Help me choose an amp head & cabinet please!

[LaurensG]

So, i've been looking around at amps (i plan on using these along with a line 6 POD HD500X, that i also still need to buy), my options would be;

Head:
-Line 6 Spider IV HD150 (150W)
-Orange Crush CR120H (120W)

Cab:
-Blackstar HTV212 (160W)
-Marshall MX212 (160W)

So, what do you guys think, which set would be the best choice, along with a POD HD500X (Note: i mostly play drop-tuned distroted stuff, and also have an 8string)

PS. if you know any other good ones at about the same price, feel free to tell me, but no valves please. i know most people say they are better, but transistors are becoming good too, and i don't have the money for a valve, and don't wanna spend time and money on changing valves and stuff

PPS. i do plan on recording, but that would probably happen straight from the HD500X to the interface, but maybe i will one day want to mic the amps, so, just give me all the different views, from practice to gigs to recording & effects, that's why i'm posting, let me hear your opinions and suggestions
Thanks in advance!

 

[Fretless]

I would almost say get and HD pro and a power amp for what you want to do. Would come out around the same price in the long run, and would be easier in a studio with the hd pro being rackable.

 

[LaurensG]

I would almost say get and HD pro and a power amp for what you want to do. Would come out around the same price in the long run, and would be easier in a studio with the hd pro being rackable.

this is my first upgrade from a practice amp, all i have now is 2 stompboxes, a behringer V-amp, and a little 15W fender frontman xD i dont know much about power amps and stuff yet, even though i want to start doing home recording and buy some entry-level studio stuff starting next year when i have the money, .. so, why would that exactly be better? what about live playing, if i wanna switch effects, wouldnt it be easier to do that with the 500X?

 

[Fretless]

this is my first upgrade from a practice amp, all i have now is 2 stompboxes, a behringer V-amp, and a little 15W fender frontman xD i dont know much about power amps and stuff yet, even though i want to start doing home recording and buy some entry-level studio stuff starting next year when i have the money, .. so, why would that exactly be better? what about live playing, if i wanna switch effects, wouldnt it be easier to do that with the 500X?

You can just as easily use a 500 and the power amp, I just like the pros routing options better. The reason I like it more is because I try to avoid redundancy (which I fail at miserably) and having an amp with an amp simple is kind of silly for me. With the pro you can get a short board and do just as much.

 

[Paincakes]

I would not recommend running a Line 6 Spider IV HD150 head along with a HD500X.
The Spider IV's amp sims and effects color the tone significantly, and I'm fairly certain that adding an HD500x would make it sound mushy and noisy.

The HD500X is great bang for your buck. It sounds killer and will satisfy your recording needs. At this point, all you need is "something to make it loud".

Option 1:
The Orange crush would be a decent choice since it has an effects loop. You can run the Pod in front of the amp, or in the effects loop, or use the "4 cable method" (4CM) to have it both in front of the amp, AND in it's effects loop.
This option will be the most versatile, but the most complex to figure out. If you're new to multi-effects, and navigating through pages of LCD menus, this may be a steep learning curve.

Option 2
A power amp to amplify the sound coming from your HD500X. This option would be a lot simpler, since all you'll need to worry about is adjusting the volume to your cabs (no effects loops to worry about, etc) , and you can tailor your sound completely from the HD500x.

As far as cabs go, I'm not familiar with those speakers.

I hope this helps!

Good luck!

 

[LaurensG]

I would not recommend running a Line 6 Spider IV HD150 head along with a HD500X.
The Spider IV's amp sims and effects color the tone significantly, and I'm fairly certain that adding an HD500x would make it sound mushy and noisy.

The HD500X is great bang for your buck. It sounds killer and will satisfy your recording needs. At this point, all you need is "something to make it loud".

Option 1:
The Orange crush would be a decent choice since it has an effects loop. You can run the Pod in front of the amp, or in the effects loop, or use the "4 cable method" (4CM) to have it both in front of the amp, AND in it's effects loop.
This option will be the most versatile, but the most complex to figure out. If you're new to multi-effects, and navigating through pages of LCD menus, this may be a steep learning curve.

Option 2
A power amp to amplify the sound coming from your HD500X. This option would be a lot simpler, since all you'll need to worry about is adjusting the volume to your cabs (no effects loops to worry about, etc) , and you can tailor your sound completely from the HD500x.

As far as cabs go, I'm not familiar with those speakers.

I hope this helps!

Good luck!

I see what you mean about the two both coloring the tone and stuff, true, didnt think that through. Thanks a lot for this answer, helps me a lot, im not very familiar with power amps yet, but ill do some research and see Thanks again!

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

Yes +1 for power amp. You can probaly get a used one for cheap and get the job done. If you can score a Peavey PV260 (not 2600)...I've heard some great things about it. Since most power amps come in 19 inch rack format, you might want to buy a case for it.

 

[LaurensG]

In that case, (everyone recommends power amps) , How's the rocktron velocity 300? using one channel at 150W , ?
or would the velocity 100 be enough?

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

I've heard they've got some reliability issues. I also hear they have a fairly coloured sound, mainly because they are made for guitar, they even have tone adjustment, which I find odd, because a power amp should only deliver, well, power. You'd be better off getting something really neutral. Even a regular PA system amp would do the job in fact.

Personally, I'm a fan of solid state amps for use with a modeler (like POD HD), mainly because you'll never have any issues with tubes frying and the modeler simulates a tube sound already.

 

[LaurensG]

I've heard they've got some reliability issues. I also hear they have a fairly coloured sound, mainly because they are made for guitar, they even have tone adjustment, which I find odd, because a power amp should only deliver, well, power. You'd be better off getting something really neutral. Even a regular PA system amp would do the job in fact.

Personally, I'm a fan of solid state amps for use with a modeler (like POD HD), mainly because you'll never have any issues with tubes frying and the modeler simulates a tube sound already.

Yeah, i wouldnt wanna go tube anyway but now i was looking at power amp and solid-state heads, and im starting to get confused, because, the orange head for example has 120W, two 16-ohm outputs. so do those two together deliver 120W or 120W each, ? i've done physics and stuff but electricty was never my strongest point. i know if the cab is more than the head i should be fine, but at what do i look to see that? its general Wattage, or the wattage per channel at 16 ohms for example?

 

[sage]

Maybe think about getting some powered PA speakers to go with the HD500. It will allow you to use the full range of the Pod and be more than powerful enough to jam with a drummer. Easy to use and operate. Takes a lot of the thinking out of the game.

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

Maybe think about getting some powered PA speakers to go with the HD500. It will allow you to use the full range of the Pod and be more than powerful enough to jam with a drummer. Easy to use and operate. Takes a lot of the thinking out of the game.

I'd like to counter this. PA speakers aren't ideal for live situations. They're less practical on stage and for transport opposed to a speaker cab.

All pros and cons...difficult eh?

 

[LaurensG]

I'd like to counter this. PA speakers aren't ideal for live situations. They're less practical on stage and for transport opposed to a speaker cab.

All pros and cons...difficult eh?

that's what i was thinking too.. i'd still like to have the flexibility of only carrying around one head/cab set, rather than speakers and all the cables and stuff..
EDIT: and also seems weird to me playing guitar through speakers XD

 

[sage]

OK, so if you're sold on the notion of Cab + Power Amp with your modeller (hey, it's what I did, also, and it worked very well for me), then you'll be pretty happy with the Velocity 300. A poster above was questioning the EQ on it. I think it was an excellent addition. If you don't love your rig in a different room or on a different stage, you can adjust the EQ without delving into the EQ on your patches. The V300 kicks out 170 watts into a 16 ohm cab or 300 watts into an 8 ohm cab when in bridged mode. They don't recommend bridging into a 4 ohm cab. Make sure that you match the cab to the power amp you're looking at. The lower the resistance of the cab, the higher the potential output of the solid state power section.

You could pair it with this Harley Benton 2x12, which is a pretty sick deal for a plywood cab with V30s in it. Only handles 120 watts at 16 ohms, so don't crank ye olde V300, but it'll make for a nice little rig.

 

[LaurensG]

OK, so if you're sold on the notion of Cab + Power Amp with your modeller (hey, it's what I did, also, and it worked very well for me), then you'll be pretty happy with the Velocity 300. A poster above was questioning the EQ on it. I think it was an excellent addition. If you don't love your rig in a different room or on a different stage, you can adjust the EQ without delving into the EQ on your patches. The V300 kicks out 170 watts into a 16 ohm cab or 300 watts into an 8 ohm cab when in bridged mode. They don't recommend bridging into a 4 ohm cab. Make sure that you match the cab to the power amp you're looking at. The lower the resistance of the cab, the higher the potential output of the solid state power section.

You could pair it with this Harley Benton 2x12, which is a pretty sick deal for a plywood cab with V30s in it. Only handles 120 watts at 16 ohms, so don't crank ye olde V300, but it'll make for a nice little rig.

Do you know any other cabinets (even 4x12) that would go with the velocity 300? i prefer staying safe so i dont have to worry about my cab, sooo.. do you know a cab that can handle 300 at 8 ohms and 170 at 16ohm stereo?

 

[LaurensG]

 

[rebornself27]

grab the ISP technologies stealth power amp its fairly cheap lightweight loud enough for most situations..cab wise go for a used 412 comb used market in your area.Anything that's made out of plywood and has Celestion or Eminence speakers and at least 200 watts should be good

 

[sage]

Maybe look for a new or used unloaded 2x12 cab. Then you could load it with 16 ohm Swamp Thangs or something else that handles 150W each and put in a mono/stereo switchable jack. That will give you the full power handling required for the Velocity 300, the ability to go stereo if you deem it necessary, and the portability of the 2x12.

Just about any 4x12 will handle the V300. Cabs that are 8 ohms mono seem to be rarer than cabs that are 16 ohms. Most Mesa cabs are 8 ohms, but most only handle 240 watts, so the possibility of speaker frying still exists, albeit at volume levels you probably should not be operating your amp at.

 

[Klaptrap]

Randall RG1503 (150w) solid state 3 channel machine

 

[LaurensG]

So, lets say I pick the orange head & blackstar cabinet.

the head is like this:
120W, 8ohm Mono, 16ohm stereo

The cab is like this:
160W, 8ohm Mono, 16ohm stereo

So, these two should work together fine both ways right? both in stereo and mono, should work fine and be safe, right?
stereo as in running both 16ohm outputs from the head to both 16ohm stereo inputs on the cab
and mono as in just running one cable from the 8ohm mono to the 8 ohm mono on the cab
Thanks a lot in advance, I love the helpfulness of this community