?!!?AmPs?!?!?

tubedude

Hey ppl, hows it goin!! looking for some opinions here,
Im between amps at the moment, sold my last one a while ago,
well im buying a new one, and ive seen 4 in particular that appeal to me.
Theyre more or less around the same price range.
Ok well here they are:

Mesa F-50 (or maybe F-30)
Rivera Clubster (45-watt)
Orange Rocker 30-watt
Marshall DSL 401

So if anyone has had any experience with any of these amps, if ya could tell me bout them that would be cool.

bombidol

what kind of music do you play?

Voodu Child

Verrry different amps tbh, shouldn't really all end up on the same shortlist unless you don't know what kind of sound you're looking for.

F50 is very American sounding, pretty dark, excellent amp. Think Fender cleans, and a lead between and MKII and a Rec.

F30 is same as F50 but with EL84 power section, much brighter, doesnt suit the amp as well IMO. Definite Brit voice.

Same for the Rocker 30, definitely a brit voiced amp, really there's no comparison between the Orange and the F50, apples and pears tbh.

DSL401 shouldnt even be in that line up, it's much cheaper than any of the other amps. Decent amp, but not in the same league as the others.

I don't have any experience of Rivera amps, but they get great write-ups. Probably not the same kind of gain levels as the Orange, and certainly not as much as either of the Boogies. But fantastic amps by all accounts.

tubedude

Cheers Voodoo,
yeah i dont really have a specific sound that im trying to duplicate,im open minded, im into playing all different genres of rock really,i want some heavy low end with some nice cleans, so something versatile, an all rounder. I guess im really trying to find out if theres any one of these that i should stay away from.

Voodu Child

tubedude wrote:

Cheers Voodoo,
yeah i dont really have a specific sound that im trying to duplicate,im open minded, im into playing all different genres of rock really,i want some heavy low end with some nice cleans, so something versatile, an all rounder. I guess im really trying to find out if theres any one of these that i should stay away from.

Well, as i said, stay away from the DSL401 if you've priced yourself into high-end territory. It'd be fine for a first time amp, but can't cut it with pro-level amps.

Specifically looking at versatility, the Rivera and the two Mesa's are genuine two-channel platforms, the Orange isnt.

And if you need something heavy, tbh the Rivera is a 2x12AX7 preamp circuit, so it can't have much preamp gain on tap, more of a vintage voiced amp.

tubedude

Thats cool thanks, and also i was just lookin around tryin to measure prices, and i cant find anywhere that sells F-50's????? do you know anywhere? Ive tried usuals thomann, musicstore???

Voodu Child

tubedude wrote:

Thats cool thanks, and also i was just lookin around tryin to measure prices, and i cant find anywhere that sells F-50's????? do you know anywhere? Ive tried usuals thomann, musicstore???

They stopped making them in 2006/2007. You might find the last of the stock in a dealer if you hunt around, can't think of anywhere off-hand.

Other than that, you'll have to go second hand. I presume you've checked adverts.ie :rolleyes: *cough*

Patricide

Ehh voodoo child, correct me if im not mistaken here but riveras would be super high gail amps, ala vht and bogners no?

Voodu Child

Patricide wrote:

Ehh voodoo child, correct me if im not mistaken here but riveras would be super high gail amps, ala vht and bogners no?

High-gain amps generate most of their gain in the preamp, by cascading from one preamp valve to the next.

A 2x12ax7 preamp section (as in the Clubster 45) is most definitely not modern high-gain ala VHT, Soldano etc.

Rivera do a couple of high gain models alright, but the Clubster isnt one of them. Distortion sure, but saturated high gain, nope.

Patricide

kk, my mistake, i thought they were all higainers.

SirLemonhead

I have a preamp that only has 2 preamp tubes in it, and it is most certainally capable of high gain

Voodu Child

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I have a preamp that only has 2 preamp tubes in it, and it is most certainally capable of high gain

That's because the JMP-1 isnt a genuine valve preamp, it's semi-solid state. It uses silicon diodes to generate most of it's distortion. Like a 50 euro stompbox.

An all valve amp won't be high-gain with 2 12AX7s, simple as that. One of the 12AX7s in the Clubster has to be a phase invertor for the power-section, so you're looking at a single 12AX7 preamp valve. Not high gain by a million miles unless the preamp is SS, which i doubt a quality amp like Rivera would be.