So, I finally got a Modeler

[Harley Hexxe]

Mine too Dante,

  The X-88 was $4000 back in the 90s. Soldano had two rack preamps then, the X-77 and X-88. They were both 3-channel tube preamps, the difference being the X-88 was MIDI capable and had motorized knobs. That kind of makes it sound a bit like the Cyber-Twin in design, but it was a completely different application of the MIDI function.

   In the Cyber-Twin, when you hit a program change command, the amp sound switches immediately to the settings that are saved in that memory location, and the knobs turn to reflect that setting. In the Soldano, It's the knob settings that are actually saved in the MIDI program changes. So, when you enter a program change, the knobs turn and changes the sound in real time until the knobs all come to their destination points.

  I remember getting on the phone with Mike Soldano back then and asking about it. Mike explained the idea was to make the transition from one amp sound to the next a smooth transition instead of the 2-3ms pause you get with all other MIDI programmable preamps, before abruptly changing tones. It was a cool idea in some applications I thought, but in a faster paced song, where you might need that change from a clean to lead setting to be more abrupt, it would be delayed by a couple of seconds until the knobs catch up.

  The X-77 on the other hand had no MIDI implementation. You just created three different preamp settings and switched between them.

   As a footnote, Soldano also made a 4U rack power amp to go with these preamps, and it was the SLO 100 power section with 5881 tubes. and that was another $3000 at the time.

  I just thought it might be interesting to understand how creative everyone was back then with the technology we had at the time.

[Dante]

Latency is not your friend, that was not a good setup. My H&K switches patches immediately, but the knobs never move (bummer - that would be fun). You gotta twist each knob until the 'store' light illuminates to indicate the last saved position of that knob....which works fine. My Presonus mixer did that too with the faders

Man, that is a chunk of change...the pre and power amp....and you need a friggin truck to move it. Sheesh. Seems excessive for a bar band guy like me ;) I feel like my 4u rack is excessive nowadays - haha

[Dante]

Wanna hear what it sounds like? Here's a clip from last December (my first time trying amp-less)

I'd recommend starting it at Hashpipe (26:00), then it goes into Vertigo - check out the feedback I'm getting in the breakdown of Vertigo!

[Harley Hexxe]

I watched the whole thing,

Were you coming out of stage monitors? I did see that 4x12 cab behind you.

It sounds pretty darned good but here is the dilemma when mixing direct with live instruments. The drums and bass dominated the soundscape. For most of the beginning, you were buried in the mix.

Overall though, it does have good tones.

Question: how did you get uncle Fester to get out of his housecoat and front your band? 

All joking aside, you guys sound great, and the video is entertaining 

[Dante]

TBH: If I had known the 4x12 would be there, I woulda brought an amp....glad I didn't

Yeah, my guitar wasn't nearly loud enough at first, but that's the nature of any situation where the sound person has the control. Onstage it was plenty loud.  This was also a problem with the amps in pre-modeler times....everything sounded great in my In-Ear-Monitors, I had no idea what the FOH sounded like

I'm just pretty impressed with the feedback I get - I've been running through the PA at practice and using my monitor the same way. 

Thanks for the kind words about my tones, I'm totally happy with the unit, and you're a trooper for watching all that - haha

[Harley Hexxe]

So, you did have a monitor in front of you?

It's harder to get that kind of feedback if you're too far from the PA speakers.

I totally understand about working with a sound person who isn't used to working with you. I did have a way around that with my amps. Even though I might bring 2-3 amps to a gig, and the new sound person may be thinking; "Oh here we go... another volume battle!" It doesn't take them long to figure out I don't play at ear-splitting levels. In fact, I like the stage volume to be like that of a loud stereo and that's how I rehearse. All they have to do after that is adjust the level for the room. Sometimes, depending on the room, they might only have to boost the vocal levels.

Maybe you might try to cut back on the distortion a bit during the verses. That might put you in the mix a bit better. We all know how more saturation buries us in the mix that much more. You're a great guitar player and I'm sure you can pull it off.

I know I'd have a good time in your audience 

[rnolan]

I know I'd have a good time in your audience 

+1

[Dante]

Jam session last night: Used my MP-1 Classic > MT-200 poweramp > a 2x12 stereo cab (that I put a wall in ;) with the modeler acting as a multi effect and midi controller via 4CM.

It's been a long time since I jammed through an amp, I'd been just pluggin my modeler into the PA. 

The amp sounded GLORIOUS, the other guitar player even commented that the amp sounded better - I think it had something to do with coming out of a single cab instead of competing with all the vocals in the PA.

Good times! The rig sounded amazing and I only carried a pedalboard and my 2u rack ;)

I'm pretty happy with the Ampero II Stage, YMMV