Forums > Electric Guitar > Got to test some amps today...
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Forums > Electric Guitar > Got to test some amps today...
Original message:5 days 7 hours 54 minutes ago
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I just got back from a local music store (Evans Music City in Houston). I was visiting to try out some amps they had in stock. Here's the list of the ones I played, with my opinions on them.

Randall V2 - WOW. That's really all I can say. This amp is a hybrid. It has a selectable tube or solid state preamp section, and a tube/mosfet hybrid power section. Believe it or not, this was the second-best sounding amp there. And probably the one I'm going to end up purchasing, primarily because it sounded so good, there's no power tubes to change out, and it was super quiet even with the gain maxed out. Everything is MIDI assignable on it, and it has a MIDI selectable 6-band graphic EQ like on Mesa Mark series amplifiers.

Randall T2 - Right up there with the V2. This is the same thing, only with an all tube preamp, and much simpler control layout. No graphic EQ here. But it was every bit as good-sounding as the V2. I'll still probably go with the V2 though, simply because it has more options and a nearly identical sound for the same price.

VHT Hundred/CL - WOW. Easily the best sounding amp out of the lot. I would buy it in a minute, but I don't have 2500 to drop on an amp right now. Maybe sometime down the road I can trade up my Randall for it...

Peavey JSX - A little too "rock" for me, and not enough "metal". Great sounding amp though. My other complaint was it didn't feel as fluid as either the Randalls or the VHT.

Mesa/Boogie Single Rectifier - Sounds like you'd expect. I didn't like how dry it felt and sounded to my ears. It just seemed like the harmonics were in the wrong spot.

Marshall JCM2000 - Sounds like a marshall ;) I like the way it sounded, it's just not what I'm looking for. If I wanted the cranked British sound, I would have kept my Legacy.

Randall RH150 G3 - ????? This thing is all solid state, but oddly, it's a FANTASTIC sounding solid state. Could be a come-from-behind contestant that I wasn't really expecting. The clean channel absolutely floored me...not brittle at all, and full enough to satisfy the jazz side of me.

Well, I'm very excited about the Randall amps now. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting much from a solid-state amp, but geez. They easily kept up with the tube amps and then some. For me, it'll come down to a toss-up between the V2 and the T2. The modern side wants the V2, the old-school side wants the T2. We'll see which one wins out ;)

If anyone out there is questioning these reviews, feel free to go out and try one yourself. All of these amps are awesome, but the VHT and Randalls took the cake.
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Angels of mercy, guardians of time, shackled and chained to the eternal flame, the hammer will slowly arise.
Reply:5 days 6 hours 41 minutes ago
Member: duane
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I'm not a big Randall fan but, different tastes is what makes the world interesting.
Perhaps (if you don't mind me suggesting) you should try a Dr Z Maz 38 (completely different that what you tried but worth your while I would say). Germino or Reinhart (BEST Marshall type amps out there.. What a Marshall should be but isn't even close).
Bogner (more where I think you are coming from). Just for fun I would personally play a Victoria (better than the old Fender Tweeds.. Well maybe not better but WAAAY more reliable) I've also never been a Mesa Rect fan. The only mesa I've been able to even stand for more than about 5 minutes is the stiletto. Those aren't awful ..


Try those an let me know if you decide.


Reply:5 days 4 hours 11 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002
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Yeah those are a little too classic-voiced for what I'm looking for. I like the modern, aggressive sound.
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Angels of mercy, guardians of time, shackled and chained to the eternal flame, the hammer will slowly arise.
Reply:5 days 6 hours 37 minutes ago
Member: Fred Kraus
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I've always wanted to try a Soldano but who has $4,000?
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This kid cracks me up!
Reply:5 days 4 hours 10 minutes ago
Member: shanejohnson2002
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lol me too...believe me, if they had one, I would have done it.
My music recommendations:
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Angels of mercy, guardians of time, shackled and chained to the eternal flame, the hammer will slowly arise.
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