Need advice - rack mount amps -normal amps ?

[Jaden]

OK so... I need a new amp but ive been through the "usual suspects" list of amps - sometimes twice

question is, ive never tried rackmount gear, so whats the pro's and con's of going rackmount with everything ?

I have £600 - 700 to spend !

ALL advice welcome - even if its "just buy xxxxxx you bloody idiot !"

I would have £1000 but I need to satisfy my S470 GAS

[bammbamm]

It depends on what you want to do.
I personally think the best bang for the buck currently is a modded ADA MP1 paired with a good power amp like a Mesa 20, 50, 90, or 100 watter.

The benefits are you can lug your whole rig around in one case, mostly connected, just plug in your speaker cab, guitar and midi controller and off you go.
The other benefit is that you can preset your tones, and recall them with the touch of a button. Granted, there is some setup time involved, but in the grand scheme of things, it's negligible.

[Ekim]

I need some sort of guitar preamp. I'm looking at the Peavey Rockmasters and the ADAs.

If I had a lot more dough, I'd be looking at the Randall modular stuff.

[Lefty Robb]

There are so many advantages to going all rack. When I try to explain to friends and what not about my gear they kind of look cross eyed at me because all they know are your everyday amps, and here's what I tell them:

When you buy a house, you have two options, buy one that is already build or build one yourself. Building a house, like going all rack, is usually the more expensive option, but it lets you design something from the ground up to suit your tastes and needs, and not what someone else thought was good enough for them. Going all rack allows you to truly design a sound that you want. Allowing you to build every step of your sound, from preamp, to affects to amp, and everything in between, something you can't do with just a single amp head. For example you could choose a Carvin preamp (quad-X) and a VHT power amp (like a 2502), or a Mesa preamp and a Marshall power amp, you could have a solid state preamp and a tube amp, or a tube pre amp and a solid state power amp, so many different things to choose from!!. Going rack really lets you experiment with all kinds of tones never thought of before. Racks are truly a tone chasers and tweakers dream. going from regular amps to racks is like going from Duplo's to Lego Technic! This is why I love racks and can never go back to just playing on regular amps. Here are some examples of why I love them:

1: A lot of Power amps have the flexibility to try different types of tubes.(Simul-Class FTW!)
2. You can use different pre-amps without changing your power amp and vise versa.
3. They tend to sound better at lower volume.
4. Save your settings! no more trying to remember where all the knobs were set.
5. Two words: Midi Switching!
6. Cheaper to replace 1 unit then everything if something goes.

[bammbamm]

I actually didn't get a gig with a band because they didn't like the "Rack Sound"?!?!?
Some people flip when you rack mount something. Funny thing was, my tone was way better than that other guitarist, he was just using a Marshall with a bunch of pedals. Flippin moron.

[Morbid]

All of my stuff is rackmount, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.
Well, except my ability to afford more cool toys!

The only disadvantage to rackmounting everything for ME is that it's heavy, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

I've got a Mesa Boogie Mark IV, GCX Control System, Rocktron Xpression, Furman Power Conditioner and some pedals in my rack case. As a result, no matter what, I'm always wired and ready to go. Even if I relocate and go to a gig, I only have to plug in a few cables and I'm done.
All in all, it's easier, too. What can I say...I'm happy

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by bammbamm

I actually didn't get a gig with a band because they didn't like the "Rack Sound"?!?!?
Some people flip when you rack mount something. Funny thing was, my tone was way better than that other guitarist, he was just using a Marshall with a bunch of pedals. Flippin moron.

That dude must've had a huge hard on for your gear and was jealous.

[Matheau]

The advantage of a rack is that you can customize everything, and even potentially get all of your effects and other pieces as one piece of gear.

The disadvantages are weight and size are usually going to be substantially more than a head or a combo. Also the cost is usually going to end up being significantly more and there is a more limited amount of actual equipment options. Just look at how many different heads Marshall or Engl or Mesa have, then see how many pre-amps and power amps.