Ball&Chain
Active member
Are they any good? How do they compare to the much maligned MG line or even its tube powered brethren?
Marshall Valvestate
- Thread starter Ball&Chain
- Start date
indie folk guy
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
there were a few different variations on the Valvestate series I had a Valvestate2000 100 watt combo at one point in time and I love it one of my favorite clean tones to date.
It's a tube preamp and solid state power amp, it to my ear doesn't really hold a candle to the all tube brethren but it destroys the MG series.
there were a few different variations on the Valvestate series I had a Valvestate2000 100 watt combo at one point in time and I love it one of my favorite clean tones to date.
It's a tube preamp and solid state power amp, it to my ear doesn't really hold a candle to the all tube brethren but it destroys the MG series.
jmh151
Active member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
For home and studio use they are great. I had one, the VS100, and liked it alot. I heard their fault is they tend to thin out at higher volumes. When they were out, there were a couple "Industrial" rockers using them in the studio since they had a Marshall tone but with a tight bottom end, suitable for downtuning.
For home and studio use they are great. I had one, the VS100, and liked it alot. I heard their fault is they tend to thin out at higher volumes. When they were out, there were a couple "Industrial" rockers using them in the studio since they had a Marshall tone but with a tight bottom end, suitable for downtuning.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Mr 9finger
Digitally Challenged
Re: Marshall Valvestate
Can't say much on the combos or heads, but I had the 80 watt Valvestate rack mount power amp and it was pretty bad ass for what it was. I traded it for an Alvarez acoustic guitar.
Not one of my brighter moments.
Can't say much on the combos or heads, but I had the 80 watt Valvestate rack mount power amp and it was pretty bad ass for what it was. I traded it for an Alvarez acoustic guitar.
Not one of my brighter moments.
eschoendorff
New member
xxxplorer
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I've got an old VS100R combo and it is pretty knarly. It has a tube preamp, but it's a single 12ax7 and it's nowhere near a true tube sound, but the sound these make is pretty awesome for modern metal and all. They do thin out at high volumes though. I can attest. I used mine for a bit along side my 800. I took it out of my rig as it had a 'cold' sound and as cool as it could be for some things, it didn't work so great when we cleaned up and did lighter or bluesier stuff.
I've got an old VS100R combo and it is pretty knarly. It has a tube preamp, but it's a single 12ax7 and it's nowhere near a true tube sound, but the sound these make is pretty awesome for modern metal and all. They do thin out at high volumes though. I can attest. I used mine for a bit along side my 800. I took it out of my rig as it had a 'cold' sound and as cool as it could be for some things, it didn't work so great when we cleaned up and did lighter or bluesier stuff.
Ball&Chain
Active member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I was looking at an AVT 50 watt, I think it was. Just the reverb, not all the other effects Ive seen on some after doing some research.
I thought it sounded pretty good. Sounded like a Marshall to me, though I thought it was a tad fizzy for leads. Rhythms sounded really good though. I thought the clean channel had that ACDC crunch goin on with the gain up.
I was looking at an AVT 50 watt, I think it was. Just the reverb, not all the other effects Ive seen on some after doing some research.
I thought it sounded pretty good. Sounded like a Marshall to me, though I thought it was a tad fizzy for leads. Rhythms sounded really good though. I thought the clean channel had that ACDC crunch goin on with the gain up.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I've still got one of the original 80w versions of the Valvestate which I've had since new. To date I've had no issues with it. Right now it's getting used with a 4-cable system with a POD doing front-end duties. There certainly doesn't seem to be any lack of power.
I've still got one of the original 80w versions of the Valvestate which I've had since new. To date I've had no issues with it. Right now it's getting used with a 4-cable system with a POD doing front-end duties. There certainly doesn't seem to be any lack of power.
DankStar
Her Little Mojo Minion
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Marshall Valvestate
If I had it sat in front of me, I'd explain, but it involves using the the effects in/out on both the POD and the amp.
If I had it sat in front of me, I'd explain, but it involves using the the effects in/out on both the POD and the amp.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Marshall Valvestate
To be fair -
Some of the MG's (the little ones) have a fairly decent Marshall tone as 15/10/5 watt little amps go. But that's a tool for a specific job. Never had any love for the bigger ones.
As far as the Vavlvestate line goes, I break it into Valvestate 2000 and VS (original) years.
The 2000 series as I recall (and was mentioned) had a righteous clean tone. And of course, multiple channels (4 on the 100 - clean/crunch/lead/Acoustic) and digital fx etc..Pretty good bang for the buck. And I personally thought the 50 watt head was pretty cool. Way more oomph than I needed.
Now...the VS series. These are near and dear to my heart. I think one of the greatest Marshall tunes I ever got was with a VS 100. 25/100 switch, three channels, bright and contour....just a fantastic amp.
No, it's not a JCM800. But personally, the big tonal bonus for those creatures is OUTPUT stage overdrive. And I have neither the location, not the hearing to do that anymore.
And again - light, sturdy, cheap, and decent sound. Certainly not for Uber tone chasers...but certainly able to make a decent sound, with lots of features.
To be fair -
Some of the MG's (the little ones) have a fairly decent Marshall tone as 15/10/5 watt little amps go. But that's a tool for a specific job. Never had any love for the bigger ones.
As far as the Vavlvestate line goes, I break it into Valvestate 2000 and VS (original) years.
The 2000 series as I recall (and was mentioned) had a righteous clean tone. And of course, multiple channels (4 on the 100 - clean/crunch/lead/Acoustic) and digital fx etc..Pretty good bang for the buck. And I personally thought the 50 watt head was pretty cool. Way more oomph than I needed.
Now...the VS series. These are near and dear to my heart. I think one of the greatest Marshall tunes I ever got was with a VS 100. 25/100 switch, three channels, bright and contour....just a fantastic amp.
No, it's not a JCM800. But personally, the big tonal bonus for those creatures is OUTPUT stage overdrive. And I have neither the location, not the hearing to do that anymore.
And again - light, sturdy, cheap, and decent sound. Certainly not for Uber tone chasers...but certainly able to make a decent sound, with lots of features.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I had one of the first series 8080's and it was the amp that got me up and gigging. Solid clean tones, and a more than capable overdrive sound for what I was doing, with an old Zoom 3030 in the front end! I kept it until I got a killer deal on a Silverface Fender Bassman 70...
I had one of the first series 8080's and it was the amp that got me up and gigging. Solid clean tones, and a more than capable overdrive sound for what I was doing, with an old Zoom 3030 in the front end! I kept it until I got a killer deal on a Silverface Fender Bassman 70...
Mark Le Comte
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
Basically it puts the amps preamp in the effects loop of the pod. It gives you the option of using the pod as the preamp straight into the poweramp, or pod through the preamp and poweramp. Can be useful to avoid too many tone and gain controls stuffing each other up.
Basically it puts the amps preamp in the effects loop of the pod. It gives you the option of using the pod as the preamp straight into the poweramp, or pod through the preamp and poweramp. Can be useful to avoid too many tone and gain controls stuffing each other up.
dr. ad
MonkeyDungologist
Re: Marshall Valvestate
seriously, having played a lot of more expensive over-hyped "tube" amps;
if i wanted an amp for rehearsals and gigs that did good rock/metal tones at any volume and sounded the same every time i switched it on, i would probably just get a valvestate.
there's a lot of other options that claim to be tube and aren't, or are still stiff as an adolescent erection regardless of how loud you turn them up, because despite having 5-8 valves in, they still have a solid-state rectifier and other components, and are invariably fed through 300W of GT75s.
this is just my opinion, i know i'm too young to have heard the original marshalls with their mullards, and am not a professional musician, and am not TGWIF or GJ, so what do i know eh?
i'm in a great mood today.
seriously, having played a lot of more expensive over-hyped "tube" amps;
if i wanted an amp for rehearsals and gigs that did good rock/metal tones at any volume and sounded the same every time i switched it on, i would probably just get a valvestate.
there's a lot of other options that claim to be tube and aren't, or are still stiff as an adolescent erection regardless of how loud you turn them up, because despite having 5-8 valves in, they still have a solid-state rectifier and other components, and are invariably fed through 300W of GT75s.
this is just my opinion, i know i'm too young to have heard the original marshalls with their mullards, and am not a professional musician, and am not TGWIF or GJ, so what do i know eh?
i'm in a great mood today.
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
Whats kinda funny is that most of the classic Marshall and Fender designs uses solid state rectifiers. Anything newer than the JTM45 or the tweed series has a solid state rectifier. Also it doesnt have to have a tube rectifier to be considered all tube since a rectifier isnt even in the audio path. Yes i know they change the sound but they arent in the audio path.
Whats kinda funny is that most of the classic Marshall and Fender designs uses solid state rectifiers. Anything newer than the JTM45 or the tweed series has a solid state rectifier. Also it doesnt have to have a tube rectifier to be considered all tube since a rectifier isnt even in the audio path. Yes i know they change the sound but they arent in the audio path.
Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I've got one of these, it's been my amp for many years now. For a bedroom amp it's good.
Some issues: switching channels causes a 'whomp' type noise. The clean channel could benefit from a middle control, and it can sound harsh when you whack the strings hard. The o/d channel has an ok amount of gain, but lacks sustain on its own. I fixed this by getting a treble booster, which allows me to dial back the gain on the amp to about 3-4 and still have a fat sustaining sound with less fizz.
I've got one of these, it's been my amp for many years now. For a bedroom amp it's good.
Some issues: switching channels causes a 'whomp' type noise. The clean channel could benefit from a middle control, and it can sound harsh when you whack the strings hard. The o/d channel has an ok amount of gain, but lacks sustain on its own. I fixed this by getting a treble booster, which allows me to dial back the gain on the amp to about 3-4 and still have a fat sustaining sound with less fizz.
richard parker
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
I gigged in a cabaret band for a couple of years using the 8080 combo. It was pretty good and the audience weren't exactly tone hounds so what did they care ? The pots needed cleaning from time to time but it was totally reliable. I replaced it with a Laney GC series combo which was all solid state and actually pi**ed all over the Marshall tonewise. Having said that I did enjoy the Valvestate and would like to try one now to see how it compares to my memories. I've been told that the original series sounded better and are much more reliable than the later ones.
I gigged in a cabaret band for a couple of years using the 8080 combo. It was pretty good and the audience weren't exactly tone hounds so what did they care ? The pots needed cleaning from time to time but it was totally reliable. I replaced it with a Laney GC series combo which was all solid state and actually pi**ed all over the Marshall tonewise. Having said that I did enjoy the Valvestate and would like to try one now to see how it compares to my memories. I've been told that the original series sounded better and are much more reliable than the later ones.
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Marshall Valvestate
Dont know about Chuck but i know Prong and Static X used it in the mid to late 90's
Dont know about Chuck but i know Prong and Static X used it in the mid to late 90's
