Pedalboard amps

Axe_meister

Well my son has stolen my Headrush FRFR to go with my Helix (he is using it for his Quad Cortex).
So I've left without an amp.
Yes I have a Marshal Origin 20 Stack, but that is being used with traditional Pedals.
However I have a spare Laney 2x12 Cab, so was thinking of a Pedalboard based amp.
Would you guys recommend a clean power amp style pedal (if so which one), or an amp based
pedal. 
Only looking for something at 20W or so, nothing too small, like the EH 1W pedal but don't need 100W+ either.
And has to be fairly budget as well.

ICBM

Laney Loudpedal - 60W into 8 ohms, £189.

The one the guitarist in my band bought is an absolute revelation.

It does have many more features than you actually need, but they're all actually useful and it sounds genuinely great, including with dirt pedals. It's a little louder than a 30W valve amp, I think - it seems to have more clean headroom, anyway - not totally sure about outright overdriven volume, but it sounds like that isn't what you need.

A total home run from Laney in my opinion... I almost bought one myself, but I don't play guitar with a band now.

monquixote

If space isn't an issue then you can't beat a 20W Jet City head.

Axe_meister

Ideally as I'm using a modeller it would have to be very clean

monquixote

Axe_meister said:

Ideally as I'm using a modeller it would have to be very clean

If you go into the FX return it's straight into the power amp with no EQ not even a master volume

ICBM

Axe_meister said:

Ideally as I'm using a modeller it would have to be very clean

The clean channel on the Loudpedal can be completely clean, or you can use the FX return as an input.

It would give you a backup option in that you can use it as a complete amp too - not ideal if your sound is based around a modeller, but better than no sound...

Petepassion

I’ve just taken in px on my Hook combo a hand-wired Fargen bb Vs2 combo. I know it’s not a head, but as a pedal platform…jeez, friggin rocks man! 40w 6L6 1x12 combo.
   I tried it out for the first time tonight at the rehearsal room and as a stand alone amp it’s a bit lame, but as soon as you put pedals in front of it, it breaths fire and held its own against my Dr Z Maz 18 and my Wienbrock Gringo(both awesome Amps).
   It’s also relatively compact and a reasonable weight.

gatheredinsong

ICBM said:

Laney Loudpedal - 60W into 8 ohms, £189.

The one the guitarist in my band bought is an absolute revelation.

It does have many more features than you actually need, but they're all actually useful and it sounds genuinely great, including with dirt pedals. It's a little louder than a 30W valve amp, I think - it seems to have more clean headroom, anyway - not totally sure about outright overdriven volume, but it sounds like that isn't what you need.

A total home run from Laney in my opinion... I almost bought one myself, but I don't play guitar with a band now.

No personal experience of these, but one just popped up in the classifieds: 
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/259766/fs-complete-mini-pedal-board-incl-delay-tuner-reverb-fx-power-supply-and-laney-loudpedal-amp#latest

Axe_meister

Have just ordered the Loudpedal. Will set it up as follows. 
Guitar--> Helix --> Loop send to Loudpedal input --> Loudpedal FX send --> Helix loop return--> Helix output 1 (without Speaker sim)--> Loudpedal FX return--> Loudpedal Speaker out -->2x12.
Helix output 2 (with Speaker Sim/IR)--> Mixing desk/PA.

This way I will be able to switch the pre-amp section in and out like a stomp box, use the amp modeling in the Helix power a cab and run front of house.

Axe_meister

First impressions of the Iron heart loud pedal. Does the job I need it to (mainly as just a power amp). But boy is it sensitive to interference. Horrid little high pitched ticking noise. That went away after my wife switch stuff off in her office.
My Marshall Origin does not pick up these noises.
The problem seems mainly when interfacing with my Helix, Tried the Helix with the Marshall, no noise issues.
With the Iron heart no noise when plugged straight in, but helix out into the Return on the Laney gives me the issue (until something was switched off,)
Tried different power sockets as well.

NickB

Axe_meister said:

First impressions of the Iron heart loud pedal. Does the job I need it to (mainly as just a power amp). But boy is it sensitive to interference. Horrid little high pitched ticking noise. That went away after my wife switch stuff off in her office.
My Marshall Origin does not pick up these noises.
The problem seems mainly when interfacing with my Helix, Tried the Helix with the Marshall, no noise issues.
With the Iron heart no noise when plugged straight in, but helix out into the Return on the Laney gives me the issue (until something was switched off,)
Tried different power sockets as well.

Could be an earthing issue with the power supply? 

ICBM

NickB said:

Could be an earthing issue with the power supply? 

Yes, possible. I can’t remember if the Loudpedal power supply is earthed or not - many laptop-type supplies aren’t. The Helix may not be either, so then the whole signal path is floating.

You can check it by connecting any part of the signal path (any spare audio jack on the Loudpedal or the Helix) to an earthed unit - eg the Marshall Origin - which is plugged into the wall but switched off.

Axe_meister

The Helix has a ground lift have tried on and off.

guitargeek62

Is it just for home-use? I used an AMT tubecake TC-3w one with my Helix for a couple of years, that worked brilliantly. I’ve got mine up for sale but might well hang onto it as I’ll almost inevitably get another modeller at some point. Saying that, the FX return on my Orange BH Terror works great too, and there’s a lot of power options on there to work with (15/7/1/0.5w)

ICBM

Axe_meister said:

The Helix has a ground lift have tried on and off.

That may not directly connect the audio ground to earth - it’s designed to fix the opposite problem of a ground loop. Try actually physically connecting the signal path to something that’s definitely earthed.

digitalscream

guitargeek62 said:

Is it just for home-use? I used an AMT tubecake TC-3w one with my Helix for a couple of years, that worked brilliantly. I’ve got mine up for sale but might well hang onto it as I’ll almost inevitably get another modeller at some point. Saying that, the FX return on my Orange BH Terror works great too, and there’s a lot of power options on there to work with (15/7/1/0.5w)

I was going to suggest the AMT Tubecake - excellent little pedals, although they need their own wall wart power supply which is quite annoying.

Alternatively, I use a Blackstar HT-1 at home - not with a modeller at the moment, but it's set clean and I get all my dirt from a Bogner Ecstasy Red boosted by a Thorpy Heavy Water. Sounds absolutely stellar at sensible home volumes.

Axe_meister

So have plugged the Helix into the marshal which reduces the noise a little. Note the noise does not increase in volume as I turn the Helix volume up.

ICBM

Axe_meister said:

So have plugged the Helix into the marshal which reduces the noise a little. Note the noise does not increase in volume as I turn the Helix volume up.

Hmmm... it sounds like the only solution may be to directly ground the Laney. That might be tricky without some sort of inconvenient lash-up. That's a nuisance - the one my friend has is fine in the rehearsal room we use, but that makes me think it could be a potential problem at gigs.

Axe_meister

If I plug my other Pedalboard in or go direct I don't get the problem so I'd say the Helix seems to be the source of the issue.

TheBigDipper

Axe_meister said:

If I plug my other Pedalboard in or go direct I don't get the problem so I'd say the Helix seems to be the source of the issue.

I had problems with an M5 and an HX FX regarding a high-pitched chatter/whine/tick noise. It went away if I used the ugly oversized Line 6 power supply rather than trying to run them from the power supply that powered my other pedals. That's also the time when I found out that the GigRig Isolator has an undocumented limitation of approx 150mA  per feed. They've changed their literature now.

I don't have any Line 6 gear these days, and I use isolated CIOKS to power everything. Quiet as a mouse. No digital noise. 

Axe_meister

Can't change the power supply on the Helix as it's built in.