NAD: Incoming HK Tubemeister 36

firepaulmusic

This is due to land at my door tomorrow and I was quite excited about a 3-channel all valve amp with speaker sim output and MIDI. Then I saw a comparison clip on YouTube with a JMP-1 preamp. I've got an old JMP-1 and all I really need is a 20/20 power amp to get basically the same thing. I'll give it a chance for a bit as it's on a 30-dayer...

firepaulmusic

Tried the TM36 out at home and I must say I'm suitably impressed. Gutsy and dynamic drive sounds. The clean I thought initially was a bit sterile but then it came to life when the gain was pushed a bit and dropped to 18 watts. Don't know why this £500 all valve, MIDI head doesn't get more interest?

Alterlifeson

I had the head for a while and liked it quite a bit. It could do almost every sound I could want, but just wasn't brilliant at any of them (for me). The cleans were a bit sterile, high gain was a tad fizzy. Who knows, it may have been my dialling in that was the problem. After I had sent it back I read the the EQ was active and didn't work like a conventional EQ section.

ragingben

The EQ is weird. Try the lead channel with trebble very low and bass and mids maxed, made it way more usable for me. Happy new amp day!

IMC1980

Heard a covers band lead guitarist (ACDC, Sabbath etc.) use one of these through a Marshall 2x12 on its side and thought it sounded great! Thick but still quite bright, it had just the right mid range cut for a band. Dude said it was just g12t 75s in the cab.

firepaulmusic

Sent it back, A/B'd with my Redplate Blackverb was no contest...

normula1

I tried really hard to love a GM36. The programmability was pretty good, but I just couldn't get on with the tone so sold it on.