Tube amp for dummies-questions

[per spellemann]

I own an ENGL Fireball 100 which I record through a Palmer PGA04 speakersim. As I am only doing recording I consider switching to an ENGL E530 preamp.

1. Will I lose the sweet "cranked tube amp"-sound by switching to a preamp, because I then will have no tube power amp to crank?

2. I also own an Ibanez TSA 15 watt tube amp with built in tube screamer; can I plug E530 into FX return on that, and that way bypass the TSA preamp, and only use the power amp?

3. Can I plug E530 into the effecktloop on TSA 15 and use the built in tube screamer to boost E530, or is preamp into preamp a bad and potensially harmful combo?

[LeftyStrat]

I own an ENGL Fireball 100 which I record through a Palmer PGA04 speakersim. As I am only doing recording I consider switching to an ENGL E530 preamp.

1. Will I lose the sweet "cranked tube amp"-sound by switching to a preamp, because I then will have no tube power amp to crank?

It depends. A lot of high gain amps these days develop all their distortion in the preamp. When recording, what do you usually set the master volume to? If it is low, you're only getting preamp distortion. Higher master brings in some power amp distortion. Never played an ENGL, but most power amps start affecting overall tone when the master is above 6.

2. I also own an Ibanez TSA 15 watt tube amp with built in tube screamer; can I plug E530 into FX return on that, and that way bypass the TSA preamp, and only use the power amp?

You can try it, it certainly isn't going to break anything. How it sounds depends on the levels the ENGL puts out and what the TSA is expecting.

3. Can I plug E530 into the effecktloop on TSA 15 and use the built in tube screamer to boost E530, or is preamp into preamp a bad and potensially harmful combo?

You're not going to harm anything, however, the level out of the TSA may be too much for the input of the ENGL, so it may distort in a way that is not pleasing.

As long as you don't plug a speaker out into an amp input, you're okay. Normally the input to an amp expects an instrument level, which is a bit lower than what the typical fx send produces (line level). If you have level controls on your fx sends, you should be able to adjust them to the level expected, however, there can be impedance matching issues.

You're not going to break anything doing any of the above, so experiment and see what works.

[per spellemann]

Thank you, that was very enlightening!

I normally dont drive my amp above 6 when recording, so I guess I wont loose any power amp distortion.

Follow up question; can I plug the FX out on an amp directly into the audio interface for direct recording (using cab IRS), if I connect the amp out to a speaker or loadbox and turn the output volume way down for silent recording?