Where does the sound of an amp come from ?

  • I'm a big fan of his work, which goes always further.

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    It's not Kemper related though. Or is it ?

  • What an amazing video. And incredible scientific too. Not much to discuss.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • Jim is such a hilarious but also innovative guy. And he helps to demystify a lot of things in the guitar players world. His video around the guitar's tone where he ends up putting the strings between two work benches is incredible. And still I want to believe that there is more influence on the guitar tone, potentially just as BayouTexan said it's in the fingers. But maybe even more. Jim tells me: No! 8o8)

  • Jim is such a hilarious but also innovative guy. And he helps to demystify a lot of things in the guitar players world. His video around the guitar's tone where he ends up putting the strings between two work benches is incredible. And still I want to believe that there is more influence on the guitar tone, potentially just as BayouTexan said it's in the fingers. But maybe even more. Jim tells me: No! 8o8)

    I proved this to myself today. I tried to create my version of Clapton's "Woman Tone" with a touch of Slash sound. The only way I could get it to sound right was to decrease the angle of my pick attack. It IS in the fingers. :P I'll post my proof in the music section for this weekend.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • That's an incredible piece of work and it really does blow many myths to bits! His videos are gold. I've definitely suffered many of the preconceptions he talks about in his videos.


    The saying "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." is great. 😀

  • Wow. Lots to unpack here.


    First, I would say that the video is really informative. The poor guy did a ton of research.


    Next, I would say that it is true that the biggest things that effect the tone are the cab/speakers and the eq ..... for basically the same reason.


    Preamp tubes absolutely make a difference. I conducted my own experiment using the SAME amp rig and simply changed the tubes out. Now, the question is did all the different tubes do is change the eq enough that I could hear it? Possibly.


    Tube distortion is very different from diode distortion. If you look at it on a scope you can see it pretty easily. Now, the question still remains .... is the primary difference in how it effects the eq at different input volumes? If not completely true, my guess is that it is partially true.


    Now, I am a performer who is also a Chief Engineer with a great deal of experience in circuits :). Still doesn't mean a hill of beans because the contention is that it is possible to get the sound by a series of stages that are all effecting the eq in different ways.


    Speakers also break up differently (which I believe is mostly what AC/DC was doing btw), but speaker and cabs are not the amp.


    Super cool discussion!

  • OneEng1 - based on the video I would suspect your preamp tube swap changed the gain in that stage and if you could make that up right after the tube the difference in sound would be almost negligible.

    I'm not an electronics expert, just a performer. 🙂

  • What a great video, love it!


    A few observations from my perspective:


    1) I'm just a performer I don't know anything about circuits

    2) Any differences I think we all knew were subtle when it comes to tube bias and even tubes. Strumming a couple of chords is not going to show that BUT I also think so much is our perception than reality - we can't always trust our ears either

    3) I'm not surprised given the amount of things that actually affect the tone that these are relatively low on the list

    4) I love these videos!

  • 2) Any differences I think we all knew were subtle when it comes to tube bias and even tubes. Strumming a couple of chords is not going to show that BUT I also think so much is our perception than reality - we can't always trust our ears either

    Finally someone mentioned this..


    Sorry folks.. imo all these videos are click bait. Funny,entertaining etc but they say absolutely NOTHING.

  • Finally someone mentioned this..


    Sorry folks.. imo all these videos are click bait. Funny,entertaining etc but they say absolutely NOTHING.

    I think the point of his videos are to let people hear differences rather than talking about them. I rate his skills and ears over most people, so waving a dismissive hand at him is a bit arrogant I think. 🙂

  • Of course playing technique, speakers, gain, EQ, etc. The point he's trying to make is that many of the things the marketers at the instrument companies have convinced us of are BS.

  • I think the point of his videos are to let people hear differences rather than talking about them. I rate his skills and ears over most people, so waving a dismissive hand at him is a bit arrogant I think. 🙂

    It is arrogant to claim that myriads of (legend) players who work for decades on their sound are all idiots.