Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

leevc5

New member
But I like it that way. Much better than having sense and no money, I guess. However, that is a topic for another forum.

I went and bought the subject amp for $150 & free shipping, so I am not going to complain. Except that is not worth $150, unpacking and setting up.

I have heard many a Marshall in my time and this thing comes no where close to capturing the sound of any of them. Even my much maligned AVT50 sounds great compared to any of the CODE models I've tried.

Sound aside, it has a funky Bluetooth interface that lets you control it with your phone. What's up with that? The controls are right on the amp, I mean what is the point of phone control. Perhaps the Brits think that us Yanks are so wedded to our cellphones that operating normal amp controls is a skill we have lost.

There is no USB interface of any consequence. Yes it does have a USB port but no software to make it of any use except as an input for recording on your computer.

Fender has no need to be concerned about Marshall's CODE modelling amp, the Mustang and it's computer interface is far better.

One obvious point is that I only waded in as far as a 25W 10" speaker model. But here again I think Mr. Marshall stepped on his Wang - no jack for connecting another speaker cabinet. I plan to open the sealed back and add a jack myself so I can try it with other speakers. When I changed my Mustang to a 12" Cannabis Rex it improved the sound quality significantly.

Anyone else had a go with a CODE? Would appreciate any and all comments.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

I love Marshalls, I really do. I've used / owned a number of different ones and 3 of my all-time top5 amps are Marshalls.

Still, after playing the very same CODE amp as you for one minute through simple settings and tweak the basic tone when it came out, I bought the Blackstar ID-CORE next to it without hesitation. It may be up to personal taste, I don't know. I'm just saying.
 
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Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

Everything I have read is that the presets are a starting point and you will need to adjust the EQ & FX to really sound good.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

I didn't feel like I was hearing anything that interesting in any of the video reviews. There was a lot of hype when they announced it, but they wouldn't post any videos letting you hear the dry tone of the amp without really thick backing tracks. That made me suspicious enough to avoid getting one to try out. I haven't seen one in person yet.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

yeah, for all the brands doing digital I would never go marshall.. just because Line 6 and other companies do it so much better and I am not trashing marshall but they entered a market that they don't need to enter.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

Maybe I did right by picking up a used JMD to experiment with. Wish it had different basic models but it sounds and feels real.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

You took one for the team. Your bravery will not be forgotten.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

yeah, for all the brands doing digital I would never go marshall.. just because Line 6 and other companies do it so much better and I am not trashing marshall but they entered a market that they don't need to enter.

For the most part, Marshalls have always been about tube power amps with output transformers in conjunction with quality speakers in quality cabs flexing their muscles. This is just a little 1x10 combo of all particle board construction. Perhaps they should have stayed with the JMD approach and came out with a JMD series 2 instead.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

Everything I have read is that the presets are a starting point and you will need to adjust the EQ & FX to really sound good.

That is true for everything in general and that's what I always do when I make a quick test of anything: back to the basics and try to set my tone from the scratch (that is somewhere between JCM800 and JCM900 anyway).

It did not help this unit at all.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

This thread is total BS.

Post a better practice option at the same price point.
 
Re: Marshall CODE 25 or I have more money than sense...

This thread is total BS.

Post a better practice option at the same price point.

Any of the Blackstar ID/ID Core amps.

And I say that as a Marshall fanboy for nearly 40 years and not a Blackstar fan. I skipped the CODE and use a little 5 watt ID core. plenty of tone variety. simple easy to adjust for a good sound. similar software for the computer for deeper editing, and mp3/headphone/usb. For a practice option- no doubt the CORE is a way better value than the CODE.
 
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