HT40 no bottom end?
Just bought a HT40 the first valve amp I've had for many years. So far I'm fairly disappointed with the tone I'm getting I was expecting a complete revelation. The legendary warm valve tones just don't seem to be there. At bedroom volumes there is no bottom end to the lead channel or the vintage class A clean channel. My question is do you get more bottom end at stage volumes once you are driving the power stage ? I've just ordered a powersoak so it will be interesting to see I get a better tone when I can crank the power amp at bedroom volumes. The ID60 I've got gives much richer tone but the sustain is not as natural and fluid as the real thing.
I have a Soloist 60, exactly the same deal, to the tee. vintage clean and channel 2, no bottom end.
When I bought mine, I also expected to have a 'revelation', as you so aptly put it. I thought there was something wrong with it at first; sent it in for repairs, through an authorised repairer under warranty. the techs said it was running within its specifications, however they too agreed with me that it lacked bottom end. we all arrived at the frustrating conclusion that the amp is just designed that way. It does improve with volume increase and also using a 4x12 closed back speaker cab, but only marginally. It is a little disappointing that something so noticeable was left unchecked.
This is the only fault i can find in an otherwise awesome amp. pity that it is such a big factor.
The modern clean channel, (button pushed in) sounds excellent, and as soon as the voicing button is switched in, voila! Bottom end! I didn't buy a two channel amp to only use one channel though. -_-
When I bought mine, I also expected to have a 'revelation', as you so aptly put it. I thought there was something wrong with it at first; sent it in for repairs, through an authorised repairer under warranty. the techs said it was running within its specifications, however they too agreed with me that it lacked bottom end. we all arrived at the frustrating conclusion that the amp is just designed that way. It does improve with volume increase and also using a 4x12 closed back speaker cab, but only marginally. It is a little disappointing that something so noticeable was left unchecked.
This is the only fault i can find in an otherwise awesome amp. pity that it is such a big factor.
The modern clean channel, (button pushed in) sounds excellent, and as soon as the voicing button is switched in, voila! Bottom end! I didn't buy a two channel amp to only use one channel though. -_-
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Sonofarich
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:00 am
When you get over 5 watts in a tube amp, it's hard to get a saturated thump OD tone without driving the tubes.
I know that... doesn't explain why there is bottom end on the modern clean voicing. I have a 50 watt tube head that oozes bottom end at lower volume levels than the Blackstar when connected to the combo speaker, so it isn't the speaker or enclosure.
I have also noticed that the Soloist 60 is very temperamental, with a vastly noticeable tonal shift depending on how warm the tubes are, where the level control is set, etc. I find myself changing the settings constantly during rehearsals because the sound is not consistent. I can handle added richness from warmer tubes, but not tone shifts. it is annoying.
I have also noticed that the Soloist 60 is very temperamental, with a vastly noticeable tonal shift depending on how warm the tubes are, where the level control is set, etc. I find myself changing the settings constantly during rehearsals because the sound is not consistent. I can handle added richness from warmer tubes, but not tone shifts. it is annoying.
Solved the bottom end problems by using a powersoak at home practice volumes so the power stage is being pushed (sounds warmer) and also putting an MXR graphic eq in the effects loop to boost the lows. However I'm still disappointed that I've had to do that. I've had both Fender and Marshall tube amps in the past and not had a problem with bottom end at low volumes although obviously the tone was much better once the amps were cranked at gig levels. I too find I'm continually having to adjust the tone settings depending on how long the amp has been on and what level it's set at. I saw an interesting vid on you-tube recently where a guy was getting a lot of bottom end at low volume with a Bugerra amp by reversing the normal settings on pre and power amp he had the master volume on full and the preamp volume only just on so he must have been getting only power amp distortion - haven't tried this myself yet.
Take this post for what it's worth, but I spent the afternoon practicing with my band at a local studio -- I usually practice at my own studio, but thought I'd give my wife and kids a break from the noise.
I've played many different amps from Marshalls, Blackstars, Fenders, Engl, etc. There are always moments when I think I found the perfect tone of tones in each of these amps, and then the next day things change. I've played different amps at gigs, and I've rarely reached a point where I feel like one particular amp has solved my search for tone. I had been loving my Blackstar HT 100, then moved on to Series One 200, and now I'm on to a Marshall JVM. I think this thing about tone is all really subjective, and when your are performing, so long as you are within the acceptable band of good tone, the audience could not tell the difference. I also think the tone we like changes, depending on your own personal state.
This is a long-winnded way of saying, don't give up on your amp. The particular tone you get may or may not be acceptable depending on volume, surroundings, whatever guitar solo you may have just heard, or whether your own guitar solo cuts through the band mix. I've spent thousands of dollars looking for that perfect amp, and I've come to the conclusion that there is no perfect amp, but there are tons of amps that may fit my need depending on where and how loud I'm playing, and where I'm performing.
I've played many different amps from Marshalls, Blackstars, Fenders, Engl, etc. There are always moments when I think I found the perfect tone of tones in each of these amps, and then the next day things change. I've played different amps at gigs, and I've rarely reached a point where I feel like one particular amp has solved my search for tone. I had been loving my Blackstar HT 100, then moved on to Series One 200, and now I'm on to a Marshall JVM. I think this thing about tone is all really subjective, and when your are performing, so long as you are within the acceptable band of good tone, the audience could not tell the difference. I also think the tone we like changes, depending on your own personal state.
This is a long-winnded way of saying, don't give up on your amp. The particular tone you get may or may not be acceptable depending on volume, surroundings, whatever guitar solo you may have just heard, or whether your own guitar solo cuts through the band mix. I've spent thousands of dollars looking for that perfect amp, and I've come to the conclusion that there is no perfect amp, but there are tons of amps that may fit my need depending on where and how loud I'm playing, and where I'm performing.
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thephantum
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:42 pm
- Location: Virginia, United States
What you are describing is the Fletcher-Munson curve. At lower volumes the human ear is less responsive to high and low frequencies. So the quieter you play, the more you want to boost the bass and treble to compensate.
Most higher power amps have specific controls to compensate for this (e.g. - Presence/Resonance). In a lot of lower power amps (<100 watts), there's specific circuitry built in that boosts high and low frequencies at lower volumes (similar to a "loudness" button on a stereo). As you roll the volume up, the circuit bleeds off the effect. The problem there is what you hear at low volumes isn't necessarily what you'll hear at gig levels. Which I think is why lower power Blackstars don't use that trick...dial in the sound you want and then crank it up to get it to thump.
The one suggestion I would make is put some better preamp tubes in. You'll be surprised how much better the low end will sound on a set of Mullard or TungSol 12AX7's.
While there should be some shift in tone as a tube goes from warm to hot, if you are having big tonal shifts depending on how much heat is in the tube....that's a power tube problem, not an amp problem.
Most higher power amps have specific controls to compensate for this (e.g. - Presence/Resonance). In a lot of lower power amps (<100 watts), there's specific circuitry built in that boosts high and low frequencies at lower volumes (similar to a "loudness" button on a stereo). As you roll the volume up, the circuit bleeds off the effect. The problem there is what you hear at low volumes isn't necessarily what you'll hear at gig levels. Which I think is why lower power Blackstars don't use that trick...dial in the sound you want and then crank it up to get it to thump.
The one suggestion I would make is put some better preamp tubes in. You'll be surprised how much better the low end will sound on a set of Mullard or TungSol 12AX7's.
While there should be some shift in tone as a tube goes from warm to hot, if you are having big tonal shifts depending on how much heat is in the tube....that's a power tube problem, not an amp problem.
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htwheelz67
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 4:26 am
I am new to the ht-40, I have played a Fractal Axe FX for a few years and then picked up an ht-5r stack for cheap and love it so then I found a smoking deal on an ht-40 combo and ext cab like 250.00 smokin deal I thought the ad was fake, I too thought the ht-40 kinda lacked low end, I had to crank the bass at full, but at higher volumes it s there, I never tried the ext cab but once I did all the bottom end came back at low volumes, then I added a BBE stomp and a cheap danelectro EQ which I use both on my ht-5, the EQ for lead boost most of the time, the BBE works great on these amps, I am very happy with my ht-40 now and have not done a tube/speaker swap YET.
I am amazed at the tone from these reasonably priced amps, after the Fractal Axe FX I never thought I would play a real amp again, I tell you when I split the guit signal into both the Blackstar and Axe Fx ...........WOW.
I am amazed at the tone from these reasonably priced amps, after the Fractal Axe FX I never thought I would play a real amp again, I tell you when I split the guit signal into both the Blackstar and Axe Fx ...........WOW.
I too have a soloist, for the past 3 years....and for the longest time, i too was missing bottom end...so i started making some changes...bought a 1 12" Blackstar cab which comes with a seventy 80 speaker (meh) just like my soloist did. Next pulled out both speakers and put in 2 Eminence Redcoats (Gov and Wizard) next i ned to change out my power tubes as i replaced the 12AX7's with Tung Sols. Suffice to say a major improvement in sound. I also am trying not to use the reverb much as it to is harsh sounding. Bou a WET reverb, and again a major improvement. I now love firing up my amp again, and the bass is much better now w/2 speakers (esp the redcoats)
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