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  • 1 riff, 22 amps!

    Man, this one was fun!

    The idea here was to take one of my favorite guitars, create a cool riff (which turned into a bunch of riffs) and reamp it through all my tube amp heads as well as 3 of the most popular amp modelers. A Lot of these amps turned out super nice! Some of the best ones were a little surprising to me actually (the JMP1 being one of them) but I expect the results to be different for everyone.

    There are amps in this from the following brands: Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Orange, EVH, Peavey, Hughes & Kettner, PRS and Laney. These amp modeling platforms are also included as a bonus: Axe Fx III, Helix and TH-U Slate edition.

    Of course I would love to know which ones you guys preferred! So far everyone has had a different opinion which is pretty interesting to me!

    Check it out:



    Here's a quick follow up video I did for the folks who couldn't hear a difference:

    The original '1 riff, 22 amps' video can be viewed here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0sZSBMtORUWhat do you think? Do the amps sound the same or do they d...
    Last edited by Guitarjon; 11-09-2019, 06:28 AM.
    Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

    Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
    OwnHammer.com

  • #2
    Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

    I like the Dark Terror most at the moment. The other amps just don't present the whole package of saturated but clear, full but tight and punchy like it does, IMO. The Tiny Terror and Dual Terror sounded great also, in part because they weren't as saturated as the other amps, and that gave them a great presence in the mix.
    - Tom

    Originally posted by Frankly
    Some people make the wine. Some people drink the wine. And some people sniff the cork and wonder what might have been.
    The Eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn of the Crow.

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    • #3
      Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

      Ok, I did a blind test of every amp through reference monitors... In the future it would be cool if you audibly called out the generic # of the amp before you play but not the name of the amp so blind tests are easier.

      So here are my absolute blind test results with some of my blind test notes before i knew the amp

      First, there were only 3 amps I didn't think ok or good.

      Amps I hated:
      Hughes and Kettner GD40 thin
      Laney IRT -no separation in notes a little muddy
      Orange Dark Terror or Rocker 15 -not sure which because my notes were confusing on this -one of those is the worst sounding amp of all

      Amps that were OK/good but didn't really move the meter either way for me
      EVH 5150 LBX III good but pinny mids not like the other 5150
      Mesa Dual Recto -Sound a little thin -Although single notes were good
      ENGL Fireball 100 aggressive sound but single notes lacked
      Marshall JMP1 Papery mids -this would be good for a second guitar on a track.
      Helix Native meh not very distinct
      TH-U ok. but nothing superlative
      Orange DT -average good
      Orange TT -average good
      Orange Jim Root -good but dark and muddy

      Amps that were pretty damn good
      PRS Mt15 all around good
      Mesa Mini 25 smooth and balanced.
      Laney Ironheart 60 Dark distinct and tight sounding
      ENGL Iron -Smooth sound
      Orange Brent Hinds -Distinct voicing -better than other terrors after I found out which were terrors
      AXE FX -!!!! WHat? why did I have to admit this? sounds great.
      Orange OR15 -good but bright

      Favorites
      Those Peavey 6505 dammit. both were great and Marshally. smaller one single notes were pronounced
      Mesa Boogie Mark 5 -too compressed for me personally, but big full sound
      EVH 5150 -big bold sound.
      Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 Best amp overall -balance, distinct, clarity, and big Marshally
      Last edited by NegativeEase; 10-31-2019, 09:20 PM.
      “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

        Need some Ampeg stuff or Hiwatt to really round out the lineup.
        aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

          I liked the jcm, the 6505+, and the little el34 5150 the most

          Only ones I didn't like we're the Laney and the tiny Mesa of all things
          Last edited by 80's_Metal; 10-31-2019, 10:41 PM.
          Go buy my book. https://www.amazon.com/dp/198405564X

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

            Originally posted by guitfiddle View Post
            I like the Dark Terror most at the moment. The other amps just don't present the whole package of saturated but clear, full but tight and punchy like it does, IMO. The Tiny Terror and Dual Terror sounded great also, in part because they weren't as saturated as the other amps, and that gave them a great presence in the mix.
            Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's interesting because I do love the Tiny and Dual Terrors but the Dark Terror is my least favorite amp. I'm actually selling it this weekend. Now, a lot of people seem to dig that amp a lot so I guess it's just not my thing.

            Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
            Ok, I did a blind test of every amp through reference monitors... In the future it would be cool if you audibly called out the generic # of the amp before you play but not the name of the amp so blind tests are easier.

            So here are my absolute blind test results with some of my blind test notes before i knew the amp

            First, there were only 3 amps I didn't think ok or good.

            Amps I hated:
            Hughes and Kettner GD40 thin
            Laney IRT -no separation in notes a little muddy
            Orange Dark Terror or Rocker 15 -not sure which because my notes were confusing on this -one of those is the worst sounding amp of all

            Amps that were OK/good but didn't really move the meter either way for me
            EVH 5150 LBX III good but pinny mids not like the other 5150
            Mesa Dual Recto -Sound a little thin -Although single notes were good
            ENGL Fireball 100 aggressive sound but single notes lacked
            Marshall JMP1 Papery mids -this would be good for a second guitar on a track.
            Helix Native meh not very distinct
            TH-U ok. but nothing superlative
            Orange DT -average good
            Orange TT -average good
            Orange Jim Root -good but dark and muddy

            Amps that were pretty damn good
            PRS Mt15 all around good
            Mesa Mini 25 smooth and balanced.
            Laney Ironheart 60 Dark distinct and tight sounding
            ENGL Iron -Smooth sound
            Orange Brent Hinds -Distinct voicing -better than other terrors after I found out which were terrors
            AXE FX -!!!! WHat? why did I have to admit this? sounds great.
            Orange OR15 -good but bright

            Favorites
            Those Peavey 6505 dammit. both were great and Marshally. smaller one single notes were pronounced
            Mesa Boogie Mark 5 -too compressed for me personally, but big full sound
            EVH 5150 -big bold sound.
            Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 Best amp overall -balance, distinct, clarity, and big Marshally
            Very cool, thanks so much for that detailed response! You have good ears
            I guess to counter, here are some of my favorites:

            -Marshall JMP-1. Just love how pronounced the chunky palm muted chords/notes are and I like the fullness of the mids. Reminds me of a Friedman or something.
            -Orange Dual Terror. Just has that classic Orange saturation and sits in the mix nicely. The Fat channel is great for that but I also love the TT channel.
            -Mark V. It's not as chunky in the lows as most of the others, so it's a tight amp but that's what people love about it. I just dig the fullness of the mids here.

            I really enjoyed most of them though but I always have a tough time with the Dark Terror and the Brent Hinds is so different to the rest that it takes a minute to adjust my ears everytime I hear that amp.

            Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post
            Need some Ampeg stuff or Hiwatt to really round out the lineup.
            Would love a Hiwatt one day.

            Originally posted by 80's_Metal View Post
            I liked the jcm, the 6505+, and the little el34 5150 the most

            Only ones I didn't like we're the Laney and the tiny Mesa of all things
            So you're a Mesa guy? I loved the mini Recto but it's pretty scooped (as is the Dual) when compared to the other amps.
            Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

            Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
            OwnHammer.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

              Great video!

              The DSL surprised me since I've read mixed reviews and haven't played one. Too much presence but really good otherwise. The rest were as I expected (probably because I've watched your other videos).

              The two Laney IRTs have a certain grating stiffness to the mids. Not sure how to describe it. I've noticed it in almost every demo I've heard of them.

              The Orange Rocker Terror sounds great. I've been thinking about picking one up for awhile. Every demo I've heard of it has impressed me.

              The EVHs and Peaveys sound great, as expected.

              With such a huge amp collection, which ones do you play the most?

              Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                Originally posted by ibanezrocks View Post
                Great video!

                The DSL surprised me since I've read mixed reviews and haven't played one. Too much presence but really good otherwise. The rest were as I expected (probably because I've watched your other videos).

                The two Laney IRTs have a certain grating stiffness to the mids. Not sure how to describe it. I've noticed it in almost every demo I've heard of them.

                The Orange Rocker Terror sounds great. I've been thinking about picking one up for awhile. Every demo I've heard of it has impressed me.

                The EVHs and Peaveys sound great, as expected.

                With such a huge amp collection, which ones do you play the most?

                Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk
                Thanks!

                Perhaps I dialed in a smidge too much presence on the DSL but it sounded good when I was working on it haha.
                I know what you mean about the Laney amps but I do dig how they sit in the mix. They have a lot of potential!
                Do you mean the Rocker 15 Terror? That one is great. Note that I had the treble control up all the way as the amp is a little less present in the mids than some of the others. Great amp nonetheless!
                Agree about the EVH's and Peavey amps Just can't go wrong with either.

                Which ones do I play the most? That's hard to say because I don't play through them very often in fact but I know which ones are my current favorites for various reasons. A couple that come to mind are the MT15, Mini Rectifier, Mark V 35, Orange Dual Terror/Jim Root, H&K.....JMP-1.... ******, too many cool amps to choose from.
                Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

                Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
                OwnHammer.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                  Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
                  Ok, I did a blind test of every amp through reference monitors... In the future it would be cool if you audibly called out the generic # of the amp before you play but not the name of the amp so blind tests are easier.

                  So here are my absolute blind test results with some of my blind test notes before i knew the amp

                  First, there were only 3 amps I didn't think ok or good.

                  Amps I hated:
                  Hughes and Kettner GD40 thin
                  Laney IRT -no separation in notes a little muddy
                  Orange Dark Terror or Rocker 15 -not sure which because my notes were confusing on this -one of those is the worst sounding amp of all

                  Amps that were OK/good but didn't really move the meter either way for me
                  EVH 5150 LBX III good but pinny mids not like the other 5150
                  Mesa Dual Recto -Sound a little thin -Although single notes were good
                  ENGL Fireball 100 aggressive sound but single notes lacked
                  Marshall JMP1 Papery mids -this would be good for a second guitar on a track.
                  Helix Native meh not very distinct
                  TH-U ok. but nothing superlative
                  Orange DT -average good
                  Orange TT -average good
                  Orange Jim Root -good but dark and muddy

                  Amps that were pretty damn good
                  PRS Mt15 all around good
                  Mesa Mini 25 smooth and balanced.
                  Laney Ironheart 60 Dark distinct and tight sounding
                  ENGL Iron -Smooth sound
                  Orange Brent Hinds -Distinct voicing -better than other terrors after I found out which were terrors
                  AXE FX -!!!! WHat? why did I have to admit this? sounds great.
                  Orange OR15 -good but bright

                  Favorites
                  Those Peavey 6505 dammit. both were great and Marshally. smaller one single notes were pronounced
                  Mesa Boogie Mark 5 -too compressed for me personally, but big full sound
                  EVH 5150 -big bold sound.
                  Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 Best amp overall -balance, distinct, clarity, and big Marshally

                  Additional commentary:

                  I think it's important to note the amps I "hated" (too strong of words) would likely easily clean up to my ears with EQ and gain changes more to my tastes, so I feel confident that I would use any one of those live if needed -except maybe the Dark Terror unless that compressed thin tone could be treated -maybe it was a tube.

                  Also, I do think the JCM2000 is overall the best sounding for at least the settings you had on . if you listen closely to the detail, attack etc -it's a super amp.

                  Also, I was rating these amps on there "stand alone" qualities -but several of these amps would make amazing complimentary amps for 2 guitars live and 2nd guitar album work because of their more distinct and kind of narrower band voicings. The Laney Ironheart, ENGL fireball, Marshall JMP1 come to mind. That Marshall JMP1 would be great for track doubling or wide pan because of those sort of papery dry mids. - A cool thing to have in the studio.

                  Axe F/X -damn impressed with the Fractal offering, but judging I have friends that use them on large arena size tours, I guess I should be more awoken to the state of these systems.
                  Last edited by NegativeEase; 11-01-2019, 08:07 AM.
                  “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                    Best
                    • EVH LBX
                    • Hughes & Ketter Grandmeister (had some sort of harmonic richness the others don't)
                    • JCM2000 (Tons of crunch)


                    Worst
                    • Either 6505 - but esp. the first one, that was very buzzy or something
                    • Laney Ironheart - mushy
                    • Marshall JMP-1
                    • Any Orange Terror - They just got worse as the demo went on IMO, and culminated in the BH Terror. Just sounds weak, indistinct, and harsh all at once. The Rocker 15 was also not good


                    Most Surprising
                    • The PRS is not my sound, but it's *a* sound, and did it quite well
                    • Orange OR15 is the closest to what I actually want an Orange to sound like - but it didn't suit the style being played here
                    Last edited by Silence Kid; 11-01-2019, 10:07 AM.
                    Originally posted by King Buzzo
                    I love when people come up to me and say “Your guitar sound was better on Stoner Witch, when you used a Les Paul. “...I used a Fender Mustang reissue on that, dumbass!

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                    • #11
                      Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                      Very cool vid!

                      I was really digging the Peavey 6505MH. I felt it had the nicest balance of tightness without being too thin. The Ironball had a nice attack, but it felt kinda a bit too focused compared to the 6505MH. The MH also has a lot less stuffines in the low mids comapared to the EVH's, which actually surprised me. I would've dialed in a bit less mids in the EVH's, personally.

                      I'm usually a big fan of Rectos, but I didn't quite enjoy what they were doing with this song. The attack (or lack of) was much too round and the palm-mutes were kinda bloated. The EQ shape was nice on the Mini Recto, but the character in the palm-mutes didn't quite convince me. I felt the Oranges were similar in that regard, except they traded the nice low-end chunk of the Rectos for some lower mid cloudiness/stuffiness, which I didn't like.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                        Originally posted by Rex_Rocker View Post
                        Very cool vid!

                        I was really digging the Peavey 6505MH. I felt it had the nicest balance of tightness without being too thin. The Ironball had a nice attack, but it felt kinda a bit too focused compared to the 6505MH. The MH also has a lot less stuffines in the low mids comapared to the EVH's, which actually surprised me. I would've dialed in a bit less mids in the EVH's, personally.

                        I'm usually a big fan of Rectos, but I didn't quite enjoy what they were doing with this song. The attack (or lack of) was much too round and the palm-mutes were kinda bloated. The EQ shape was nice on the Mini Recto, but the character in the palm-mutes didn't quite convince me. I felt the Oranges were similar in that regard, except they traded the nice low-end chunk of the Rectos for some lower mid cloudiness/stuffiness, which I didn't like.
                        I think I agree with you for the most part! The 6505 MH is a great amp indeed. I love how it sits in the mix! I also agree that for this guitar and song the Recto's weren't amazing but I usually really love how they sound. I guess the pickups on that guitar are pretty scooped so it's making the scooped sound of the Recto's (mostly the Dual) even more scooped. The Mini is amazing though. I'm going to do a full-blown demo of that amp soon. Should be rockin'
                        Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

                        Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
                        OwnHammer.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                          Originally posted by Silence Kid View Post
                          Best
                          • EVH LBX
                          • Hughes & Ketter Grandmeister (had some sort of harmonic richness the others don't)
                          • JCM2000 (Tons of crunch)


                          Worst
                          • Either 6505 - but esp. the first one, that was very buzzy or something
                          • Laney Ironheart - mushy
                          • Marshall JMP-1
                          • Any Orange Terror - They just got worse as the demo went on IMO, and culminated in the BH Terror. Just sounds weak, indistinct, and harsh all at once. The Rocker 15 was also not good


                          Most Surprising
                          • The PRS is not my sound, but it's *a* sound, and did it quite well
                          • Orange OR15 is the closest to what I actually want an Orange to sound like - but it didn't suit the style being played here
                          Thanks for sharing your observations! The ones you didn't like tend to have a lot of mids, which in this song I personally really dug. I think you prefer tones that are a little bit more scooped?
                          Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

                          Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
                          OwnHammer.com

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                          • #14
                            Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                            Originally posted by Guitarjon View Post
                            I think I agree with you for the most part! The 6505 MH is a great amp indeed. I love how it sits in the mix! I also agree that for this guitar and song the Recto's weren't amazing but I usually really love how they sound. I guess the pickups on that guitar are pretty scooped so it's making the scooped sound of the Recto's (mostly the Dual) even more scooped. The Mini is amazing though. I'm going to do a full-blown demo of that amp soon. Should be rockin'
                            I would love to watch that demo!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: 1 riff, 22 amps!

                              Originally posted by Rex_Rocker View Post
                              I would love to watch that demo!
                              I can't wait to make it but I need to find some time! Soon though...
                              Owner and founder of Sonic Drive Studio & social media manager for OwnHammer.

                              Facebook.com/sonicdrivestudio
                              OwnHammer.com

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