NAD: Bogner Snorkler 50

B

braintheory

Well-known member
Got this yesterday and am very impressed! Immediately on the first powerchord I played it reminded me of the Bogner modded JCM800 I had recently, but with more growl (such great low mid growl), richness, better balance and much better feel

It’s got this great sticky feel that is unique to it. Great for leads. Maybe the Naylor’s feel was slightly similar in stickiness, but otherwise pretty different from what I remember. It’s I think the chewiest amp I’ve had so far even compared to other Bogner’s. Bogner IME are king of chewy low mids. Of course it kills naturally at doing the dark, thick, low mid chewy thing ala Cantrell, but surprisingly can also do bright, ‘80’s stuff really well too. Like some others have said, lowering the depth knob can help a lot with that as well as the 2 toggle switches give a surprising range

It’s also one of the better amps I’ve had for playing at really quiet levels if needed. They did it right with this one and the price imo is very reasonable for both how good the quality of sound is and all the features you get. I was a little skeptical since so few recent made amps sound good and since the UU really missed the mark for me in having pretty much all the things about I don’t like in the sound of most recent high gain amps, but thankfully this Snorkler is nowhere near that. No filtered cardboard-y sound or disconnected feel to be found here at all, quite the opposite thankfully. For me this would be in my top 6 or 7 high gain amps I’ve had and I did all my necessary AB comparisons with my other amps. I think I ranked the Bogner modded JCM800 around the same area when I had it, but like this one more. It may get ranked a bit higher as I live with it more as that often happens more for me rather than honey moon phases
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SpiderWars said:
Great review! What’s the deal with the Deep switch? Does it change the response of the Depth knob or…is it more of an independent switch?
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It seems to add more low end depth as the name implies, but also tames the mids and highs. I generally prefer the more aggressive sound I get without it. It doesn’t change the response of the knob
 
thegame said:
Wow, glowing reviews of both the Snorkler and Lenz recently. You must be mellowing in your not quite middle age.
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Hahaha I was a little hesitant to make both those reviews for that reason. I hate most recent amps and actually am more picky than ever, but good is good and I love these 2. I should make reviews about new gear I don’t like too to even it out. These 2 new amps made me eat my words a little on recent amps
 
MrWoodchuck said:
How does the width of it feel with only 50 watts? When you compare it to your Hellrazor does it sound small?
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Good question. For a 50w amp it's quite loud and definitely not a small sounding amp, but it doesn't get admittedly anywhere at all near what my Hell Razor KT150 does in power or thump (my HR has a plate voltage of 680 lol), but neither do most other amps lol. It's I think more about it's rich, chewy, midrange-y sound that I can't get the same in my very powerful amps like the Hell Razor or Rev 1 Uber. That Hell Razor KT150 is in my top 4 or so

Believe it or not I actually can get my Hell Razor to sound more liquid-y and satisfying than this Snorkler for what I like in playing leads after finding some less conventional settings that really made it for me with it. The Hell Razor is another one of the few recent amps that doesn't suck lol. This thread is exposing my love for a few recent made amps
 
braintheory said:
Good question. For a 50w amp it's quite loud and definitely not a small sounding amp, but it doesn't get admittedly anywhere at all near what my Hell Razor KT150 does in power or thump (my HR has a plate voltage of 680 lol), but neither do most other amps lol. It's I think more about it's rich, chewy, midrange-y sound that I can't get the same in my very powerful amps like the Hell Razor or Rev 1 Uber. That Hell Razor KT150 is in my top 4 or so
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Yeah since I also have a HR KT150, Rev Green Uber, Ecstasy 101b I feel like I can cover the area maybe. I was debating on getting one but I may just wait for the Bogner Fish with Snorkler mod reissue coming and then run that through the big boys.
 
MrWoodchuck said:
Yeah since I also have a HR KT150, Rev Green Uber, Ecstasy 101b I feel like I can cover the area maybe. I was debating on getting one but I may just wait for the Bogner Fish with Snorkler mod reissue coming and then run that through the big boys.
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I have a Rev 1 Uber that's one of favorite amps (still is), but when AB'ed it doesn't get for me the same type of chewiness or rich midrange-y thing I love about this Snorkler nor did the 101B I had, but I like them too. I find both those amps also quite a bit darker than the Snorkler (at least how I like to dial it in). This Snorkler actually can get plenty bright if desired

I played a Fish once and wasn't too impressed, but it didn't have the Snorkler mod. I've never enjoyed honestly the feel or sound of rack preamps, even the '90's Demeter TGA-3 and '80's Langner DCP-1 I had to name a few and I have a VHT 2150 and Langner Brutus power amp (both killer). I use them now just for my heads, not rack-pre's
 
braintheory said:
I have a Rev 1 Uber that's one of favorite amps (still is), but when AB'ed it doesn't get for me the same type of chewiness or rich midrange-y thing I love about this Snorkler nor did the 101B I had, but I like them too. I find both those amps also quite a bit darker than the Snorkler (at least how I like to dial it in). This Snorkler actually can get plenty bright if desired

I played a Fish once and wasn't too impressed, but it didn't have the Snorkler mod. I've never enjoyed honestly the feel or sound of rack preamps, even the '90's Demeter TGA-3 and '80's Langner DCP-1 I had to name a few and I have a VHT 2150 and Langner Brutus power amp (both killer). I use them now just for my heads, not rack-pre's
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I don't have any rack preamps either but I am also swimming in too many amps right now so thought maybe I would consider a fish would a snorkler mod. I could see how the 50 watt will give that squishy chewy vibe.
 
MrWoodchuck said:
I don't have any rack preamps either but I am also swimming in too many amps right now so thought maybe I would consider a fish would a snorkler mod. I could see how the 50 watt will give that squishy chewy vibe.
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Yeah I think 50w seems like a good call for the type of sound and feel it has. With amps like my Hell Razor I wanted all out power and punch since that's more their forte
 
braintheory said:
Good question. For a 50w amp it's quite loud and definitely not a small sounding amp, but it doesn't get admittedly anywhere at all near what my Hell Razor KT150 does in power or thump (my HR has a plate voltage of 680 lol), but neither do most other amps lol. It's I think more about it's rich, chewy, midrange-y sound that I can't get the same in my very powerful amps like the Hell Razor or Rev 1 Uber. That Hell Razor KT150 is in my top 4 or so

Believe it or not I actually can get my Hell Razor to sound more liquid-y and satisfying than this Snorkler for what I like in playing leads after finding some less conventional settings that really made it for me with it. The Hell Razor is another one of the few recent amps that doesn't suck lol. This thread is exposing my love for a few recent made amps
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What’s the other 3 amps
 
Glad you dig the amp. I would love to get one and check it out. The clips all sound cool. If I was in a metal band I would maybe. I think my XTC is probably all I need really but this amp looks and sounds killer.
 
I think what’s cool about the Snorkler is that it is both classic and modern at the same time. You can do 80s and 90s stuff with it or more modern rock and metal. I think I said in my video that it also rides the line between rock and metal, which I love.

Great review. Killer amp. Bogner knocked it out of the park with this one.
 
hellzington said:
I think what’s cool about the Snorkler is that it is both classic and modern at the same time. You can do 80s and 90s stuff with it or more modern rock and metal. I think I said in my video that it also rides the line between rock and metal, which I love.

Great review. Killer amp. Bogner knocked it out of the park with this one.
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Yeah I’m loving it. I always try to be conservative when ranking an amp early and have a feeling I’ll have it higher later on. It’s one of the few needles in the haystack of all these other boring sounding recent made amps along with Lenz. I could tell from the growl in powerchords in your clip I was gonna like this amp when I get it

I actually don’t hear anything I interpret as modern about its sound, but totally agree ‘80’s & ‘90’s stuff is its forte and modern rock, although for most modern metal it wouldn’t be what I would generally choose. I don’t ding the amp for that, but if I had to be nit picky to critique I guess could be that and not being an amp with a huge low end, but for the styles I’d use it for can’t really complain about that. I think actually it’s also one of my favorite classic rock amps too and I have a ‘69 plexi if that says anything
 
Wow congrats! I thought these werent landing until Feb of next year or so. It's on a shortlist of stuff I want for sure, but.....bogner fish with snorkler mod reissue? that could get me
 
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