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Hybrid hotness! Rediscovering my Randall T2HL

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  • #1

    Hybrid hotness! Rediscovering my Randall T2HL

    I've been playing this beast a hell of a lot lately. I'd kind of left it alone for while...not completely but I've sort of re-discovered it of late and am enjoying the **** out of playing it regularly again

    Old rhythm clip (not the best recording but it's all I've got for rhythm):

    Recorded direct to my handheld recorder ( no fx/filtering/EQ etc)


    Randall T2HL - Random Metal Riffs (Old School Death Metal/Tech-Thrash etc)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqPR_7Ry_Uc
    Random doom-death/tech-thrash/death metal riffs. Mic'd with a cheap chinese SM57 knock-off plugged into the 3.5mm mic input of my digital handheld recorder. ...



    ....& check out any number of my recent uploads to my YT channel for the sweet lead tones..

    Anyway, It's pretty much my 'go to' amp atm. Lead tones are incredible if your'e looking for 80's Mathais Jabbs/Schenker etc...attacking, screamy stuff. it's all there on LEAD 1 (brighter/middier/grainier). While LEAD 2 is more Amott brothers/Jeff Loomis/Petrucci smooth/dark modern tones. (Gary Moore too..)

    Rhythm tones are crushing in the Arch Enemy/Andy Sneap way.. (Both Amott brothers used T2's and V2's of all types live including this 100W version...and Mike Amott had his own 'V2 Ninja' sig amp)

    4 preamp tubes and a tube buffered (12AT7) Powwer section. Mine is the 100W @ 8 ohms "T2HL" version. And though I often wish I'd got the big brother (Original T2/400W) of this amp, I love this version which is supposedly slightly less edgy/even more tube-like.. It's plenty loud and punchy/ballsy ......can't complain.

    Like my AMT Stonehead (completely SS) these are extremely tube-y sounding and feeling amps...so much so that it's pretty much impossible to tell the difference when I play it... except maybe a slightly quicker feeling response than you will find w/ most tube amps (great for tight rhythm playing/fast shredding ). I think one of the Fear Factory guys had a V2 sig too.. the Archetype ....as did Gus G. from Firewind (T2HH/Heaven & Hell)

    Anyway, sweet underrated SS (hybrid) amp that I personally would pick over a lot of well-regarded/big-name tube amp's out there.

    YT Demo of the combo version (not mine)


    Randall T2C 1x12 combo, mic'ed high gain demo
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiiNRxZ3DMI
    Just a short addition to my first Randall T2C video to demonstrate how this little 1x12" amp sounds when it's being recorded with a mike (a cheap DAP audio P...


    "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

    I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

    Originally posted by Rodney Gene
    If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


    Youtube
    Tags: None
    • Likes 1
  • #2
    Never knew about these amps but seems like a cool hybrid. Looks a little like an H&K with the plexiglass.

    I've never owned a Randall Amp but I love a lot of albums they were recorded with. I also really dig my Randall XL 4x12.
    "It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled" - Mark Twain
    • Likes 1

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    • #3
      I'd hardly call the Arch Enemy tone "smooth/dark", LOL.

      But I'd love to try one of those.

      At the time the original V2/T2's came out, my at-the-time guitarist got a G3. Man, what a CRUSHING amp. Slightly undergained and borderline uncontrollable bassy, but a boost easily took care of that. It made my other guitarist's Marshall AVT sound like a toy by comparison. We only figured if the G3 sounded this good, the big-boy T2/V2 must be amazing.

      And then, they gave Michael Amott his signature Ninja. Pfff.

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Rex_Rocker View Post
        I'd hardly call the Arch Enemy tone "smooth/dark", LOL.

        .
        Lead tone man...I'm all about lead tones these days.. (smooth dark as in 'not Marshally') the LEAD 1 Channel is actually pretty Marshally ..slightly thinner w/ more upper mids & has that grainy Marshall-like texture.. Sweet harmonic overtones too on both lead channels.

        I think the G3 had the same "Valve-dynamic" power section with the 12AT7...extremely tube-like response & tone.
        "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

        I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

        Originally posted by Rodney Gene
        If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


        Youtube

        Comment

        • #5
          Oh & one thing these amps (T2/V2) are not is undergained
          "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

          I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

          Originally posted by Rodney Gene
          If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


          Youtube

          Comment

          • #6
            Another old vid I found w/ my BC Rich Ironbird (EMG 81) ..recorded the same way as the last clip.


            Randall T2HL head with BC Rich/EMG 81 - Raw single track (Dry/No effects)
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT1RxLhAthY
            Guitar: BC Rich Ironbird Pro (9-42 Sfarzo Screamer strings/ tuned to Eb standard)Amp: Randall T2HL (100 watt Tube/SS hybrid head)Cab: Bugera 4x12Single dry g...




            And this dude was on here years ago posting some cool vids of his T2HL as well... he/It obviously does Dimebag/Pantera perfectly



            Randall T2HL amp test: A New Level (Pantera Cover)
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntENrzJnONs
            This amp is now discontinued, but it's my favorite amp, so I make a video about it. Hybrid amp (Tube pre amp with Solid State power), has 2 channels (Clean n...
            "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

            I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

            Originally posted by Rodney Gene
            If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


            Youtube

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post
              Oh & one thing these amps (T2/V2) are not is undergained
              Oh, I never got to try one, I was referring to the G3. If you didn't boost them, you still had to have both gains almost dimed to get the chuggs going. And even then, they felt kinda dry.

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post

                Lead tone man...I'm all about lead tones these days.. (smooth dark as in 'not Marshally') the LEAD 1 Channel is actually pretty Marshally ..slightly thinner w/ more upper mids & has that grainy Marshall-like texture.. Sweet harmonic overtones too on both lead channels.
                AFAIK, he does have an 800 that he likes.

                I still don't agree, LOL. I mean, thear lead tones are usually darker and smoother than their rhythm tones, that's for sure. I thought that was common approach, to have the lead tones more mid-focused and less searing sizzly. But their rhythm tones are usually very grindy and sizzly, so it's not easy to dial in something smoother and darker that's still not smooth and dark.

                It may be that I can hear they use the neck pickup a lot, tho.

                I mean, they're no Yngwie. You're right about that, LOL.

                But that's JMO, of course.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Eh, who in his right mind does'nt like an 800

                  Ok...well..let's just say I meant if you want to go any smoother or darker w/ your lead tones...pick 'Lead 2' over 'Lead 1'

                  It's just well, thicker & more modern sounding ..not as piercing as things can get on Lead 1

                  Yeah but then one would think Yngwie would likely struggle to get that tone of his out of anything but a Marshall & a Strat w/ single coils..

                  But.... I've seen clips of him playing (at home) with an LP ...and I'm damned if he didnt sound like he always does

                  So who knows..
                  "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

                  I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

                  Originally posted by Rodney Gene
                  If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


                  Youtube

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Rex_Rocker View Post
                    Oh, I never got to try one, I was referring to the G3. If you didn't boost them, you still had to have both gains almost dimed to get the chuggs going. And even then, they felt kinda dry.
                    Nah I was just saying...that's not an issue these amps have (T2/V2). More than enough meaty, fat, juicy gain than you'll ever need for days..
                    Last edited by Phantasmagoria; 10-23-2023, 01:32 AM.
                    "Less is less, more is more...how can less be more?" ~Yngwie J Malmsteen

                    I did it my way ~ Frank Sinatra

                    Originally posted by Rodney Gene
                    If you let your tone speak for itself you'll find alot less people join the conversation.


                    Youtube

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Rex_Rocker View Post
                      I'd hardly call the Arch Enemy tone "smooth/dark", LOL.
                      Rise Of the Tyrant is fairly smooth. Definitely not grainy.
                      The opinions expressed above do not necessarily represent those of the poster and are to be considered suspect at best.

                      Lead guitarist and vocalist of...



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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by El Dunco View Post

                        Rise Of the Tyrant is fairly smooth. Definitely not grainy.
                        Well, yeah, but that's certainly not their best-sounding record, IMO. At least as far as production.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post

                          Nah I was just saying...that's not an issue these amps have (T2/V2). More than enough meaty, fat, juicy gain than you'll ever need for days..
                          I remember the V2 also having a full-on SS channel? I bet that would have some G3 DNA in there.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post
                            YT Demo of the combo version (not mine)


                            Randall T2C 1x12 combo, mic'ed high gain demo
                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiiNRxZ3DMI
                            Just a short addition to my first Randall T2C video to demonstrate how this little 1x12" amp sounds when it's being recorded with a mike (a cheap DAP audio P...

                            My favorite thing about this video is the MySpace link embedded at the end.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Phantasmagoria View Post
                              Eh, who in his right mind does'nt like an 800
                              Um... me... LOL.

                              I mean, I recognize they're iconic. They sound good for what they do. But what they do is not what I do.

                              I've not tried the 2205, but the 2203 master volume is not great by contemporary standards. It's goes from 0 to 81918080 just by breathing on it. Then, it doesn't sound great unless you give it some SERIOUS love. That is the case for all tube amps, but it's particularly bad on the 2203, IMO. The low end is there, but it's stuffy rather than deep. They barely have any distortion to them at all, and as soon as you start pushing that gain knob, the amp flubs out drastically.

                              I mean... it's a good ampf for what it does, just not for me... like... at all. I'm sure it sounds glorious boosted with the right boost that has enough output to really get it going and some super blistering hot pickups like a Black Winter or X2N, but I'd take Randall V2/T2 over an 800 any day of the week, personally. Like, not even close.
                              Last edited by Rex_Rocker; 10-23-2023, 03:33 PM.

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