Brace Yourself... NAD

dindude

@teetonetal not wishing to clog up or derail this thread but I think I'm going to give s-gear a go. I like the fact that it's not overloaded with a million amps and effects but instead seems to concentrate on quality and I need a headphones solution with a new baby in the house!

And Happy New Amp day Waz, a real surprise this one!

Aidanspaghetti

Actually one of my best practicing setups in recent years was an old Roland cube. The plexi setting with a delay (pretty much my go to standard) scratched all my EJ needs .....

ICBM

Wazmeister said:

It's the 2 channel mix (same with the Yamaha THR 100) that works SO well.

Maybe this is the key…

Valve amps always sound clean *and* distorted at the same time when they're overdriven, to me - unless they're really very high-gain. The two sounds blend perfectly but both are present. The problem I've always had with solid-state overdrive is that the two sounds never blend properly - you can hear them as separate, the distortion sitting on top of the clean like a buzzy speaker. Deliberately mixing clean and dirty (eg Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive) is even worse.

But the Yamaha didn't seem to do that when I tried it - the clean and distortion blended like one sound, whether it was one of the channels or both together, and you could get that valve-like transition from clean to dirty with your playing dynamics, with no sense of a sudden step or a buzz on top of the note when it clipped… just like a good valve amp.

I'll have to try one of these Rolands now too. I must admit I've been put off bothering by the ordinary Cubes (which sound sterile and artificial to me) and that last series of modellers they did with the orange bit on the front, which were truly awful.

Wazmeister

@teetonetal - a good post mate, and wisdom awarded.

@ICBM - maybe you have something there mate (about the blend). Listen, we all loved a cranked valve amp - its what we search for all the time.

My reference sound (or one of them !) is the King Snake one shown below.

Now, in the booth at PMT and playing pretty but not too loud, I compared the 100HD, Blues Cube, and the Mesa Express 25 plus. Now, sure enough, the Mesa sounded very good (this model in particular sounds better and is easier to dial in than the MK Vs, imho) and maybe 'fuller' than the Digitals...

But then i tried to copy the sounds; im sure that the Yammy will do this, but the BC dialed in instantly and instinctively. Wham. THAT King Snake sound...

I found that wattage selector very instinctive too. Get your clean right (one knob !), increase the master, drop n the boost, touch more hair, drop the master... Repeat on crunch channel... Then hit the 'dual' button and blend via volume the two. Superb.

It seems very well thought out. They even supply a set of stickers to add to the additional pedal should you pay the extra and buy one. Nice.

(As an aside, I do have a soft spot for this Mesa Express model and may yet get a used one...)

Gassage

@wazmeister

You make out you're a big fan of Trannies yet where were you for Gay Pride last night when La Voix and The Dame Eda Experience were on?

I call bullshit.

Wazmeister

I should be on commission ! I know a couple of you have ordered one already (and someone the excellent THR to try).

Now, Stage vs Artist model ? Well, sound wise there is very little difference, and the Stage is even smaller physically. Maybe the larger cab of the Artist adds a wee bit 'more'. I did try the 2x12, but I felt it lacked a bit of the sweetness.

For me, the extra presence knob really adds something, and I wanted the effects loop and the full foot-switch options.

You see guys, money was not an object here tbh. I'd just been trailing the £2000 Carr, and that was my budget I guess... so Im as shocked as you.

And it looks the cobs. I mean here, its sitting alongside the Rambler !

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/Warren3333/FullSizeRender 3_1.jpg

Wazmeister

Gassage said:

@wazmeister

You make out you're a big fan of Trannies yet where were you for Gay Pride last night when La Voix and The Dame Eda Experience were on?

I call bullshit.

Mate, have you seen what my nails were like ?? Shameful. I couldn't face it...

Wazmeister

I've just duplicated those 'King Snake' tones, with about 45 secs dialing in. 

15 watts, 2 bedroom house, neighbours in next door.

Incredible.

mburekenge

No valves - no hope.

ThorpyFX

I don't suppose you tried the smaller blues cube hot?

Wazmeister

ThorpyFX said:

I don't suppose you tried the smaller blues cube hot?

Ade, I didn't to be fair, but I think @koss59 has the 'hot' model...

koss59

Yeah I've got the Hot as I mainly wanted something small for home use and the odd rehearsal. I also have a Rambler and have been a bit of a valve snob in the past. The blues cube has changed my enjoyment of playing at home as it sounds the same at any volume. It also feels really valve like to play through. I've used it at rehearsals with a drummer in 5 watt mode and gigged it at a garden party yesterday in 5 watt mode. Sounded great for everything, as good as the Rambler?........no but would I want the Rambler in someone's back garden with the chance of it pissing it down, no. It is however better than the Rambler at proper low volume practice levels.

stratman3142

You've got my interest now. I'm definitely going to try one.

My Hotrod Deluxe is too heavy for me (at about 45lbs) and my Victory V40 alternative isn't ideal because I need a separate cab. On paper (at 35lbs) the Artist 1x12 combo seems ideally, provided it has the clean sound I need for live gigs and it works well with pedals.

Wazmeister

koss59 said:

Yeah I've got the Hot as I mainly wanted something small for home use and the odd rehearsal. I also have a Rambler and have been a bit of a valve snob in the past. The blues cube has changed my enjoyment of playing at home as it sounds the same at any volume. It also feels really valve like to play through. I've used it at rehearsals with a drummer in 5 watt mode and gigged it at a garden party yesterday in 5 watt mode. Sounded great for everything, as good as the Rambler?........no but would I want the Rambler in someone's back garden with the chance of it pissing it down, no. It is however better than the Rambler at proper low volume practice levels.

Really interesting thoughts from Rich; remember, this guy is a working musician (recently working with The Three Degrees no less) and humble about his exploits...

I like to think I've had enough experience of good amps and sounds, so this is some recommendation from the pair of us !

The Solid State/Digital market is clearly gonna grow when they sound like this...

The Yammy 100HD was very impressive too, and it is quite a challenge on our thinking...

kjdowd

@wazmeister. These look great. Might give one a blast. Does it play nicely with the FX8?

Wazmeister

kjdowd said:

@wazmeister. These look great. Might give one a blast. Does it play nicely with the FX8?

Kev, thus far I've only plugged it in the front end and not 3CM... and it sounds mega.

I must say, rarely for me, I do like the in amp verb...

Richardj

Is there any appreciable difference in tone between the Stage and the Artist?

I'm still struggling a bit with the price, it is still a Chinese made solid state amp at a similar price point to Mexican made Fender valve amps.

Still interested though.........

Wazmeister

@richardj - no real noticeable difference in tone mate, to my ears.

By the way, I've never played a Mexican Fender amp that can make these sounds at home volumes.

But try one Rich, and see how it sounds to you

ICBM

That King Snake clip is one of the best sounds I've ever heard from a guitar amp, so if the Roland can do that, you really have my full attention. Even my Trem-o-verb can't quite get it...

If the Roland can sound like the Trem-o-verb as well it really will be a whole new world. The THR could get very close.

MatthewShreddery

I tried the blues cube 'hot' and thought it sounded superb. Cracking amps. Roland make awesome stuff imo