Milkman The Amp

[Kinx]

My bandmate got this yesterday and I got to test it. I was pretty skeptical at first, but it sounds AMAZING. I was really blown away by the sound and feel. It also takes fuzz pedals, boost and whatever gain pedals really well. You could probably get very similar results with combination of cheaper pedals (fender style preamp pedal + tremolo + rev + EHX .44 stombox amp for example), but this is put together so well I don't really mind paying extra. Even the speaker simulator is pretty decent (IR loader would be even better, but you can always get a Mooer Radar for that). I'm totally thinking about getting one in near future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O58148dqiww

[redchapterjubilee]

I have been thinking about one of these or the 100w version they just put out. I've moved across the country from my band. When I play with them I use one of their amps. When I am at home playing solo shows (I play atop pre-programmed drum and synth tracks) I've been using a Vox MV50AC and a 2x10 cabinet. I'd love to have something more Fender'y to use in the same capacity. I wish Fender would figure something like this out. I love the Class D amp in a pedal format.

[Maggieo]

Wow, that's nice.

But I'm not surprised- Tim's amps are all awesome.

[TheMemoryEstate]

No bad, still kind of hear the pluckiness of the SS power amp tho’

[secretroutines]

I have been wanting one of these! I’m glad to hear the cab sim is good. Based on the consistent feedback like the OP’s, I think I might be pulling the trigger soon.

[nanamour]

Likewise, I've been looking at these with a lot of curiosity. I'm in the midst of a pretty serious downsizing ahead of a big move and it would be really nice to get rid of the big amps and instead have something that can live on the board and simply be thrown over the shoulder in my pedalboard case for jaunts on the subway. The option to record and practice silently withe universally lauded cab sim, as well as headphone out are just icing on the cake.

Thanks for sharing your impressions OP!

[hexes]

almost bought one until i threw light gain pedals at it. SS amps and I don't get along, and I'm a HUGE proponent of modern class D amps for other things.

[secretroutines]

almost bought one until i threw light gain pedals at it. SS amps and I don't get along, and I'm a HUGE proponent of modern class D amps for other things.

How did it not respond well to the drives? Were they set to boost a tube amp into breakup or was the gain coming from the pedals?

[Kinx]

Thats a matter of taste IMO. I don’t do light overdrive with pedals, but it takes boost and fuzz pedals very, very well to my ears. The cranked sound of it is quite tasty as well I’m normalky using vintage Mesa/Boogie Mark I amp and I wouldn’t mind taking Milkman to the gig instead.

[Embenny]

While it isn't the right amp for me, this is the kind of innovation I'm glad to be seeing. Taking several categories of amp technology (tube drive, efficient and compact class D power, digital cab sim for recording/going direct to FOH), and putting it in a practical and convenient form factor.

[somanytoys]

Yes, it’s all going in a very good direction, and seems to be making some big strides lately. I’m still a tube guy for guitar, although I’m not averse to going digital, this is just where I am right now.

This has been a movement that’s been more successful with bass for years now. I have quite a few preamp pedals for bass, some for years now, but even tho they’re not tube, I don’t think that any of them are actually digital (I could be wrong, they could be somewhat hybrid). But they all go very nicely into a class D amp (or into a foh), and sound perfectly acceptable.

As this technology moves forward with guitar and continues to be more successful, to the point of it being hard to distinguish between the 2, I think a lot of people will be converting. Nobody’s getting any younger, and a smaller footprint & less weight appeals to most people.


As that happens, with converts and new players, I would assume that the value of tube amps will go down, in the same way that they did when ss amps made their way in in the ‘80’s, and older tube amps were dirt cheap. Some of those converts may still hold on to one or 2 tube amps for certain situations or nostalgia (especially for vintage), but some may not. So that’s a lot of people who will no longer be buying tube amps - at all.

I guess at some point, any of us that are still lugging around a tube amp of any kind will be viewed as a T-Rex.

[hexes]

This has been a movement that’s been more successful with bass for years now....

I guess at some point, any of us that are still lugging around a tube amp of any kind will be viewed as a T-Rex.

.
point 1) yes, however, despite the amp used by the bassist, i always get a pre-eq direct out to my mixing console.

point 2) at some point, perhaps. but modeling amps still don't sound good. it's been 20 years already.

[Kinx]

I like to dream of the future - an age when I wouldn't have to lug around my 35kg tube amp in a 10kg hardcase to clubs and my pedalboard wouldn't be 15kg, but 1/10th of that and fits neatly into the trunk of a convertible )

this is pretty close IMO.

However, in context of current events, I would be happy playing a show with any gear anywhere

[Embenny]

point 2) at some point, perhaps. but modeling amps still don't sound good. it's been 20 years already.

The sheer number of bands both recording and touring entirely with AxeFX beg to differ.