Koch Powertone or Framus Dragon?

[papersoul]

Any fans of Koch amps?

I really like those unsung heros of the amp world. The amps that borderline boutique tone and quality wihtout the price. Koch appears to be one of those amps and they have some heavy hitters using their amps...plus you can get em pretty cheap used compared to say a Bogner, VHT or Diezel. Also, just because an amp is boutique and costs a ton of cash...doesn't always mean it is what you may like. I had a VHT Ultra Lead for a while and wasn't crazy about it compared to a Dual Rectifier or even my H&K Switchblade. Heck, I like the marshall DSL better!

Anyway, the clips of the Koch sound dark........yes, right up my alley. Kind of like a Framus Dragon but richer and warmer. Both seem really nice.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Koch Powertone or Framus Dragon?

I think Koch are fine. I have very limited experience but a couple of friends seem to like 'em. A few techs I know think they are ok (literally the reaction I got). they have a nice clean, and you get that Mesa-ish saturation, but a nice crunch. They are a bit dark, and that can be a bad thing as well as a good thing.

I owned a Dragon, very well made with lots of features, but there is very little info on it out there. I had a hellish time dealing with the dark tone of the amp. It never sat right in the mix, and I got eaten alive by Dual Recs, and I am not exaggerating. There were a couple of other design issues that frustrated me a tad. Two other forumites and I had long discussions.

The tone is very smooth and sweet, and it has good harmonic content!

Believe me I like to sit in the mix and not be bright or dark.

I very quickly returned to Marshalls and Bogners.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Koch Powertone or Framus Dragon?

Thanks!

I have heard the Dragon and the Koch amps can be dark. However, there are a lot of pros using Koch amps. However, there are a heck of a lot more using Mesas and Marshalls. Could be more to do with endorsements but who knows.

I see some Marshall guys now using the Koch Powertone so I wonder if maybe it is not as dark as the Dragon. I can tell you I never had a problem being heard with a Dual Rectifier, VHT or my H&K Switchblade.

I just picked up a used Rivera K-100 and hoping with the right tubes, this will be a good Marshally alternative for me. I'll be comparing it to some local Marshalls for sure. If not, I was thinking of the Koch or a DSL/JVM or something.

I know some guys who have had many different amp heads and found Riveras to really stand out in a mix so I am hopefull.

I was thinking of a Mesa Rectifier or a Marshall as well.....we'll see.

What you said about Marshalls reminds me of what a friend and guitar tech said. He felt my VHT and a Diezel we had to play with was very big and wide sounding, the Single Rectifier we had sounded a bit tighter and not as wide....the Marshall DSL sat the best in the mix. Yes, the DSL beat out the VHT in our test. This also has me thinking I could sell the Rivera and skip another amp and just buy a Marshall JVM head and be done. Might not even need the Rectifier thing.

Thanks for your opinion and experience.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Koch Powertone or Framus Dragon?

papersoul... What do you think of your Switchblade? I see they just jacked them up $200 in price. I had been thinking of getting one (as my favorite amp so far that I've owned was my Triamp MkI), but I ended-up with the new Traynor YCS-100 instead. I already had a Traynor Custom Blue 50 that I've gigged and loved for the past year, so I figured I'd go with the head. It was too good of a deal at $600 barely used. And I do love all of its features. But I've never stopped wondering how the Switchblade is. Plus, Alex Lifeson, Michael Wilton, and Alan Holdsworth are endorsing them, so that means something to me.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Koch Powertone or Framus Dragon?

I really love the Switchblade. I thikn it sounds great, all channels are useful and the effects are fine for most gig situations. Heck, Alex Lifeson used the amp on a large portion of the new CD and he used some of the built in effects.

We gigged a few weeks ago and it performed like a champ. The tone was great and it cut through like a knife. It seems a perfect gig amp because it is easy to use. I only wish there were a level knob for the modulation effects but honestly they sound fine. I also wish it had a master presence or something to adjust for various gigs.