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moosers
Published on 03/21/10 at 20:36
The Hughes & Kettner Tubeman II is a guitar preamplifier and 'recording station.' It is designed to be an all in one solution for recording guitarists. The Tubeman is of course as the name states driven by all tube power and consists of three separate channels. The unit has 1/4" connections of all types and isn't rack mountable.
UTILIZATION
Using the Hughes & Kettner Tubeman II isn't too hard, but it will take a little bit of practice to learn where everything is and what everything does. For setting controls, the first channel only has a knob for volume, while the second and third channels are a bit more in depth. The second channel has parameters for gain and volume and the third has those for gain, voicing, and volume. The Tubeman II also boasts a three band equalizer for all of the channels and a master volume knob. Each of the channels can be engaged with a separate foot switch. I don't think you need a manual for this one, but can't speak to it's make up since I haven't seen one myself.
SOUNDS
The overall sound of the Hughes & Kettner Tubeman II is pretty unbelievable. In addition to the basic features I discussed before, it also has amp modeling, so it really is an all in one guitar recording station. However, it can of course be used with an external amp or speaker cabinet, which is what I've mostly done with it. This will definitely work perfectly fine on its own for recording direct as well, as it has a great inherent tone that sounds full all across the board and offers up a whole lot of versatility.
OVERALL OPINION
I'm a huge fan of the gear manufactured by Hughes & Kettner, as they offer up only high quality products, and the Tubeman II is no different. While it won't be a cheap purchase, it is certainly a worthwhile one for those looking for an all in one guitar recording port. This definitely doesn't have the cheap sound that you'll get with something like the Line 6 POD, rather it offers up clarity and fullness without needing an external amplifier, and who wouldn't like that!
UTILIZATION
Using the Hughes & Kettner Tubeman II isn't too hard, but it will take a little bit of practice to learn where everything is and what everything does. For setting controls, the first channel only has a knob for volume, while the second and third channels are a bit more in depth. The second channel has parameters for gain and volume and the third has those for gain, voicing, and volume. The Tubeman II also boasts a three band equalizer for all of the channels and a master volume knob. Each of the channels can be engaged with a separate foot switch. I don't think you need a manual for this one, but can't speak to it's make up since I haven't seen one myself.
SOUNDS
The overall sound of the Hughes & Kettner Tubeman II is pretty unbelievable. In addition to the basic features I discussed before, it also has amp modeling, so it really is an all in one guitar recording station. However, it can of course be used with an external amp or speaker cabinet, which is what I've mostly done with it. This will definitely work perfectly fine on its own for recording direct as well, as it has a great inherent tone that sounds full all across the board and offers up a whole lot of versatility.
OVERALL OPINION
I'm a huge fan of the gear manufactured by Hughes & Kettner, as they offer up only high quality products, and the Tubeman II is no different. While it won't be a cheap purchase, it is certainly a worthwhile one for those looking for an all in one guitar recording port. This definitely doesn't have the cheap sound that you'll get with something like the Line 6 POD, rather it offers up clarity and fullness without needing an external amplifier, and who wouldn't like that!