angelspade
Well-known member
THE WINNERS
Channel One: I prefer the Hagen here. It's generally a more organic and less surgical clean tone for me. It comes across livelier and rounder than the VH4. I also like how this channel opens up, and even breaks up better when pushed on the Hagen. It has some "bounce" to it that is clearly absent in the VH4. The VH4's cleans are good (actually very good), and are superior to the cleans on the majority of high-gainers out there for sure. But as a matter of personal taste, I am partial to the Hagen's channel one for cleans.
Chanel Two: This is as close to a tie as there is for this head to head comparison. I love both the Hagen and VH4 on channel two. The only thing that pushes the VH4 to a narrow victory here is how convincingly it seems to duplicate the more "classic" Marshall, Hiwatt and Fender tones of the 70's and early 80's. I find that channel two on the Hagen has something a little more "modern" about it's gain structure that wants to be driven harder. Again, almost a coin toss here.
Channel Three: I'm going with the VH4 here. Why? Because it is simply amazing and nothing that I have found in my tone journey has ever fully captured it's magic. After all these years, the VH4 channel three is still THE modern hard rock rhythm sound to beat. unique is an understatement in my opinion as there is a depth and richness to this channel's mids that is difficult to describe. All of that said, the Hagen's channel three is very strong from every angle and actually can get reasonably close to the VH4 when dialed in a certain way, at the right volume.
Channel Four: Hagen wins for me on the fourth channel. I want a true dedicated "metal" rhythm channel on my versatile high gain amplifiers and the Hagen get's me there in a more convincing fashion than the VH4 on channel four. When you combine the Hagen's thickness and weight in low mids with it's glassy top end bite and sizzle you get a punchy, aggressive, cutting and surprisingly articulate high gain metal channel. The Hagen does metal rhythm as well as any amplifier I have owned, and I would suspect that with a good clean boost it would be an offensively brutal ultra-modern metal tone.
FINAL NOTES / SYNOPSIS
- Generally speaking, I find the Hagen to be far more "familiar" in terms of overall feel and voicing by comparison to the VH4. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing. If you are a hard rock / metal player that is accustomed to the tone and response of more commonly used, less boutique flavored high gain amps and don't want to stray too far from that sound, then the Diezel that you may be most comfortable with is likely to be the Hagen.
- If you are going for a "different" sound that is hard to reference in any other amp, stick with the VH4. It's still the best example of that totally unique signature Diezel tone that is impossible to duplicate. I'm not certain what that special ingredient is, but it's only present in the VH4 as far as I can tell. If you can't live without that ingredient (particularly present in channel three), then get a VH4, no substitutions please.
- I have heard the Hagen described as "loose", I don't agree. I understand that in this era of razor sharp low end and laser precision boosted high gain tones, many great amps may fall short in this regard. If that's the sound your going for, try a boost with the Hagen or consider a different amp. The Hagen is just loose enough to sound natural, organic, playful and chunky but certainly tight enough for hard rock and most metal applications, particularly if I dig in and focus on clean technique.
- If you don't favor any sizzle, or what some might call "buzz" in the top end of your high gain tones then perhaps stay clear of the Hagen and consider the VH4. While the VH4 certainly has a sharp, present and cutting top end, it doesn't have the glassy sizzle of the Hagen. On that note, I want to reiterate that the crisp sizzle of the Hagen is pleasing and musical to my ears, but others may feel differently.
- While the Hagen is not as tight or "clear" as the VH4, it is still extremely touch sensitive and responsive. One would think that the Hagen may bury subtle playing nuances and hide mistakes more so than the VH4, but this is not the case. It picks up everything in my experience. Also, it is very sensitive to pickups. Perhaps even more so than the VH4. The EMG 81 sounded very different than the EMG Hetfield and the Duncan JB sounded very different from the Gibson 500T. With most high gain amps these bridge position pickups tend to present pretty similarly. Not so with the Hagen. I am really looking forward to trying some lower output pickups at I believe the Hagen will respond favorably.
- In regards to compression, the Hagen has been described as far more "open" feeling than the VH4. While I do feel it comes across as more open than both the VH4 and Herbert, that signature Diezel compression is definitely still very present. If you are looking for a wide open feeling high gain amp in the traditional sense, there may be better choices to consider.
- One should really play around with the channel and master volume on these amps, particularly the Hagen. Raising the channel volume on the Hagen, and lowering the master brings out a very different character and I strongly prefer it over the opposite volume interaction.
- I have heard some say that the Hagen has a certain "Marshall like" quality to it. Aside from a brighter top end, there is very little that reminds me of the Marshalls that I have owned. This may change as I learn more about dialing the amp in. Also, my Hagen is loaded with 6L6 tubes, perhaps the EL34s that many use will lend itself more to that sound. In my experience, the closest thing I can get to a Marshall with a Diezel is the VH4 on channel two with the gain and mids pushed hard.
- Some feel that the Hagen is very similar in many ways to the VH4. I can certainly understand / appreciate this perspective, and you can dial them in somewhat similarly. That said, I am hearing a lot of Diezel Herbert and D-Moll DNA in the Hagen. Certain aspects of the Hagen remind me of the Herbert channel 2+ with the mid-cut engaged. On channels three and four It has that same thick, yet tight low end thump along with that crispy top end that the mid-cut feature seems to exaggerate in the Herbert. I see the Hagen more as a hybrid of the Herbert and VH4 rather than a VH4 2.0.
- As a point of tone reference on the Hagen, I would say this: If Peter were to take the Diezel (VH4 and Herbert) platform and add in some of the absolute best elements of the EVH 5150 series (aggressive top end crunch and sizzle) and the Mesa Mark Series (weighty and thick, grinding low mid tonal base), he may have come up with the Diezel Hagen. One of my favorite recorded guitar tones of all time is the Metallica's (Bob Rock produced) cover album "Garage Inc.". When I play the Hagen on Channels three and four it really reminds me of "Turn The Page", Mercyful Fate", "It's Electric" and "Astronomy". While I believe Hetfield used mostly Wizards and Mesa Marks combined here, the Hagen sure comes close to this tone to my ears. Oddly enough, this amp sounds somewhat raw and organic, yet "produced" and studio colored at the same time. The Herbert had a similar quality to it as I recall. As a point of tonal, "other amps that sound like it" reference for the VH4, I would say this: Good luck. The VHT Pitbull had some of its dryness, urgency and articulation: but fails to capture the mids in the VH4. Again really unique. And we all know the amazing recorded guitar tones are out there that feature the Diezel VH4.
- Finally, if you want a best in class, extremely versatile boutique head that excels at classic to aggressive modern hard rock tones and boasts a totally unique presentation, I would recommend the VH4. Again, (beating dead horse yet again) that channel three is to die for. If you want a absolute top shelf amp that is just as versatile in the rock / hard rock realm AND really delivers on the modernish metal front, then definitely consider the Hagen; You just have to be prepared to live without the VH4's channel three. If you want a fantastic clean coupled with the most bass heavy and brutal modern Diezel tone out there, perhaps skip both and lean on a the Herbert.
Thanks for reading this two part novel guys. I hope that those investigating and comparing the Diezel line find it informative and helpful. Happy to answer any specific questions, Cheers.
Channel One: I prefer the Hagen here. It's generally a more organic and less surgical clean tone for me. It comes across livelier and rounder than the VH4. I also like how this channel opens up, and even breaks up better when pushed on the Hagen. It has some "bounce" to it that is clearly absent in the VH4. The VH4's cleans are good (actually very good), and are superior to the cleans on the majority of high-gainers out there for sure. But as a matter of personal taste, I am partial to the Hagen's channel one for cleans.
Chanel Two: This is as close to a tie as there is for this head to head comparison. I love both the Hagen and VH4 on channel two. The only thing that pushes the VH4 to a narrow victory here is how convincingly it seems to duplicate the more "classic" Marshall, Hiwatt and Fender tones of the 70's and early 80's. I find that channel two on the Hagen has something a little more "modern" about it's gain structure that wants to be driven harder. Again, almost a coin toss here.
Channel Three: I'm going with the VH4 here. Why? Because it is simply amazing and nothing that I have found in my tone journey has ever fully captured it's magic. After all these years, the VH4 channel three is still THE modern hard rock rhythm sound to beat. unique is an understatement in my opinion as there is a depth and richness to this channel's mids that is difficult to describe. All of that said, the Hagen's channel three is very strong from every angle and actually can get reasonably close to the VH4 when dialed in a certain way, at the right volume.
Channel Four: Hagen wins for me on the fourth channel. I want a true dedicated "metal" rhythm channel on my versatile high gain amplifiers and the Hagen get's me there in a more convincing fashion than the VH4 on channel four. When you combine the Hagen's thickness and weight in low mids with it's glassy top end bite and sizzle you get a punchy, aggressive, cutting and surprisingly articulate high gain metal channel. The Hagen does metal rhythm as well as any amplifier I have owned, and I would suspect that with a good clean boost it would be an offensively brutal ultra-modern metal tone.
FINAL NOTES / SYNOPSIS
- Generally speaking, I find the Hagen to be far more "familiar" in terms of overall feel and voicing by comparison to the VH4. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing. If you are a hard rock / metal player that is accustomed to the tone and response of more commonly used, less boutique flavored high gain amps and don't want to stray too far from that sound, then the Diezel that you may be most comfortable with is likely to be the Hagen.
- If you are going for a "different" sound that is hard to reference in any other amp, stick with the VH4. It's still the best example of that totally unique signature Diezel tone that is impossible to duplicate. I'm not certain what that special ingredient is, but it's only present in the VH4 as far as I can tell. If you can't live without that ingredient (particularly present in channel three), then get a VH4, no substitutions please.
- I have heard the Hagen described as "loose", I don't agree. I understand that in this era of razor sharp low end and laser precision boosted high gain tones, many great amps may fall short in this regard. If that's the sound your going for, try a boost with the Hagen or consider a different amp. The Hagen is just loose enough to sound natural, organic, playful and chunky but certainly tight enough for hard rock and most metal applications, particularly if I dig in and focus on clean technique.
- If you don't favor any sizzle, or what some might call "buzz" in the top end of your high gain tones then perhaps stay clear of the Hagen and consider the VH4. While the VH4 certainly has a sharp, present and cutting top end, it doesn't have the glassy sizzle of the Hagen. On that note, I want to reiterate that the crisp sizzle of the Hagen is pleasing and musical to my ears, but others may feel differently.
- While the Hagen is not as tight or "clear" as the VH4, it is still extremely touch sensitive and responsive. One would think that the Hagen may bury subtle playing nuances and hide mistakes more so than the VH4, but this is not the case. It picks up everything in my experience. Also, it is very sensitive to pickups. Perhaps even more so than the VH4. The EMG 81 sounded very different than the EMG Hetfield and the Duncan JB sounded very different from the Gibson 500T. With most high gain amps these bridge position pickups tend to present pretty similarly. Not so with the Hagen. I am really looking forward to trying some lower output pickups at I believe the Hagen will respond favorably.
- In regards to compression, the Hagen has been described as far more "open" feeling than the VH4. While I do feel it comes across as more open than both the VH4 and Herbert, that signature Diezel compression is definitely still very present. If you are looking for a wide open feeling high gain amp in the traditional sense, there may be better choices to consider.
- One should really play around with the channel and master volume on these amps, particularly the Hagen. Raising the channel volume on the Hagen, and lowering the master brings out a very different character and I strongly prefer it over the opposite volume interaction.
- I have heard some say that the Hagen has a certain "Marshall like" quality to it. Aside from a brighter top end, there is very little that reminds me of the Marshalls that I have owned. This may change as I learn more about dialing the amp in. Also, my Hagen is loaded with 6L6 tubes, perhaps the EL34s that many use will lend itself more to that sound. In my experience, the closest thing I can get to a Marshall with a Diezel is the VH4 on channel two with the gain and mids pushed hard.
- Some feel that the Hagen is very similar in many ways to the VH4. I can certainly understand / appreciate this perspective, and you can dial them in somewhat similarly. That said, I am hearing a lot of Diezel Herbert and D-Moll DNA in the Hagen. Certain aspects of the Hagen remind me of the Herbert channel 2+ with the mid-cut engaged. On channels three and four It has that same thick, yet tight low end thump along with that crispy top end that the mid-cut feature seems to exaggerate in the Herbert. I see the Hagen more as a hybrid of the Herbert and VH4 rather than a VH4 2.0.
- As a point of tone reference on the Hagen, I would say this: If Peter were to take the Diezel (VH4 and Herbert) platform and add in some of the absolute best elements of the EVH 5150 series (aggressive top end crunch and sizzle) and the Mesa Mark Series (weighty and thick, grinding low mid tonal base), he may have come up with the Diezel Hagen. One of my favorite recorded guitar tones of all time is the Metallica's (Bob Rock produced) cover album "Garage Inc.". When I play the Hagen on Channels three and four it really reminds me of "Turn The Page", Mercyful Fate", "It's Electric" and "Astronomy". While I believe Hetfield used mostly Wizards and Mesa Marks combined here, the Hagen sure comes close to this tone to my ears. Oddly enough, this amp sounds somewhat raw and organic, yet "produced" and studio colored at the same time. The Herbert had a similar quality to it as I recall. As a point of tonal, "other amps that sound like it" reference for the VH4, I would say this: Good luck. The VHT Pitbull had some of its dryness, urgency and articulation: but fails to capture the mids in the VH4. Again really unique. And we all know the amazing recorded guitar tones are out there that feature the Diezel VH4.
- Finally, if you want a best in class, extremely versatile boutique head that excels at classic to aggressive modern hard rock tones and boasts a totally unique presentation, I would recommend the VH4. Again, (beating dead horse yet again) that channel three is to die for. If you want a absolute top shelf amp that is just as versatile in the rock / hard rock realm AND really delivers on the modernish metal front, then definitely consider the Hagen; You just have to be prepared to live without the VH4's channel three. If you want a fantastic clean coupled with the most bass heavy and brutal modern Diezel tone out there, perhaps skip both and lean on a the Herbert.
Thanks for reading this two part novel guys. I hope that those investigating and comparing the Diezel line find it informative and helpful. Happy to answer any specific questions, Cheers.
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