I decided to practice with my old Marshall Lead 100 Mosfet today. I hadn't used that amp in a while and I didn't feel like carrying a heavy tube head.
That amp sounds great. It reminds of my 2204. Very loud and punchy, I didn't have to go past 3 on the master, same as I do on my 100w tube heads.. practice went really well and I'm considering using on next Saturday's show.
So anyway, why no one makes solid state amps that sound great like that anymore? It seems like companies unlearned how to make them. During the 80s and 90s you had quite a few great SS amps, this one, Randall RG, Ampeg VH etc... even the old Peavey Bandits were cool. These days they're mostly crap. You'd think companies would've gotten better at it, but it's the opposite
Also most consumers are likely listening to online reviews more than with their own ears. I’m sure there’s a whole culture now of recycling internet lore and learning to speak the language than actually learning to play and hear/listen better. People enjoy talking about the warmth of tubes before they even know what it means or having any experience.
As for me, my experience with SS amps is with little practice amps (Peavey Rage 108 and Marshall MG10). But I did compare my Katana 50 with my BF BandMaster and the BM had at least more oomph and liveliness. I know I’m comparing apples to orangutans. For cleans I prefer my Fender Blues Jr over the Katana.
Also, most companies are chasing the modelling pony for SS. I guess that my Yamaha is technically a modeller but it is not the be all do all like a Catalyst or Katana so it excels at the few things it does.
The Orange Crush and Super Crush are like one of the few exceptions. The Katanas are sweet too but digital, not analog. But they’re also not chasing exactly a modeling sound. They have sounds they’re based on but they’re still Boss/Roland.
More guitars than anyone could need
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Metropoulos Metroplex Mk I
Egnater Seminar Amp 50
Orange Rockerverb 50 Mk III
Peavey 5150
Fender 1976 Vibrolux Reverb
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Marshall 1960A G12M25 Greenbacks
Metropoulos Slant 2x12 G12H75 Creambacks.
The Katana is a great amp, but side by side against the Mosfet it's quite a difference in punch and power.
I haven't really tried the Orange Crush yet. I only played it at stores, where I couldn't really open it up. It'd be cool to check out out for real. I may buy one to give it a test.
Smaller and lighter, more features, cheaper to manufacture. Isn't that the same old song and dance? We get a bunch of modelers or tiny floor based amps.
It would be nice to see a plain old 2 channel amp, separate EQ, fx loop, 50-100 watts, head or combo. $500 for a Peavey Bandit or Orange Super Crush is about as good as it gets. What else can you get these days?
Last time I was shopping for a new SS amp I bought a Fender Champion 100. It was okay, the note decay has some strange noises I heard that on Mustangs too. I didn't keep it long. I traded it for a red stripe Peavey Special 212, but hated the active EQ (I miss my silver stripe Special). I traded that for a Randall RG3003H ($900 new LOL) which could be broken. CH1 and CH2 sound awful, CH3 is alright. My modded Marshall G50 is so much better for me. Lately I have been using a found on the side of the road Peavey XR600C as a clean amp with a few pedals. It's awesome.
greatmutah wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2024 3:23 am
The Orange Crush and Super Crush are like one of the few exceptions...
I came to say the same thing. I saw Kings X this past Tuesday and Ty was playing an older Crush 100 head into two 4x12s. Gibson Les Paul gold top into a Line 6 HX Effects in 4CM into the orange. It sounded massive, but Ty could plug into a block of cheddar cheese and sound huge. I actually think I like the SS orange amps better than the Rockerverbs though.
