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  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118
    My amp is out for delivery. So will be able to share my impressions later today. 

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  • Bucket said:
    That Bantamp gives probably the best high-gain sound I've ever heard from Ola, and that's saying something.

    Wow.
    It's good but it's not this good:



    Mind you, that amp is about thirty times the price and the company made about five of them before disappearing, so it's probably moot.

    Ohh man that sounds great. 
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  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    Hmmm... not really feeling that. There is something about the sound I just don't like.
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  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118
    Right then,  my Zombie arrived this afternoon. We had guests so have only had ten minutes just now to try it out.

    Bloody hell this thing sounds immense, Big fat high gain sound with loads of bass. There's a hint of cocked-wah but that can be dialed out with the tone control. It's a really fantastic very saturated drive sound. With the gain all the way down there's a good rock tone - but even at the lowest setting it's still pretty raunchy.

    Clean tone is the real lovely surprise, it sounds fantastic. With some verb and chorus in the loop it sounded great. Takes drive pedals really well at the front end.

    Oh and it's bloody loud.  Haven't tried the bluetooth function yet or the headphones. That'll have to wait until tomorrow. Perhaps I'll put a sound demo together tomorrow - though I doubt I could make it sound as good as Ola can.  I'm playing it through a Harley Benton 2x12 - the one with the  Vintage 30s.

    First impressions are that I'm very impressed.  I'd quite like to try one of the lower gain ones, perhaps the JCM.

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  • Nice! I was going to ask about the cleans. Sounds like a really cool amp - clean with pedals for up to classic gain and a proper metal channel. 

    Does the clean work for funk? 
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  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118
    Nice! I was going to ask about the cleans. Sounds like a really cool amp - clean with pedals for up to classic gain and a proper metal channel. 

    Does the clean work for funk? 
    Ooh gosh I wouldn't know, I don't have a funky bone in my body.

    The clean channel is proper clean, even with the gain all the way up. It just gets louder and fuller. 

    The only downside so far is there's no way of changing channel other than the switch on the front of the amp. Otherwise it's a great fun little thing - ideal for home playing. Heck it'd do a small gig, and obviously it could do anything mic'ed up.

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  • revsorgrevsorg Frets: 874
    Apart from being made in England. 
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  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    Nice! I was going to ask about the cleans. Sounds like a really cool amp - clean with pedals for up to classic gain and a proper metal channel. 

    Does the clean work for funk? 
    Ooh gosh I wouldn't know, I don't have a funky bone in my body.

    The clean channel is proper clean, even with the gain all the way up. It just gets louder and fuller. 

    The only downside so far is there's no way of changing channel other than the switch on the front of the amp. Otherwise it's a great fun little thing - ideal for home playing. Heck it'd do a small gig, and obviously it could do anything mic'ed up.
    Should be fairly easy to substitute a jack socket for a toggle switch tho??

    i can't believe they didn't include a footswitch option tho.
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    Tho


    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118
    edited March 2017
    So anyone interested in further impressions?

    Had a chance for a much longer play today with the kids at school and the house empty. This really is the little amp that could.

    The drive channel is remarkably quiet given how much gain there is on offer. Perhaps there's some sort of gate, but one can't tell in terms of note cute-off or anything like that. 

    I've been using my pedal board in the loop - and it sounds lovely. Was enjoying the sparkly clean tones with some chorus and reverb.

    And I reckon I might have discovered the best brutal high gain tone I've ever achieved. I put my Marshall Bluesbreaker II pedal in front of the amp, set the pedal to boost mode and set the Joyo's dirt channel gain around 11 o'clock. Oh my it made a sound to die for - if you've into that kind of massive chugging sound.

    It could be this would all fall apart in a band context. But for solo play this is a fabulous sounding little amp. I may try some recording with it this week - I've yet to try the speaker emulated output. 

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  • GrumpyrockerGrumpyrocker Frets: 4118
    Question for amp techs.

    Is it likely I can use the headphone out without the speaker load? There's no info on this in the manual.

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  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    Question for amp techs.

    Is it likely I can use the headphone out without the speaker load? There's no info on this in the manual.
    If it's a solid state power amp this should be fine. 
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    So anyone interested in further impressions?

    Had a chance for a much longer play today with the kids at school and the house empty. This really is the little amp that could.

    The drive channel is remarkably quiet given how much gain there is on offer. Perhaps there's some sort of gate, but one can't tell in terms of note cute-off or anything like that. 

    I've been using my pedal board in the loop - and it sounds lovely. Was enjoying the sparkly clean tones with some chorus and reverb.

    And I reckon I might have discovered the best brutal high gain tone I've ever achieved. I put my Marshall Bluesbreaker II pedal in front of the amp, set the pedal to boost mode and set the Joyo's dirt channel gain around 11 o'clock. Oh my it made a sound to die for - if you've into that kind of massive chugging sound.

    It could be this would all fall apart in a band context. But for solo play this is a fabulous sounding little amp. I may try some recording with it this week - I've yet to try the speaker emulated output. 
    Hmmm here's a thought, could I run the fx loop send into my power amp and cab? 

    I can only imagine a 120w power section driving an oversized 4x12 would be a thing of joy. 
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
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