218.00 right now , the newer Ritche Kotzen one might sound a little better. The only downside to SS is you don't get that magical warm breakup with added volume and most of it sounds a little sterile without great amounts of work on the sound which means more stuff to buy. Just my one sided obnoxious opinion , trying to point out that there are more and cheaper options. Someone around here somewhere posted about the ISP Theta preamp and loves it not sure who it was or where?

[karpathion]

I know exactly where you are coming from. It's never going to be a tube amp. I realize that and I understand it.

The goal of this rig is tweak ability. If I don't like one of the components, I can just swap it out. Eventually I would like to have a collection of preamps and pedals that work well in my DAW.

I have 100s of synths and effects for making music, but relatively nothing for guitars. Just one amp and a few effects. I want many options/ flavors. The only reason I need a power amp is for practicing, noodling, and writing.

[youngthrasher9]

Dude, I highly recommend the Theta. It does anything and everything I want.

It has the highest amount of usable gain of anything I've ever used or heard, and it's extremely versatile.

Clean tones from it are great, believe it or not.

It cured my amp GAS completely and I was considering some expensive tube amps when I bought it.

[karpathion]

Dude, I highly recommend the Theta. It does anything and everything I want.

It has the highest amount of usable gain of anything I've ever used or heard, and it's extremely versatile.

Clean tones from it are great, believe it or not.

It cured my amp GAS completely and I was considering some expensive tube amps when I bought it.

How does it take to external effects?

Have you tried it with any VST effects?

Do pedal style distortions play nice with a clean setup?

What power amp do you use?

[karpathion]

Does it have a Kardashian ass end?

Can it swing back and forth and still attract a West? That's all that really matters... Can it pull some booty?

[LesStrat]

This entire thread is improved by Karp's siggy.