FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Mini Z Amp

Question:
Is there a real tube amp that can be cranked to the sweet spot for direct recording (without speakers or speakers being mic'd). I know there are processors like POD or all analog preamps like Tech 21 Sansamps but is there the real deal that uses tubes?

Answer:
I pretty much agree. If you want to record your amp's sweet spot, the speakers are part of the equation, so it has to be mic'd. IMO, so are the output tubes, so preamps might give you results that you're happy with, but you're missing a large part of what tube amps are all about. Low watt amps like Fender Champs are popular for recording amps. At relatively low levels they sound great. Dr. Z's Mini-Z, mentioned in another thread looks like a killer little amp. Another option that seldom gets mentioned is isolation chambers. Which might be an ideal solution.