Please school me on the Marshall JVM 205H head

[JohnnyGtar]

Please school me on the Marshall JVM 205 H head. I've been checking out YouTube clips and I'm very impressed. What do you like and dislike about it? It destroys my Peavey Triple X, which is going up for sale along with some other gear so I can buy a used JVM 205H if I like the amp when I play it. Please give me your opinions! Thanks!

 

[2ncicu]

I loved mine but sold it a few years back as I no longer perform. Tons of good tones but could be noisy. I ran an ISP decimator pedal in the loop and eliminated that problem. Great Marshall tones in there. Great choice for old school gain through the 80-90's. Never used the super hi gain stuff though.

 

[Rick Lee]

Unscientific opinion here. I've never played one and I can't live with that many knobs. However, when I've seen local bands use them, the tone was totally awesome. I mean it was fan-effing-tastic.

 

[jtgainor]

Cool amp if you like high gain, but if you’re looking to nail the lower gain plexi and 800 tones you’ll find the jvm series is a bit compressed and not as open. I compared a buddies to my 77 2203 and I found the jvm seemd like there was a blanket over the cab compared to the 2203

 

[rsm]

My JVM410H is a great amp that can get many (4 channels x 3 modes per channel) Marshall tones. I had concerns about it not being as open, but the master volume makes it a non-issue for me. Just have to play it louder

I considered a JVM210H but even if I rarely use OD2, I'd know it wasn't there.

 

[2ncicu]

Cool amp if you like high gain, but if you’re looking to nail the lower gain plexi and 800 tones you’ll find the jvm series is a bit compressed and not as open. I compared a buddies to my 77 2203 and I found the jvm seemd like there was a blanket over the cab compared to the 2203

I agree with the compression but ran mine through a greenback loaded cab and gflex 2x12-- no blanket there.

 

[MistaGuitah]

Cool amp if you like high gain, but if you’re looking to nail the lower gain plexi and 800 tones you’ll find the jvm series is a bit compressed and not as open. I compared a buddies to my 77 2203 and I found the jvm seemd like there was a blanket over the cab compared to the 2203

I disagree. If you spend some time on the first channel, JVM nails great plexi tones. The difference is that the JVM has an inherent EQ profile that's rather unique, so it's like playing a plexi with a mild EQ pedal. The JVM410 is a master palate of tones. It has nearly twice the tonal selections than the 205 or 210. It's a masterpiece amp, and if they made an 20w EL34 version like they did with the SV20 and SC20, there's no question I'd have one.

 

[thenine]

I have a Fortin modded 210 and it is awesome. The foot switch is killer or use a midi pedal and these amps are so versatile. The green/orange/red for each channel yields slit if different tones. Dual masters. Great amp.

 

[stratjacket]

I own a JVM 205H and love it. I bought it used about 5 or 6 years ago. I am not a tweaker, I found a setting I liked and it’s been set that way for the last 5 years. Hit it with a Mythos Mjolnir (klon klone) in front it opens it up. It’s 3D sounding is the best way I can describe it. I also own a 1984 jcm800 that sounds great but does not have that same 3D sound.

To be transparent, my full chain would be EQ (frown)-OD-amp-SuhrRL-IR’s-EQ (smile)-time effects-Studio monitors.

I think the 205H is a great bargain and hangs though if you’re looking for that modded Marshall tone.

 

[braintheory]

I find the JVM’s to be some of the more inherently synthetic/artificial sounding amps. It’s like you’re hearing a recording of a good Marshall with them, but in-person and capable of a lot more gain if needed. Noisy too like others said, but solvable with a decent gate

I’d only get it you want the modern conveniences/features or want maybe a higher gain Marshall sound without a boost needed and your ears aren’t turned off by the more synthetic & compressed sound of those modes

 

[romanianreaper]

I had the same experience as jtgainor with the blanket over the speaker feel but can't remember what cab I was using at the time. I did love the tones though and would probably get another if I wasn't so into the EVH 5150-III tones. I wish the JVM had an external bias pot.

 

[jtgainor]

I agree with the compression but ran mine through a greenback loaded cab and gflex 2x12-- no blanket there.

We ran it through a 1960V with Marshall g12v. May have to give it another try with greenbacks. Just seemed to my ears that the presence bite wasn’t there like a 2203 or 1959 or hell even my Suhr SE.

 

[RaceU4her]

This thread is a perfect example why you need to just watch clips and trust your ears, half the people will describe the amp as one way and the other half basically the opposite. I’ve not played a jvm but I’ve heard plenty live sound amazing, I’m sure there’s great tones in there

 

[romanianreaper]

This thread is a perfect example why you need to just watch clips and trust your ears, half the people will describe the amp as one way and the other half basically the opposite. I’ve not played a jvm but I’ve heard plenty live sound amazing, I’m sure there’s great tones in there

I agree with you because most amps are probably good but everyone has a "tone" they dig. I never craved getting an Uberschall or some other amps but people love them.

 

[rsm]

you can only get so far with clips, vids, discussions, etc., until you try it with your gear and hear it with your ears, you won't know for sure.

Same as always.

Before I got my JVM410H, I was considering various Marshalls including the JVM; one came up for sale in great condition for a good price, with the footswitch. I figured I could always sell it and at least break even if I didn't like it.

It covers all the Marshall tones I'd ever need, even if not as good as the original model. I'm not looking for perfection or exact match, if it sounds good to me, it is good.

I also have a Marshall that gets a lot of hate, Origin 50. I can get JTM45, JTM45/100 and SLP tones that sound good to me, even compared to the Studio series that cost more than twice as much. Headfirst opened up an Origin 20 and a Studio 20 (vintage IIRC) and the guts looked very similar, with many of the same parts, just arranged a bit differently, biggest difference is where they were assembled.

 

[Yeahthat]

I find the JVM’s to be some of the more inherently synthetic/artificial sounding amps. It’s like you’re hearing a recording of a good Marshall with them, but in-person and capable of a lot more gain if needed. Noisy too like others said, but solvable with a decent gate

I’d only get it you want the modern conveniences/features or want maybe a higher gain Marshall sound without a boost needed and your ears aren’t turned off by the more synthetic & compressed sound of those modes

Totally agree about that synthetic / artificial sounding. I was planning on buying a JVM 210H one day. It sounded great to me and I was all set on buying it. Then for the hell of it, I tried a Mark V 25 and I realized the JVM sounded almost fake or like I was listening to a recording of an amp….It was so strange. But anyways I ended up leaving with the MB Mark V 25.

 

[braintheory]

Totally agree about that synthetic / artificial sounding. I was planning on buying a JVM 210H one day. It sounded great to me and I was all set on buying it. Then for the hell of it, I tried a Mark V 25 and I realized the JVM sounded almost fake or like I was listening to a recording of an amp….It was so strange. But anyways I ended up leaving with the MB Mark V 25.

Yes exactly. I remember them honestly sounding as artificial as many of the Engl’s, just a different flavor of synthetic lol. This is one of those qualities that’s harder to tell in clips and another reason why they can be deceiving and not enough info to really know. They are another classic example of being “from concentrate oj” & a good vintage Marshall being the fresh squeezed quality counterpart