Now this I am liking....the Blues Cube

hotpickups

This could be the back up amp I've been looking for. One thing though 60/80 watts of solid state power is different to the same valve power so what would that be the equivalent in volume etc in valve amp territory if you know what I mean?

monquixote

EricTheWeary said:

The big one would mean a bit more headroom/ power + tremolo+ fx loop + ability to add the control board. Lots of pre order prices around but all basically the same. Wondering if by the end of January they will be in stock and prices getting more competitive. Back in MR days I was dreaming of an SS HRD and here it is, I just wasn't expecting HRD prices.

Interestingly the US stores seem to have them at $899 which is virtually the same price. 

People tend to list RRP until things hit the market.

hotpickups

I'd be interested in the 60watt version if I knew what the valve equivalent would be. Does anyone have an idea what that would be for myself to help gauge etc?

EricTheWeary

Certainly folks who gig with the regular 80 w cube.

p90fool

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested in the 60watt version if I knew what the valve equivalent would be. Does anyone have an idea what that would be for myself to help gauge etc?

Nobody can really answer that until they get their hands on one, and there are way too many variables to give a meaningful answer.
However, on past personal experience most 60w SS amps tend to have a similar amount of real gigging power to your average 15-20w valve amp.

Although you have to take each individual amp on its own merits I did have a 100w Roland Cube here a couple of years ago and a 30w AC30 or Marshall JTM45 would utterly destroy it volume-wise.

hotpickups

EricTheWeary said:

Certainly folks who gig with the regular 80 w cube.

It's the difference between SS and valve confuses me as I've always used valve amps and comfortable with them. I've been looking for another amp as a backup but also have a little more headroom (around 30w) for when the need arises. My gigging valve amp is rated at 20watts so would the 60watts of SS power be the same as that or slightly more? If so that really would be the perfect amp for me

monquixote

p90fool said:

Nobody can really answer that until they get their hands on one, and there are way too many variables to give a meaningful answer.

Wisdom for this. 

Valve amps aren't even very consistent with each other. An AC30 will blow away lots of 100 Watt valve amps. 

The biggest factor will be on how Boss chose to rate the output. They may have gone the Blackstar route and been very conservative with power rating so it's closer to a valve amp in output.

hotpickups

p90fool said:

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested in the 60watt version if I knew what the valve equivalent would be. Does anyone have an idea what that would be for myself to help gauge etc?

Nobody can really answer that until they get their hands on one, and there are way too many variables to give a meaningful answer.
However, on past personal experience most 60w SS amps tend to have a similar amount of real gigging power to your average 15-20w valve amp.

Although you have to take each individual amp on its own merits I did have a 100w Roland Cube here a couple of years ago and a 30w AC30 or Marshall JTM45 would utterly destroy it volume-wise.

Yeah I agree. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I know my Tweed Deluxe can be friggin loud if the band lets me turn it up LOL

p90fool

All that said, they're marketing the Blues Cube as a quality amp, and it's obviously aimed at traditionalists, so it wouldn't surprise me if it were pretty loud.

A lot of SS amps are budget/beginner amps with cheap, inefficient speakers, but even some of those can perform surprisingly well through a decent cab.

hotpickups

Is it the done thing to change speakers on SS amps I.e. does it effect the sound as it does on valve amps etc.

I'm a total novice when it comes to non valve amps

ThePrettyDamned

hotpickups said:

Is it the done thing to change speakers on SS amps I.e. does it effect the sound as it does on valve amps etc.

I'm a total novice when it comes to non valve amps

Yes, massively - just like a valve amp.  I was convinced I hated Orange amps until I heard one going through the right cab (a blackstar 4x12 as it happens). 

Most SS amps have cheap and nasties, which realy hold them back.

Watch this:

hotpickups

Too distorted for my tastes to judge but I'll take your word for it

ThePrettyDamned

hotpickups said:

Too distorted for my tastes to judge but I'll take your word for it

The point is it's a 2 watt mini amp but sounds HUGE.  

Okay, careful mic positioning is a help, but put a 2 watt mini amp through a recto 4x12 and it sounds pretty massive. 

ThePrettyDamned

Just saw the Andertons vid, it sounds really good! The first tones they show are all muddy and middy.  But when they properly demo it, they get some really nice sounds out of it. 

hotpickups

Yes I'm pretty taken with it after watching the Andertons bid. I think they genuinely were too

ThePrettyDamned;421535" said:

Just saw the Andertons vid, it sounds really good! The first tones they show are all muddy and middy.  But when they properly demo it, they get some really nice sounds out of it. 

ThePrettyDamned;421535" said:

Just saw the Andertons vid, it sounds really good! The first tones they show are all muddy and middy.  But when they properly demo it, they get some really nice sounds out of it. 

ThePrettyDamned

I don't like how Lee just refers to 'valve amp', like they're all fantastic. 

I've heard some really, really shite sounding all valve amps where my bandit destroys them.  And bandits, while they sound okay, are not exactly the greatest sounding amp in the world!

I would like for him to compare it to similarly priced valve amps aimed at the same market - I guess the Hot Rod Deluxe is probably the one. 

hotpickups

And they are way too loud for most unless you like a very clean sound etc

ThePrettyDamned

hotpickups said:

And they are way too loud for most unless you like a very clean sound etc

I don't know, the latest version has a really nice drive channel on it.  

But that's why it's the perfect comparison amp - it's really good.  Not the best, but solidly built, loud, good sounding and two usable channels.  

If the blues cube sounds as good (or better?) for bluesy stuff and as a pedal platform then why would you go for the Hot Rod Deluxe?  

hotpickups

I couldn't agree more. Roll on January

ThePrettyDamned;421552" said:

hotpickups said:

And they are way too loud for most unless you like a very clean sound etc





I don't know, the latest version has a really nice drive channel on it.  

But that's why it's the perfect comparison amp - it's really good.  Not the best, but solidly built, loud, good sounding and two usable channels.  



If the blues cube sounds as good (or better?) for bluesy stuff and as a pedal platform then why would you go for the Hot Rod Deluxe?  :)

HAL9000

p90fool said:

hotpickups said:

I'd be interested in the 60watt version if I knew what the valve equivalent would be. Does anyone have an idea what that would be for myself to help gauge etc?

Nobody can really answer that until they get their hands on one, and there are way too many variables to give a meaningful answer.
However, on past personal experience most 60w SS amps tend to have a similar amount of real gigging power to your average 15-20w valve amp.

Although you have to take each individual amp on its own merits I did have a 100w Roland Cube here a couple of years ago and a 30w AC30 or Marshall JTM45 would utterly destroy it volume-wise.

As others have said, there are too many variables. However, one big reason that valve amps are louder than similar wattage SS amps is to do with the way they behave once they go into distortion. 

Output is measured at the point where the amp is just beginning to distort. Now, say this point is at 20W. Because of the way that transistors behave even a little more power will cause the distortion to increase dramatically until it very quickly hits a ceiling. It might take only a few watts to do this. 

Valve amps behave differently however. Say a valve amp is just beginning to distort at 20W. As you apply more power, the distortion builds much more gradually so that even at, say, 60W the amp may not yet have hit its ceiling. 

So both amps are rated as being 20W because of the point where the amp began going into distortion. Howeve the valve amp will still be useful way beyond that point, whereas the SS won't.

(I'm sure someone will be along in a minute and will explain this far better that I can.)