Tube amp into Solid State amp

itsall4you · #1 01-22-2012, 05:58 PM

I just picked up a virtually new Fender Super Champ XD at a steal! (it's on its way due later this week or next)

I already have a Henriksen JazzAmp 112ER and I was wondering if you could use the line out from the Super Champ into the Henriksen for louder volume and/or tube sound on the Henriksen.

I know the Henriksen does not have a dedicated FX return so it would be going through both pre-amps of the Super Champ and the Henriksen.

Does this have any potential threats to either amp's lifespan? I know the line-out is at line level. But I also know you can use the Henriksen safely as a keyboard amp (which are also line level).

I don't even know if this would even sound good but theoretically this could be a great combination.

Thanks in advance

Insufferable_Rhythm · #2 01-22-2012, 06:14 PM

The line out comes after the solid-state/DSP pre-amplifier, not the tube section.

itsall4you · #3 01-22-2012, 10:16 PM

dang that's unfortunate.

Thanks anyway!

jorgemg1984 · #4 01-23-2012, 02:30 AM

Some people like to use a Sansamp Para Driver DI or a Barber Barb EQ to warm up the Henriksen.

oldane · #5 01-23-2012, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Some people like to use a Sansamp Para Driver DI or a Barber Barb EQ to warm up the Henriksen.

.... or a Sansamp Blonde (supposed to mimick Fender amps) from the "character" series. I use the Paradriver DI in front of an AI amp head, but I have also tried out the Blonde, and it works excellent too. I haven't tried the Barb EQ, but our forum member Jack Zucker wrote very positively about it a while ago. Such a small pedal is much easier to haul around than an extra amp and it's my guess that it works just as well - at least when we are talking about only using the solid state preamp of the amp.

Whether you use another the preamp of another amp or a preamp pedal, you may have the choice of either feeding it to the preamp of the second amp or directly to the power amp, for example via a FX return (which the Henriksen doesn't have as far as I know (?) ), depending on which you find works the best for you.

jorgemg1984 · #6 01-23-2012, 05:43 AM

Yes - the Henriksen doesn't have a FX return... it should have for such ocasions. I assume Jack was using the EQ of the Henriksen flat and connecting the Barb EQ directly to the input of the amp. It sounded great if I remember well... just before I sold the amp I tried using everything flat and a Fromel Shape EQ to dial my sound and liked it much better than the stock EQ - not very guitaristic imo (I wish I had tried it when I still had an EV on the Henriksen not with the Beta)

I bet the Sansamp Para Driver DI sounded great with the AI (which does have an fx return)! Have you ever connected an archtop trought it directly to a PA using the DI out? Did it sounded acceptable?

oldane · #7 01-23-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Yes - the Henriksen doesn't have a FX return... it should have for such ocasions. I assume Jack was using the EQ of the Henriksen flat and connecting the Barb EQ directly to the input of the amp. It sounded great if I remember well... just before I sold the amp I tried using everything flat and a Fromel Shape EQ to dial my sound and liked it much better than the stock EQ - not very guitaristic imo (I wish I had tried it when I still had an EV on the Henriksen not with the Beta)

I bet the Sansamp Para Driver DI sounded great with the AI (which does have an fx return)! Have you ever connected an archtop trought it directly to a PA using the DI out? Did it sounded acceptable?

I use the ParaDriver DI into the preamp input of my AI so I can utilize the built in reverb, but I have the controls on the AI set flat (apart from the low cut filter which I set to remove the boom in a particular room - that knob is really useful). The ParaDriver provides presense and luster to the tone. Without it, incomparison, the tone seems to hide at the back of the speaker cabinet - so to speak.

I have tried the ParaDriver DI directly into Behringers smallest powered PA speaker (a real cheapo), and it actually sounded quite good despite the small size of the driver (5" if I remember right).

jorgemg1984 · #8 01-23-2012, 02:51 PM

Greeat oldane - one of these days I might get one of these pedals to use with my Fender M80 (my jazzmaster ultralight already sounds very warm and tubey). Good to know it worked well directly to a PA - it really adds versatility that way!

That low cut filter seems great and it's a very good thing to have in an amp - as the phantom power actually. I wish AI didn't make such powerfull amps (hard to match it good speakers) and they made them more guitarristic in the EQ - otherwise they seem great (the reverb must be good being mafe by Alesis)

Thanks for your time!