looking into some new amps

[misterwhizzy]

Re: looking into some new amps

This is a choke. You put it in the power supply to clean up the power. It tightened up the bass a little bit and lowered the noise. To get the full response of the power section, especially in the bass, you need to install a depth mod. Without it, the bass is not quite right, certainly not EL34-like. I think I'm turning you off to this amp, but I really love it.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

This is a choke. You put it in the power supply to clean up the power. It tightened up the bass a little bit and lowered the noise. To get the full response of the power section, especially in the bass, you need to install a depth mod. Without it, the bass is not quite right, certainly not EL34-like. I think I'm turning you off to this amp, but I really love it.

no your not turning me off, but please explain what you mean about the bass being "not quite right." is it muddy? not heavy enough? not fat enough?

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: looking into some new amps

If you've ever seen the board on the JCA amps, they are the real deal, with thick traces and really clean layout, so it's built to take anything the Tweaker could take, buildwise.

They (JCAs) are firmly in the Marshall camp...bit more modern, but still a very brit sounding amp.

I had the inclination, and the cash to buy the Tweaker, and I came out of the store with the JCA20H instead, because it really does have a better core tone, IMO. There's plenty of bass, but it's not a firm, kick you in the guts bass. It's more of a good bottom end to the tone the amp has, and gets plenty full. It's a bit spongy, but so were a sh!t ton of older Marshall type amps.

As for low volumes...well, it sounds as good as most other tube amps at super low volumes. You just adjust the gain and EQ until you can live with it. It's when the amp gets up around show levels that it sounds best. For cleans, master up full, and volume to taste is the best that they get, and it still wants to overdrive. It's a rock amp.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: looking into some new amps

no your not turning me off, but please explain what you mean about the bass being "not quite right." is it muddy? not heavy enough? not fat enough?

It wasn't tight enough. It wasn't muddy, and it wasn't lacking. It just wasn't tight. The depth mod fixed that right up. Bass is booming, big, and tight, and fully adjustable. Again, I hate to say buy a new amp just to mod it, but this thing is a behemoth now. It beats the pants off my HT-5 after I did the work to it.

But that's just a core tone thing. The Blackstar has two channels, better cleans, and more versatility. It also has an effects loop and a direct out. If I remember right, and yes, I'm too lazy to look it up, the Tweaker has at least an effects loop. But I think you're going to have a hard time beating the Jet City for lower-wattage Marshall tones.

But again, my experience, as expressed earlier, has been soured by a bad experience with the Rebel 20, so I never really pursued Egnater, and I'm not an expert. I have spent a whole lot of time with the Jet City stuff, though, and I am really happy with mine at the moment.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

ya im pretty sold on the 22H. the 2 channels, gain levels on tap and stuff are all awesome. The tweaker sounds awesome too, but i dont think I would use all the different options the amp has.....and it only has 1 channel.

Someone also told me to look into the blackstart HT-20. After watching multiple demos, the amp sounds very thick on the OD channel. Not muddy per say, but very thick and maybe a tad dark and undefined.

 

[Diego]

Re: looking into some new amps

Amazing that there's amps like this for a price like this on the stores now.

Where were we 5 years ago?

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

It wasn't tight enough. It wasn't muddy, and it wasn't lacking. It just wasn't tight. The depth mod fixed that right up. Bass is booming, big, and tight, and fully adjustable. Again, I hate to say buy a new amp just to mod it, but this thing is a behemoth now. It beats the pants off my HT-5 after I did the work to it.

But that's just a core tone thing. The Blackstar has two channels, better cleans, and more versatility. It also has an effects loop and a direct out. If I remember right, and yes, I'm too lazy to look it up, the Tweaker has at least an effects loop. But I think you're going to have a hard time beating the Jet City for lower-wattage Marshall tones.

But again, my experience, as expressed earlier, has been soured by a bad experience with the Rebel 20, so I never really pursued Egnater, and I'm not an expert. I have spent a whole lot of time with the Jet City stuff, though, and I am really happy with mine at the moment.

ya im pretty sure the tweaker has a loop too, but i read some people having trouble running pedals through it and getting a good sound. They kept talking about having trouble with muffled sounds and stuff with the effects loop.

And ya it killed me to have to sell my 800, cuz the thing was 100% awesomeness. Exact tone and feel i was looking for.....it had "The" tone. Trouble is, is that I never had the volume above 2 cuz it was way too loud. I think I might have had it up to 3 when my parents werent home, and the floor and walls were shaking. It also sounded killer with my Doug Aldrich Rocket Fuel OD through it

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

Amazing that there's amps like this for a price like this on the stores now.

Where were we 5 years ago?

i know right? lol I might also wait until after the summer NAMM show before I order an amp. I wanna see what new stuff is going to come out after summer namm

 

[Diego]

Re: looking into some new amps

BTW, the Tweaker loop only has issues with certain analog effects like the Carbon Copy and my own Memory Toy.
The send level is too hot so it overloads.
Adding a high gain 12AX7 tube on V2 helps a bit. I have a Tungsol on mine and it's better than stock, and not an issue unless you run your amp with lots of gain.
Since I boost mine for extra juice, I don't have any problems.

And Egnater will add a switch to change the Loop Level from line to instrument on your Tweaker, for free.

Bruce Egnater even gave away the schematic to the mod. It's on the net somewhere.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

BTW, the Tweaker loop only has issues with certain analog effects like the Carbon Copy and my own Memory Toy.
The send level is too hot so it overloads.
Adding a high gain 12AX7 tube on V2 helps a bit. I have a Tungsol on mine and it's better than stock, and not an issue unless you run your amp with lots of gain.
Since I boost mine for extra juice, I don't have any problems.

And Egnater will add a switch to change the Loop Level from line to instrument on your Tweaker, for free.

Bruce Egnater even gave away the schematic to the mod. It's on the net somewhere.

for free? wow thats nice of them. I dont really run any pedals anyways.....nothing other than an OD pedal or a wah sometimes. I like to keep it simple :1:

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

check out this guys' demos of the jca 22h. Pretty awesome

Lead channel with boosts- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbfLsUmXprY&feature=related

general demo- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C4vcBinczA

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: looking into some new amps

check out this guys' demos of the jca 22h. Pretty awesome

Lead channel with boosts- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbfLsUmXprY&feature=related

general demo- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C4vcBinczA

Quote my message to learn how to do this.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: looking into some new amps

Quote my message to learn how to do this.

ya thanks. i really do need to get that down lol