JCM 600 or DSL100?

[Leveller]

Hey guys. I've found two used heads for about the same price, a JCM 600 head and a DSL100 head. I haven't tried either, but I did play a DSL50 which was very nice but a bit bright (still probably the best amp I ever played )

So if you can just tell me your opinions of these two amps, which you like more and why, I would be very grateful

 

[marvar]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Don't know what the asking price is but the JCM600 should be much lower in price, it is the forerunner of the DSL series.
I have a 600, I like it, I got it Cheap- I actually have the 602, which is the 2x12 combo.
I got mine in a pawnshop 4 yrs ago for 200 bucks! But it has been a work in progress for me. Tube and speaker changes (many over the years) not because it needed it, I just like to experiment with it.
The JCM600's have gotten a bad rap, mostly because of the JTM60 series, it's forerunner, which tended to overheat and do catastrophic damage to the PC boards and transformers. I've never had any problem with mine, but I do run one of those small personal fans behind it, just to be on the safe side. And Marshall did a redesign to keep from overheating. The main thing is that the tubes are horizontally mounted, just beneath the PC boards. The put a vent in the top, which the JTM didn't have, and a few other mods.
It also has a great IMO clean channel, the od channel can be a bit over the top, but, a careful selection of V1 and V2 can take care of that.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

The DSL100 is the 100watt version of the DSL50 you played, so it will be very close. Although I'd rather have the 50 watt version, it's not such a big deal to have 100 watts with this series of amps, because they can still sound decent without turning up the master beyond reason. Many Marshall master volume amps in the past don't really come alive until they are as loud as a non master volume amp anyway, but this series of Marshall is more workable in that sense.

One advantage of having the higher wattage is that in a situation were you need a loud clean; you can keep the clean cleaner longer, and the dSL series does have a nice clean in my opinion.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

I've heard the JCM600 can sound like complete crap, and as far as I know, they were never a popular Marshall.
If you have to pick only out of the two, don't even bother with the 600.
The DSL all the way.

 

[Inferno]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

I owned both at the same time while I decided which one to sell off. The clean channels are very similar. The JCM 600 sounded good on the crunch channel, but I there wasn't enough distortion for me. The DSL could nail every ounce of gain that the 600 put out, plus quite a bit more.

Add the fact that the DSL has a bass boost and a mid cut (which I never used), it allows for more tone shaping options. IMO, the DSL can do everything the JCM 600 can do plus some. If they're the same price then jump on the DSL!

 

[Leveller]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Thanks a lot for all your opinions and advice. Now the thing is, the guy who sold the DSL pulled out, BUT I have found someone selling a 2204 (jcm 800 50W single channel head) and a 1960A cab. So what I've got is;

JCM800 head + cab for ~$1550
JCM600 head for ~$850

Maybe you think those prices are high but they are reasonable here. A cab is not super important right now but I will have to get one eventually.

So, the pros of the the 600 is that it has two channels which supposedly both sound good. But that is not a huge issue since I have another amp and can use an A/B box to get clean sounds from that amp.
I've heard mixed opinions on the dirty channel of the 600. Some say it sounds weaker and not as good as the 800, but I don't think either one is a brutal amp by todays standards. And I've read of this neat trick with the effects loop on the 600 to give it more gain.

Help me to decide on this one please

 

[marvar]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Thanks a lot for all your opinions and advice. Now the thing is, the guy who sold the DSL pulled out, BUT I have found someone selling a 2204 (jcm 800 50W single channel head) and a 1960A cab. So what I've got is;

JCM800 head + cab for ~$1550
JCM600 head for ~$850

Maybe you think those prices are high but they are reasonable here. A cab is not super important right now but I will have to get one eventually.

So, the pros of the the 600 is that it has two channels which supposedly both sound good. But that is not a huge issue since I have another amp and can use an A/B box to get clean sounds from that amp.
I've heard mixed opinions on the dirty channel of the 600. Some say it sounds weaker and not as good as the 800, but I don't think either one is a brutal amp by todays standards. And I've read of this neat trick with the effects loop on the 600 to give it more gain.

Help me to decide on this one please

Thats waaayyy to much for the 600, you should be able to find one for 500 or less.
Personally, I think the od channel on the 600 is too distorted for my taste, at least the the stock preamp tubes, I can't imagine someone saying it is weak. I've had to tame mine to work for me. Heck, it uses 3 stages of gain, so I don't understand that.

 

[marvar]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

I've heard the JCM600 can sound like complete crap, and as far as I know, they were never a popular Marshall.
If you have to pick only out of the two, don't even bother with the 600.
The DSL all the way.

How can you make a recommendation on something that you've only heard about?
Besides, the DSL's are really known to be all that reliable, just go the the Marshall Amp forum, and read all the posts there about all the problems folks have with the DSL/TSL. amps.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Bro you're trying to decide between what is arguably Marshall's best amp and the matching cabinet for it, and a Marshall that I've never even heard of before this thread -- and I know ALL about good amps.

Get the JCM800 half stack, you'll probably never want another amp ever again.

 

[Leveller]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Bro you're trying to decide between what is arguably Marshall's best amp and the matching cabinet for it, and a Marshall that I've never even heard of before this thread -- and I know ALL about good amps.

Get the JCM800 half stack, you'll probably never want another amp ever again.

Well, when you put it that way...

 

[Mr. B]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

I think you all may be talking across purposes here. If I am remembering correctly there was an older JCM600 which no one I know of really liked. Then there is a JCM TSL60 head that is more modern with twice the features, that many people DO like (I'm sure some don't like this one either). My point is, there are two VERY different amps out there which are sometimes referred to as a JCM600.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

^Huh?
I don't see how anyone gets the JCM2000 series TSL mixed up with the JCM600.
The JCM 600 is indeed ancient by now and I've yet to hear anything inspiring about it's tone.
The DSL and TSL range are both part of the more modern JCM2000 series and they kick a lot of butt IMO.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

I've been shopping for a used TSL601 for several months now, and I have seen a LOT of confused sellers (and buyers) with the wrong descriptions and impressions on Ebay. The fact that both lines use the model numbers 601 and 602 is what causes most of the confusion, coupled with the fact that most people have never heard of the ACTUAL JCM600 line of amps.

 

[Leveller]

Re: JCM 600 or DSL100?

Well this really is a JCM 600 from the late 90s, not a TSL.