Quote:
Originally Posted by mdme_sadie  [...] though I wouldn't expect that to so drastically affect the amount of gain unless it really depends on pushing the power section to get up there, but maybe that was the reason. |
Seriously, pushing the PA section is what it's all about IMO. At least it's what's making up for the differences between "good" and "great" tone.
During the last 1-2 years a few friends and me have been doing more or less intensive tests to kinda prove this (and hm, it wasn't even necessary as it's quite common knowledge). Almost any amp is starting to sound a whole LOT better as soon as you drive the PA stage a bit harder - even regardless of whether you insert a digital FX unit in its loop or not. Sometimes (especially on amps such as Marshalls or Voxes) the differences are like night and day. My early 90s Fender "The Twin" (the one with the red pots) sounds like shit at lower volumes. But it starts to sound quite great once the overall volume is raised (too bad it's too loud for any club stages in that case already). With my MkIV it's a little different as it allows to set the output section to half power, triode operation and what not. But again, those very settings make up for a world of a difference. If you really need those "organic" sounding overdrives, do yourself a favour and purchase some loadbox (the mentioned Marshall SE-100 apparently still being king, but the Palmers aren't too bad, either). You wouldn't even have to bring it to "real" overdrive territory as it seems (so you could still use some digital FX unit in the loop), just a somewhat hotter driven PA section seems to be what it's all about.
- Sascha