What is the "golden era" or THE Ecstasy to own?

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Matt300ZXT

Matt300ZXT

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I've always wanted one of these, but there are some variations over the years and I was curious if there was a golden era, or a specific set of options as far as knobs/features, transformers, etc that is the quintessential Ecstasy to purchase.
 
I’d argue the 101B from the mid 90’s is by far the most aggressive and fullest. Mine is a 98. Blake did a comparison recording between a mid 90’s 101B and a 100A and kept the 101B.

I also like my 101B enough boosted that I don’t really want an Uber ultra which has a top end I can’t really approve of. My XTC is cleaner on the top end and doesn’t have a Mesa-esque attitude at all.

The classic XTC models have less filtering and are more Bogner brown sound oriented.

The newest Pandora mod XTC just seems unnecessarily bright under recording and doesn’t sound sonically balanced to my ears, like you can’t dial that attitude out. The mid 90’s XTCs can be as bright or dark as you want.
 
Ya know dude…honest opinion, I actually like the 101B.

I’ve tried/owned The 100A, XTC Classic, 20th anni and 101B. To me the 20th has the most modern sounding red channel but 101B ooozes character. Very dark like most Bogner amps are but so liquidy and good. 100A is sweet for sure but overrated. It’s just brighter and more exciting sounding to my ears
 
So a 96 with Mercury Magnetics transformers and choke would be one of THE Ectasys to own, should one want to pony up the dough for ultimate tone?
 
PurityS.L.G said:
Ya know dude…honest opinion, I actually like the 101B.

I’ve tried/owned The 100A, XTC Classic, 20th anni and 101B. To me the 20th has the most modern sounding red channel but 101B ooozes character. Very dark like most Bogner amps are but so liquidy and good. 100A is sweet for sure but overrated. It’s just brighter and more exciting sounding to my ears
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Yeah the one thing my 90’s XTC does better than any amplifier I currently own is how easy they are to play with any output pickup. They sound great and dont thin out in upper registers like Mesa mark series amps do.

To be completely honest it’s the most versatile amp I own.
 
Matt300ZXT said:
So a 96 with Mercury Magnetics transformers and choke would be one of THE Ectasys to own, should one want to pony up the dough for ultimate tone?
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Yes with the stock class A/AB switch option. You don’t want to use class A without a variac (too high a wall voltage can cause bias runaway) but the option isn’t on all of them from that era and it adds value.
 
The new 50 watt is very underrated and under the radar. It's voiced like the golden years with nice aggression, and the better loop and loop master makes it a win-win.
 
I had a new one around ‘98/99 and it was fine but not a keeper. I tried it in a store and was enamored with how big and juicy it sounded straight in. Really nothing sounds like it, especially back then. But growing up on Marshall I started to miss the upper mids and top end of a good 6 knobber. Traded it for a plexi half stack. The main difference is in the early 2K’s, Cameron, who was working with them, tweaked the red channel to have more gain. I think they’ve kept that change since then.
I honestly think any year is fine. Just turn the knobs. I do like the class A option on them. Always thought that sounded pretty good.
Curious what Variac setting you would use for that. I’ve never heard that before about the bias.
 
skoora said:
I had a new one around ‘98/99 and it was fine but not a keeper. I tried it in a store and was enamored with how big and juicy it sounded straight in. Really nothing sounds like it, especially back then. But growing up on Marshall I started to miss the upper mids and top end of a good 6 knobber. Traded it for a plexi half stack. The main difference is in the early 2K’s, Cameron, who was working with them, tweaked the red channel to have more gain. I think they’ve kept that change since then.
I honestly think any year is fine. Just turn the knobs. I do like the class A option on them. Always thought that sounded pretty good.
Curious what Variac setting you would use for that. I’ve never heard that before about the bias.
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That’s not quite my knowledge. The changes to the red channel around 2005 happened because people complained the red channel didn’t have enough gain. Bogner himself didn’t want to make the Cameron common changes going around at the time because he felt it was trading gain for sonic performance and hated the idea. He did it to maintain demand and the current versions still have that change. The mid 90’s red channels don’t have as much gain on tap but sound way more full.
 
glpg80 said:
That’s not quite my knowledge. The changes to the red channel around 2005 happened because people complained the red channel didn’t have enough gain. Bogner himself didn’t want to make the Cameron common changes going around at the time because he felt it was trading gain for sonic performance and hated the idea. He did it to maintain demand and the current versions still have that change. The mid 90’s red channels don’t have as much gain on tap but sound way more full.
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It’s strange to me because the 90’s one I had didn’t lack for gain on CH 3. I wonder if he also tweaked the voicing to make it more straight in metal friendly and Bogner didn’t care for the voicing?
 
I had a 98 from the date on the transformer. Serial sign was PLUS, TRIANGLE, CARET (432) with the Mercury Magnetics iron, and a more recent version from 2016. Both 101B's. I still regret getting rid of the 98, and sold the 2016 pretty quickly as it didn't even compare. The 2016 wasn't even in the ballpark.

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skoora said:
It’s strange to me because the 90’s one I had didn’t lack for gain on CH 3. I wonder if he also tweaked the voicing to make it more straight in metal friendly and Bogner didn’t care for the voicing?
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Yeah I fully agree channel three is 5 stages of gain and is no slouch which is what boggled Bogners mind about the demand for more gain.

I don’t even use the red channel. I prefer the blue channel always boosted and clicking on a delay in the loop for solos.
 
I don’t think there’s ever going to be a consensus on THE xtc to own - all just different flavors. The 20th has an amazing red channel. 100B has a certain clarity and slightly more vintage tone. Mid-late 90s takes the 100B and adds a touch of aggression, tightness, and zing on the top end (more “modern”) - I liked that one the most overall but honestly all have been really cool and unique. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to try them. I think a 90s 101B is a great place to start.

Maybe $2500 for one is fair? Think that’s what I sold my last one for.
 
Opinions aren't gonna give you what your ears may prefer or not prefer. There's been variation over the past couple decades to be sure. One constant in amongst all the 101B I've owned or tried is that I never came across one that didn't impress me - they ALL impressed me just to different degrees. Ultimately I stuck with the OG (circa 2007?? Edit: 2009 - just confirmed) 20thA EL34 fully loaded. Might not have the Blue quite as dialled as the former 101B, but the rest of the package makes up for it in spades. YMMV.

Bottom line? I don't think any 101B will ever disappoint.
 
I’d buy the newest one you can afford. My 2008 bought new had a few issues. My 2012 bought used is killer.
 
Bxlxaxkxe said:
I don’t think there’s ever going to be a consensus on THE xtc to own - all just different flavors. The 20th has an amazing red channel. 100B has a certain clarity and slightly more vintage tone. Mid-late 90s takes the 100B and adds a touch of aggression, tightness, and zing on the top end (more “modern”) - I liked that one the most overall but honestly all have been really cool and unique. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to try them. I think a 90s 101B is a great place to start.

Maybe $2500 for one is fair? Think that’s what I sold my last one for.
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I took a gander on Reverb and there was one with class A option for 2500…..local pickup only 😡
I swear every time I come across a decent deal on something that I’ve had trouble finding its local pickup only. Drives me crazy.
 
My favorites at the time was the 100b, but tough to find these days and ballpark of 5k if you do. I had a couple 101 from the late 90's that were pretty damn special, but 100b were my faves. One in particular... But the difference was not night and day between any of them I have had over the past 25 years. I think 14 in total..
 
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