Carvin Legacy 3

[AudioWonderland]

I just placed the order...

http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/VL300

First new or new to me big boy amp in 20 years. No worries though... The Plexi is not going anywhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTuTq4gqZC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHXM34iDUM8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5joKq7LENf4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=202iMU1rhdc

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Congrats. I've heard nothing but good things about that amp. If I didn't have so many amps already I'd probably pick one up myself.

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Let us know your thoughts once you've cranked it!

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

I think they're really cool amps. When I first tried it, I thought it was a little dark. Then I went home to my XTC 101B, and thought the same thing, but NEVER have any trouble cutting through with it. The Legacy 3 has a digital reverb which sounds pretty darned good. A great thing about it is the lead channel is very dynamic. Even if you have the gain set pretty high it will respond to your pick attack so I can see how a player like Steve Vai can be extremely expressive with it. I never tried the Carvin speakers, and the Carvin speakers I have tried weren't that great. However, running with V30/CL80 2x12 cab sounded really good. In fact, the CL80 might be the speaker for that amp if you are looking for a bit of brightness.

[jacksontrader]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Carvin makes some great stuff. Hope to hear a review once you've finished giving it the going over a new amp gets
. lol

[ehdwuld]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Frick yea
I been looking at the Mikro V3 and lusting
If I didnt already own two Carvin Amps ...........

Mine have been great

We will be waiting on your review

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Let us know your thoughts once you've cranked it!

No question of it..

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

I think they're really cool amps. When I first tried it, I thought it was a little dark. Then I went home to my XTC 101B, and thought the same thing, but NEVER have any trouble cutting through with it. The Legacy 3 has a digital reverb which sounds pretty darned good. A great thing about it is the lead channel is very dynamic. Even if you have the gain set pretty high it will respond to your pick attack so I can see how a player like Steve Vai can be extremely expressive with it. I never tried the Carvin speakers, and the Carvin speakers I have tried weren't that great. However, running with V30/CL80 2x12 cab sounded really good. In fact, the CL80 might be the speaker for that amp if you are looking for a bit of brightness.

The Legacy cabs come with V30's but I don't order a cab. I have Scumback loaded 2x12's that I use with the Marshalls but mostly I will be using it with the custom ISO cab I built that is loaded with an Eminence Tonespotter

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

Frick yea
I been looking at the Mikro V3 and lusting
If I didnt already own two Carvin Amps ...........

Mine have been great

We will be waiting on your review

I considered the V3 but it just had to many features and voicings packed into each channel. I get what Carvin is trying to do and the flexibility has a certain appeal but its not where I am looking to go personally. I have the sounds I want in my head and don't need that kind of flexibility. The Legacy was a better fit for what I want so I went for it. I also looked at a Traynor ycs50h and a 5150 3 50w head. The Traynor was huge bang for the buck and I would recommend anyone on the hunt to check them out but the Legacy voicing was just more to my liking from the clips I was able to find. The 5150 also had its charms but the higher gain sounds are not something I would use and when I backed of the gain it started to sound a lot like a Marshall which is a sound I have covered well already.

So in the end, I chose the Legacy primarily for the unique voicing the amp had. The routing flexibility, midi capability, variable power levels etc sealed the deal for me. Just need to wait and see if it pans out in the real world which is why the 10 day return policy was a big sell point too since I could not try any of them out in person.


I have my eye on the Vintage 16 as well. That would be a tough sell though as I have that sweet clean tone covered with my Fenders. If I buy another it will be something with big vox chime in its repertoire

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

The amp arrived yesterday. Took it for a quick spin in the basement which is notorious for making amps sound harsh and brittle and this was no different but it was best sounding amp so far in that environment. Its true this amp feels a bit dark tonally, especially when you are used to bright sounding Superleads. My cabs and speakers probably contributed as well since they were spec'd for the Marshalls. That said, as long as you are not afraid to turn the knobs you can get whatever you need.

I tested out the various power levels. At the lower volumes I was using there was no discernable difference between 50w and 100w. The 15w setting got a little more harsh. I suspect they are pushing design limits to get to 15w. I also felt that turning the individual channel volumes up and using the master to reduce over all volume resulted in a lot less harshness.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow night when I will have time to wind it up through the ISO cab and record some samples.

[BloodRose]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

awesome! Congrats!! look forward to the full review

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

awesome! Congrats!! look forward to the full review

YUP, same here !

[ExplorersRock]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

I'm interested in hearing more. I have the full size V3 and it rocks, but I was considering the Legay 3 as the next amp in my stable. The demos I've heard are pretty awesome.

[chaz1963]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

I absolutely agree, brilliant amp, so much depth and headroom, there is almost an elastic texture to the sound. I use V30s too, but also have a Jensen 10" Tornado cab which mixes very well with the V30s if you're looking for a brighter sound, however the presence controls have the most scope I have ever heard on an amp and they brighten the perceived dark tones no end. I play both rock and modern country (not the twangy stuff) and the amp adds so much in both styles

[chaz1963]

Re: Carvin Legacy 3

I find that using the 15w option I'm better off using the channel volume controls to boost and keeping the master lower, however on 50w and 100w, its vice versa, ramp up the master and then fade in the channels volumes for more headroom