Re: [Harp-L] RP355/amp comparrison

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jerry Deall wrote:
<So we've all seen the comb debates, cover plate debates, amp comparison, etc...... 
<I'd like to hear a blind comparison between an RP and some good harp amps.  Same mic, same player(s) with the equipment behind a <screen.
<
<What do you say Richard, next SPAH?

I'd be glad to do a side by side comparison of the RP to a traditional harp amp or three, at SPAH or any other suitable gathering. Note that this would essentially be a test of the RP's ability to model a certain set of sounds--i.e. traditional amped blues sounds--which is of course important, but only one of the things an RP can do.  You can't duplicate the full range of sounds an RP can make without a delay, reverb, vibrato, phase shifter, pitch shifter, chorus, flanger, envelope filter, vibrato, rotary speaker, etc., etc., all of which would add well over a thousand dollars in cost, and a lot of floor space, to any "traditional" setup.  If we compare the RP (or any other decent amp modeler, such as a POD HD or Zoom G3) to a "traditional" setup in terms of price for performance, the amp modelers would slay the traditional setup instantly.  You can't buy a decent tube amp all by itself for much less than $200--which is twice the retail price of a Digitech RP155, and over six times the price of that device used in good condition--and that amp would be a 5 watt amp barely suitable for live performance in a room seating 50-80 people, minus the reverb, delay, and other FX that come with a modeler (not to mention the USB recording interface included with most modelers). 

In short, the ONLY dimension on which a traditional setup can compete with a decent amp modeler is on the basic amped tone, and it's by no means clear that the traditional setup is the clear winner on that dimension either.  So I suggest that any comparison include the respective price of the setups.  If I wanted to be cruel, I'd include weight and portability in the comparison as well, since these are also factors that a performing musician must deal with on every gig.   (It would be cruel because just about any modeler out there can be carried on board an airplane in a shoulder bag, which you couldn't do with even a 5 watt tube amp unless you disassembled it first.) 

 If I wanted to be extra cruel, I'd suggest that the comparison look at versatility as well.  In other words, if we want to do a real comparison, let's include all the stuff where a traditional setup can't compete at all--in other words, all the stuff that goes beyond Chicago blues.  Let's get the traditional setup out of its comfort zone and see what happens.  

Beyond that, my main condition for a comparison is that the RP has to be powered by something as powerful as the biggest tube amp used in the test.  Most people perceive a "louder" sound as a "better" sound--that's the logic behind the heavy compression that's used on most modern commercial recordings.  I won't participate in any comparison in which the amplifier behind the RP is underpowered compared to the competition.  (A reasonably powerful PA system will do the job.)    

By the way, I forgot to add one important name to the list I provided in response to Greg Heumann of "internationally known" players using amp modelers.  That name is Peter Ruth, who's used a Peavey Transformer 112 amp, which features extensive amp and FX modeling, in his performances and recordings for something like a decade now.   I liked Peter's sound on that amp on his ukelele recording project so much that I went out and bought one; I've since decided that I prefer the sound (and the convenience) of the RP to the Transformer.  That aside, the Transformer illustrates the price for performance argument clearly: when it was introduced, it offered power, tone, and FX at less than half the price of a comparably powered tube amp alone.  Anyone here care to argue that Peter's tone isn't good enough for prime time?

Along those lines, if anyone is interested in buying a Transformer 112 with the latest update chip from Peavey, please contact me offlist.  The amp is in showroom condition, and works perfectly in every function.  I'm selling because I don't use it, and it's a waste of a very nice amp to have it sitting in my studio.

Thanks, Richard Hunter


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