Yo. Any Metroplex MKII owners up in here?

I had an early Metroplex (I guess MK1) and was disappointed. It didn’t compare to a good real vintage Marshall. The flavor itself was there, but had none of the raw, organic character or feel that makes them good. Sorta like a restrained, filtered or slightly neutered version of that sound as newer made Marshall style amps tend to be

It sounded in a way like it was trying to have that rawness, but couldn’t and like it was superimposed onto it artificially, while vintage amps just naturally happen to have that sound maybe unintentionally if that makes sense. Either way it didn’t do it for me
 
The key word is "emulation". When I hear that, I run the other way.
I had a 100 watt Super Plex. Very disappointing amp. So much bass I couldn't dial it back. When you turned the bass control "off", like you would on a Marshall, the sound disappeared. Great bass amp I guess. I couldn't move that boat anchor fast enough.
 
I have Mk2 I am not a van Halen type of player so take this for what it is. Out of 40 heads its one of my favorites. The touch dynamics, The volume pot on the guitar is useful again, Cleans up beautiful. Its just an amazing piece to me, Im using it now for some heavier stuff. FYI I use it with a wizard 4x12 redback 150's in it and it slays. Just really killer. Chunky love the chewyness in it. Its a tight chew not mush. I may buy another one. On another note funny on newer marshall Greenback cabinet It didn't do it for me.
 
CarlF said:
The key word is "emulation". When I hear that, I run the other way.
I had a 100 watt Super Plex. Very disappointing amp. So much bass I couldn't dial it back. When you turned the bass control "off", like you would on a Marshall, the sound disappeared. Great bass amp I guess. I couldn't move that boat anchor fast enough.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Emulation makes sense (just not a great emulation to me). I don’t remember my Metroplex having a big low end actually, but haven’t tried a Superplex
 
braintheory said:
Agreed. Emulation makes sense (just not a great emulation to me). I don’t remember my Metroplex having a big low end actually, but haven’t tried a Superplex
Click to expand...
Getting the Super Plex was my mistake. I should have got the Metroplex.
Super Plex was a JTM 45 take with KT66’s.
 
Owned the very first production metroplex mkI.

That amp was loud AF. It does try to impose a fake compression that real 60’s Marshall’s do naturally. I’m not a VH person either and when running an SD-1 into it I just didn’t like the sound. I found it uninspiring and off sounding at the same time. This is through greenbacks.

I’m not interested in a mark ii either but that’s on me - I didn’t like how his metroplex responded to external boosts.
 
glpg80 said:
Owned the very first production metroplex mkI.

That amp was loud AF. It does try to impose a fake compression that real 60’s Marshall’s do naturally. I’m not a VH person either and when running an SD-1 into it I just didn’t like the sound. I found it uninspiring and off sounding at the same time. This is through greenbacks.

I’m not interested in a mark ii either but that’s on me - I didn’t like how his metroplex responded to external boosts.
Click to expand...

Sort of makes sense IIRC the circuit was basically a master volume Marshall with a bunch of internal filtering / eq by inductors to try to make it sound like an old Marshall. Haven't seen anything about the internal of the MkII
 
technomancer said:
Sort of makes sense IIRC the circuit was basically a master volume Marshall with a bunch of internal filtering / eq by inductors to try to make it sound like an old Marshall. Haven't seen anything about the internal of the MkII
Click to expand...
George has posted on TGP a bit about the MKII's internals, essentially he managed to emulate the Phase Inverter. So when you turn your master volume down this emulation manages to replicate the sound of a distorted PI.
 
Hello> I am new to this forum, but thought I'd pipe in with my Metro II. Absolutely love mine, and super-thrilled with the EVH styled channel. The master is excellent. I hear nothing "emulation" about the amp, and both channels are just superb. My primary amp was a SLO, but this does everything the SLO can't. It's really everything I wanted a Marshall to be.
 
glpg80 said:
Owned the very first production metroplex mkI.

That amp was loud AF. It does try to impose a fake compression that real 60’s Marshall’s do naturally. I’m not a VH person either and when running an SD-1 into it I just didn’t like the sound. I found it uninspiring and off sounding at the same time. This is through greenbacks.

I’m not interested in a mark ii either but that’s on me - I didn’t like how his metroplex responded to external boosts.
Click to expand...
I had 3 of his champions.
I know precisely what you were getting hung up Glip.
-it’s the way George designed the input gain in the amplifier.
NO boosts for you Metallica freaks!!
No matter what you do,…even coupled with his Supa’Boost
(which does not add gain or tighteness)
No boost for you!!!
You be like.. “come on man”.
I know man!!!!
It’s like George installed a Gremlin in the pre-amp and when you go to boost the bitch,
-a long finger extends out of the input jack,
points upwards and shakes back & forth in a
No-No type manner-No boost for you Metallica swine!!
-I just wanted to get some Sad But True outta the bitch!!
 
Last edited:
glpg80 said:
Owned the very first production metroplex mkI.

That amp was loud AF. It does try to impose a fake compression that real 60’s Marshall’s do naturally. I’m not a VH person either and when running an SD-1 into it I just didn’t like the sound. I found it uninspiring and off sounding at the same time. This is through greenbacks.

I’m not interested in a mark ii either but that’s on me - I didn’t like how his metroplex responded to external boosts.
Click to expand...
I also learned that you must play like George, have similiar guitar set-up and most importantly a 4X12 with Greenbacks to find the fire in his amps.. the whole flavor of the vibe and the kerrang changes.
Once I ran either the Metroplex, the SuperPlex and the DVL-1 through a 4X12 with Greens=GOLD.
With the 4X12 Greens there’s a few settings with the DV-1 that bump that amp up significantly in terms of bad to the bone ramone.

Much , much better.
Go watch his demonstrations, he doesn’t play though entire song sections or ever lays into any palm mutes, he does the chord to riff thing.
So it’s difficult to pinpoint the feel & reaction of the amps in his demo’s.
We alll know the AC/DC feel.
Maybe the MKII is different?
 
Dino 939 said:
I also learned that you must play like George, have similiar guitar set-up and most importantly a 4X12 with Greenbacks to find the fire in his amps.. the whole flavor of the vibe and the kerrang changes.
Once I ran either the Metroplex, the SuperPlex and the DVL-1 through a 4X12 with Greens=GOLD.
With the 4X12 Greens there’s a few settings with the DV-1 that bump that amp up significantly in terms of bad to the bone ramone.

Much , much better.
Go watch his demonstrations, he doesn’t play though entire song sections or ever lays into any palm mutes, he does the chord to riff thing.
So it’s difficult to pinpoint the feel & reaction of the amps in his demo’s.
We alll know the AC/DC feel.
Maybe the MKII is different?
Click to expand...
I found you had to use the onboard boost but keep the level low like between 1.5-3 and also boost it externally with your preferred Marshall boost of choice. I used an SD-1. When you keep the onboard boost level low, it keeps the mids from being hollowed out as you turn the built in boost level up. You can further tune the EQ internally but you have to open the amp up.

When you boost it this way, it’s a fire breather. BUT it will have that vintage flavor which you either love or hate. Personally I hated the artificial compression and know how to mod it to remove it but it was at this point I knew it was better to sell it and move on.
 
The challenge for me when it comes to high gain amps and opinions is I might not like the heavy distorted tones you like. For example no screaming, no chugging. I have a MKII 50 watt and I sold 3 Friedman's after it arrived. (Smallbox, Dirty Shirley and BE100). Nothing wrong with any of those amps but I am successfully trying to have less gear and I like the MKII better than any of the others.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top