upcoming NAD: DSL

FuseG4

FuseG4

Our Neighbor Totoro
got my deposit down but I couldn't wait til I actually got it in my hands, like a lot of people posting "new gear" threads...
anyways I'm picking it up on wednesday when I have the day off.

Anyways I'm getting a DSL40C!
Some may remember I used to own a DSL50 and I used it with a little vox cab, well I used to think it was too loud for my living arrangements so I traded and got a Tweaker 15... tweaker was cool but was a jack of all trades, master of none (for me). Traded the tweaker for a DRRI which has a supreme clean tone and reverb.

I was at GC the other day and plugged into a DSL40C and liked it a lot. It it was what I remember... a freaking sweet green channel and a red channel that sounds thin unless you crank it. but when you do it has lots of hard rock available. So it's like 2 amps in one unless you clip the red channel bright cap... which I may do.

Almost got the OR15... but the DSL just seemed a lot more versatile. OR15 really had some cool fuzziness.


I WILL have to replace the dang seventy/80 speaker... I could tell from a few min of playing that something different is needed... the seventy/80 is too bright/clean/transparent... need something warm but without too much bass... maybe a G12-65 or equivalent
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

Nice. The new DSLs are good bang for the buck. That 40w sounds good!

Congrats!
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

I don't even know why Celestion makes the Seventy/80. I would imagine they get a kickback from amp manufacturers who are able to slap a "Celestion Speakers" sticker on their combos and add $100 to the price. I can't tell you how much I despise that speaker.
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

misterwhizzy said:
I don't even know why Celestion makes the Seventy/80. I would imagine they get a kickback from amp manufacturers who are able to slap a "Celestion Speakers" sticker on their combos and add $100 to the price. I can't tell you how much I despise that speaker.
Click to expand...

I had two Seventy/80's in my first decent amp. They're terrible and I will never use them again. Almost any other 12" speaker is better than the Seventy/80.
 
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Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

I think the 70/80 is usable for metal & hard rock at low volumes. I wouldn't want a 4 x 12 filled with them though, lol
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

Back to the DSL - nice! You have to run it in stereo with the DRRI. One for clean, one for crunch (or even both at the same time)... man that would be a f'n awesome rig.
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

OK so,
Shopping list for getting the most out of a new DSL40C:
new EL34s (tung-sol? svetlana?)
new speaker (leaning towards WGS ET65)
A/B/Y box (leaning towards radial twin city)
couple more dirt boxes (SD-1, russian big muff, Rat)

I'm thinking of what order to do these in, can't afford em all at once.
I'm thinking the speaker is first, definitely.
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

FuseG4 said:
OK so,
Shopping list for getting the most out of a new DSL40C:
new EL34s (tung-sol? svetlana?)
new speaker (leaning towards WGS ET65)
A/B/Y box (leaning towards radial twin city)
couple more dirt boxes (SD-1, russian big muff, Rat)

I'm thinking of what order to do these in, can't afford em all at once.
I'm thinking the speaker is first, definitely.
Click to expand...

1) Speaker
2)A/B/Both (I used a Radial ab box before. More basic than the twin city but build quality was top notch)
3) Pedals
4) Tubes
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

Marshall tubes not so great.

After the speaker swap, I would start with tubes.No sense in a AB box, if you never want to switch over to the other amp
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

DankStar said:
I think the 70/80 is usable for metal & hard rock at low volumes. I wouldn't want a 4 x 12 filled with them though, lol
Click to expand...

Agreed on the 70/80 being usable once broken in. I have a good buddy who swears by the Seventy/80's in his 4/12's for 7 string metal stuff.
Here is a clip of his Carvin X100's and the 70/80 loaded cabs. Keith's tones with his Seventy/80 loaded 4/12 cabs are anything BUT thin and fizzy!!!

I find the Seventy/80 to be anything but overly bright and fizzy so I don't understand that talk here. A 70/80 came stock in my Blackstar 1/12 and while right now it's not in that cab ( WGS Retro 30) I still have it so it's not like I don't know these speakers. I find the 70/80 to be a little dark and and loose in the bottom but in the right cab or amp they can be quite nice. I have considered dropping it back in the Blackstar to run exclusively with my Jet City as that combo works quite well together. If someone does not snag the Jet City soon I may pull it off the market and go that rout.
Bottom line here is don't buy all this 70/80 hate and break it in before you abandon it quite so quickly. I played a used DSL40C last week that I thought sounded really good with the broken in 70/80 it had in it.
 
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Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

I used a 2x12 with them for a long time, before I even knew how important speakers were, and they still sucked after being broken in. YMMV
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

OK I'll make an attempt to break it in but no promises :D
really tho worst case scenario is I don't like it and have more time to figure out what I do want.

LOL when I got my DRRI the C12K was in there for about 3 days before I had a texas heat in there and then 2 months later a G12M-alike from Weber. That time I couldn't resist the urge to yank that C12K, but at least this time it's not like I have extra speakers laying around.
 
Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

FuseG4 said:
OK I'll make an attempt to break it in but no promises :D
really tho worst case scenario is I don't like it and have more time to figure out what I do want.

LOL when I got my DRRI the C12K was in there for about 3 days before I had a texas heat in there and then 2 months later a G12M-alike from Weber. That time I couldn't resist the urge to yank that C12K, but at least this time it's not like I have extra speakers laying around.
Click to expand...
Not saying to keep it forever just that it's not as big a POS as these guys are making the speaker to be. Many find them quite usable in some apps including myself.
I would tweak the tubes in the Pre first and give the speaker a little time to warm and loosen up as it breaks in rather than just yanking it. The used DSL-40C I played in the shop last week with the stock but broken in Seventy/80 really sounded nice.
 
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Re: upcoming NAD: DSL

I actually got my DSL 100 (made in England) out of storage a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't re tubed it since it was new, lol. The amp is not the same as yours exactly but I can tell you a little about how I set mine up. Since it's bright I went with JJ EL34L's and actually left all the preamp tubes stock except for V1 where I put in a NOS vintage 12 AX7. Sounds better than it ever has. Also, at least in my experience, the red channel is lacking for real hard rock lead gain sounds...actually sounds good on the lower gain settings for rhythm stuff. For a lead rock/metal lead sound on this amp I set the green channel up to crunch and then add an overdrive or distortion in front of it. WAY better for my tastes than the red channel stock as I just don't care for it's voicing. Also, I don't like it with G12T75's (which would be one choice for you if you were going to replace the speaker). Sounds far better with G12H30's (but not in your 1x12 unless you want to take a chance on blowing it) or even Vintage 30s.

A LOT of folks rag on DSL amps but they can sound great with the right setup.

IMO/YMMV
 
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