Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

[devastone]

Anybody tried one, I know, there are probably threads on here, I'll do a search a little later. I got offered a new one at a really good price, might be fun to have an amp around the house again, just not sure if the Origin is what I'm looking for, I usually play really clean or with quite a bit of gain, sounds like these may live in the middle of those two ranges without really getting into either one, I'm sure it could be pushed to do the hot Marshall sounds, do they clean up well? Do they take pedals well?

Thinking maybe the DSL20 would be a better choice but this is a pretty good deal.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

Looked at and played all the Marshall low wattage heads before I finally bought the MT 15 last year. The Origin is a cool amp. Sounds more like a old JCM 45 than anything else i can think of. Really touch sensitive and organic has gain but is more in the AC/DC classic Marshall vibe than metal. Can get clean but not the Fender style warm cleans. These have a set of EL 34's not the EL 84's so feel more like a 50 watt amp the way they respond. Good sounding rigs but just wasn't what i was looking for at the time. The DSL 20 is more versatile and sounds more modern but IMO the Origin sounds better. It's more the classic Marshall tone and feel to me.

 

[devastone]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

Thanks Rich! That's kinda what I'm finding, not sure which one is right for me, sounds like the Origin's one channel is right in the middle of the 2 DSL channels, but in the demos is seems to be a nice warm fat tone. The DSL clean sounds like it can get "chimier". I do like that is uses bigger bottles!

 

[dave74]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

These look like great pedal platforms as well. With the multiple power selection I've considered a 50w version.

 

[Larioso]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

The Origin 20H is the latest contribution for me, had it for 6 month.
I was attracted partly because of said balance knob Tilt - that would work as a balance between normal and bright channel on JTM50 or similar I had in the 60's.
But this is a scam, and what happends is hardly even noticable going towards bright - all bass is still there. So this is simply a tone control like any, roll off highs going left from 5 pretty much.

Judge for yourself, I made this video in contact with Marshall
https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZpSwwkZpNrJrlODHvLHpJVJjzc6R52YPFJ7

I got more response moving treble from 5 to 6 or something than moving Tilt from 5-10.

The boost which is on floorpedal too is a fixed boost around 10 dB which was the first thing I felt like I wanted to modify.
I think this would be better use for Tilt knob - to actually set the amount of boost you want.
So I started doing boost in FX loop instead - right now the only thing there - also on floorboard.
So setting boost a little lower in FX loop than internal boost do.

As EQ go they seems to be subtractive - that normal position is all on 10 - apart from presence knob.

So this way I get 4 very different sounds - normal clean, either boost and both boosts for lead.

Otherwise I get that raw Marshall tone I was looking for with Gain=2-3. Reference is some that use 200W Marshall like Blackmore and Mick Ronson, not going for hi gain sound.
Gain knob high get too fizzy grit in my taste.

Laney Ironheart Studio and Koch Studiotone(modified by Folkesson, sweden) are the ones I use also.

The most useful and well thought out amp I think is Laney Ironheart(rack mount, double height)
- you have a knob how much boost you want activating that
- clean channel is very good at that, and boost work too if to get a little grit. Clean share EQ with channel2.
- So 3 channels and 2 EQ sets and boost work on all of them.
- the 2 non-clean channels have own gain+master
- pull any EQ knob to alter crossover frequency it operates on.
- a tone and dynamics knob right before power amp to adjust a bit how amp responds
- internal load if not wanting speakers on
- good features on floorboard for channels, boost and reverb.
- some features with DI and reamping I have not used, but seems clever to me

 

[dave74]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

Good write-up Larioso! Thanks for the input.

I never have paid much attention to the Laney stuff but that really sounds like a fun amp, especially with big gain, and especially for it's price.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

I really was impressed with the 50 and 20 heads. If buying a new amp today, I'd probably end up with an Origin 20 and either a 2x12 or 4x12 closed back cab loaded with greenbacks. They sound great clean (50 does surprisingly well with this which surprised me for a Marshall), are very touch sensitive, have a switchable FX loop, gain is perfect for classic rock, take pedals well, and the power scaling on them works well so they'll go from very quiet to loud enough to jam comfortably with.

The only thing I don't like is the lack of reverb.

 

[blakejcan]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

I have the 20 head. I don't have an amazing history w/ Marshalls by any stretch but it definitely fills a unique spot between my Blues Jr & my AC15. I was surprised by how clean it was at volume up until I started really understanding what presence, tilt & whatever else did. Can I say I really understand them now? Not really, but if you twirl one this way then happy noises come out. Good enough for me.

Once you get into that next gain stage it gets into those sounds that are familiar in my head when I think "oh that's a Marshall". Throw a pedal in front of it and then weeeee it gets thick. I'm also running it through a 4x12 which prob helps

 

[devastone]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

Thanks for the input, I actually just picked up a Tech 21 RK5 V2 on sale, going to check it out. It might work well with something like the Origin 20 at some point.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

I don't own it but recorded (and tested it for a little when the band left home, heh). On its own is the best classic Marshall in a new package I've heard so far. AC/DC and '70s stuff. As for response I like this one the best conisdering anything Marshall produced in the last 15-20 years, only JCM800/900/Silver top it to me. Cleans are great, it takes pedals like it was designed to take pedals. The gently pushed EL34 tubes sound 'the big boy' with less volume. None of the EL84 dynamic sponginess I don't like.

If I was about to get a new head it would be an Origin 20 for recording or Origin 50 for onstage use. It is pretty unlikely though as I'm still using AMT amp sims you recommended a decade ago going direct to the FOH

 

[devastone]

Re: Tell me about the Marshall Origin 20 heads

I don't own it but recorded (and tested it for a little when the band left home, heh). On its own is the best classic Marshall in a new package I've heard so far. AC/DC and '70s stuff. Cleans are great, it takes pedals like it was designed to take pedals. The gently pushed EL34 tubes sound 'the big boy' with less volume and none of the EL84 dynamic sponginess I don't like.

If I was about to get a new head it would be an Origin 20 for recording or Origin 50 for onstage use. It is pretty unlikely though as I'm still using AMT amp sims you recommended a decade ago going direct to the FOH

I still have a P2 around somewhere. The pedalboard I had with the SS-11B was awesome, but I really like the convenience of the GT-1K, and running direct nobody can tell if it has warm bottles or hamsters in it (it's church, nobody really cares that much what it sounds like). Heck, with in-ears I can't either, I can't even tell where I am in the FOH mix. Picked up the RK5 to try, if it works, I won't even need the 2nd gigbag for the processor, it'll fit in my guitar gig bag. Of course, I'll probably end up wanting a wah, volume, and phaser to go with it, so, there's another little bag...

I would just use the P2 with some pedals, but it is a little aggressive for most of the stuff we play.