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  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    edited August 2017
    Sound like shite. Enjoy!


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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71953
    Seems strange, given that it should probably be the most popular model in the DSL range. Wonder what they're replacing it with?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ricorico Frets: 1220
    ICBM said:
    Seems strange, given that it should probably be the most popular model in the DSL range. Wonder what they're replacing it with?
    My thoughts exactly!

    Hopefully 20 watt head and combo versions of the 50 and 100 watters.  
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited August 2017
    I tried the DSL40C extensively and compared it side by side with the older DSL401.  it had some nice features and I quite liked it, but to my ears the 401 just sounded rawer, ballsier and felt more like a Marshall...the 40C just seemed more 'Hi-fi' and 'refined' by comparison (all down to personal taste of course)...and my used 401 was half the price. In addition, it had independent EQ on each channel and the three options of green (clean), amber (crunch) and red (boost) were all foot-switchable.  Another 'plus' was that a jumper lead in the FX in/out gave a good boost.  The stock speaker was 'OK' but not great, so last year I put in a Celestion Classic Lead 80 that really helped open it up as well as upping the volume.  Similarly I think the stock speaker in the 40C let it down and a lot of folk put in either a Creamback or a Vintage 30 with huge tonal improvements.

      
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    edited August 2017
    It's perplexed me a bit too, Marshall stopping that one.  The sheer number of the Anderton's 'Sound like...' vids they used that amp in would suggest that it was a flexible, reasonable-sounding and comparatively affordable way in to a valve amp with *that* logo.

    I've loved Marshall and the sound for as long as I've been interested in rock music, I've owned and used a Marshall myself for a long time (JCM900, go on then, put the boot in ) but sometimes I wonder what goes on in Milton Keynes.  They need to watch themselves or Blackstar are going to rinse them at their own game.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71953
    randella said:
    I've owned and used a Marshall myself for a long time (JCM900, go on then, put the boot in )
    I used to dislike JCM900s - when they first appeared after the JCM800s I thought they were poorly-built, fairly unreliable, thin and buzzy-sounding - until they brought out the DSL/TSLs, and then the 900s instantly became a marvel of solid build quality, reliability and full Marshall tone…

    :)

    randella said:

    sometimes I wonder what goes on in Milton Keynes.  They need to watch themselves or Blackstar are going to rinse them at their own game.
    So do I, but recent revelations about their financial status makes me think they actually know slightly more what they're doing than I previously thought. And Blackstar the opposite, sadly.

    I also doubt Blackstar will ever make an amp that sounds like a Marshall. They can't even get their ISF control thing round the right way, so they clearly don't hear it in the same way I do.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    edited August 2017
    ICBM said:
    I used to dislike JCM900s - when they first appeared after the JCM800s I thought they were poorly-built, fairly unreliable, thin and buzzy-sounding - until they brought out the DSL/TSLs, and then the 900s instantly became a marvel of solid build quality, reliability and full Marshall tone…



    Well, I did say put the boot in .  It's not a classic, granted, but then it didn't have the attendant price tag either.  It's been a good workhorse, just too bloody heavy to lift, and the point at which it starts to cook is simply too loud.  It sounded good with a Mk. 1 Guv'nor in the front, but sadly the friend I borrowed that off wanted it back
    ICBM said:
    So do I, but recent revelations about their financial status makes me think they actually know slightly more what they're doing than I previously thought. And Blackstar the opposite, sadly.
    I didn't know that about the money situation at M towers.  Interesting.  I still reckon Blackstar are doing a sterling job of hoovering up the more value-conscious end of the market, all the Fly, Core ID stuff I thought is really what Marshall should be doing alongside the $$$ Plexi reissues.  They've released the Code range or whatever it's called, but it took them a good while.  Maybe down to the finances then.
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  • siraxemansiraxeman Frets: 1935
    I thought the Blackstar guys where former Marshall designers? If they don't sound quite like Marshall maybe its just intentional ? The DSL40C sounds closerer to the DSL50 than the older DSL401 in terms of layout and vavles used.
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  • andypandyp Frets: 332
    ICBM said:


    I also doubt Blackstar will ever make an amp that sounds like a Marshall. They can't even get their ISF control thing round the right way, so they clearly don't hear it in the same way I do.
    I think we "spoke" about this before on here but I think exactly the same thing. I could never make any sense of the ISF control on the Blackstar ID:Core 10 I had, or the HT5R I was going to buy. I would much rather not have it if I could, but the Blackstars I've heard all sound really bland.

    I ended up with a DSL 5 which was clear winner of the two amps for me... Ever since though I've wondered if a DSL 40 is what I would buy now if I was amp shopping again, but I play my 5 on the 1 watt setting and it does all I need at home at my playing level. At £499 it seems like an absolute steal, but they've been at that price for a wee while now.

    Andy
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    edited August 2017
    It's interesting (from a psychological perspective at least!), the expectation that Blackstar would make an amp that sounded like a Marshall.  I probably had it, I think a lot of people would have done given the company was started by two Marshall guys.

    It'd be a piece of cake for any competent electronic engineering company to make an amp that sounded like a Marshall, many on this forum have built JCM800s and the like from kits.  I suspect though the main reason Blackstar don't is to avoid a knock on the door from the big guys just down the M1.

    Fair play to them, they've made a popular brand in a comparatively short space of time.  I really liked the HT-20 head I tried, I don't know why I didn't buy it over the Hughes and Kettner.  Momentary aberration I guess.  I didn't think it sounded bland, just that it didn't sound like a Marshall or a Fender or a Boogie or a Vox, those sounds we've all been used to hearing for years now.  But then it never did Randall Smith any harm when he started out, not making products that sounded like one of the big amp names.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    ICBM said:
    Blackstar ... can't even get their ISF control thing round the right way.
    Are there any remedies for that?
    Be seeing you.
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    ICBM said:
    Blackstar ... can't even get their ISF control thing round the right way.
    Are there any remedies for that?
    Tippex and a Sharpie?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71953
    Funkfingers said:

    Are there any remedies for that?
    Usefully, it isn't labelled at all - so you can just use your ears :). But all their ad copy says that the 'US' sound is on the left, and the 'UK' on the right.

    To me, the 'Marshall' sound (brighter, tighter, more upper mids) is on the left, and the 'Mesa' sound (deeper, thicker and more low mids) is on the right. I've tried many times to get my head around why they think it's the other way, and I just can't!

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited August 2017
    I think at £499 the DSL40c is decent value. But IMO at £599-650 it was over-priced, especially with the quite average sounding stock speaker. 

    It will be interesting to see how quickly remaining stocks sell. Increased competition and a marked trend to smaller, lighter amps, and modelling (amps like Boss Katana, Fender Mustang, and even Marshall's own Code, and numerous mfx units) might be a contributing factor as to why the DSL40c is being discontinued. 

    If sales are slow, I wouldn't be surprised to see a further price drop. 
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • longjawlongjaw Frets: 420
    edited August 2017
    I have a DSL40C and was thoroughly underwhelmed by it until I changed the speaker to a Celestion G12M 65 Creamback which totally transformed the sound, I love it now and it's my #1 gigging amp.

    Factor in a speaker change when buying the amp and you can't go wrong.
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    ICBM said:
    Funkfingers said:

    Are there any remedies for that?
    Usefully, it isn't labelled at all - so you can just use your ears :). But all their ad copy says that the 'US' sound is on the left, and the 'UK' on the right.

    To me, the 'Marshall' sound (brighter, tighter, more upper mids) is on the left, and the 'Mesa' sound (deeper, thicker and more low mids) is on the right. I've tried many times to get my head around why they think it's the other way, and I just can't!
    It wasn't just me then?! I always sat in front of my HT combos trying to figure out why I was getting it wrong. 
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