The Honeymoon Is Over...

[braintheory]

This is my Splawn Super Sport w/EL34s thru a Splawn 2x12 w/Greenbacks boosted with a Cusack Screamer. Recorded at loud bedroom volumes last year with a relic iPhone 7 lol. I really like the tone but if anyone hears weird mids I won't have hurt feelings just don't make fun of my socks

Nice playing in that first clip. Cool looking guitar too. I’m sorry, but if I’m being honest it sounds exactly like I was describing before. Especially in that 2nd clip every time a chord is played I hear a duck-like quack. I’m glad you’re ok with criticism lol. Some of my friends will hate some of my amps here and there and it’s always interesting to know why they hate some and love some of my other amps

 

[Racerxrated]

I played an early QR that was nice; had to turn the mids way back and was kinda stiff. But cool. Played a KT88 Nitro that was sterile and flat no matter what I did.
This was 10 yrs ago though.

 

[hammered]

Nice playing in that first clip. Cool looking guitar too. I’m sorry, but if I’m being honest it sounds exactly like I was describing before. Especially in that 2nd clip every time a chord is played I hear a duck-like quack. I’m glad you’re ok with criticism lol. Some of my friends will hate some of my amps here and there and it’s always interesting to know why they hate some and love some of my other amps

No worries, I told you to be honest

 

[napalmdeath]

I have no doubt that it is working for you. I didn’t say the amp sucked. I said it was not working for me. I didn’t have an issue spending the money. But I also expect that I shouldn’t have to fight an amp to get the tone I want. No matter the price tag. But I damn sure won’t settle for something that is not doing it for me in that price range. Maybe I had a lemon. I don’t know. As I said earlier, I have heard many people make them sound killer. I just could get the one I had to sound killer for me.

No need to explain yourself. Many LOVE the 5150 III. It's a monster seller, many own and recommend them highly. I've only owned the 50 watt 6L6 V1, & V2. Also had the 50 watt Stealth, (which I subjectively believe was the better amp), but I just don't jive with them. To me, they sound somewhat bland, and lack harmonic detail I go for.

Try a Helios.

 

[braintheory]

I played an early QR that was nice; had to turn the mids way back and was kinda stiff. But cool. Played a KT88 Nitro that was sterile and flat no matter what I did.
This was 10 yrs ago though.

Play them again and I’d bet money you’re gonna think less of both of them now (even without comparing to your current amps lol). I did like the earliest Splawn’s better, but to me wasn’t like a night & day difference with all 4 Splawn’s I tried from the different era’s in the same room

 

[Little B]

Serious question….have you checked the bias? Not sure if they do that (for 4K they should!) but I’ve bought many amps that sounded iffy, and the bias was super low. That would make a Marshall style amp sound pretty crappy

Good point there.
I've had this happen 4 times. All these amps sounded/ felt horrible to play when I bought them;
1.1989 jcm 800 2210- rebiased with winged c's and it killed.
2.30th anniv.marshall- same result
3.jvm 410 - same result
4.bogner 20th xtc 6l6 ( somebody had this one biased way over safe and too hot) - same result

 

[Techdeth]

it doesn’t matter what amp . Some one like it . It happens

Good point there.
I've had this happen 4 times. All these amps sounded/ felt horrible to play when I bought them;
1.1989 jcm 800 2210- rebiased with winged c's and it killed.
2.30th anniv.marshall- same result
3.jvm 410 - same result
4.bogner 20th xtc 6l6 ( somebody had this one biased way over safe and too hot) - same result

You’re right . this is a big deal . Because we expect new amps to be biased right but sometimes they arnt . Especially new Marshalls . I swear they are never better biased lol

 

[Little B]

^^^^ it's like those Marshall's were biased way way too cold. Not even close to standard spec.The amps came alive after proper biasing.Then my xtc was biased so hot my tech said it was a wonder stuff didn't blow and catch fire lol.
I wonder if the cold biasing is for - to be " in the safe zone" or something? Idk.But I agree, a 4 k amp or any decent amp should come from the factory biased properly.

 

[Techdeth]

^^^^ it's like those Marshall's were biased way way too cold. Not even close to standard spec.The amps came alive after proper biasing.Then my xtc was biased so hot my tech said it was a wonder stuff didn't blow and catch fire lol.
I wonder if the cold biasing is for - to be " in the safe zone" or something? Idk.But I agree, a 4 k amp or any decent amp should come from the factory biased properly.

Interesting . Maybe so because every new Marshall I’ve bought had to be for sure

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

^^^^ it's like those Marshall's were biased way way too cold. Not even close to standard spec.The amps came alive after proper biasing.Then my xtc was biased so hot my tech said it was a wonder stuff didn't blow and catch fire lol.
I wonder if the cold biasing is for - to be " in the safe zone" or something? Idk.But I agree, a 4 k amp or any decent amp should come from the factory biased properly.

True!
That’s funny, even the Bogners I bought in the first days of Bogner, 1992, both of the 100B’s were biased really hot.
I’d rather have an amplifier a little cool then too hot, more dynamics, the amplifier breathes better,
When they are biased too hot, they just choke and everything seems to turn to mush, with the illusion of having maybe more gain, but at the huge sacrifice of tone, in my opinion.
I think a lot of the new amplifiers come biased so cold to save on warranty returns etc. Peavey did this with their 5150 original amplifiers. it took me a while to find a set of Sylvanias that sat right around 30 mA, compared to the original set which were at 17.

 

[notyet]

Sounds to me it was more the price tag than the tone. I’ve never had a problem with my Friedman cutting through live. If you do you’re doing something wrong. Here’s mine. Seems to be cutting fine to me..

man- great singer... Hard to hear the amp but the singer is professional grade