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Re: guitar amp+speakers vs. PA



Erik,
I have experienced this problem also.  Unfortunately, the best solution I
found was using two sets of speakers.  I use a Boogie 50/50 tube amp
powering 2  1x12" cabinets, w/ Celestion Greenbacks for my guitar sounds
(and loops) and I use a full-range amp/speaker setup (currently using home
stereo equipment for this) for non-guitar sounds and loops, as well as
heavily processed guitar sounds (eg. Vortex).  Of course, the problem with
this is that it is expensive, both in terms of having to have 2 separate
amp/speaker setups, a 4-buss mixer, as well as needing multiple looping
devices (since I dedicate a looping device for either guitar or non-guitar
sounds).  But it is the best sounding setup I have found.  (My brother uses
a similar setup, as well).

I suppose the next best option is to just use full-range speakers, either a
PA speaker (2 or 3-way), or, if you just have 1x12" cabinets, try a EV 200
watt.  These will give you the bass frequencies you are looking for, but
you really need something with a mid-range and/or tweeter to get the detail
of the higher frequencies.  Also, you would not get that "guitar character"
from speaker breakup, if that's what you're looking for (I am -- and those
greenbacks do it for me!....think: Jimmy Page's lead on Tea For One), but
perhaps you can use your Rocktron effects to simulate a tube amp/speaker
combination.  How does your guitar setup sound, when listening through
headphones?  If you like that, then full-range PA speakers should do it for
you.  If you're a purist, though, you may want to bail on the full-range,
and go for the tone and dynamics of a guitar speaker, which cannot be
matched by a PA speaker.  You need to decide where you want to compromise.
Good luck!

Cheers,
Chris


>As I can't afford both, I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me
>compose a rig for looping guitars that:
>A) Sound good for playing electric guitar in a straightforward manner, and
>B) is able to amplify my HEAVILY treated, synth-like guitar signals.
>Everything has to be in stereo, by the way.
>
>I currently use a Rocktron Voodo Valve tube driven pre-amp (with a speaker
>simulator & digital effects that I usually bypass) and a Roctron Velocity
>power amp. I've tried this setup with different speakers made for guitars,
>and the problem is that it wont really convert the frequencies not in the
>guitar domain into sound. Are there any ok sounding speakers made for
>guitars on the market that will do this? Or do I have to run my pre-amp
>w/speaker simulator into a mixer in order to obtain B). What equipment
>should I consider in the latter case?
>What I'm looking for, I guess, is a solution that gives the best 
>compromise
>between  A) and B). I'd really, really appreciate any feedback and advice
>you could give on this. If you think this is a bit off topic, please feel
>free to e-mail me privatly. Thanks
>
>Also, someone mentioned that using e-bowed guitars with a vocoder might be
>a good idea. I have tried this, replacing the synth with guitar signals,
>and it works ok if the signal is really thick and wide. Try placing the
>vocoder after a loop with lots of (processed) layers. It gives the vocoder
>a better signal to work with. Again, thanks.
>
>Erik Ljones (Norway)
>
>