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NAD: Carvin V3M

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  • NAD: Carvin V3M

    After playing it only a half-hour or so, I've got to say I'm impressed. I thought
    I had it on the 22-watt setting, and was a little concerned about how loud it
    would be, as I had the master around noon. But it was holding it's own with
    the band pretty well. Then I looked and realized it was on the 7-watt setting!

    Once I actually put it on 22 watts, it blossomed nicely. Plenty of power, albeit
    it was in our tiny practice room. I haven't tried it on the 50-watt setting yet, but
    I've got a gig coming up where I'll need it, so I'll be testing that out soon. Mine's
    the head-only package, and I was using it into a 4X10" cab, and it moved plenty
    of air on the 22-watt level. I think it's unlikely an amp based on 4 EL84s actually
    reaches 50 watts, but whatever the number, it should be plenty loud enough unless
    you've got Terry Bozio for a drummer...


    Lots to like on this amp. Very quiet, even using tons of gain--which it has plenty of.
    I see no need for boost pedals, esp. given the nice sound using the built-in boost.
    But having said that, it takes a boost up front vey well, and seems to play well with
    other pedals too. I ran my Swell G-Pro [granted not ultra-hi gain] into a cheap
    DOD Flanger and Visual Sound Garage Series delay right into the input and it was
    dead quiet. I haven't used the FX loop yet. My style is pretty much what you'd call
    Classic Rock, and this amp seemed to be a perfect fit, but with all the gain and EQ
    available, I think you could do sludgy down-tuned stuff with it without a pedal no worry...


    The tone controls are very sensitive, and it gives you a huge range of sounds depending
    on how you've got it set. Really nice presence control, that's kind of a master tone
    control [duh!]. I haven't really tried out all the combinations, and not too sure how the
    EQ switches work or what they do. I really like the built-in boost. So far I've just used
    it sparingly to make the amp stand out slightly, and not as an actual solo boost for leads.
    Which is just as well, as it's a global control, so once it's on, you get the same boost on
    all 3 channels. As far as I know, most amps with a boost operate the same way...

    I'll give it another shot this friday, and I'll get a better review posted after that...


    tj

  • #2
    Originally posted by lefty View Post
    Very quiet, even using tons of gain--which it has plenty of.
    I see no need for boost pedals, esp. given the nice sound using the built-in boost.
    The boost is a volume boost, not a gain boost.

    Thanks for the nice review.
    I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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    • #3
      Thanks for the review. Would be very interested in sound clips. I haven't been satisfied with the ones I've seen/heard on YouTube so far, but you know how that goes. Not necessarily a good indication of an amp's tone or flexibility.

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      • #4
        Good choice! I've been spending more time with my V3M, and I'm really happy with the tones I'm getting out of it.

        If you're going to gig with it, I would VERY STRONGLY recommend buying the rack ears and putting it in a rack, as (obviously) the front controls aren't recessed like on many amps. I just mounted mine in a 4U SKB "X" rack case (shallow 10.5" depth) that is the perfect size and still allows some space above and around the amp for airflow.
        sigpic

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        • #5
          Thanks for the review! I'm also interested in clips if you get the time.
          JB aka BenoA

          Clips and other tunes by BenoA / My Soundcloud page / My YouTube page
          Guitar And Sound (GAS) forum / Boss Katana Amps FB group

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