The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

tman

New member
Hi I was wondering if any of you have this amp and can you make it versatile like blues/classic rock?? It isnt set up for just high gain is it? And also can you switch tubes around in this amp like you can the Egnator tweaker? I heard a demo and I do like the sound but it was a lot of high gain playing. I just wanted to hear some more info on someone that actually plays through one of these amps.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I spent some time with one recently, and all I did was blues and rock on it. I'm seriously thinking about buying one, as I am currently between Marshalls.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Awesome that sounds really nice. Did you do any mods to this amp I see you did some tube swapping in preamp tubes. Can you do power tube swapping without bias?? And is that the stock 70-80 celestion speaker that it comes with?
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Awesome that sounds really nice. Did you do any mods to this amp I see you did some tube swapping in preamp tubes. Can you do power tube swapping without bias?? And is that the stock 70-80 celestion speaker that it comes with?

I have not messed with the power tubes yet but you have to rebias it with new tubes. I used the stock 70/80 for 40 hrs which wasnt bad but still pretty bright so I found the Warehouse speaker on Craigs for 35.00 thats all I did I love the red also too.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I had one for awhile.... But I found the super lead channel is too compressed, too much gain to be usuable for anything beyound heavy rock/metal stuff.

The Clean/Overdrive channel awesome. Reminds me of my 1974x I had but with a better master volume. To my ears, that's where the amp really shines.

I liked having an effects loop which is why I chose it over the DSL15C or DSL15H.

However, why I sold it...

First, my old USA Peavey Bandit sounded just as good, both clean and overdrive. It was uncanny how on a recording, no one could tell which amp was used.

Second, the Reverb disappears when using the gain. Turn up the dirt and the the reverb is washed away.

Third, I was playing with a band in a large open warehouse, volume 1/2 way up and I was too loud. Can't crank it up to get power tube saturation without blowing away the room. Other guys were using larger cabinets and higher wattage tube amps. But I was too loud?


I think everyone out there should really give a Peavey Bandit a listen. Its analog circuitry and transtube technology is really good. It won't fail like the Line 6 or Fender Mustang digital technologies and you won't have to worry about the tubes when you travel. Just my 2 cents.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I'm glad you've got something that makes you happy. My old Peavey Bandit failed. First the power amp, then the preamp. It didn't sound good enough to my ears by then to make me want it back. The empty shell now houses a Reverend speaker that someone gave me.

I'm not a one-amp player, and I don't tour. If the Marshall isn't my high-gain sound, I'll keep the H&K on that duty.

I will say that the Transtube Peaveys sound much better than the older models. You could do a lot worse for an inexpensive amp.
 
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Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I use a V pick Traditional Ultra Light its nice on the high end tones on the red channel over a Tortex or Ultex, which is decent. A nice difference!
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I play mostly blues with mine, and it can give some nice tones, although the speaker is way to shrill for me. It loves guitars like the one in your avatar. A Les Paul into one will cover southern rock and blues-rock very well. Power tubes need to be biased, although it does have bias pots, which makes this a bit easier. I wouldn't bother replacing power tubes. Very minimal effect on tone. A lot of folks make a mod by clipping a cap labeled "C-19", to alter the red (crunch) circuit. There is a very long thread about these amps on the Marshall discussion board.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Yeah thats the only thing I dont like about the amp is that 70-80 celestion speaker to bright for me also. I would defintely have that changed out if I get this amp. I like Eminence but I do believe its a 16 ohm speaker so all my other Eminences are 8 ohm so I would have to spend money on a new speaker for 16 ohm. Im still trying to decide if I want this amp or an Egnator Tweaker/Peavey Valve King II
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I also have a Peavey Bandit "Silver strip" model from the 1990's with transtube with an Eminence speaker in it CV-75 and it is a great sounding amp. But I really do want my first all tube amp. Love the warmth
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Third, I was playing with a band in a large open warehouse, volume 1/2 way up and I was too loud. Can't crank it up to get power tube saturation without blowing away the room. Other guys were using larger cabinets and higher wattage tube amps. But I was too loud?

My guess is that the other guys weren't pushing their amps into power tube breakup. Virtually every high gain amp is designed to get 80% or more of its tone from the preamp, so while your DSL combo was on '5', their amps were probably on about '2'. My 100W Jubilee head is absolutely usable (though not amazing) when on 2 and is also very manageable in terms of actual volume. At full power 100W vs 50W may sound like a lot, but it's only 3db. To actually be twice as loud as the 50W amp you actually need 500W.

As far as larger cabinets go, they tend to provide better coverage as opposed to more volume.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

It's a real nice sounding amp. I was going back and forth between the DSL and the Blackstar 40w. Finally decided on a Carvin Nomad because they were running a great deal on them at that time. All three amps are great for Classic Rock/British Blues
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I quite liked the 40 watt dsl. Maybe because i spent so much time playing 800s and 900s back in the day, i guess i got used to how modern marshalls sound.
Blues rock for sure. No mods needed if the tubes are strong and biased nicely, but you could look at putting in something like a creamback g12m or g12h down the track if you felt that way inclined.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

I actually have a great sounding Eminence speaker the cv-75. I would put that speaker in it.Its a very nice sounding speaker. Great tight puncy bottom/awesome mids/airy highs its part of their British red coat series . I really dig the British tone.
 
Re: The DSL Marshall combo 40 watt amp

Dude I actually found a DSL 40 with a Creamback speaker in it already OH YEAH!!! its mine!! lol
 
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