A better Ecstasy?

I think would be really hard to replace what ever mojo the XTC has going on in the blue channel. I've owned a BE dlx and it was an awesome amp and would love to own one again, but it didn't have the sauce that the XTC had going on. XTC in my opinion is one of the best sounding lead amps out there, I just haven't heard another amp be able to do the feel thing with the midrange complexity that the XTC has.
 
Killcrop said:
Anyway I have a feeling there is something I am over looking. Whatcha got?
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Well knowing your amp history, and you know bout' mine, I would say if you can track one down you should give a 3rd Power Citizen Gain CSR or moreso a Kitchen Sink a try. I'm more than a little impressed with this amp, I've got 5 gigs under my belt with it (both classic rock / metal and dance funk Americana type) .....its pretty dang versatile and ripping, big fat huge clean channel, not really plexi cleans but really good.

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Soundstorm said:
This. They are somewhat different flavors but they cover a lot of the same ground. The VH4 is more straightforward to dial in and more versatile with its additional channel. Not to mention the Diezel is just a higher quality build all around.
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I dunno man, Bogner and Diezel are equal in build quality from what I've seen. It doesn't get much better in the amp world.
 
There is no "better" ecstasy. It's Bogner's take on a couple circuits perfected to his tastes.

I will say this though...

1. Carvin Legacy is NOT a poor man's ecstasy or any sort of ecstasy PERIOD. I never understood how that hot piece of garbage got that badge of honor.

2. NO EVH amp is close to an ecstasy. It gets compared due to the 3 channel thing with matching green/blue/red color channels. The EVH is a high gain amp through and through with a much improved clean channel over his Peavey line.

3. Like others here have already recommended, get an old school or reissue vintage line Marshall and boost it with a quality OD pedal.
 
pipboy90 said:
I dunno man, Bogner and Diezel are equal in build quality from what I've seen. It doesn't get much better in the amp world.
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I'm not a super knowledgeable amp tech, so take my opinions with a grain of salt. But I am an electrician and electronics tech, and I went over my 101B with my amp tech and we were both a little bummed with the build quality for the price that you pay. This was a 2023 version. Modular boards that felt flimsy all interconnected with ribbon cables, PCB mounted pots. It just looked like the inside of a Chinese printer if I'm being honest. Looking inside the Diezel, it's pretty much the opposite of everything I just said.
 
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Surprised no one has mentioned the Bogner Goldfinger SL45. Clean channel has more character than the XTC and the gain channel is Marshall with a little bit of Bogner thrown in, I didn’t have my xtc and Goldfinger at the same time so I can’t say how close the blue channel gets to the GF but I think you could get them pretty close.
 
PurityS.L.G said:
There is no "better" ecstasy. It's Bogner's take on a couple circuits perfected to his tastes.

I will say this though...

1. Carvin Legacy is NOT a poor man's ecstasy or any sort of ecstasy PERIOD. I never understood how that hot piece of garbage got that badge of honor.

2. NO EVH amp is close to an ecstasy. It gets compared due to the 3 channel thing with matching green/blue/red color channels. The EVH is a high gain amp through and through with a much improved clean channel over his Peavey line.

3. Like others here have already recommended, get an old school or reissue vintage line Marshall and boost it with a quality OD pedal.
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Gonna have to push back on that second point man. :) These are my clips I made comparing my 5153 100w EL34 to my 101B. To my ears, an 5153 is basically slightly tighter, slightly harder 101B, more modern, with less bounce. And yes the 5153 has loads more gain on tap.

Amps were on a switcher, same cabs, same guitar line reamped through both. They're MUCH closer than even I thought they'd be. If I hadn't cut the lows in front of the XTC then the XTC would sound richer and thicker because it doesn't naturally filter as many lows as the 5153, but when you kind of even that out, the amps get real close real quick.





For what it's worth I think the 101B is the better amp in these clips for this kind of sound, but I mean come on, they're not worlds apart.
 
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The OP’s question begs another question; has Reinhold entered the designer drug market?
 
How ‘bout giving the 20 Anniversary XTC a shot?

It’s supposed to be more open/ less compressed compared to the regular XTC. Might be what your ears are looking for.
 
I would say the Red Seven Duality
That amp resembles a slightly tighter version of the 101b blue channel

 
The Goldfinger 45 SL is definitely worth a look. I have it and an earlier xtc currently. The clean on the SL is absolutely amazing. Like two rock quality. Caught me completely off guard.

The gain channel can do a much better Plexi thing than the XTC. Upper range bite in spades and the power amp break up is there too due to the 6v6 layout.

Flip over to the 70s mode and it gets close to the boosted blue channel level of gain. Not quite the same vibe but definitely a bogner. 80s mode is analagous to the Helios with diodes in if that’s your thing.

The flexibility is great too. Tailorable boosts for each channel, great reverb that’s switchable, etc. Definitely flies under the radar.
 
Jccobb2 said:
The Goldfinger 45 SL is definitely worth a look. I have it and an earlier xtc currently. The clean on the SL is absolutely amazing. Like two rock quality. Caught me completely off guard.

The gain channel can do a much better Plexi thing than the XTC. Upper range bite in spades and the power amp break up is there too due to the 6v6 layout.

Flip over to the 70s mode and it gets close to the boosted blue channel level of gain. Not quite the same vibe but definitely a bogner. 80s mode is analagous to the Helios with diodes in if that’s your thing.

The flexibility is great too. Tailorable boosts for each channel, great reverb that’s switchable, etc. Definitely flies under the radar.
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I really want to try out one of those.
 
It is an interesting question. I guess for me, the main reason I love the 101B is the blue channel AND the green channel. I guess if you are only looking t use 1 channel like the blue, then there are probably many other amps that might answer that bell. I need both channels for my gigs and I have been looking for a combo that would satisfy me but outside of the Shiva, I have been unable to find that.
 
If bogner did the blue channel with a boost in a standalone amp it’d sell like hotcakes.
 
Jccobb2 said:
If bogner did the blue channel with a boost in a standalone amp it’d sell like hotcakes.
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Try the Red seven Duality that’s basically it design , green clean
Although I think it’s better than the XTC clean
Blue vintage / modern / boost
 
IMHO nothing opens up like a 101B blue channel boosted. I’ve played a lot of amps in my life and the 101B stands out amongst them as one of the most inspiring. It tracks very tight but feels loose under the fingers and holds together well. It’s hard to beat.
 
Jccobb2 said:
If bogner did the blue channel with a boost in a standalone amp it’d sell like hotcakes.
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glpg80 said:
IMHO nothing opens up like a 101B blue channel boosted. I’ve played a lot of amps in my life and the 101B stands out amongst them as one of the most inspiring. It tracks very tight but feels loose under the fingers and holds together well. It’s hard to beat.
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Agreed. When I had my 101B, I lived on the Blue channel. A single channel amp that is just the blue with the Plexi switch would be the beez kneez.
 
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