SL2 vs. EG5...again?

  • Thread starter Thread starter marvcus
  • Start date Start date
My EG5 will be going back for a trade for the E-Rect or the VX in the coming weeks. Then I may place an order for the Pete modded XTC.
 
Im using bass boost on 2 now with the EG5 and my initial thought is that I really like it alot more. Ive got it dialed in to where it sounds alot like my SL2, but a little thicker and a little more aggressive sounding. Im digging it. Ill use it at my gig next week and give it a go.

As an aside, I did not like the E-Rect when I tried it at a gig last week, but that might have been the room. That thing records like a mofo.
 
What was wrong with the E-Rect at the gig? Most people say it is more full and thick, warmer more usable gain than the EG5. I should have it by Friday to test.

So, you got the EG5 sounding thicker than the SL2??????? Interesting.
 
richedie":1hniip4e said:
What was wrong with the E-Rect at the gig? Most people say it is more full and thick, warmer more usable gain than the EG5. I should have it by Friday to test.

So, you got the EG5 sounding thicker than the SL2??????? Interesting.
Click to expand...

E-Rect was ok at the show but its a pretty stiff, snappy module. I missed the sag of the SL2 a bit. I might have the same problem with EG5, we'll see. With the bass boost on EG5 Id say its definitely thicker sounding than E-Rect. E-Rect is tight and percussive, great for chugging, but definitely doesnt have the depth of SL2 or the way I have EG5 sounding now. E-Rect has a really quick response which makes it great for recording tight rhythms though.

I hate the term usable gain. So what if EG5 has lots of gain at noon? I may never go above noon but someone might and to them, theyd consider the gain usable! Plus, the taper is great on EG5. You can have a pretty gainy, yet open high gain tone at 10 oclock and if you want to be using less gain than that, you should be using a different module. Youd have to dime the gain on SL2 channel A to get as much as EG5 channel A at 10 oclock. Some might argue that SL2 channel A doesnt have enough usable gain. Its all about what fits your application.

One thing I will say...I think for a high gain module, the EG5 hands down cleans up the best when the gain is set at even a somewhat reasonable level.

Im beginning to think that EG5 is a little like the COD in its one of the modules that require more dial in time. SL2 everything at noon rips. EG5 everything at noon is a unbalanced.
 
EWSEthan":151wvc32 said:
richedie":151wvc32 said:
What was wrong with the E-Rect at the gig? Most people say it is more full and thick, warmer more usable gain than the EG5. I should have it by Friday to test.

So, you got the EG5 sounding thicker than the SL2??????? Interesting.
Click to expand...

E-Rect was ok at the show but its a pretty stiff, snappy module. I missed the sag of the SL2 a bit. I might have the same problem with EG5, we'll see. With the bass boost on EG5 Id say its definitely thicker sounding than E-Rect. E-Rect is tight and percussive, great for chugging, but definitely doesnt have the depth of SL2 or the way I have EG5 sounding now. E-Rect has a really quick response which makes it great for recording tight rhythms though.

I hate the term usable gain. So what if EG5 has lots of gain at noon? I may never go above noon but someone might and to them, theyd consider the gain usable! Plus, the taper is great on EG5. You can have a pretty gainy, yet open high gain tone at 10 oclock and if you want to be using less gain than that, you should be using a different module. Youd have to dime the gain on SL2 channel A to get as much as EG5 channel A at 10 oclock. Some might argue that SL2 channel A doesnt have enough usable gain. Its all about what fits your application.

One thing I will say...I think for a high gain module, the EG5 hands down cleans up the best when the gain is set at even a somewhat reasonable level.

Im beginning to think that EG5 is a little like the COD in its one of the modules that require more dial in time. SL2 everything at noon rips. EG5 everything at noon is a unbalanced.
Click to expand...
Very well put Matt!My thoughts on the COD/EG5,but when dialed,they are some serious mojo!!!!
 
I made a discovery tonight. EH preamp tubes are total garbage! Ive been having a not so great relationship with my EG5 lately and couldnt figure out why. At band rehearsal a few months ago, I discovered a microphonic preamp tube. So, to get through the set, Nick gave me some EH he had lying around. I ended up leaving them in because (for some reason I now cannot explain) we thought they sounded good. Boy were were wrong.

Anyway, I was at my folks place for dinner and found some tubes I left there from when I had been living there still. So I brought them back (JJs and Ruby 12AX7As) and was playing the EG5 for awhile and still couldnt get it quite right. So I said WTF Ill try the JJs, which I did NOT like, in fact hated, in my SLO. MAN, what a difference. Night and day improvement. EG5 had improved definition, tightness, and balls. And, the EH are way too BRIGHT, which is the kiss of death in a module like EG5. Made it sound brittle and almost staticy. With the JJs, I had to bump my treble up considerably to compensate for the difference in the tubes. What a difference. I wouldnt put EH in a Crate. In fact Im going to throw them in the garbage now. So... as of now Im back on the EG5 bandwagon. SL2 now sounds like the weak one between them!

The Shuguang 12AX7B seems to be the tube for SL2 as far as Ive found, but what should I be running in EG5? If I like this much again with the JJs, I wonder what I should be using!
 
EWSEthan":2uol6gmv said:
I made a discovery tonight. EH preamp tubes are total garbage! Ive been having a not so great relationship with my EG5 lately and couldnt figure out why. At band rehearsal a few months ago, I discovered a microphonic preamp tube. So, to get through the set, Nick gave me some EH he had lying around. I ended up leaving them in because (for some reason I now cannot explain) we thought they sounded good. Boy were were wrong.

Anyway, I was at my folks place for dinner and found some tubes I left there from when I had been living there still. So I brought them back (JJs and Ruby 12AX7As) and was playing the EG5 for awhile and still couldnt get it quite right. So I said WTF Ill try the JJs, which I did NOT like, in fact hated, in my SLO. MAN, what a difference. Night and day improvement. EG5 had improved definition, tightness, and balls. And, the EH are way too BRIGHT, which is the kiss of death in a module like EG5. Made it sound brittle and almost staticy. With the JJs, I had to bump my treble up considerably to compensate for the difference in the tubes. What a difference. I wouldnt put EH in a Crate. In fact Im going to throw them in the garbage now. So... as of now Im back on the EG5 bandwagon. SL2 now sounds like the weak one between them!

The Shuguang 12AX7B seems to be the tube for SL2 as far as Ive found, but what should I be running in EG5? If I like this much again with the JJs, I wonder what I should be using!
Click to expand...
I found that the EHs were pretty brite,I'm running the sovteks and boy does it sound good!!I have some JJs ,so I'll check them out.
 
EWSEthan":ympslu2f said:
I made a discovery tonight. EH preamp tubes are total garbage! Ive been having a not so great relationship with my EG5 lately and couldnt figure out why. At band rehearsal a few months ago, I discovered a microphonic preamp tube. So, to get through the set, Nick gave me some EH he had lying around. I ended up leaving them in because (for some reason I now cannot explain) we thought they sounded good. Boy were were wrong.

Anyway, I was at my folks place for dinner and found some tubes I left there from when I had been living there still. So I brought them back (JJs and Ruby 12AX7As) and was playing the EG5 for awhile and still couldnt get it quite right. So I said WTF Ill try the JJs, which I did NOT like, in fact hated, in my SLO. MAN, what a difference. Night and day improvement. EG5 had improved definition, tightness, and balls. And, the EH are way too BRIGHT, which is the kiss of death in a module like EG5. Made it sound brittle and almost staticy. With the JJs, I had to bump my treble up considerably to compensate for the difference in the tubes. What a difference. I wouldnt put EH in a Crate. In fact Im going to throw them in the garbage now. So... as of now Im back on the EG5 bandwagon. SL2 now sounds like the weak one between them!

The Shuguang 12AX7B seems to be the tube for SL2 as far as Ive found, but what should I be running in EG5? If I like this much again with the JJs, I wonder what I should be using!
Click to expand...

I am using a Ruby 12ax7a in V1 and a Chinese 12ax7a in V2, and I love it!

Eric
 
So I finally got another chance to crank the M4 and played extensively on the SL module. I am going to go for the EG5.

The SL is an excellent module. I don't seem to see a lot of love for it on here, though. The thing I like the best is that with the gain dimed, there is no "fizz" between the notes/strings when you hit a chord or play a solo that many high gainers have--it's a "clean" overdrive sound with sustain. But believe me, it can sound pretty heavy, as well. This mod will cover everything Marshall for me just fine.

Also, I researched this site and found some excellent clips of the EG5 and SL2 (thanks bstaley!). The EG5 is right up my alley--LOVE the Ratt, Soldano thing that it's got happening.

On another note, this M4 is a freaking beast! I was going to buy a Fender Strat to get more "Fendery" type sounds, but with my humbuckers notched on the T/D or VX module, there's no need--I am getting them in spades. My drummer hasn't heard it yet--he's gonna flip out! :rock: :rock:
 
How are you notching your humbuckers? Split or series/parallel? My PRS CE-22 has the 5 way rotary and parralel thing going but may switch it ti split hums to use with the Bassman or Vox.
 
Split. My guitar has dual humbuckers & a 5 way switch. The middle position gives me the two outer coils on each. They're Van Zandts--not sure of the model.
 
Split humbuckers on their own always seem noisey so I would only use the middle position most likely. My 5 way rotary is silent because it always uses two coils.
 
Well, I received my EG5 tonight. I definitely made the right choice!! This is the gain I was hoping it would be. Kinda similar to my old Zinky Mofo.

I'm not a metal guy by any means, but I was surprised by the amount of usable gain this thing has. After reading the posts, I expected it to be more like a Peavey 5150 where anything after 6 is just mush. I think anything up until about 3:30-4 works just fine!

Thanks for all the comments and insight. From the start, I was going for the SL2, but this thread changed my mind. EG5 was the way to go!
 
I switched my lead to channel A on the EG5 and cleans on B. Someone here said that channel B was compressed a lot. It made a big difference and now i like it a lot more and the cleans are not to bad either.
 
Good for you Marvcus. We all hear things differently. The EG5 was too stiff and clinical for me and I couldn't get anything usable for me past 11:00. I never touched channel B because I couldn't get rid of the compression. Then when I heard the E-Rect, it was all over - huge. :)

Glad you found your module.
 
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