#tube bass amp

[deebeeus]

I can't get enough of my buddy @tomgibson3783's '68 Paisley build. The finish by @greatlakescustomcolour is just spectacular.

Oh and the 1968 #Traynor#BassMate in original and super clean condition is awesome too.

[guitarbomb]

Jimmy Page Super Dragon half-stack guitar amplifier

After a three-year break, Jimmy Page is reigniting the Sundragon brand with a new exclusive product: the Super Dragon half-stack guitar amplifier. This latest creation follows the brand’s debut at the 2019 Winter NAMM, marking a collaboration between Page, Perry Margouleff, and Mitch Colby. Jimmy Page Super Dragon The Sundragon journey began with the Sundragon Limited, followed by the Sundragon…

[sleepanonymous]

Once again, a round of applause for Mr. Lever. You will see an obscure photo of Vessel and II if you click that link, fyi. I actually can't find Vessel, but II and George are def in it, and a friend says Vessel is too. For obvious reasons, I did not include the photo while formatting this post.

Full Production, Mixing & Mastering catered to by George Lever here at G1 .

Prelude

Working with Sleep Token is always a pleasure. I get this deep seated selfish enjoyment when we start new projects, mainly because I’m safe in the knowledge that the experience is going to be beautifully intense and incredibly rewarding.

Tracking

We started working on ‘Two’ just before winter started in 2016. Working on maturing the structure and fleshing out tones. Its no surprise that when it came to the final tracking that we changed the sonic balance almost completely (this is a running theme by the looks of things) Time restrictions led to us using programmed drums, however we took samples of the real kit to sequence so that it didn’t ‘feel’ completely robotic or lost. Guitars last time around resulted on leaning on my Kemper, however this time we used a live amp and cab for the majority, the momentum from the tubes / movement of the cab is something I’ve had to accept is difficult to recreate ITB. Its easier just to go down the most direct route. I had recently purchased a one of a kind Randall modded amp from a friend in the states. It turns out its an early prototype from when Fortin partnered up with Randall, its not a looker but its a box of pure filth. The Fortin was fed into my Mesa OS, placed an SM57 on the cap joint of the cone and off we went, pretty straight forward really! Bass is a hybrid setup between two real basses and then a 3rd lane of audio from a programmed bass. Because of the way the song’s have been written, keeping the sub lows consistent is vital to ensuring the song flows without feeling disjointed section to section / genre to genre. Vocals is where the most change happened (from a tracking perspective). Originally we had finished and finalised everything with my go-to setup. Modded Oktava > Germanium Chandler > Empirical Labs Distressor. And for the most part it worked. However halfway through the process I bought a Slate VMS. A modelling microphone. Without going into too much detail, its a microphone that can imitate more expensive vintage setups and it does it without any issue whatsoever. Obviously when testing it out and comparing, the VMS won without breaking a sweat. So back to tracking all the vocals again. (The vocalist is amazing however, the repeat performances were just as good, if not better than the original final takes) 

Gear Used

Guitars

Ibanez Prestige (7 string) – Bare Knuckle Aftermaths Fortin Modded Randall Diezel Einstein Mesa Oversized Cab Beyerdynamic m201 & 57

Vocals

Slate VMS – AKG C12 Emulation into Neve Pre

Drums

Sampled the original kit, programmed performances.

Bass

Fender Jazz Customshop Dingwall Combustion

Synths / Samples

Logic Stock Omnisphere Spitfire Albion LA Scoring Strings

Mixing

Everything with Sleep Token (from a mix perspective) is orientated around the vocal. The vocal here is god and attempting to get the mix to flow any other way would have been very strange indeed. Sleep Token were very clear and concise about the structure for the mix, Vocals, Samples, Drums then everything else equal after the fact. Very much like how pop is built actually. It turned out to be the most happily balanced mix I’ve worked on. I expected to have a harder time balancing moving between a few different genres through out the track but in all honesty, it just worked. Which in itself is testament to the quality of the song writing. We worked on a few different ‘perspectives’ for the mixes, however in all honesty. The mixes came together with very little effort and the tracking stage defined a lot of the movements that would happen later down the line.

Testimonial

“Worship” Vessel doesn’t give quotes. – ST

Mastering

I ended up going against my usual workflow for the master chain, trying out new things always lends to another perspective / approach / result. The signal chain looked something like this;

FG-Bomber Slate VMR – Neve EQ Focusrite Red 3 Slate VMR – Custom EQ UBK-1 (the density control on this is awesome!) Izotope Limiter FabFilter Limiter

Lastly…

If you haven’t already checked out Sleep Tokens first release ‘One’. You should. ‘One’ was also produced here at G1 but resulted in a darker sound overall! – G

[audio-luddite]

Talk about Vinyl

I often mention my system is built around vinyl. But have I really got into my experience with it? What it is like?

Well first lets get technical:

I would like to address the skipping, clicks, pops and noise issue. 95% of the time I do not get any of that. On some of my really old discs yes there is a bit of noise, but I do not mind it. On the rest I keep my LPs clean. By clean I mean I wipe them with special fluid and a discwasher pad usually before every play. Noise is dirt. No dirt no noise. There may be some residual tape noise down 60 dB, but it is overwhelmed by the music.

Actually on my really old records what bugs me is a poor mix or excessive compression.

Lower frequencies are sometimes but not always summed between the stereo tracks. Pick a number and mix the two sides together. At 100 Hz the wavelength is 11 feet (3.35 m). If your speakers are 11 feet apart or less you cannot tell where that sound is coming from. A drum has the higher harmonics and sounds that give you the location information. A single low frequency is unlocatable. So mixing the bass has no serious effect.

The treble of an LP depends on the LP and the way it was recorded and mastered. The equipment can respond to far over normal human hearing ranges. I have at least two Phono cartridges that respond to over 43 kHz. The old quadraphonic systems used that for 4 channel LPs.

Dynamic Range is a real limit, but a high quality LP can have 50, even 60 dB of DR. 60 dB is a factor of a million. That is a lot. CDs have more in 96 dB, streams can have more as well. It is a very rare CD or stream that uses very much of it. Current music is usually very compressed. What that means is most of the DR is not used and the signal is kept loud. Classical and Jazz LPs often have excellent DR. I have a direct to disc album that has DR at the LP limit and it is amazing. I have that nutty KODO CD that uses all the the available CD dynamic range but it actually demonstrates you don't need that much.

Audiophile LPs are usually chosen for good DR as well as the other qualities.

OK so that is out of the way.

When I want to play an Album it is usually because I want to have a quiet listen to music. I mean I want to be quiet, the music may get turned up. It takes an hour for my ARC tube amp to warm up and get happy. I may warm it up with a CD or a stream, but then I pull out an LP.

I may have an old tune in my head. I may want to just have another listen to a symphony or Jazz number. I may want to immerse myself in the full width and depth of audiophile nirvana. What to play? I flip through the musical milk crate and see oh here is something.

I pull out the album. I may be Sting's Soul Cages, or Boz Scaggs "Memphis", or Steely Dan's Aja. I choose. I pull it from the jacket and the slip cover and look at the label for what side is up. Do I want a particular song, or the whole thing front to back? Often I have a particular song in mind, but I will usually play the whole thing. The artist had an intention. Would you read a novel from the middle and skip around?

I put it on the player and cue it to start spinning. Always place the record on and pick it off a not moving platter. I mean, do you want to scratch it? Give the brush a spritz of fluid and wipe the record down. Cue the lead in track, set the volume and go sit in the good spot.

Listen. Somebody is sharing a dream or nightmare, or just a bit of their life. Often there are tiny little details hidden in the music to tease you. Sometimes it is just a whole world around you.

In about 20 minutes you have to get up and flip it. I do not mind. Moving is good for you. Maybe fix a drink, or freshen the one you got. There is a whole other side to go.

More often than not I think of another album while the first plays. I get in the mood for more. This usually goes on for hours. That is what it is for.

Audio Research SP 14 preamp, Russian 6N23Pi tube in the phono section.

ARC Classic 60 amplifier with a full complement of Electro-harmonix tubes.

Phase Linear 8000a II linear tracking turntable with AT 7V cartridge

Whatever album I feel like.

[hi-phi]

Digital or analog?

First off, Welcome to Hi-Phi.

In this inaugural post, I will highlight the main difference between a fully digitalized amplifier, which is the most common today, to a completely (or almost completely) analog amplifier, plus a little extra, just for you <3. Please enjoy.

PS:please bear in mind this blog is for everyone and I will be explaining as much as possible to the best of my ability. Do not expect an extremely detailed run down!

Analog:

(taken from hi-fi news, Vacuum-packed: the "Airtight" amplifier)

Analog or valved amps were the first amplifiers to be created and are the living embodiment of: Grandpa is old, but he's no slouch! These bad boys can deliver amazing sound at great volume with a lower wattage than the new kids on the block. These things are also very customizable since all the sound depends on the type of vacuum tubes you put in. You want more bass? Change the tubes for a different family. You like the tubes already in the amp, but want more power? Stay in the same family, but switch to the next step-up!

These are the sort of shenanigans that would be harder to do on a digital amp, as you can't just unplug a transistor or a thyristor without having some technical know-how. Speaking of which, one of the glaring (yet stunning) problems with valved amps is in its namesake. The tubes (or valves) are very pretty to stare at, but, they require special treatment. The tubes are made from quartz. Quartz is known for not enjoying oils being rubbed on it, and the skin on our fingies have oils on them. YOU MUST NEVER TOUCH A VACUUM TUBE WITHOUT WEARING GLOVES. If you do, you must shower the tube in surgical spirit and wait for the spirit to evaporate, if you don't, I can almost guarantee that the tube will crack within one heat cycle. Keep a set of cotton gloves with the amp, just in case. Speaking of heat, tubes get hot, and quick, which is either a downside or an upside depending on the person!

Now, let us get technical. As I mentioned above, these amps can still deliver amazing sound with lower wattage, but what does any of that mean?.

To put it simply, Wattage means Power (literally) and the more power the more volume (usually), valved amps can still get loud with low wattage, yet, they shine with lower volumes as they keep their clarity without needing volume. They also usually have a great top end (treble), usually sounding clearer and more sparkly*, while still holding good sub-bass* and bass, of course this depends on the types of tubes you use. However, there is some objectivity to this, as with a valved amp you aren't distorting the sound as much as a digital amp would. Valved amps have the ability to produce smoother peaks* due to there being less digitalization of the music, this depends on how you are playing your music however, as if you are playing off a digital source than the type of file you are using still very much matters as well as the digital to analog converter* (DAC for short) and I've also heard that Upsampling* plays a major part in it, if your DAC is equipped with it.

(*Sparkly, in the audiophile world means a great and clear and defined treble, treble is where the high notes of music live, like Cymbals, flutes, and trumpets. Please refer to fig 1, this image also explains helps to explain sub-bass.)

(*Sub-bass, is the part of the music below the bass, this is where the very low notes in music live, like kick drums, cellos and low notes in bass guitars, please refer to fig.1 to help explain.)

(*Peaks referring to the Peaks of a wave, all sound is a form of a wave, and digitalization usually leaves small distortions or also known as artefacts in the peaks of music, please refer to fig.2)

(*Digital to analog converters, simply turn the 1s and 0s into a wave, which means sound. *Upsampling, uses complicated math that I am deffo not qualified to explain to fill in the gaps of 1s and 0s meaning a larger file size, this isn't detailed as this is a blog about amps not dacs. I If you are still interested, headphonesty this website has a great about dacs)

(fig.1) (taken from: https://www.status.co/blogs/the-journal/explaining-the-audio-frequency-spectrum-bass-mids-and-treble)

(fig.2) (taken from: https://opened.cuny.edu/courseware/lesson/33/student/?section=2)

Digital/Solid state:

(taken from MV audio lab)

Digital amps are a little harder to talk about, as they are not only the most common but also harder to visualize with all their semiconductors and such. I shall still try my best to simplify and remove as much of the subjectivity as possible. Digital amps generally have a lot more “comforts” than valved amps, usually that’s because digital amps are a lot more beginner-friendly thanks to them ridding themselves from expensive tubes and bespoke design. Chances are, if you buy a basic amplifier, you are getting a black (or silver if you are feeling luxurious), if you spring the money or get a real good deal, you will get a cute little screen.

On the other hand, this design isn’t a bad thing, you can virtually fit digital amps everywhere, and you can even really compact models that the tubes simply don’t allow. The lack of tubes also means that your amplifier won’t double as a space heater, no cotton gloves for delicate quartz, and an overall more predictable sound, did I mention Bluetooth?

Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity is extremely comfortable and helps to rid pesky phone Amps and dongles that will affect sound, no wires mean less clutter in a small space. However, even if you have an older digital amp or analog there are DACs that have such features and at a decent price.

Digital Amps offer more power for cheaper, these things and easily push out 80 watts or more from something that can fit in a bag and sometimes a pocket! This power, comes at the cost of the sweet sounds of the tube, and often times, if you only focus on power you loose in the treble clarity and sometimes clarity in general.

Again, always note that with Digital amps, you will get some form of distortion due to said digitalization, meaning that the peaks will be stepped rather than smooth. However, amps nowadays deal quite well with that. You will lose the customizability of the tubes, but in return, usually you will get 2 small knobs for controlling the treble and the bass.

Again, what you lose in smoothness, you will get back in power however, if valved amps are wine, then solid state is whiskey, both can suck or as smooth as hell to the taste. But like I said, it all depends on the taste, and some people will naturally prefer whiskey than wine.

Now I won't go into the different classes of amps and such, but It's important to note that digital amps do have different classes and make-ups. There are some amps to avoid, (or so I've read), mainly the "New class A" technics amps, but the "Class AB" amps should be fine, (again so I have read, I haven't heard any of these Amps.)

Now if you are a beginner, and you probably are if you are reading this, you are probably going to get a digital amp, and I will not blame you. They are everywhere and sound great, even the older Pro stuff sounds damn good today (proud owner of a Kenwood KA-6100). However, let's say you are a person that wants the treble of the analog stuff, but you're a beginner or don't want to spend too much on an amp, you are in luck, Mr. President, there has been a third option.

THE CHEATER OPTION: Hybrid amplifier

(taken from the Mcintosh website, McIntosh MA252)

There is a reason why I called this the "Cheating Option", because like the examples I mentioned above, you will simply get the downsides of both styles of amps. You will need to spend the money to get a good hybrid amp. There are some decent picks and for good money, but I recommend not picking one up for your first proper amp. However, they are a great bridge between the 2 styles of amps, IF you can find a good one for decent money.

I will not talk about them here because I find them so fascinating that I want to talk about them alone in detail another time! However, there is this great blog I found on the matter that sums up the reason on why I wrote about them like I did: https://www.tubecad.com/april_may2001/

The end note:

Thank you so much for reading this decently sized blog, as you will notice I spent a lot of time talking about analog amps, that's because they are rarer and so there isn't an excellent starting point for people who know nothing about Hi-fi (I'm coping here). After all, i never even mentioned squeeze and push-pull set-ups (not to mention, I want to talk about in detail the make-ups of digital amps soon). Again, thank you so much, and I will see all of you wonderful tumblr people soon ;3 love you all, keep on rockin! <3

[ilovecupcakesandtea]

Chapter one Chapter four My master list

Title: Chapter three

Word Count: 1397

Archive Warnings: Smut in future chapters. Slight angst. Alcohol misuse.

Rating: E

Pairing(s): Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham

Character(s): Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Chrissy Cunningham, Benny, Uncle Wayne & The Party

Tags: Smut. Angst. Steddie. Buckingham. Steve Harrington. Eddie Munson. Robin Buckley. Chrissy Cunningham. Band AU. TW Alcohol use.

Summary (optional): Two different styles of music, two boys that really don't like each other. What could possibly go wrong?

Beta Reader: Thank you so much to my beautiful beta readers @slippy-slip @ladydarklord & @dontwasteyourchances

Art link and credit: Art is by the wonderfully talented @pink-luna-moth (as is the banner)

Fic link and credit: Ao3 Link

AN: First off thank you to Alex for the art and being just amazing to work alongside. Thank you to Slip for dragging me back from the edge so many times over this. I really am so excited to have this out here!!

I wrote this for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang event and had a lot of fun doing so!!

Divider links: reblog and music notes

A week later saw Eddie and Chrissy in her garage moving boxes around and laying a huge blanket over a couch to make the space bigger and more comfortable. Both of them had brought their own amps and set them up too. They had even found an old mini fridge and stocked it with chocolate, cans of soda, and bottles of water ready for practice. 

"Hey bunny" Robin greeted Chrissy with a kiss as soon as she stepped into the garage later that evening, 

"Stop being so gross and put each other down." Eddie grumbled at the pair. 

"No need to be so homophobic, Munson" came the response of Steve as he also walked to the garage. 

"Yes, me, a bit of a whore in the local gay scene, homophobic, that checks out." Eddie rolled his eyes before he walked away and picked his guitar up and made sure it was in tune.

"Chrissy, where did you want me to set this up?" Steve asked Chrissy, pointing down at the big bag he had brought in with him.  

"Towards the back, kind of centre if you want, makes the most sense," Chrissy answered, pointing at a vague space towards the middle of the garage. 

“So Robin, this is the first time we’ve properly spoken since you started dating my little Chrissy, she won’t tell me so I know it’s got to be embarrassing, how did you and Chrissy get talking enough for you to end up together a few weeks later.” Eddie quizzed, noting Chrissy blushing out of the corner of his eye.

“Oh, there’s not really a lot to tell to be honest, she sat next to me on the bus, asked me what I was listening to, I said The Clash, she said she loves them, we listened together and then switched between our styles of music” Robin shrugged as Chrissy got redder and redder. 

“Fuck off did she, what a lying little bitch. Christina Cunningham, why would you tell such a lie? You hate The Clash, always have .” Eddie cackled, turning to look at Chrissy who was bright red and trying to hide behind her hair. 

“I just wanted to listen to music with the cute girl from band, ok? so sue me.” She replied, sighing, his reaction was exactly why she hadn’t told Eddie the full story when he asked weeks ago. “Can we just play something now please?”

Five minutes later and the band was ready to start playing together. Steve sat behind his drums and everyone else picked up their instruments.

"Chrissy, you want to start a beat on the bass? Steve, try not to sound like shit ok, we all know punk drums are a mess and don't hold a rhythm." Eddie said, getting himself comfortable with his guitar.

Chrissy started with a beat that Steve apparently knew the drums to, and soon enough Eddie was leaning into the mic and singing. 

"I sit around and watch the tube But nothing's on I change the channels for an hour or two Twiddle my thumbs just for a bit I'm sick of all the same old shit In a house with unlocked doors and I'm fuckin' lazy" Eddie sang as he started to play the guitar with it. 

"Bite my lip and close my eyes Take me away to paradise I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind And I smell like shit" Robin joined in the singing and playing her own guitar with him. 

The four of them played the whole song and didn't miss a beat, ending with all four of them laughing. 

Steve and Eddie caught each other's eyes and stopped laughing straight away.

"I guess for a couple punks you two can play well enough" Eddie sniffed, putting his guitar down and heading to the mini-fridge. 

"The fuck is your problem, Munson?" Steve asked defensively. 

"I just don't want us sounding just like noise, bad noise at that when we play." Eddie replied, whilst drinking his water.

"So what? All punk is just bad noise to you?" Steve questioned, standing up from his drums clearly unimpressed.

"Yeah, it is. Just bad drums, bad guitar, bad vocals. I guess it’s good that most punk songs are really short." Eddie shrugged. 

"Fuck you, punk is more than the music, more than the drums, guitar, and vocals. It's about the people, the lyrics, the message behind the songs." Steve seethed, moving towards Eddie. 

"Oh yeah, because metal isn't political at all?" Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"It's really not," Steve responded, clearly pissed off at the other brunette.

"Alright princess, sit down and let me play a few songs for you that show you that a song can be both political and actually good." Eddie rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone. 

"No, enough of this dick-measuring contest, ok. Either shut the fuck up so we can continue to play or take this tension to a bedroom, giving you 5 seconds to decide." Chrissy said loudly, pointing between the two of them.

"Chris, baby, we both know they aren't going to fuck just yet. They need to pretend to hate each other first before it happens" Robin laughed. 

Both boys stepped away from each other. Eddie drank more of his water and Steve went to grab his own, throwing one to Robin who caught it without looking.

"I'm down to play more if Munson can stop being a bitch and play something that isn't just loud guitar and screaming." Steve shrugged, sitting down behind the drums again.

"I give it 3 weeks before they're fucking" Robin giggled, earning her a death glare from Steve.

“Well that was fun,” Robin said sitting in the passenger seat of Steve’s car. “It was really nice to spend more time with Chrissy. I still haven’t asked her to be my girlfriend by the way. Do you think she’ll say yes? I’m not sure she wants that.” she continued to ramble. 

“It was something, I really hope he gets that stick out of his ass before next practice, I can't be bothered with that each time. But yes, she will say yes if you ask her out.” Steve said, sounding exasperated. 

“You just want the stick out of his ass so you can stick…”

“You can walk home if you finish that sentence,” Steve interrupted her. 

Robin laughed, buckled her belt, and sat back in her seat. Steve sighed, started the car, and drove her home. Neither of them talked about how right she was.

“Eddie, can you play nicely with Steve next time we have practice? I’d really like this band thing to work, ok? Even if it doesn't really go anywhere I want to have fun and enjoy this.” Chrissy pleaded. 

“Fine I’ll play with the punk jock so you can have fun with your girlfriend” Eddie replied dodging a half-empty bottle Chrissy threw at him before falling over dramatically. “Tell my mother I love her,” he said, throwing himself to the ground clutching his arm.

“Lord help me” Chrissy laughed.

The following week after the first practice found them all sat around in Chrissy’s garage talking about the band and the music they should play. 

“We write enough songs between us, we could just do original stuff. I will say this isn't bad, Munson” Steve commented, reading through Eddie’s finished songs and notes for other songs. 

“Approval from Harrington, just what I've always wanted” Eddie replied, rolling his eyes. 

“Eddie for fuck’s sake, that's enough. He was being nice and you were a peanut head! That wasn't nice at all.” Chrissy snapped, punching his arm lightly. 

“Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry” Eddie mumbled in the direction of Steve. 

“Shall we talk about band names?” Robin put in, trying to change the subject. 

“ My list for names so far is this,” Eddie said, turning to a page in his notebook and turning it so everyone could read.

Corroded Coffin 

Be My Coffin

Your Coffin

Six Feet Under

Corroding My Coffin

Distort Mission

“They all suck to various degrees” Chrissy replied, pushing the notebook back towards Eddie. 

The four of them sat around for another 20 minutes or so discussing band names before Robin finally suggested The Spitfires. 

“Yes, I love it,” Chrissy said excitedly. 

“Of course you love the only one Robin suggests” Steve commented, rolling his eyes, earning him a laugh from Eddie.

[thehypnone]

A question for all the people out there who may be looking to buy their first bass/guitar but don't know what to do.

What brand/make of instrument, and what kind of equipment do you think is best for beginners (or those looking to get back into playing)?

with brands id say cort, fender squire or yamaha, both for guitars and basses.

for the effects zoom pedals are cool, not only to start with but also in general. its like 1746187337 in one lmao

amps, it depends if u want big or small and how much money u have to spend hahahah

big tube amps are the best, especially old american ones (ave peavey) but there's a lot of new... "designs", small and powerful that even have bluetooth or shit. fender has cool ones

[thisworldisablackhole]

Straw Man Army Earthworks

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

FFO: ANARCHO-ART-POST WHATEVER PUNK / LISTEN

Earthworks—the third full-length from New York duo Straw Man Army—continues the band's episodic theses on societal reflection, spitting forth questions from the dilapidated void of America's own heart with an earnest expectation of response—petitioning for an echo with their most overtly political record to date. Why profits over people? Was it always this way? In the end times, will there be singing? Earthworks poses these questions with a purposeful sense of naivety in order to underline the often unsatisfying ambiguity of reply. I mean, truly, which way does a spiral spin? Straw Man Army explores these topics with a collection of epigrams; striking criticisms of our own tendency toward apathy, the systems and mechanisms that control our daily life (the scene of the crime!), our future on the very Earth we have estranged ourselves from—all emitted in short, clever phrases that are impossible to ignore. Sonically, Earthworks continues to improve upon (and increase the fidelity of) the minimalist framework established in the band's the first two records—still rooted in the tight, controlled rhythmic blasts of English anarcho-punk groups like Crass and Zounds, but with a heightened sense of melodic delicacy reminiscent of Fugazi, and speak-sung vocals that reflect New York precursors The Van Pelt and the anti-war prose of Moss Icon. Whether these similarities are intentional or by fluke of my own associations, songs like "Rope Burn" and "Turn The Wheel" only further these suspicions with their dispirited indie leanings and brooding guitar harmonies pushed only gently by the tube amp glow, meanwhile songs like "Spiral" and "Staring At The Sun" still shake at the fence of disorder with rattling snare rolls and antagonistic bass lines. It's a unique approach that I have honestly never quite heard before (not like this, and certainly not as well), and it only bolsters my faith in punk as an art form that can evolve without losing it's modus operandi as a music by the people, for the people. And while things might not turn out so well for mankind or our planet, as the band so graciously paints for us in their closing act, at least we have our songs.

"You wake up leaping through the door And fall to the next floor Under skies devoid of birds There aren’t seasons anymore"

[dustedmagazine]

Writhing Squares — Mythology (Trouble In Mind)

If one wanted to know what 1971 sounded like — not the world outside so much as the broader weltgeist, especially the male one, with Cold War anxiety and light mystical curiosity mixed with unprocessed feelings about gender roles and a frankly reasonable fear of technological calamity— all transduced into sick octave-fuzz riffs and blasted through a tube amp one could do worse than to consult the archives of the Flower Travellin’ Band. That group, in addition to being extraordinary, leaves palpable historical artifacts of some complex feelings that were powerfully musicalized as hard rock, in similar ways from Tokyo to Birmingham to Los Angeles.

Notably, the ur-sounds of hard rock remain very much with us today, sometimes ironically and other times very seriously, doing different sorts of work for different artists as well as listeners. Writhing Squares, a Philadelphia duo, are firmly in this lineage, particularly with their new album, Mythology. The ethos of 1971 is all over the record’s eight tracks, from hulking guitar ostinatos to patchworks of feedback. There are aesthetic elaborations that harken to other times and ideas, perhaps most notably the occasional seeming reference to hardcore in the vocals as well as the regular presence of the saxophone in a James Chance vein, not to mention synths and drum machines here and there. Mythology is inventively sketched. It is not doctrinally 1971. But it is spiritually kindred to that time, in a palpable way, to the Flower Travellin’ Band’s Satori for instance, not to mention Aqualung and Fragile and Master of Reality. It revels in an aesthetic that confesses some vulnerability even as it takes license to scream its emotions as loud as the singer feels like.

The album is for the most part relentless, with nearly all of the tracks anchored by chunky guitar lines that operate like fugal phrases on which saxophone or voice build over time. The exceptions are the third track, “Ferrell,” which recedes into a low-key free jazz space, adding dramatic tension. (This is, as it happens, a move specifically reminiscent of the Flower Travellin’ Band). The other exception, the sixth track (“Chromatophage”), foregrounds bass and a virtuosic messiness in the manner of Sly Stone, another anchor of 1971 and its recognizable microvibe. Aside from these two tracks, though, the album runs at more or less maximum intensity throughout. By the time of the last track, “The Damned Thing,” it is no surprise to encounter an eight-minute jam that marries synth, sax and guitar, often playing the very same riff at the same time, falling into a kind of heavy oblivion, then brought to the finale by a fluttering flute. The shameless and undeniable silliness of that instrument is perhaps the most 1971 moment of all, a baroque gesture that seems to admit a softer side even as it functions as a set-up for one final, evil guitar sortie.  

Benjamin Tausig

[bowmanstudios]

GEAR

Microphones:

Sure sm57

Sure sm58

Audix i5

Sure Beta 52

Blue Snowball

Behringer C-2 (pair)

Samson C01

Rode NT1A

Hardware:

Scarlett 18i0 audio interface

Mackie 1402-VLZ PRO 14 channel mic/line analog mixer

Guitar amps and pedals:

Helix HX STOMP

Ibanez Turbo Tube screamer

Guitars:

Fender GC140SCE Concert Acoustic-Electric

Yamaha FX335C Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric

Ovation 1311 Natural Acoustic

Fender Nashville Telecaster

Fender Squire Bullet Telecaster

Fender Squire Jazz Bass

Mitchell MU40 Soprano Natural Ukulele

Yamaha CGS 102A Classical Guitar

Keyboards:

Nektar Impact LX61+

Roland U-20

Drums and percussion:

1 big tambourine

1 small tambourine

LP Medium twist shakers

Simmons Titan 50 electronic drum set

Sound Monitoring:

JBL Professional Linear Spatial Reference 3 Series powered studio monitors (pair)

Sony Professional MDR-7506 studio headphones

Sennheiser HD 201 studio headphones

KRK Classic 5 studio monitors (pair)

Computers and visuals:

Apple MacBook Pro 13 inch

Dell flat panel monitor

DAW/software:

Logic Pro X

Pro Tools 12

GarageBand

Avid/Apple/Native Instruments/SoundToys/FabFilter/Waves plugins

Helix HX Edit

Plugins:

Digital EQ’s:

Waves V-EQ4

Fabfilter Pro-Q

Digital Reverbs:

Waves Abbey Road Chambers

Waves H-Reverb Hybrid Verb

Waves Renaissance Reverb

Waves Manny Marroquin Reverb

Relab Development LX480 Reverb

Digital Compressors:

Waves Renaissance Compressor

Waves CLA-3A Compressor/Limiter

Waves Smack Attack

Waves DeEsser

Extras:

Waves SSL G-Channel

Waves Nx Ocean Way Nashville

Waves Z-Noise

Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter

Waves Tune Real-Time

Waves Vocal Bender

Waves Torque

Waves CLA Bass

Waves Abbey Road J37 Tape

SoundToys Echoboy

VST’s:

Spectronics Keyscapes

Native Instruments Battery

Toontrack EZdrummer 3

Native Instruments Kontakt Electric Guitar

Accessories/miscellaneous/other studio features:

4 XLR cables

4 1/4 inch jack cables

Power supply cables

USB outlet strip

High speed internet and free WIFI

Pencils, pens and paper

Wireless printer available

5 mic stands

Shock mount, pop filter, and 3 windscreens

HEAROS Ultimate Softness earplugs

Mini Samsung T.V. with Roku entertainment

RIF6 electric record player with built-in speakers

Dean Markley Pro Mag humbucker pickup

Culilux 1/4” audio splitter

Rioddas external ODD&HDD disc drive

Pack of CDs for burning

Guitar pick maker with appropriate paper

3 microphone clips

Alesis sustain pedal

Radial PRO-DI passive direct box

DeltaLab digital metronome

AKAI MPD218 beat pad

GiveBest electric heater

Behringer ULTRAACOUSTIC AT109 15-WATT acoustic guitar amplifier

OWC thunderbolt USB-C dock

APC surge protector

MOONGEL damper pads

Pick holder filled with guitar picks (floppy and hard) and a set of thumb picks

2 capos and clip on tuner

KORG TM-50 combo tuner and metronome

Mackie 1402-VLZ PRO 14 channel mic/line analog mixer

NEXIGO web cam

Big Knob passive monitor controller

The Bowman Studios, Dallas, Texas

Producers: Mason Bowman

[effectsdatabase]

Weekly overview (2023, week 07): 16 new brands and 34 new pedals

16 new brands

Ando Effects

AP Boutique

Audio Surplus Effects

Boulevard Effects

Daniel Pedals

Don-Kraft Effectors

Electric Eye Audio

Fowl Sounds

Giudis Pedals

Great Eastern FX

KarDiaN

Kinotone Audio

Rare Buzz Effects

Rhodium Electronics

SoundSlice FX

Wolf Devices

34 new effects

Boomer WF-24 8-Tr Fuzz Wah

Chorus TS-3 Tube Screamer

Colorsound Micro Mix

Copilot FX Arrow Airwaves Supreme

Cranetortoise SEL-1 A/B Box with Tuner Out

David Ross Musical Instruments Winter Storm

Davoli TSR/3 Tremolo / Sustain / Reverb

Dazatronyx THD Metal Distortion & Hybrid Germanium Fuzz

Dazatronyx TSX Overdrive

Death By Audio + EarthQuaker Devices Time Shadows

Deep Space Devices Boomburst

Devi Ever : CYMRU Godzilla

Donner Beltway Looper

Donner Path Seeker - ABY Switcher

Donner Triple Looper

Dr. Scientist Dusk - Analog Filter

DSM Noisemaker Sub Atomic - X-Over CMOS Bass Drive

Durham Electronics Quatro Plex

Ear Fuzz Effects Ear Bender MkI

EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life Pedal - Octave Distortion + Booster

Electro-Harmonix 5mm Power Amp

Electro-Harmonix EHX-2020 Mini Tuner Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Mini Slap-Back Echo - Analog Delay Reissue Pedal

Electro-Harmonix MOP-D10 Isolated Power Supply

Electro-Harmonix Nano Deluxe Memory Man

Electro-Harmonix Nano Eddy - Analog Vibrato/Chorus

Electro-Harmonix Nano Intelligent Harmony Machine - Harmonizer/Pitch Shifter

Electro-Harmonix Nano J Mascis Ram's Head Big Muff PI

Electro-Harmonix Nano Mainframe Bit Crusher

Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord - Nano Overdrive

Electro-Harmonix Triple Foot Controller

Fuzzrocious + Electro-Faustus EF110G Maggotor Gated Fuzz

Hall and Collins Signature Echo

nuX (Reissue series) Analog Chorus

1 new article

Last week's top 20 videos (2023, week 06)

Overviews of the previous weeks: https://www.effectsdatabase.com/updates/weekly

from Effects Database https://bit.ly/3lPsyjq

[deebeeus]

I haven't even heard it yet but it's already my favourite amplifier! 🥰

1966 @traynor_amps#YGA1 A Signature amp. I bought it* because it's a cool old script logo #Traynor, and although I had never seen one before, I didn't realize just how rare this model is until I posted it in the Traynor Facebook group. The word "unicorn" is not bandied about lightly by those Traynor nerds, lemme tell you!** 😉

I just know it is going to be a beast. It's basically a guitar version of the more famous YBA1 bass amp, so it packs 45 watts into a single 15" speaker. It's filthy because it has been in storage since 1971, but all original right down to the two pronger. I dare not flip that power switch on because all sorts of bad things can happen when an amplifier has been sitting for years and you run full wall voltage into it all at once. My amp tech @marshalllespaulfan will be doing a complete checkup before bringing it up slowly on a VARIAC (a device that allows you to gradually increase the voltage from 0 to the full 120 volts of North American AC, rather than just hitting the amp with the full wall current straight away). I am guessing he also has some kind of light-bulb contraption that acts as a current limiter (if there is a short circuit anywhere in the amp, the bulb takes the full brunt of the uncontrolled current flow instead of the amp components being damaged). He is also going to test the original tubes to see if they are still within spec.

Can't wait until it's up and running again (and CLEAN)! 😂

*OK, technically my buddy @tomgibson3783 bought it for me, but I digress... 🤣 ** If you are interested in Traynors, and still have a Facebook account (lol) check it out "The TAO of Tone" group. Tell Nick, the admin, that your pal DeeBeeUs™ sent you. It won't get you anything special but please do it anyway! PS: TAO stands for "Traynor Amp Owners" making this the most cleverly named group on social media full stop.😂

#guitar#guitars#amp#amps#amplifiers#vintageguitars#vintageamps#traynoramp#vintagetraynor#tubeamp#tone#guitargear#guitarsdaily#guitarsofinstagram#geartalk#guitarsdaily#tryanorsofinstagram#guitarphotography#ampphotography

[gtas]

New Amp Day! 2011 Two-Rock Studio Pro 35 guitar amplifier. 35 watt combo utilizing 2 6L6 power tubes with tube driven spring reverb and push/pull boosts for treble, mids and bass. Amazing clean tones! #guitar #amplifier #guitaramplifier #guitaramp #tubeamplifier #valveamplifier #tworock #studiopro35 #tworockstudiopro35 #6l6 #6l6tubes #tworockamplification #premierbuildersguild (at Oakmont, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpZDagNtS3r/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ecotone23]

Softube Plug-in Bundles 2023 (Windows) Download

Take your music production to professional heights with the Softube Plug-in Bundles 2023 for Windows. This comprehensive collection offers a wide range of cutting-edge tools to refine, mix, and master your tracks with unparalleled precision and creativity. Whether you're a producer, sound engineer, or music enthusiast, this bundle delivers all you need to craft studio-quality audio effortlessly.

🎛️ What's Inside the Softube Plug-in Bundles?

The Softube Plug-in Bundles 2023 comes packed with 30+ meticulously crafted plug-ins designed to elevate your workflow. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll get:

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Softube Tape v2.5.9 FIXED: Add warmth and analog character to your mixes.

Softube TSAR-1 & TSAR-1R Reverb v2.5.9: Create lush, dynamic reverbs for any genre.

Softube Amp Room v2.5.9: Experience world-class amp simulations for guitar and bass tones.

Softube Harmonics Analog Saturation Processor v2.5.9: Add analog saturation with pristine detail.

Softube Drawmer 1973 v2.5.9: Multi-band compression made intuitive and powerful.

Softube Tube-Tech Bundle v2.5.9: Premium tube emulation for exquisite audio warmth.

From compressors and EQs to reverbs and saturation tools, this bundle is a goldmine for anyone aiming to achieve professional-grade soundscapes.

🌟 Key Features

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Don’t miss the chance to upgrade your audio production setup. Click the link below to download the Softube Plug-in Bundles 2023 for Windows today: Download Softube Plug-in Bundles 2023

[audio-luddite]

Back to Normal

I sat down and did a listen for 2 hours after the system warmed up. The EH tube is in the preamp. The AT7V body with the AT440 stylus is on the turntable.

It was a bit different. The problem with the right channel is gone. As I said yesterday tubes can fail slowly which lets you get used to that changing sound. I was happy with the voice of my system until it got really bad. Fool me once.....

It now sounds more solid, and more clear.

The albums I played were a broad selection. There was noticeably more clarity but not harshness in the treble. The 440 Stylus is what they call a microline which is a bit sharper than an elliptical. It can trace fine detail better than an elliptical shape and even a Shibata tip. It is supposed to find areas of the groove that are not as worn from playing. More treble is to be expected.

My early experience with the AT440MLa was it was hot sounding to the point of unpleasant. I later attributed that to the capacitance of the lines to the preamplifier. It is particularly sensitive. With correct loading it was much better. It also means the stylus is almost new.

I played the "audiophile" Supertramp "breakfast.." album. It sounded good, but I am not that familiar with it as I have played it perhaps two other times.

Next was one side of Quarter moon in a ten cent town. It is a hot recording, but not harsh. Again all is well, and I was able to get out of the looking for issues mode.

I played three sides (yes 3) of my 2x180@45 rpm of Fleetwood Mac Rumours. Fleetwood is a drummer. Mac is a Bass player. They have always been big in the bottom end. I think they were a bit bigger now than I recall. More umph in the new tube? The tinkling bells and cymbals Mr Fleetwood likes were very clear. The vocal tracks were obvious where they overdubbed the background singing. The also did many overdub tracks of guitar by Mr. Buckingham. Overall it was more clear than before. Any trace of that goofy channel was gone.

One of my favourite songs is "Songbird". Just a solo singer and her piano in a real theater. Though there is a guitar quietly mixed in to accent some stuff. It is a pretty nice recording with less of the pop-song-rock processing on the rest of the album.

In the second side of Dire Straits Album I noticed that the character of the percussion was different. The drummer was hitting the cymbals and the tick of the stick was prominent at each hit. I had not ever noticed that. So yes different and more detail.

I will geek out on more later.

In other news I got notice that my compatible power tubes are on the way. $120 bucks extra. That makes me think I should have modified the bias circuit as the parts are far less than the premium for the tubes. That violates the purity of the ARC design though. W.Z. Johnson would be appalled. Oh well this only needs be done every few years. The set in the Cl60 are very old.

My Tube dealer is "the tube store".

I really appreciate the friendly service. They have been very helpful. They are in Canada, but ship worldwide.

When all done and running all the tubes in my system will be Russian Electro Harmonix. Just like the factory wanted. It is getting cooler around here, I can use the extra heat.

[doityourshrimp]

DIY ebay tube preamp

Watched this video, decided to build a little preamp Currently have an orange or120 baxandall tonestack in there, but with the screw pin headers I can easily swap things out. I wired a A1M potentiometer master volume after the output of the preamp(knob is on the right face of the enclosure) the power jack is on the left face, connected to a jameco 12v ac power adapter. I drilled some holes in the enclosure near the tubes to help with heat dissipation. The input and output jacks are switched from a typical pedal, I originally intended for this to sit on top of my amp. The switching is just a dpdt toggle switch that shorts input to output on one end and sends them through the signal chain on the other.

In terms of issues, I haven’t really been able to push the tubes into proper clipping and they’re definitely low gain, it is originally intended as a hi fi pre so. Yknow what can you expect. Also the AC power leads to lots of noise, even with it switched to bypass, particularly if the treble control is set to max(tbh im not entirely sure why)

Controls

Gain

Treble

Bass

Output volume

Sound Clip(details under cut):

Guitar: Squier contemporary stratocaster HH, bridge humbucker, E standard

Volume max, gain 6, treble 8. Bass 9

ran into amplitube v with the amp bypassed straight into the orange ppc412 cab emulation, mic details were left as default.