NAD - It Might Get Loud
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richard parker
Active member
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
I like the look of that - has everything I'd need in an amp i.e. two channels each with gain and volume and their own EQ. How does it sound ? What are the differences between the channels ?
I like the look of that - has everything I'd need in an amp i.e. two channels each with gain and volume and their own EQ. How does it sound ? What are the differences between the channels ?
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Thank you sir! I like the look of it too... very clean and no-nonsense, almost like a piece of military hardware. The amp is a Custom Audio Amplifiers OD100SE/SH, built by John Suhr a stone's throw away from me in Lake Elsinore, California. It's a 100W all-tube head, six 12AX7's in the preamp and four 5881's in the power section.
This replaced the Boogie I'm selling, and it's sort of a return to a format of amp I really like - two channels with a few options, a good effects loop, and not a whole lot else. Each channel has a bright switch and a gain boost, and the back panel has Feedback (makes the amp tighter or looser feeling, basically a damping control) and Presence controls. The brilliance control on the front panel is not a presence control; it sounds different when it's adjusted. It makes the amp a bit brighter but it also adds some shimmer overall to the amp as a whole and the tone seems less "dry" with it up.
There's also a "Whomp" switch on the back - it's a 3-way switch that adds +4 or +2 db of low end boost, or you can turn it off. It's great for playing at lower levels or thickening up a bright instrument. Even with the back panel stuff there's not half as many options as on my Boogie and I like it that way.
How does it sound? Simple answer: vintage Fender Cleans, modern American Drive, but that really sells it short. The SH in the model name denotes the Scott Henderson mod, which John doesn't do anymore. It's supposed to emulate an old Blackface Fender type of tone, with a tad darker sound and earlier breakup than the stock amp. The amp is so quiet when it's idling and there's no reverb so it's a bit unnerving when you first play it, but the clean tone is very thick and rich. This amp LOVES single coils on the clean channel.
The drive channel has the SE mod on it, which is more gain than the standard OD100 which was more like a 70's Marshall, but not as much as the SE+ that's currently available. Honestly I wouldn't know what to do with more gain than what this has, and Im still planning on using my Fat Boost to further tweak the gain coming in from the guitar but also the feel as well. the amp sounds best between 3 and 6 which is LOUD LOUD LOUD but it does sound good at bedroom levels too interestingly enough - not fizzy at all. I will need an attenuator to run this in a club though. I can also run it in half-power by pulling the two outer tubes and halving the ohm output (i.e. 8 into 16) It'll do classic rock and heavy blues quite well on lower gain settings, and then move into a good singing Marshally drive sound, and then past 7 it gets very Soldano like. Absolutely CRUSHES when you go into Drop D and start playing heavy stuff.
The amp is really reactive to what you feed into it, both from the instrument and the player. It's very touch-reactive; play well and you will be rewarded. Play poorly and you will be punished, this thing does not gloss over your mistakes. My Music Man, LTD, and my friend's Tele and SG all sounded radically different but all sounded GOOD nonetheless - the amp loves pedals too, it's got an excellent effects loop and it likes drive pedals and even some delays and mods up front as well!
I first played one of these in 2005 and never forgot it... now I own one and after playing with Bogners and Boogies for a while, and it's nice to come back to a clean, unfettered amp that's just about pure, beautiful tone. I really do hope it works out for the long run, I have a feeling it will.
Thank you sir! I like the look of it too... very clean and no-nonsense, almost like a piece of military hardware. The amp is a Custom Audio Amplifiers OD100SE/SH, built by John Suhr a stone's throw away from me in Lake Elsinore, California. It's a 100W all-tube head, six 12AX7's in the preamp and four 5881's in the power section.
This replaced the Boogie I'm selling, and it's sort of a return to a format of amp I really like - two channels with a few options, a good effects loop, and not a whole lot else. Each channel has a bright switch and a gain boost, and the back panel has Feedback (makes the amp tighter or looser feeling, basically a damping control) and Presence controls. The brilliance control on the front panel is not a presence control; it sounds different when it's adjusted. It makes the amp a bit brighter but it also adds some shimmer overall to the amp as a whole and the tone seems less "dry" with it up.
There's also a "Whomp" switch on the back - it's a 3-way switch that adds +4 or +2 db of low end boost, or you can turn it off. It's great for playing at lower levels or thickening up a bright instrument. Even with the back panel stuff there's not half as many options as on my Boogie and I like it that way.
How does it sound? Simple answer: vintage Fender Cleans, modern American Drive, but that really sells it short. The SH in the model name denotes the Scott Henderson mod, which John doesn't do anymore. It's supposed to emulate an old Blackface Fender type of tone, with a tad darker sound and earlier breakup than the stock amp. The amp is so quiet when it's idling and there's no reverb so it's a bit unnerving when you first play it, but the clean tone is very thick and rich. This amp LOVES single coils on the clean channel.
The drive channel has the SE mod on it, which is more gain than the standard OD100 which was more like a 70's Marshall, but not as much as the SE+ that's currently available. Honestly I wouldn't know what to do with more gain than what this has, and Im still planning on using my Fat Boost to further tweak the gain coming in from the guitar but also the feel as well. the amp sounds best between 3 and 6 which is LOUD LOUD LOUD but it does sound good at bedroom levels too interestingly enough - not fizzy at all. I will need an attenuator to run this in a club though. I can also run it in half-power by pulling the two outer tubes and halving the ohm output (i.e. 8 into 16) It'll do classic rock and heavy blues quite well on lower gain settings, and then move into a good singing Marshally drive sound, and then past 7 it gets very Soldano like. Absolutely CRUSHES when you go into Drop D and start playing heavy stuff.
The amp is really reactive to what you feed into it, both from the instrument and the player. It's very touch-reactive; play well and you will be rewarded. Play poorly and you will be punished, this thing does not gloss over your mistakes. My Music Man, LTD, and my friend's Tele and SG all sounded radically different but all sounded GOOD nonetheless - the amp loves pedals too, it's got an excellent effects loop and it likes drive pedals and even some delays and mods up front as well!
I first played one of these in 2005 and never forgot it... now I own one and after playing with Bogners and Boogies for a while, and it's nice to come back to a clean, unfettered amp that's just about pure, beautiful tone. I really do hope it works out for the long run, I have a feeling it will.
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
yeh those amps look so cool. I'd love to try one out.
yeh those amps look so cool. I'd love to try one out.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Awesome. Why should I keep writing?
Awesome. Why should I keep writing?
SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
HAPPY NEW AMP DAY to you dude !
I know nothing about the brand, but is sure looks good
HAPPY NEW AMP DAY to you dude !
I know nothing about the brand, but is sure looks good
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
I've wanted one of those for a long time. Congrats!
I've wanted one of those for a long time. Congrats!
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
He does, actually. I tried out his version and it was too bright for my taste.
Yes they are - hellaciously loud but controllable and toneful.
It does - and it's a very simple 2-button footswitch, it's almost generic. But it's simple and easy to replace and doesn't take up a tone of real estate on the pedalboard.
If you're ever in Hollywood or Lake Elsinore I'm sure there will be one around in a store somewhere. I'll likely make some good recordings of mine since I can't find a recording of this particular amp on YouTube or anywhere else for that matter. Scott Henderson uses one extensively on a few live records.
Because IT'S A CELEBRATION, AH HA HA HA!! Hold my drink.
Thanks dude. John Suhr builds amazing stuff.
I played one for the first time in 2005 and the experience stayed with me since then. This is now the second "dream amp" I've purchased and I hope it stays around for the long run. If not, you'll be the first to know.
He does, actually. I tried out his version and it was too bright for my taste.
Yes they are - hellaciously loud but controllable and toneful.
It does - and it's a very simple 2-button footswitch, it's almost generic. But it's simple and easy to replace and doesn't take up a tone of real estate on the pedalboard.
If you're ever in Hollywood or Lake Elsinore I'm sure there will be one around in a store somewhere. I'll likely make some good recordings of mine since I can't find a recording of this particular amp on YouTube or anywhere else for that matter. Scott Henderson uses one extensively on a few live records.
Because IT'S A CELEBRATION, AH HA HA HA!! Hold my drink.
HAPPY NEW AMP DAY to you dude !
I know nothing about the brand, but is sure looks good
Thanks dude. John Suhr builds amazing stuff.
I played one for the first time in 2005 and the experience stayed with me since then. This is now the second "dream amp" I've purchased and I hope it stays around for the long run. If not, you'll be the first to know.
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Congrats, that amp looks great. Enjoy!
Congrats, that amp looks great. Enjoy!
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Great amp. I saw that one on Craigslist too. High end amps go quick on there, since nobody likes boutique retail prices.
If anyone thinks a channel switcher can't have a stunning clean sound, they've forgotten what four 6L6's sound like.
Great amp. I saw that one on Craigslist too. High end amps go quick on there, since nobody likes boutique retail prices.
If anyone thinks a channel switcher can't have a stunning clean sound, they've forgotten what four 6L6's sound like.
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Thank you, gentlemen!
I'm surprised you didn't jump on it, actually, haha! I got a pretty good deal on the thing - $3400 new I got it for $1900.
This amp actually runs 5881s and that's what it came with stock. I prefer those over 6L6's. The new ones come with EL34s so if I get tired of 5881's I might give those a whirl.
Suhr is just over the mountains from me in Lake Elsinore. The tubes in the amp look like the originals. I may take the amp in for a quick service look-around anyways.
Thank you, gentlemen!
I'm surprised you didn't jump on it, actually, haha! I got a pretty good deal on the thing - $3400 new I got it for $1900.
This amp actually runs 5881s and that's what it came with stock. I prefer those over 6L6's. The new ones come with EL34s so if I get tired of 5881's I might give those a whirl.
Suhr is just over the mountains from me in Lake Elsinore. The tubes in the amp look like the originals. I may take the amp in for a quick service look-around anyways.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Nicely biased 5881's are probably the best tubes for that amp. With EL-34's, your gain channel will get more midrange grind and a crunchier top. But, the beautiful sound of your clean channel will suffer. That's what I found with my Egnater Vengeance, which is a similar type of amp. I like Bogners and Marshalls with EL-34's, but amps like the CAE, Soldano, and 5150 probably sound best with 6L6/5881.
Nicely biased 5881's are probably the best tubes for that amp. With EL-34's, your gain channel will get more midrange grind and a crunchier top. But, the beautiful sound of your clean channel will suffer. That's what I found with my Egnater Vengeance, which is a similar type of amp. I like Bogners and Marshalls with EL-34's, but amps like the CAE, Soldano, and 5150 probably sound best with 6L6/5881.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Agreed for the most part. In single-channel JCM800s I prefer 6550s to EL-34s, and Soldanos sound great with KT66s in place of the stock 5881s. Tone-wise a Soldano with KT66s will have more / deeper bass and a smoother, less fizzy high end. I haven't had a chance to try them in a CAE or 5150.
Agreed for the most part. In single-channel JCM800s I prefer 6550s to EL-34s, and Soldanos sound great with KT66s in place of the stock 5881s. Tone-wise a Soldano with KT66s will have more / deeper bass and a smoother, less fizzy high end. I haven't had a chance to try them in a CAE or 5150.
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Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
I had an '82 vertical input JCM800 and it came with 6550's and it didn't really sound "right" until I put EL34s in it. To each his own i guess.
I tried an SLO100 and an OD100 out on the same day within minutes of each other and I don't know what the SLO was running, but the CAA sounded much better to me.
I had an '82 vertical input JCM800 and it came with 6550's and it didn't really sound "right" until I put EL34s in it. To each his own i guess.
I tried an SLO100 and an OD100 out on the same day within minutes of each other and I don't know what the SLO was running, but the CAA sounded much better to me.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: NAD - It Might Get Loud
Did the mids on the SLO seem a bit wrong? I've noticed that they sound kind of goofy when played by themselves, but that weird midrange really helps cut through a band mix. I wonder if it's due to the SLO's custom transformers, because the Hot Rod 100 is supposed to have the same basic circuit (but Mercury Transformers) and it doesn't have that midrange thing.
Did the mids on the SLO seem a bit wrong? I've noticed that they sound kind of goofy when played by themselves, but that weird midrange really helps cut through a band mix. I wonder if it's due to the SLO's custom transformers, because the Hot Rod 100 is supposed to have the same basic circuit (but Mercury Transformers) and it doesn't have that midrange thing.
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