OT, while everyone is talking amps...........

[MatrixAndyR]

Valves do make or break the deal. I've been in love with Vox's tone for a long time. Glad to see Line 6 decided to put some in... Saddly Vox discontinued there AD120VTX's... they were amazing!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I'm a Line 6 user myself and I personally think that tone doesn't get much better than a Vetta with a Mesa cab. The Spider amps really do sound like crap compared to the higher end models. I'm not a big fan of the valves either.

How easy is it to dial in a tone on a Vetta, or do you really have to get to grips with it? I have the manual for the amp and it all seems quite complex! Also, does the Vetta have a 5150 sound on it?

 

[www.lamusic.ca]

Not for me, but will be interesting to hear when it's out. Until then ... what can you say about an amp that nobody's seen ...

Nobody's seen? We've had them in stock for a month now, and they're selling like mad! GREAT amps - don't judge these guys unless you get a chance to plug one in.

 

[INMT]

god I love these types of threads.......I just sit back and watch the drama )

 

[fogman]

god I love these types of threads.......I just sit back and watch the drama )

The outcome is always the same.
What one person loves, another will hate.
In the end, you've gotta try one for a real opinion.
These threads can be good should everyone have the same opinion though.

 

[www.lamusic.ca]

It's hard to be an expert on something you've never been in the same room as, eh Foggy?!

 

[Sweat]

Hey amps are a very personal choice just like guitars, everyone has that tone in there head they are looking for, so you are going to get alot of I love em and alot of I cannot stand tehm and a few there OK`s, i have been on a amp quest since I started trying to learn and play a few years ago and still have not found the one,
I have tried the new Line 6 and it is better but still not what I was looking for, I will have another new amp shortly and so hope it is the one

 

[fogman]

It's hard to be an expert on something you've never been in the same room as, eh Foggy?!

That is the truth.
And for some reason, those rooms always seem to be a minimum of 4 hours away!!!!

 

[www.lamusic.ca]

Hahaha, if I could move the store, I would!

 

[philiprst]

I've tried the Spider valve several times and it is very impressive. I wouldn't buy one myself because I don't want all the bells and whistles but it sounds really good and is very flexible.

 

[MrMusashi]

its not a valve replacement amp.. its a flexible amp for the top40 band and it gives ya the lovely valve punch while youre on stage

actually the spider mainboard is replacing the first 12ax7 tube thats supposed to sit in the preamp, so its not pure valve

MrM

 

[CudBucket]

I played one of the Line 6 Bogner amps and thought it sounded excellent. People shouldn't write them off. Especially when alot of folks still manage to make a perfectly good tube amp sound like ass. Tubes don't guarantee tone.

 

[Norrin Radd]

I've tried the Spider valve several times and it is very impressive. I wouldn't buy one myself because I don't want all the bells and whistles but it sounds really good and is very flexible.

I'm gonna have to agree. Guys - I very much dislike modeling and ss amps. A lot. I hated the old Line 6 Spiders - some of the worst sounding amps ever. I spent a good bit of time with a 2x12 Spider Valve and I was very very impressed. It sounds a lot better than you think it does. You can tweak out what you don't like easily. I would love to have one of these at home to play around with. I wouldn't gig with it because it's not me and I don't play in a cover band. If I did...........

In this case I think you really need to play one of these before you judge it.

 

[gerry d]

I can't use anything but tube amps........... with a good tube amp the volume control on your guitar becomes your best friend...... I can't use modelling amps at all....

 

[fogman]

How does the Spider sound at lower volumes? Anyone know?

 

[Norrin Radd]

How does the Spider sound at lower volumes? Anyone know?

How does a regular tube amp sound at low volumes?

Very few have great tone at low volumes. My RV50 has an incredible master volume and it sounds very very good at low volumes. But it is the exception more than the rule. And regardless of the type of amp, the speakers (the things that actually are the most important in determining "tone") sound best when they can move some real air.

Most amps are designed to be pushed hard - especially tube amps - and the Spider has tubes in the pre amp and power amp sections. It sounds pretty good at low volumes but better when pushed, IMO.

 

[beej]

Nobody's seen? We've had them in stock for a month now, and they're selling like mad! GREAT amps - don't judge these guys unless you get a chance to plug one in.

Dude, I posted that back on Aug 30th ... they were just announced then

 

[www.lamusic.ca]

Dude, I posted that back on Aug 30th ... they were just announced then

Yea, I noticed that after I posted it...

 

[beej]

Ah, well it's all good Seems to be getting pretty good reviews too by the guys with open ears.

 

[Spudman]

I sat down in the music store for an hour, which was about all I could stand, with one. The store was completely empty so I could really test it. ;-)

I used an Ibanez JS to test it and I will flatly say that I was underwhelmed. This amp was difficult to control, the volume knob was worse than a Hot Rod Deluxe. This went from .5 to 8 in about a hairs turn of the master knob. Not very linear. Just super quiet then super loud. It's not a bedroom amp by any means.

Most of the patches varied in volume so much from patch to patch that you can expect to have to do a lot of programming. All of the distortion tones had the typical top end digital sizzle except for the Bassman and Tweed type sounds. Even those weren't all that warm.
The AC15 though even sounded like an AC15 cranked complete with farting low end on the speaker. At first I though it was a crappy Line 6 speaker but switching to a different patch proved it wasn't the speaker. Somehow they got the patch to sound that way.

Still, I found this to be a less than cool amp. There are so many more amps out there that have tons more mojo even in the same price range. This one holds no interest for me.