Anybody using hi-fi stuff for steel?

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 6 Dec 2000 9:04 am

I'm really unhappy with the sound of the guitar amps I own when it comes to reproducing the full sonic spectrum of the steel. Has anyone used a high end hi-fi amp like a Macintosh with a quality preamp for steel? I have a bunch of good hi-fi gear gathering dust in my basement, and was thinking of rigging something up. Would be interested in your experiences. Thanks

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 6 Dec 2000 9:57 am

Jeremy,

This has been disussed along time ago on this forum.

Here is what happens. A high end Hi-FI stereo amplifier is ruler flat from 20~20Kz. Even with high quality preamps, they are still ruler flat across the entire "audio spectrum" (assuming the controls are in mid position).

The novice and uninformed would believe that this is great for musical instruments. NOT!

When a stringed instrument is played thru ANY amplifier that is ruler flat, NO one likes the sound. NO one! Audio engineers have known this anamoly for over 60 yrs!

The early guitar amplifiers even had built in circuitry to boost and/or cut certain portions of the response to cater to the players "listening" and oft times "sensitive" ears.

Exhaustive "listening" and other double blind tests were made by Gibson and Fender (an others) using noted musicians from around the world in their amp development and design in the early days.

It was discovered early that the audio spectrum area around 800 Hz is MOST suscetptible to this "listening" malady. That is why modern and especially PSG amps have a shift and mid freq tone controls. They are put there for this very reason.

NO HI end Hi-FI/Stereo gear has ANY of this "tweaking" of the audio response curve at ALL! Even their tone controls are NOT designed to adjust specific frequencies. Rather a large part of the audio frequencies on a continuous ascending or descending scale. This will simply NOT get it for 99% of players worldwide.

So it would be tantamount to putting ALL the equalization controls on a Peavey Nashville 400 at 12 oclock and glueing them in this position. I cannot fathom a player on earth that would be happy with the resultant sound.

But a good thought anyway Jeremy.

God bless you,

carl

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Dec 2000 10:10 am

A friend of mine named Mark Beauchamp used a high-end Kenwood system for a long time, and got a good sound. What Carl said is basically true, when using hi-fi gear for steel, you have to have a graphic equalizer! The ordinary tone controls just don't give you enough variation. But, with a graphic equalizer, you can contour the response to do the same thing that the ersatz-equalizer (shift) controls do on many amps. If you have enough power (say 120 watts), a good graphic equalizer, and good speakers, then you would be set to go. But who wants to lug all that stuff around? Hi-fi gear doesn't come with handles or wheels!

At home, it might be OK, but for playing out, get a Peavey Session 1000, or a Twin. You'll thank yourself every time you pack up!

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 10 Dec 2000 6:56 am

Well it depends on what you are using.I use a setup here at home which is pretty near a recording studio setup and monitoring system.I have a equalizer but never use it other than as a switching system for the various units I'm using.This system will blow away my two amps (500 & Fender pro) and maintain full response. But being a retired Broadcast Opr-Mgr. I have built many studios,TV,Radio,and Recording.Most of my friends like this system as I can go many ways with it (an old man and his toys).The monitor amp is a big Onkyo with descrete circuitry.Front and rear speakers are Jensen on front,Homemade Pioneer's on the rear.
Vern[This message was edited by Vernon Hester on 10 December 2000 at 06:59 AM.][This message was edited by Vernon Hester on 11 December 2000 at 12:11 AM.]

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 10 Dec 2000 12:38 pm

If you are interested in a full range highs you might check out the Bill Lawrence ICQ. It might work well with HiFi gear.

I use a VHT 2/90/2 power amp which is quite similar to the old tube macintosh amps. For a pre amp I use a Furman PQ-6 parametric EQ.

Bob

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Franklin D-10
[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 10 December 2000 at 12:42 PM.][This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 10 December 2000 at 12:45 PM.]

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 11 Dec 2000 6:06 am

Well, over the weekend I put together an SAE A502 (200 watts per side) with an Alembic Bass pre-amp and Alesis stereo digital reverb, run through a pair of Yamaha 3-way PA speakers....the sound is great, but a lot of gear to haul for a gig...guess I'll leave it in the basement!