I’m currently using a PowerStation 100 with my Fractal plugged into the FX return. I’ve also tried the line in, but I prefer the sound slightly of the return. While it sounds good with most models, I notice amps that rely more heavily on the power amp for tone sound more congested and weird with the PS 100. I’m guessing it might be because the PS 100 is possibly coloring the sound. Would the LX2 power amp fix that issue? I was originally wanting the 2902 power amp, but I’m concerned it’ll cause the same issue I’m hearing with congested sound, or will it work better for that than the PowerStation? I’m curious about the tonal differences in those two power amps. Thank you.
Hello and welcome to the forum! The FX Return input is buffered and does have more gain when compared to the Line In input so that may be what you are liking as it interacts with the output of your Fractal. Most tube amplifiers will impart some character on the signal that they are amplifying. So it is not necessarily the PS-100 itself but rather the combination of the amp and speaker modeling in the Fractal combined with the tonal characteristics of the PS-100’s power amp along with whatever speaker cab you might be using. In essence, each component in any given guitar rig “colors” the sound to one degree or another. You just need to experiment until you find the combination of these components that creates the tone you are wanting to achieve.
Try disengaging the amp and speaker model in one of your Fractal’s patches and listen to how the preamp and effects sound with just the PS-100. Then try adding the amp and or speaker model back into the patch to see how this may cause the congestion that you are referring to. The Fractal FM9 is designed to create a completely produced guitar tone all on its own that can then be recorded or amplified into a relatively “flat” audio system live or in the studio. So when you send a completely produced guitar tone into a tube guitar amplifier and a guitar speaker cab, you are doubling up on the tube amp affectation which in some cases may sound great and in other cases not so much and may even sound kind of “congested”. You may not need a different tube amplifier but instead try some experimentation with the options that you have to see if you can dial in the tones that you prefer. Hope that helps. Cheers! Gil