Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

[OlinMusic]

Are TSL's all tube, incl distortion? How about DSLs?

Then the next question is, why do TSL's sound so harsh and tinny COMPARED to JCM800s, SLPs, Bogners, and the even the DSL.

I have heard TSLs against so many amps, and it just never quite does it. The high gain is a bit soul-less to me.

On the other hand, the chassis and everything it offers seems great for modding.

I wrote this knowing I am going to get the TSLs are the greatest amp ever hate mail - so bring it on.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Are TSL's all tube, incl distortion? How about DSLs?

Then the next question is, why do TSL's sound so harsh and tinny COMPARED to JCM800s, SLPs, Bogners, and the even the DSL.

I have heard TSLs against so many amps, and it just never quite does it. The high gain is a bit soul-less to me.

On the other hand, the chassis and everything it offers seems great for modding.

I wrote this knowing I am going to get the TSLs are the greatest amp ever hate mail - so bring it on.

The problem with the TSL is that it's loaded with too many freakin bells and whistles! The earlier Marshall series have less crap in the circuit and a purer tone because of it....The more switches,push pull knobs,etc you add to a circuit,the worse! I Like the DSL series but I was really uninspired by the TSL stuff.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Are TSL's all tube, incl distortion? How about DSLs?

Then the next question is, why do TSL's sound so harsh and tinny COMPARED to JCM800s, SLPs, Bogners, and the even the DSL.

I have heard TSLs against so many amps, and it just never quite does it. The high gain is a bit soul-less to me.

On the other hand, the chassis and everything it offers seems great for modding.

I wrote this knowing I am going to get the TSLs are the greatest amp ever hate mail - so bring it on.

I'm no tech..I cannot give you a "technical" reason...but IME the more complicated a Marshall circuit gets the less it sounds like a Marshall should.

DSL/TSLs along with 900s were designed to be run at more moderate volumes unlike the old NMVs and MVs (JMP/JCM 2203/2204, etc)...you lose the power tube push and punch of the old models when you are not pushing them to the limits.

And speakers make a big diff. TSL/DSLs sound much better (or rather "more classic"..better is a subjective term) when not paired with V30s or 75s.

 

[DesertRose]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I know what kindda sound I go for, I didn't bother to test out the TSL, I put aside my DSL and and invested in a JCM800 and 900 combo, plug the guitar into a EQ and jacked it into both the amps.
The sound is what I always wanted so far =)

End state: It sounded different

 

[LesPaulRules]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I own a DSL 50, and the signal path is all tube. The distortion on these amps does not come from clipping diodes. (Not sure about the TSL, but would assume it's the same).

 

[shredaholic]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

IIRC the TSL schematic I saw had a ton of transistors, loads of circuitry.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I don't know, but out of all the TSL/DSL amps, the best sounding to me is the DSL 50 head. If only it had better cleans, it'd be sitting at my house right now.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

IIRC the TSL schematic I saw had a ton of transistors, loads of circuitry.

I've seen the schematics (it takes several as it's so complex) and the actual signal paths are all tube, including the distortions. All these op-amps and extra circutry are for the switching. The signal path is re-routed through and or/by-passed different gain stages and tone stacks. Then there are the features such as the reverb and effects loops that require padding and rebuilding the signals from gain stage to gain stage.

The 6100's (30th Anniversary) are to a greater extent the better three channel Marshall design, because it doesn't have the added complications of reverb and multiple effects loops. The 6100 are better and more ruggedly built too. The TSL does have a cleaner, dedicated clean channel, than the 6100's or the DSL50 though.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I agree that the high-gain sounds really grainy and soulless.. A guy from a band that played before us yesterday night used one and I couldn't believe how fuzzy and uninteresting (to me at least) his tone was...

 

[saladin]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Get a Carvin X-Amp!

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Most of the TSL bashing may come from the EQ that is quite different than on the classic models... I can get a really fat higain sound of mine into V30s

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Most of the TSL bashing may come from the EQ that is quite different than on the classic models... I can get a really fat higain sound of mine into V30s

I Like the DSL series but I didn't like the TSL series,simply because it's possible as a player to have too many tonal options...With tube amps,I still feel less is more...One of the reasons I'm not a Mesa guy,is because their amps have too many switches,push pull knobs,etc....I used to own a Tremoveb head and I sold it because it was too preamp buzzy and had too much extra crap in the circuit to kill tone and go wrong....Different strokes though and whatever works is really kicka$$ in my book!:dance:

I Love the Marshall product,but just prefer anything from the 800 series and before...The DSL 50 watter I almost bought when it came out....Great clean channel for a Marshall!

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I Like the DSL series but I didn't like the TSL series,simply because it's possible as a player to have too many tonal options...With tube amps,I still feel less is more...One of the reasons I'm not a Mesa guy,is because their amps have too many switches,push pull knobs,etc....I used to own a Tremoveb head and I sold it because it was too preamp buzzy and had too much extra crap in the circuit to kill tone and go wrong....Different strokes though and whatever works is really kicka$$ in my book!:dance:

I Love the Marshall product,but just prefer anything from the 800 series and before...The DSL 50 watter I almost bought when it came out....Great clean channel for a Marshall!

Yeah it seems like there are a lot of guys who think like you... I'm more the other way round... the more sound shaping options, the better

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Yeah it seems like there are a lot of guys who think like you... I'm more the other way round... the more sound shaping options, the better

I am like you though.....I've got a bazillion pedals! LOL......

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

I am like you though.....I've got a bazillion pedals! LOL......

Hmm that's what I don't like though... too many pedals means too many patches via non-soldered connections 'n' stuff which I find aren't that good... but yeah... it's me

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Hmm that's what I don't like though... too many pedals means too many patches via non-soldered connections 'n' stuff which I find aren't that good... but yeah... it's me

Actually I Guess I'm pretty lucky in that department....All of my pedals are pretty much true bypass and my pedal vs non-pedal tone is ever so slightly darker and not enough to worry about,plus I use a buffer inline....I own a ton of pedals,but I don't have them all on my board...Just the important ones...:laugh2:

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Actually I Guess I'm pretty lucky in that department....All of my pedals are pretty much true bypass and my pedal vs non-pedal tone is ever so slightly darker and not enough to worry about,plus I use a buffer inline....I own a ton of pedals,but I don't have them all on my board...Just the important ones...:laugh2:

Hmm I only have my tone sucking wah which I want to mod for true bypass soon... at least as those damn guys at my local store get that damn DPDT switch...

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

Hmm I only have my tone sucking wah which I want to mod for true bypass soon... at least as those damn guys at my local store get that damn DPDT switch...

Yeah all of my own wahs I've made true bypass also...A wah really sucks your tone more than anything! And really early pedals...

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

There are great tones to be had from a TSL, but it takes a bit of time and patience to dial them in. I keep thinking that I want a JCM 800, instead of my 601, then I get to thinking of the convenience of the 3 channels and switchable FX loop and reverb. I can get some great sounds out of the hi-gain channel, using my Jekyll & Hyde, my guitar's volume, and even a half-cocked wah.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Beating DEAD HORSE - Are MARSHALL TSL's ALL TUBE?

There are great tones to be had from a TSL, but it takes a bit of time and patience to dial them in. I keep thinking that I want a JCM 800, instead of my 601, then I get to thinking of the convenience of the 3 channels and switchable FX loop and reverb. I can get some great sounds out of the hi-gain channel, using my Jekyll & Hyde, my guitar's volume, and even a half-cocked wah.

Yeah dude I'm still twiddling around with the settings on mine too, as I told you once, I'll let ya know if I find THE setting