What DSP Guitar Amplifier Simulators Can Never Do
Good day for Dynastar Fans!
Today let us discuss the pink elephant in the room regarding DSP amplifiers vs classic tube amplifiers. Let us skip the warmth of tubes vs. solid state circuitry argument as well.
That is kind of old news now, because sophisticated microprocessor circuit topology nowadays is not the same as discrete solid-state circuitry trying to mimic vacuum tube amplifiers back in the day.
Okay, these units are really getting pretty good. Convenience and configuration are a big selling item. On the other hand, operation and programming are not. As they come across the Dyna-bench for repair, I get to test and evaluate all kinds of gear after they are repaired. That is part of the test process. You can see weekly ops on our Facebook page if interested, and feel free to comment and ask questions if you would like.
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And now back to the subject at hand. With the best coding and processing, it is nearly impossible to fully replicate a real tube amplifier. Why? Because even if the code is there with a powerful processor, the necessary equivalent hardware is simply non-existent. To substitute an algorithm in lieu of a vacuum tube power amplifier circuit does not seem to be the same thing though admittedly getting close.
Solid state power amplifier circuitry (which is in DSP amplifiers) does not amplify the same way vacuum tube power amplifier circuitry does. The power supplies power delivery apparatus does not exist to have the power amp ‘pound’ the loudspeaker the way it traditionally would.
The output transformer in a tube amp delivers (i.e. transforms) power quite nicely to the speaker(s). The larger the OT (like in a traditional Marshall head) the more instantaneous power is efficiently delivered.
Today’s solid-state circuitry in guitar amplifiers has difficulty doing this, and seems to be getting worse with poor electronic component selection. Back in the day, some of the old Kustom, and Acoustic branded amplifiers had a good solid state output section with very large, almost overkill power supplies. Some solid-state amps even had an output transformer as well which really helped a lot. They were strong, powerful, serviceable, and certainly deafening.
On the bench I have the luxury of having many brands of amplifiers come through and I can subjectively try out the product. Right away, I can tell there is an anemia that exists between the two types of amplifiers. You hit a power chord on perhaps a Katana, and it does not seem to have the same aggressive drive a JCM 800 has. It may be close, but it just cannot. The hardware is not there.
And finally, I have seen on the internet’s musician’s that own these DSP units after playing through them for a few years accidentally come across or try out a traditional amplifier only to discover how incredible they sound (kind of funny that they hear the hiss and think the unit is defective). After the rediscovery of course us guitarists can be very fickle, so I will not explain the rest of the story because you already know… JMTC’s here folks. Have a great day.
Take care my peeps.
