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A Black Box to Solve Everything

Tubes vs. solid state?? There's a thread out right now about this exact question (there always is), but I didn't want to take it off subject. So my question is; is there a device that could go between the preamp and amp that has variable harmonic distortion capabilities? I know there are tube buffers, but they are not really addressing the point because they use line level signals and don't have the distortion of a good 300B tube being pushed beyond its limits. My thinking is that of a black box with switches and knobs to adjust harmonic distortion to mimic different tube types. It would also have to have a bypass switch so we could readily and quickly A/B the thing. Any ideas?

koestner
stuartk
2,844 posts
 

The quest for the holy grail in guitar amps (SS amps that mimic tube amps) has been going on at least since the 70's when companies such as Gibson, Peavy and Yamaha offered such products. You can now buy a tube Fender Deluxe Reverb or its lighter, more affordable, SS counterpart. There are also numerous guitar effects pedals that aim to do the same. Kemper seems to be very popular with pro guitarists, currently. 

knotscott
929 posts
 

Tubes for guitar and tubes for hi fi have very different objectives. Audible distortion for a guitar amp is a desirable feature, not so for a hi fi amp. Two different worlds for the same technology.

Adding anything in the path of tube gear for hi fi runs the risk of masking the transparency that many hi fi tube lovers crave. It’s not uncommon to hear of SS hi fi amps that emulate the tonal balance of a tube amp (aka "tubey"), but they don’t necessarily have the same level of transparency that a good tube amp has.

Does your black box idea pertain to guitar, hi fi, or both?

 

koestner OP
670 posts
 

I was thinking strictly for hi-fi.

mglouis's avatar
mglouis
4 posts
 

I am not aware of any commercial products intended for HiFi but I know of a guitar effects pedal, Mercury IV (harmonic boost), by Spaceman Effects that has a dial for generating even order harmonics. I imagine two could be used in dual-mono, which would meet the OPs requirements. They are on reverb for around $300. Something like the Switchcraft SC600 Dual Adapter Box would enable you to convert to 1/4" TS/TRS to RCA and back.  I own this pedal and love it for guitar.  The pedal can color or be transparent depending on the settings and gear on either end of it.

dynamiclinearity
263 posts
 

It isn't as simple as adding higher tube distortion. The Carver concept of transfer function actually works though, to  signmake a solid state amp sound like a matching tube amp, which is exactlly matching the electrical output of two amps. But I suspect the reverse won't work, matching a tube amp to a solid state one. Carver did the comparison matching one of his amps to I believe a Conrad Johnson. The listening panel agreed(after 2 tries I think). And I personally spoke to Gordon Holt and he confirmed that Carver suceeded. 

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