NAD: DSL50 Head

[grapeskeletons]

Got my DSL50 head this morning from FedEx. My 1960a cab hasn't arrived yet, so I did the only sensible thing: I backed it up to my MA50c combo and used the internal MA speaker as a 16ohm cab. Quite a tight stretch but it worked.

I just can't explain how pleased I am with this amp. Crunchy, warm, responsive.... My idea guitar tones are big '80s and late '70s stuff and the DSL delivers. Even through one Eminence AX-75 in a cheap cabinet, the mojo was there. It's amazingly so much better sounding than the MA's internal amp even though they both are EL34/12AX7 platforms. The MA sounds brittle and choked by comparison. The DSL is warm, vibrant, and does a mean Plexi sim on the crunch channel, but the Ultra Gain is where it's at for my JCM800 boosted type tones.

The 1960a cab will be here next week, and I am also waiting for a quad of G12-65s to go in it. I'll try it with the G12T-75s, but I have the feeling I'm going to like the 65s a lot more. This is my first half-stack since college, which I bought a brand new JCM900 and absolultely hated it due to it being artificial, tinny, buzzy sounding crap. My band played a reunion gig last year outside, and I got swamped by my other guitarist and his 100 Watt Line 6. Ain't happenin' again that way this year.....:headbang:

 

[Jakek5150]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Really awesome! How much did you pay for it?

 

[grapeskeletons]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Err, a bit on the pricey side for used, but it's near mint. $650 ish. Yeah, I know...but I wanted a nice looking one if it's going to be my main amp.

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

I paid $650 (IIRC) for mine too. Those are great amps! Just wait until you run the green channel boosted (= teh secks)

 

[Thunder7]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

YES run a good od through the crunch channel and it's a monster. I stay on that channel 90% of the time. I use my neck pickup for cleans, flip to bridge for crunch and turn on a BB preamp to chunk it up. I absolutely love my DSL. You'll like it whole lot more when you run it through some more speakers. I run mine through a home built 2x12 cab and it thumps.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

650 is a fine price.

I remember that on a forum buddy's advice, I forced myself to use the red channel only for a whole week. I ended up rather liking it.

A lot of people diss the red channel. With a dirt pedal for a little boost, the gain around 3 to 5, and the master at 5 or above, it has its own charm that I think really rivals the green crunch mode w/ or w/o a boost. Sometimes, even with the presence low, I found boosting the green crunch mode to be a lil bright. The red channel lead 1 mode is the remedy. It's like having 2 amps.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Yeah, my housemate has one of those. I like the red channel with the gain relatively low boosted, or the green channel with the gain relatively high boosted. The green channel responds in a very similar fashion to my JMP.

 

[grapeskeletons]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Awesome, can't wait to get it into the g12-65s!

 

[metlking]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Great amp, I had one and wish I still did. I barely scratched the surface of what it could do before I got rid of it. $650 is a great price. I paid $800 and sold it for close to that not long after.......

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

I think that's what I will get instead of trying to replace my JCM 800. By the time I buy a nice 800 and have it modded to my specs I could have a DSL and a cab. Probably better off that way.

Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Simon_F]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Congrats! The DSL 50 is a great amp. There is at least one Marshall tone in there for everyone!

 

[mwalluk]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Nice score and congrats.

As a former DSL user, you got yourself a solid, respectable amp.

Here's some of my reflections on from being removed from my DSL. I traded mine for a VHT Deliverance Sixty.

Pros:

Two channels (always nice to have multiple channels)

Takes pedals very well (could be infront or in efx loop)

Has a nice signature Marshall Crunch

Clean is good. (not going say a great clean by any means, but top five in cleans from a Marshall amp. Very useable, throw in some efx and you got a lush, shimmering clean).

Very Very Versatile. It can just about accomplish any style. It may not pull it off completely, but allows you to get in the ball park.

Cons:

Shared EQ (I wouldn't mind it as much if the green channel wasn't so bassy and the red channel so thin. You thick up the red channel and when you switch to Green it's way to bassy)

A little loose

Could never get a tight, punchy distortion from it. Added a lot of pedals to it and it became overally saturated.

Loud amp (not volume, but hiss).

W/O using a distortion pedal, this will not be a metal amp. Can pull off metal, however on it owns it never exceeds a hot rodded Marshall crunch.

It doesn't have a unique voicing (which isn't all that bad).

It will show your flaws but not as well as other amps. It won't force your to work on your technique and can cover up some flaws. (don't mistake me though, it's not an amp that you can hide behind).

 

[grapeskeletons]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Just following up: I finished the project, installing 4 1981 vintage Celestion G12-65s into a newer Marshall 1960a cab. With the DSL Head, I now have a half-stack. Wiring up the speakers and swapping 'em took me most of the day today, but I am very happy with the results. Ultimately I decided against the V30s after a lot of listening to clips and review reading.

The sound is pure '80s headbangin' bliss. Vor crunchy! The G12-65 is supposedly the Spandex speaker, and yep, I couldn't agree more. I can't believe what a difference the speakers made, and moreover, why Celestion/Marshall insist on pushing the scooped, awful sounding G12T-75s on innocent consumers. Eh, maybe some people like 'em. But my Marshall didn't sound Marshall enough until they were replaced. I am happy with the way it sounds now!

 

[Jakek5150]

Re: NAD: DSL50 Head

Sounds cool man....and $650 doesn't sound bad for that head. My local Sam Ash is selling one for around $1200(they label it as the "last one in existence" lol). I'd like to make that my next purchase. I've heard it and played it and it is one of Marshall's best amps in the last 10 years along with the JVM.