Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo's

[Chuckracer]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

I knew I was going to be taken the wrong way.
I didn't mean to imply that anyone MUST like the SLO, but like I said, if it mushed out, then there's a couple things that come to mind.

First: Don't dime the front end. This ain't a Marshall!
Second: It's a used head with unknown tubes in it. Tubes are the heart of an amp.

There is a learning curve with this amp, and I would like to hear the test results after known good tubes were installed and the player spent some time playing with the amp.
Just because there aren't many knobs on the SLO dosen't mean they are simple. I had mine for six months before I understood how it wanted to be set up.

If then the tester still didn't like it, great. But an amp of this caliber got that reputation somehow, didn't it?

[charveljunkie]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Cleveland Metal,
I will spend a little more time with the amp during the week
I have to return it next sat.
Firebird V,
money was not the issue for the amp the amp was well built and a stable amp but after several hours (4-5) I was not hearing what I needed to here
Chuckracer,
Very good point on the tubes
He's bringing me a complete set for the amp on monday-so I still have a week with it-maybe the tubes and time will change my mind?
I bought 10 50 watt 2204 and I was hoping to get 2 out of the 10 amps
well I did choose the 2 I now own which (to me) had the vibe and sound I like
In the 4 hours I tried all different combinations on the amp
gain-5,bass-7,mid-5,treble-6,presence-5
gain-7,bass-8,mid-6,treble4,presence-8
etc...even messed with the toggle switches
Like I said that was a good point on the tube issue and I will replace them monday-and let you know later what I think
But I don't know the first full feeling I got was great amp I just did not get the vibe from the sound-but we will see
[img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Firebird V]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Cool. Maybe get the new tubes in it and some of us can give you some of our favorite settings... Looking to help... When I get this JCM 800 next week and the Hot Mod in it maybe you can share some settings with me too. I have Chinese (Shuang???spl???)12ax7a's in the preamp section and that made a big difference for me. I also started running KT66's and That gave it a much rounder tone too. I run my gain at 6ish and it is plenty for me. Chuck helped me get it dialed in so maybe he can help you. When I first got it I had a few other heads(boogies and 5150) and at first I was liking it but something was missing and I replaced all the tubes and that did the trick. I was running 5881wxt's (Came with it) but did not like the tone as it was a bit bright. Than I went with what I had always liked in my other heads which was Svet made 6l6's. They were and are great but the Kt66's made it so much fuller and rounder. The bottom tightened up with them too. Of course you need to get it biased though to run the KT's and you have to get it back soon so the KT's are probably not going to work for you. Like I said before. Chuck really went through a bunch of changes with his and I would say is really an expert on the tones form the SLO. Maybe if you ask nice (or bake him something like cookies or brownies... lol) he can help you get a good start with it.

[charveljunkie]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Firebird V,
What kinda of cookies or Brownies does Chuck like [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Firebird V]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Chuckracer]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

LOL! I like the ones with the "special" ingredients... [img]/images/graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

And he doesn't mean walnuts!!!


Mmmmm... Brownies...

[Firebird V]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

"Space Cakes"

[jazzman]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Don't forget, If you don't like the new tubes, you can try another brand of tubes. They sound different. I am a freakin' wacko. I hear a difference between tubes big time. If it sounds muddy with new tubes, put a piece of shrink wrap around the tube closest to the input. This is the preamp. It can keep the tube from vibrating (microphonics) and make it tighter. Although the difference will be subtle in an slo, It is a nice trick!

I don't see why the amp would sound muddy with new tubes. I can play Van Halen with mine and the gain is on like between 3 & 4. Don't use too much gain. It can cause problems. That amp has more gain than you'll ever need anyway. Again if you don't like the new tubes, try another brand before getting rid of the amp. If you want to get rid of the amp anyways, how much you want for it. I need one for home too! LOL!

[CZSER]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Chuck, I agree. I'm a SLO 50watt clonner.
Tube facts:
Initially, I loaded it with a whole sovtek set: 12AX7WA & 5881WXT. KRAPPP!!!. Latter changed preamp ones to Haltron branded(chineese I think, due to the "F" bright metal part inside).
Noise, definition & gain improved, less harsh. But 5881WXT still KRAP(besides they are big bottom although fuzzy, they loose the line the harder you push them).
Few days ago I retubed with MAYOR NOS(a miracle to be found here in Argentina): Tung Sol 6550 (mods aside) & RCA Longplates. [img]/images/graemlins/what.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] It growls like a Nazgul and kicks like a mule [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] with singing smooth everlasting notes, heavy chunk, great clean sparkly chord definition note by note. With heavy disto big headroom at vol 8
Tweak Facts:
Some one said his SLO was muddy. Mine, a clone, At high gain/vol level, Bass than 6 begins to get muddy. But 6 is more than a bass lover like me would need, an at lower vol/gain you still have 1/3 more bass yet.
Only after 6 months of playing 1 1 /2 hours daily, I can say I know how to tweak my amps sound (improvements aside). How to sound good for practice low vol (disto & Clean), how to not overload power stage with lotsa bass at full power, how to get early sabbath, various AC/DC tones, classic maiden & judas, Metallica / Megadeath chunk, dimmu full disto, etc.
I think it's impossible to analyze an amp within a week, due to the tweak facts and tube facts.
So chuck, can we start a new post about SLO Settings?

[jazzman]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Speaking of settings, When I first got my SLO, at practice it sounded so good, we tried to make it sound bad (strictly for the challenge) The only thing that made it suck was turning the presence all the way up. Other than that, it sounded good no matter what we did. It's funny because with some amps, you have all you can do to make it not suck.

[Firebird V]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

That made me think.... When I first got my SLO I liked it but I could only get close to dialing in a sound when it was just me noodling with it. Then used it at rehearsal and it sounded WAAAAAYYYY better. It cut through more than anything I ever used. That is what did it for me. Maybe you should try using it at rehearsal instead of noodling with it on your own.... To my ears an amps true colors come out when it is used in a band setting instead of just a one on one type of thing. Maybe try it and see if that does it for you. i would still do the new tubes too.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Yep, some amps sound great at home alone, yet don't when in a live band setting.

I saw Iced Earth one time and one guy was using an SLO, and when they played it alone at soundcheck, I was thinking it was just a bit shrill sounding the way it was dialed in. But, when the band came on, that amp sounded amazing. I was VERY impressed.

[Firebird V]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

Yep. That is what it was for me too. It was shrill. But at practice it was fantastic.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Hot Rodded Marshalls vs. Soldano slo\'s

That's the difference between people who think it dosen't have enough bottom end and people who think it's fine as is.

Guys in bands, using it in a live situation are generally fine with a stock SLO.
Guys who aren't in a band and are using it at home are the ones getting the depth mods and whatever done.

The SLO is NOT an "at home" amp. It NEEDs to run loud and sounds best in a band context.

I sold my SLO when I left my last band as I have no use for an SLO at home. There are about a hundred low wattage amps I would rather play in my bedroom.

However, if I go back to Phoenix and playing live again, there's only one amp I'll buy!