Marshall DSL100HR. Thoughts/experience?

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rsm

rsm

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Liking what I'm hearing in clips and vids, but haven't played one. Sounds like it can get Plexi, JCM 800 and JCM 900, but also doesn't sound as open as a Plexi or 800.

Thoughts, experiences, opinions,...?


Update: After much deliberation, I purchased a JVM410H; should be here tomorrow.




Also, Tim Henson doesn't use a DSL100HR. :D
 
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Green crunch mode is very close to an 800 - my DSL100H and 1977 JMP



Red channel is more hot rodded plexi vibe. Supposedly the HR is dialled in a bit better than previous versions. I like Red 1 but Red 2 is overkill on the JCM2000 and 100H versions.

 
I doubt a DSL can get the open sounding, thumpy lows, raspy highs of a Plexi. A JCM can’t really even do that.

It basically has more gain than a Plexi or JCM so will sound more compressed. Basically, what tone are you after? There’s really no one-size-fits-all.
 
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8len8 said:
I doubt a DSL can get the open sounding, thumpy lows, raspy highs of a Plexi. A JCM can’t really even do that.

It basically has more gain than a Plexi or JCM so will sound more compressed. Basically, what tone are you after? There’s really no one-size-fits-all.
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Looking for versatile Marshall tones, more Plexi to JCM 800, even JCM 900; having modern gain on tap would be a plus. I've seen a few posts comparing the DSL to Plexis and JCM 800s which sounded good / close. Wondering how good/close it can actually get
 
rsm said:
Looking for versatile Marshall tones, more Plexi to JCM 800, even JCM 900; having modern gain on tap would be a plus. I've seen a few posts comparing the DSL to Plexis and JCM 800s which sounded good / close. Wondering how good/close it can actually get
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When people compare them I think they just focus on what the distortion and mids sound like. They’re a feel and low end / high end tone that they rarely replicate.

Make sure the posters you take recommendations from have the experience to back up their reviews.

Over the decades I’ve learned one important thing - all ears are different. Some folks hear very subtle differences in tone while others just focus on (or can hear) the “big picture” part of the sound. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but try to determine which you are, and which the reviewers are.
 
I’d recommend a JCM900 SLX as it has more of a cocked high mid thing going on that is more Marshall. The newer DSLHRs are more low mid like a recto and IMHO the gain profile is also more modern and thinned out.

As someone else said if you get one upgrade all of the iron in it and it will help. But if you’re chasing marshall tone I’d go SLX.
 
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I foolishly passed up an SLX 100w for $500 a few yrs ago. They're $1200 now. But you can get the newer DSLs for $500-600 now if you really shop and bargain down on price. Upgraded trannies are a lot harder to get now, but still not cost-prohibitive and they're easy to install. Hell, I think a Hammond OT and choke from Antique Electronics would fit the bill and they're cheap. When you replace the trannies on the newer Marshalls, you really see how cheap and wimpy the stock ones are. They feel like they're made of balsa wood and styrofoam.
 
I can't even count how many craigslist deals on UK Marshall and USA Peaveys for modest to downright cheap prices I've passed-on over the years. Deals were always especially good right around here due to so few buyers in the market.

I did manage to snag three rectifiers 10-15yrs back when they had just fell out of style, plus the $ was low at the time, or the economy in general maybe.
 
rsm said:
Looking for versatile Marshall tones, more Plexi to JCM 800, even JCM 900; having modern gain on tap would be a plus. I've seen a few posts comparing the DSL to Plexis and JCM 800s which sounded good / close. Wondering how good/close it can actually get
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JVM.
 
Two amps I deeply regret selling: DSL50H and JVM205H. If I were a touring musician, those 2 would be my first choice. I love boutique as much as the next guy, but for what I play, those 2 amps get it done.
 
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Yes, I'm finding things I like in several models, making it difficult to decide. If I had the money and space, this would be easier.

The DSL100HR looks like it does everything and more that I want. My concern is I want a more open amp; JMP or JCM 800 is probably the closest to what I want, just a bit more gain up from Plexi, not as much gain as JCM 900, Jubilee, JCM 2000.

I keep going back and forth, around in circles.

My current thought is to go for a SC20 next, and see if it's all the gain / levels I need.

If I'm honest, these days I really can't use a 50W 1987x, JCM 800 2203x, JVM410,...at power amp levels I want without an attenuator. I have an Engl E651 Artist Edition 100W that I have to play louder than I should to get the power amp going. Studio Series SC20, then SV20 and maybe DSL20, in that order.

I'm sure I'll change my mind again, and again...so it goes
 
Findthetone1 said:
Two amps I deeply regret selling: DSL50H and JVM205H. If I were a touring musician, those 2 would be my first choice. I love boutique as much as the next guy, but for what I play, those 2 amps get it done.
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Agreed. Owned both probably 4 or 5 times. I'd have to give the edge to the OG DSL50. A later 2000's model with updates/bias drift addressed, good tubes, good bias, you're good to go.

The JVM is a great amp too, but more modern sounding to my ears. The old DSL's have the more traditional Marshall grind. Those older DSL's are in my top favorite amps ever.
 
napalmdeath said:
Agreed. Owned both probably 4 or 5 times. I'd have to give the edge to the OG DSL50. A later 2000's model with updates/bias drift addressed, good tubes, good bias, you're good to go.

The JVM is a great amp too, but more modern sounding to my ears. The old DSL's have the more traditional Marshall grind. Those older DSL's are in my top favorite amps ever.
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Yep. Mine was an older model. Never had a bias drift issue. I did have one of the PCB mounted selector buttons go bad but that was an easy fix.
I always felt the JVM 205 sounded a little better than the 4 channel version. Never played a 210 but I'm sure it's just more of the same.
 
I had the DSL 100HR. I could make it work but I canned it pretty quick.
The Clean was anemic-sounding, the Crunch had no gain......I also didn't like either mode of the Gain channel. I thought the 100 watt Blackstar head I head was similar.
I also recently canned a 2203X. It did ONE fu8king thing.
I miss my JVM. I liked the high gain modes on that. Had a nice stringy distortion where you can easily get harmonics off the wound strings.
 
rsm said:
Yes, I'm finding things I like in several models, making it difficult to decide. If I had the money and space, this would be easier.

The DSL100HR looks like it does everything and more that I want. My concern is I want a more open amp; JMP or JCM 800 is probably the closest to what I want, just a bit more gain up from Plexi, not as much gain as JCM 900, Jubilee, JCM 2000.

I keep going back and forth, around in circles.

My current thought is to go for a SC20 next, and see if it's all the gain / levels I need.

If I'm honest, these days I really can't use a 50W 1987x, JCM 800 2203x, JVM410,...at power amp levels I want without an attenuator. I have an Engl E651 Artist Edition 100W that I have to play louder than I should to get the power amp going. Studio Series SC20, then SV20 and maybe DSL20, in that order.

I'm sure I'll change my mind again, and again...so it goes
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I love my SC20H. It's pure Marshall in a small package. Still loud AF, but I manage with a volume pedal.
 
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I've owned several DSL's and I'd agree that the 2000 DSL50 is the best sounding. The 100HR was a bit more modern sounding IMO. Close second is the DSL20hr, with the 20 watts you can crank it to get a little more tone from the power tubes and it just sounded better for some reason. If you need the wattage, find a nice 50w head built in the early 2000's
 
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I’ve owned a slx and many different Marshall’s including DSL/TSL’s. I’d take a those amps over a slx.
 
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