Posted by Chris R. [ 192.55.52.4 ] on May 16, 2005 at 15:01:11:

In Reply to: Re: Marshall AVT150 second-hand or MG100HDFX + MG412A 120 Watt cabinet posted by Casey on May 14, 2005 at 18:46:59:

This is coming from ignorance, but I'm going to disagree that this
so-called valvestate technology is better from a sonic point of view.
I haven't listened to one of these, but there's no way Marshall nor
anyone else can make transistor outputs sound just like tubes. Period. Part of a tube
amp's sound certainly comes from the preamp, but the famous Marshall sound
was from big amps with no master volume control. You wanted "that sound", you were loud. No two ways
about it. Now most amps have the master so you can turn down the
output volume and still get the preamp over-drive. That's part or
most of the way there, but without the big tubes, transformers, and
maybe a sagging power supply, transistors just aren't going to sound
the same. Sorry. Now on the flip side, some of this is pretty subtle and can
only be heard when playing alone. Live and esp. when you start adding pedals,
amps start to sound more and more alike.

Chris

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