gybe!
Active member
So, I have had this thing for about a month now so I figured it was time to do a full review. If you are not going to read anything past this, then the take home message should be that this is simply a kick ass amp!
General Features and whatnot:
If you aren`t familiar with these, this is a single channel two input (hi and low) 100watt (El-34) beast. The preamp is, to my understanding, the same as the Dorado but the power amps have been tweaked for some differaneces (kinda like Splawn Quickrod vs a Promod). Front panel reads from R to L: preamp, bass, mids, treble, loop, master, presence. I have the depth mod which adds a knob on the back to control the depth.
Sounds/functionality/etc…
First things first, this has one of the absolute best master volumes I have ever encountered. I would put it on par or better than the diezel Herbert I had previously. Also, the loop control adds some cool functionality in that when there is nothing in the loop it acts as a secondary master and will change the flavor of the tone a bit (makes it much darker if not turned all the way up…to the point you need to crank the presence to get any high end detail).
In the low input you will find a few basic sounds, depending upon the guitar in use. With the preamp low you will get some very nice clean sounds, up about half way with a strat and you can achieve some texas style bluesy raunch with a strat or some nice ac/dc crunch with humbuckers. In terms of tonality, think a slightly tweaked plexi/jmp up to the half way point in gain and then on to boosted/modded plexi territory. Plus, this thing retains clarity at all point of gain and volume.
In the high input a monster awaits…This thing will get really fucking aggressive but still remain clear at all times. There is a very healthy amount of clear bottom end and a really sweet midrange here. In terms of treble, it can be as bright or dark as you want really and still remain clear, which is nice. In terms of what this sounds like…Well, I would put it as a mix of a hotrodded plexi and a Bogner, depending upon how you dial it in. It can be dialed in to be very marshally or almost Uber like (especially with the depth mod). It can get every bit as aggressive as the Dorado clips, but has that el-34 character compared to the 6550s of the Dorado.
One cool thing that I will point out is the interactivity of the preamp control and the tone controls. As you turn the preamp up, you not only increase the gain but also the effect of the individual tone controls. It also responds exceptionally well to guitar volume and pick attack.
Out of all of the amps I have owned I would easily rank this as either #1a or #1b as it is every bit as awesome to me as my Wizard modern classic, just a different voicing.
Now for demo clips:
I wanted to demonstrate a number of different sounds with these (as well as have fun fucking around with drumkit from hell superior) but I will give a little info about each. Cabinet is always a Avatar OS 2x12 with a V30 and an H30, miced with a 57 and e609. Al clips are psuedo mastered to bring the levels up to the point where you can hear them. All drums are DKFHS except the HC drumjam. I only spent a few minutes recording a mixing each, so there are mistakes and the mixes aren`t great but they get the idea across.
In keeping Secrets of Silent Earth
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315740&q=hi
Guitars are an SG standard (490 series pickups) for the rhythm and “verse” and a Les Paul elegant (57 classics). Plugged into the Hi input, gain at about 4 or 5 out of 10. Sg is double tracked Les paul is not. Small bit of reverb and compression added to the guitar, no direct eq.
For Those About to Rock, We Salute You
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315733&q=hi
Guitars are an SG and LP, each single tracked. Plugged into the low input with the gain on about 4 or 5, master almost dimed and then fed into a hot plate set for load and reamped via a powered mixer back into the cab. Not any louder than your typical TV
Reverb is added to the guitars, nothing else. And more reverb in the intro, than anything else.
Spoonman
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315735&q=hi
Guitars are an SG and a Fender strat, strat is single tracked with the bridge and middle pickups on, Sg is double tracked. Both high input, strat with gain on about 2 out of 10 and SG on 3.5 out of 10. Bit of reverb and compression, no eq again.
Undertow
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5259479&q=hi
Guitars are all Les Paul, double tracked. Hi input, gain on about 3.5. Compression and reverb, no eq again
HC drumjam
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5209349&q=hi
A clip from an older HC drumjam (thanks to Ian, Guttermouth). Guitar is a strat with hum in the bridge, two tracks, gain at about 4 (Hi input). Reverb, no compression or EQ.
Clean clip:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315744&q=hi
This is a strat with a fair amount of reverb and more clams/mistakes/fuckups than you can shake a stick at. Strings are dead and I am playing like absolute ass today, but it still shows what the clean is like. A couple of different melodies, all single tracked, no compression or eq, but a healthy dose of reverb. I will eventually fix this, but just wanted to have something to throw up for this…
If those don`t work for you, click the link in my Sig
General Features and whatnot:
If you aren`t familiar with these, this is a single channel two input (hi and low) 100watt (El-34) beast. The preamp is, to my understanding, the same as the Dorado but the power amps have been tweaked for some differaneces (kinda like Splawn Quickrod vs a Promod). Front panel reads from R to L: preamp, bass, mids, treble, loop, master, presence. I have the depth mod which adds a knob on the back to control the depth.
Sounds/functionality/etc…
First things first, this has one of the absolute best master volumes I have ever encountered. I would put it on par or better than the diezel Herbert I had previously. Also, the loop control adds some cool functionality in that when there is nothing in the loop it acts as a secondary master and will change the flavor of the tone a bit (makes it much darker if not turned all the way up…to the point you need to crank the presence to get any high end detail).
In the low input you will find a few basic sounds, depending upon the guitar in use. With the preamp low you will get some very nice clean sounds, up about half way with a strat and you can achieve some texas style bluesy raunch with a strat or some nice ac/dc crunch with humbuckers. In terms of tonality, think a slightly tweaked plexi/jmp up to the half way point in gain and then on to boosted/modded plexi territory. Plus, this thing retains clarity at all point of gain and volume.
In the high input a monster awaits…This thing will get really fucking aggressive but still remain clear at all times. There is a very healthy amount of clear bottom end and a really sweet midrange here. In terms of treble, it can be as bright or dark as you want really and still remain clear, which is nice. In terms of what this sounds like…Well, I would put it as a mix of a hotrodded plexi and a Bogner, depending upon how you dial it in. It can be dialed in to be very marshally or almost Uber like (especially with the depth mod). It can get every bit as aggressive as the Dorado clips, but has that el-34 character compared to the 6550s of the Dorado.
One cool thing that I will point out is the interactivity of the preamp control and the tone controls. As you turn the preamp up, you not only increase the gain but also the effect of the individual tone controls. It also responds exceptionally well to guitar volume and pick attack.
Out of all of the amps I have owned I would easily rank this as either #1a or #1b as it is every bit as awesome to me as my Wizard modern classic, just a different voicing.
Now for demo clips:
I wanted to demonstrate a number of different sounds with these (as well as have fun fucking around with drumkit from hell superior) but I will give a little info about each. Cabinet is always a Avatar OS 2x12 with a V30 and an H30, miced with a 57 and e609. Al clips are psuedo mastered to bring the levels up to the point where you can hear them. All drums are DKFHS except the HC drumjam. I only spent a few minutes recording a mixing each, so there are mistakes and the mixes aren`t great but they get the idea across.
In keeping Secrets of Silent Earth
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315740&q=hi
Guitars are an SG standard (490 series pickups) for the rhythm and “verse” and a Les Paul elegant (57 classics). Plugged into the Hi input, gain at about 4 or 5 out of 10. Sg is double tracked Les paul is not. Small bit of reverb and compression added to the guitar, no direct eq.
For Those About to Rock, We Salute You
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315733&q=hi
Guitars are an SG and LP, each single tracked. Plugged into the low input with the gain on about 4 or 5, master almost dimed and then fed into a hot plate set for load and reamped via a powered mixer back into the cab. Not any louder than your typical TV
Reverb is added to the guitars, nothing else. And more reverb in the intro, than anything else.Spoonman
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315735&q=hi
Guitars are an SG and a Fender strat, strat is single tracked with the bridge and middle pickups on, Sg is double tracked. Both high input, strat with gain on about 2 out of 10 and SG on 3.5 out of 10. Bit of reverb and compression, no eq again.
Undertow
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5259479&q=hi
Guitars are all Les Paul, double tracked. Hi input, gain on about 3.5. Compression and reverb, no eq again
HC drumjam
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5209349&q=hi
A clip from an older HC drumjam (thanks to Ian, Guttermouth). Guitar is a strat with hum in the bridge, two tracks, gain at about 4 (Hi input). Reverb, no compression or EQ.
Clean clip:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5315744&q=hi
This is a strat with a fair amount of reverb and more clams/mistakes/fuckups than you can shake a stick at. Strings are dead and I am playing like absolute ass today, but it still shows what the clean is like. A couple of different melodies, all single tracked, no compression or eq, but a healthy dose of reverb. I will eventually fix this, but just wanted to have something to throw up for this…
If those don`t work for you, click the link in my Sig
but that aside, I consider them to be complimentary to each other. Both have incredible clarity and detail, and both have a Marshall derivative feel to them. That being said, they are definately not the same take. The Wizard has some definitive Hiwatt qualities to it, and there is something going on in the mids that I have never heard in any other amp except a Wizard. Its tough to point out the mid thing, but if you go and listen to all of George's clips (Greazygeo) of his MC and Metal you'll hear that defining character. If you're a Living End fan you will also hear that same common tone all over their record Roll On (especially something like Carry Me Home). George's clips and that record pretty much define the Wizard sound and are excellent representations of them. The Wizard also has a snap and brightness to it and is very immediate in terms of its response.
). Its naturally a bit darker and has a bit more sag to it. Now, thats not to say that it is loose or can`t do tight heavy stuff, it most definately can, it just has a different feel. It also has a lot of really clear bottom end to it, which I unfortunately didn`t do the best at capturing in my clips. It never gets boomy or farty but you can feel the low end as you can in say an Uber or Herbert, and that is typically missing in most plexi style amps. 