Worthless NAD thread - Krank vs. VHT content

[MF_Kitten]

what i´ve heard about Krank amps is that they don´t do anything special for the money. like, you could get the same result out of much cheaper amps. something about them not being very tube-like. i´m wondering if it´s the same thing some people say about emg´s and engl´s...

i used to really want a krank amp, but then i met this guy from a local band that had one. he didn´t even use the distortion from the amp, and actually used a distortion pedal instead, which he changed around all the time, because he never found a decent sound. that kinda put me off a little.

 

[Larrikin666]

what i´ve heard about Krank amps is that they don´t do anything special for the money. like, you could get the same result out of much cheaper amps. something about them not being very tube-like. i´m wondering if it´s the same thing some people say about emg´s and engl´s...

i used to really want a krank amp, but then i met this guy from a local band that had one. he didn´t even use the distortion from the amp, and actually used a distortion pedal instead, which he changed around all the time, because he never found a decent sound. that kinda put me off a little.

It's not the same sort of "doesn't sound like a tube amp" thing that you get from an ENGL. EMGs just sound sterile to me unless they're modded for 18 volts.

 

[cradleofflames]

EMGs sound great into modelers. I usually find them dead in the highs into a tube amp but into a modeler I could make EMGs sound like my stock maple strat.

 

[blackrobedone]

I just wanted to post an update that I gigged out with the Krankenstein and had several people come up after the show and compliment my tone. My band mates who are my toughest critics were pleased as well. It never happened like that on such a scale and I've gigged with everything from the Triple Rec to the Pittbull to the K Tre to Marshalls to Peaveys. I even heard the same type of scoffing before the set, "Krank? Hahaha." Those chumps were eating those words after the first riff over a 260 blast beat.

Bottom line: The Krankenstein + is a great amp for death metal.

I'll note that I do have the presence on 0.5, and I replaced the V3 12AX7 with a 12AT7. I guess you would have to own the amp to do that. I also use a MXR Distortion III as an overdrive with the Krank, as the Maxon 808 is overkill on the crunch factor. Then as Krank recommends the Main Master volume is set much higher than the channel volume, and everything else was on about 6 or 7 (I would not have been able to put the gain at 7 without the 12AT7, however - with the 12AX7 the gain would've been on 3, as it makes that much of a difference).

About VHT, I've learned a lot more about tweaking amps in recent years so sometimes I wish I still had the Pittbull. But I tried everything I knew at the time and still couldn't make it work 100%. It was ok.

Since I've sold my K Tre and a Washburn EC29 recently, I may even pick up a Revolution and see if it can replace my Marshall with my other band. I'll keep you posted.

Here's a pic of the Krank with the face off on top of my Triple Rec taken with the trusty phone camera.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Nice.


Now post even more pictures

 

[yetti]

Nice.


Now post even more pictures

this

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

I just wanted to post an update that I gigged out with the Krankenstein and had several people come up after the show and compliment my tone. My band mates who are my toughest critics were pleased as well. It never happened like that on such a scale and I've gigged with everything from the Triple Rec to the Pittbull to the K Tre to Marshalls to Peaveys. I even heard the same type of scoffing before the set, "Krank? Hahaha." Those chumps were eating those words after the first riff over a 260 blast beat.

Bottom line: The Krankenstein + is a great amp for death metal.

I'll note that I do have the presence on 0.5, and I replaced the V3 12AX7 with a 12AT7. I guess you would have to own the amp to do that. I also use a MXR Distortion III as an overdrive with the Krank, as the Maxon 808 is overkill on the crunch factor. Then as Krank recommends the Main Master volume is set much higher than the channel volume, and everything else was on about 6 or 7 (I would not have been able to put the gain at 7 without the 12AT7, however - with the 12AX7 the gain would've been on 3, as it makes that much of a difference).

About VHT, I've learned a lot more about tweaking amps in recent years so sometimes I wish I still had the Pittbull. But I tried everything I knew at the time and still couldn't make it work 100%. It was ok.

Since I've sold my K Tre and a Washburn EC29 recently, I may even pick up a Revolution and see if it can replace my Marshall with my other band. I'll keep you posted.

Here's a pic of the Krank with the face off on top of my Triple Rec taken with the trusty phone camera.

I wanted to see a Krank's power tube section...so thanks. I was considering buying a Krankenstein+, and I still want one, badly.

 

[777]

Saying this because the pics youve posted are worthless

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

CLIPS

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Saying this because the pics youve posted are worthless

Well that's a little harsh, I was just breaking his balls

 

[warlock7strEMG]

I just wanted to post an update that I gigged out with the Krankenstein and had several people come up after the show and compliment my tone. My band mates who are my toughest critics were pleased as well. It never happened like that on such a scale and I've gigged with everything from the Triple Rec to the Pittbull to the K Tre to Marshalls to Peaveys. I even heard the same type of scoffing before the set, "Krank? Hahaha." Those chumps were eating those words after the first riff over a 260 blast beat.

Bottom line: The Krankenstein + is a great amp for death metal.

I'll note that I do have the presence on 0.5, and I replaced the V3 12AX7 with a 12AT7. I guess you would have to own the amp to do that. I also use a MXR Distortion III as an overdrive with the Krank, as the Maxon 808 is overkill on the crunch factor. Then as Krank recommends the Main Master volume is set much higher than the channel volume, and everything else was on about 6 or 7 (I would not have been able to put the gain at 7 without the 12AT7, however - with the 12AX7 the gain would've been on 3, as it makes that much of a difference).

About VHT, I've learned a lot more about tweaking amps in recent years so sometimes I wish I still had the Pittbull. But I tried everything I knew at the time and still couldn't make it work 100%. It was ok.

Since I've sold my K Tre and a Washburn EC29 recently, I may even pick up a Revolution and see if it can replace my Marshall with my other band. I'll keep you posted.

Here's a pic of the Krank with the face off on top of my Triple Rec taken with the trusty phone camera.

congrats on the new amp man!!!! im glad to hear you are enjoying it

im glad to read this post because i really want a K-stein+ but wasnt sure how it would hold up live in comparison with the Rev+(which i know cuts really well live). but from what ive read and from clips/vids ive checked out it really does seem like the new transformers and 6550's gave this amp what the original kinda lacked.

i always boost whatever amp i play through so i definitely plan on boosting the K-stein+ for a more fluid feel, but im not sure with what yet. was the already strong attack that Kranks amps tend to have with the added attack from the OD808 just overkill? i can see this bein a possibility, esp with the attack that the 6550's bring. maybe a clean boost from a more neutral OD like the Digitech Bad Monkey would also work well with these amps?

and just out of curiosity, what are the other settings that u are runnin it with? your Sweep, Eq, etc.

sorry, so many questions, i know!!!! haha

 

[agriefobserved]

Kranks get a really bad rep here,

My buddy has got a Rev1+ and let me tell you what, I was suprised when we jammed. It sounded killer with my VHT Pittbull and when you run em together in stereo its absolutley awsome.