NAD - Solid state hotness

[JeffB]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

So silly question maybe, but is Boss' Chorus pedal even remotely close to what's on the JC-120?

The CE1 is the same circuit. Even the prestigous CE2 doesn't sound the same (not as good, either IMO)

Listen on some decent cans.

[Securb]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

I was going through some old stuff today and found this picture of my original JC 120 setup. That is a Chandler Tube driver and Delta Labs delay on top.

[kramersteen]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

I have been flapping my gums for 2 years saying I was going to buy another JC 120 and I finally pulled the trigger. I played one in my old metal band and had it sitting on top of a 4x12 cab. This time around I am going with the JC 120 head and I will run it through my Marshall cab in stereo. I just won the auction the head should be here Friday.

nice boots cowboy

[Securb]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

nice boots cowboy

That is the seller's pic. My boot you can't see because it is in your backside.

[GoldenVulture]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

Here is a question if anyone can help me with I would appreciate greatly. The output of the amp is 60 watts x 2 @ 8 ohms per side. I have to use a stereo cab or two cabs with the amp. Is there a way for me to combine the two sides to run it into an 8-ohm mono cab? Or if I just run one side at 8 ohms and 60 watts into a cab, do I run a risk of screwing up the amp?

No idea if you can bridge the outputs but it's never a good idea to run an amp [ any amp ] without a load on the outputs. IE: a speaker, an attenuator, a transducer.

[mi_canuck]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

Son of JC 120? lol... well maybe not. But certainly a distant cousin...

[Securb]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

Thought I would give you guys an update. There is a big difference between my 20-year-old ear and my listening to this amp today. I could still not use this amp for metal without an offboard gain. However, the distortion in the amp is not useless. I have been getting some great classic rock tones with this amp from subtle 60's break up to a very respectable Malcolm Young like overdrive.

Where the distortion is lacking is the bite and sustain. You don't get those singing leads we all strive for. I am sure that could be accomplished with a boost or a green box with some slight gain. Once again back to an offboard pedal. For rock rhythms, standalone the amp is a beast.

As I put in another thread, I put the OEM Marshall stereo jacks on the back of the MX212 and replaced the Celestion Seventy 80s with Eminence Wheelhouse 150 speakers. The amp sounds amazing.

[Mincer]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

I know 80s King Crimson used JC-120s and used pedals for the distortion. They seemed to sound wonderful with them. I always thought the distortion on those was pretty bad, but I haven't heard it in 20 years or so.

[jeremy]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

i wouldnt be surprised if the amp distortion sounds better though the marshall than the speakers that are in the combo which might explain why there is less suck from the head distortion

[Diego]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

The CE1 is the same circuit. Even the prestigous CE2 doesn't sound the same (not as good, either IMO)

Listen on some decent cans.

I've got a CE-2 and I can tell you that:

1) It has an internal trim pot that REALLY changes the behaviour of the pedal. I'm not sure what it does, but it can add some weird noise, distort, or make it unusable as well as improving on things.
2) My M13 has a CE-1 emulation and it kills my CE-2, though I've never tried a CE-1 for real.
3) The CE-2 still kills any other Chorus pedal I've tried.

[Securb]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

less suck from the head distortion

I wouldn't call it less suck. There are some killer very useable tones the distortion is cranking out. Flat out it sounds great.

[The JEM Ghost]

Re: NAD - Solid state hotness

Congrats with your new amp securb!! I would hang on to that amp mate, I think it's worth it!!
Have fun with it amigo!

[Securb]

Update: My Marshall is heading to the shop so I played the JC 120 with the band last night. It sounded great pushed beyond bedroom volumes. The one thing I noticed was I did not have to boost my leads to cut through the mix. And with the Tech 21 Liverpool it sounded glorious. I do not think I am going back to the Marshall with the band setup. It is going to be a hard choice.