The Brick Project

[crazyxtagen]

Hi everyone new to the forums, how are you, etc etc. I've been the owner of The Brick for a while. In case you're unfamiliar with the brick, it's a portable tube pre-amp that comes with Grove Tubes (specifically, a GT6205 Triode, a GT12AX7 Dual Triode, and a 12AU7 dual triode). I've been using these to clean up the digital sound to my Line 6 Flextone II (a 2 X 12" speak combo). Lately, however, I've been working on making my Line 6 sound even more metal then before (I hate the distortion it came with, but loved the FX) so I picked up some Eminence Texas heat 12" speakers and the Krank Distortus Maximus pedal. To say the least, the results have already been impressive.

However, I feel I could get more tone out of my pre-amp with different tubes, but I know nothing about tubes or which ones to replace the brick ones with. Basically, I want something that gets good metal tone with high and low ends. I've done some research but so far I can't quite figure it out. If anyone has any recommendations for good solid metal tone, let me know. Like I said, the brick holds three tubes. Which three I'm going to get is still up in the air. any help is appreciated. thanks

[Steve Conner]

I guess you're looking for that scooped out metal sound with all bass and treble and nothing in between? and the Line 6 Insane model doesn't do it for you? I doubt changing tubes will make much difference.

Line 6 combos are open backed, and the ones I've heard don't have much thump. The speakers also seem pretty bright and capable of some serious buzzsaw high end.

So maybe you should try hooking up a closed-back extension cabinet with darker-sounding speakers (I don't know what the Texas Heats you bought are like) to get more bass. Or better still replace the Line 6 amp with a JMP-1, a Marshall 9200, two 4x12" cabs and 3 roadies to carry it all