Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

What about trying a different cabinet? 212's never had the chunk and low end that a nice 412 does, to me anyway.

[jgcable]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
What about trying a different cabinet? 212's never had the chunk and low end that a nice 412 does, to me anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

These cabs throw out a tremendous amount of chunk, thump and low end with other amps. It has to be the poweramp. The T100 is great for powering my GT6 modeling preamp but it ain't cutting it with the Soldano. Its not in the same league. Its time for another power amp. Yippee...

[hippietim]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

John - what that is telling you is that the T100 is a good clean poweramp with very little of it's own color or character. That sounds like a very good amp for certain things like your GT-6. I bet it'd be a nice amp for acoustic and synth stuff as well. This quote on the Carvin site tells it all for me:

"...it also makes an ideal high power audiophile home entertainment tube power amplifier."

I don't think a VHT would be a good audiophile amp. Those are made for a guitar rig.

This has got me thinking I'd really like to try out a Carvin T100 power amp with my acoustic and MIDI rig [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Chuckracer]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

"Soldano SP77
TC Electronics G-Major w/midi foot controller
VHT 2150
Furman power supply/conditioner"

Yup, that should smoke. I'm not so sure about those cabs, either. You need to step up into 2005 state of the art gear. Perhaps a couple of Bogner oversize 2x12's with a Green back and a G12H30...tonal bliss, right there!

You've still got the Mesa, right? What about the two Ibanez's you just bought? The 3203 and the Mesa cab? Dump all this stuff...you don't play keyboards and guitar at the same time...the Carvin is all you need at home. For recording your gonna go direct anyway.
How many keyboards do you have? How many do you really need? How many guitars?

You have a pile of gear, and not all of it is pro-level. In fact, I'd bet most of it is crap. You are a pro-level guitarist trying to make it in a pro-level world. Gear up accordingly. You could really make the most of this high end gear.

Me and my opinions...everybody is entitled!
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[rstites]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

I mentioned before using the Mesa 50/50 with my SP-77 and it really is a good power amp and fairly inexpensive used. You can find them at that $400 mark sometimes. VHT has a similar 50W/side power amp too. The 2150 is no doubt great, as is the Mesa 90/90, but both are going to be seriuos overkill unless you're playing large venues and a lot of $ tied up. (If you're going to toss that kind of money around, you're already in the range of just buying a 2nd hand SLO.)

Interestingly, what happened to my rack was that I realized how much $ was tied up in it, had a big ebay sale and just bought a SLO. If I wanted to run stereo now, I'd just run out the DI of the SLO to an effects unit and from that through a decent solid state power amp for a w/d/w rig or w/d rig. I don't bother due to the gear and the fact that I'm not really much of an effects user to begin with.

[catzodellamarina]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Just last night, my friend told me to get a Fish teamed up with my VHT 2902 and G-Major rig. I may take a fishing trip soon.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

Fish?? Ouch! Cha-ching! hehe...
___________

John C... congratulations, you are in the quandary I have been in for MANY years... I am at an equipment level that is higher than most pros that are touring around, haha...
And of course, there are lotsa guitarists more deeper in than myself as well though (thankfully). But, I have the disease nonetheless.

I own what is probably one of the Holy Grail Preamps, and the king of all power amps. Yet I'm still searching. I mean really, what more could I want when I have a CAE3+se and a VHT2150? Well, obviously seeking something! haha, I am still out there seeking and tweaking man.

You will buy a nice power amp, and then see weaknesses in the SP77 (a great high end preamp BTW) and start looking at CAEs, high end ENGL, Brunetti's. It never ends really.

But, it gives me reason for living sometimes. So, have fun seeking, and seek judiciously so you don't lose your arse on the equipment dealings or your mind on the mental side of dealing with the seeking of tone!

We're here for yas...

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

the verticle mesa recto 2x12's kick ass. i love mine.

[catzodellamarina]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

I go fishing about once a year. Never caught one yet. I like to look at the Fishies [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Somedays all the amp stuff gets nuts and I feel like selling my rig and settle for a used Line6 HD. The bar crowd won't notice anyways and honestly, around here only a handful of guitarists either.

[jgcable]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
"Soldano SP77
TC Electronics G-Major w/midi foot controller
VHT 2150
Furman power supply/conditioner"

Yup, that should smoke. I'm not so sure about those cabs, either. You need to step up into 2005 state of the art gear. Perhaps a couple of Bogner oversize 2x12's with a Green back and a G12H30...tonal bliss, right there!

You've still got the Mesa, right? What about the two Ibanez's you just bought? The 3203 and the Mesa cab? Dump all this stuff...you don't play keyboards and guitar at the same time...the Carvin is all you need at home. For recording your gonna go direct anyway.
How many keyboards do you have? How many do you really need? How many guitars?

You have a pile of gear, and not all of it is pro-level. In fact, I'd bet most of it is crap. You are a pro-level guitarist trying to make it in a pro-level world. Gear up accordingly. You could really make the most of this high end gear.

Me and my opinions...everybody is entitled!
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

The Mesa Mark III is gone. So is the 5150 head, the Carvin X100B, the Carvin XV112E, the Carvin V220,and the Jackson Rhoads.
For guitars I have:
Ibanez RG7621 in white which is rare.
Ibanez UV7BK Universe
1991 PRS CE24
2002 PRS Santana SE with McCarty's
Carvin DC127

I play them all and I consider most of them fairly high end as far as guitars go.
For keyboards.. the only one I have left is an EMU Proteus MPS+ Orchestral. I use it for everything. It has 4 split points and is amazing.

I should sell the Marshall 3203, the Mesa cabinet, the Randall cabinets, the Carvin X60 and around 20 of the pedals I have that are duplicates of other pedals and that would be enough to score a killer poweramp and a really nice 2 x 12 Bogner cabinet.
Hey Chuck, I looked into the 2150's. Holy crap.. they are well over a grand used and it looks enormous and VERY heavy to carry. I'm not playing arena's. Not even close. Just small rock clubs. What about the VHT Two Ninety Two or something smaller. For that kind of money.. I would just dump my entire rack system and get an SLO and be done with it.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
For that kind of money.. I would just dump my entire rack system and get an SLO and be done with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

What light from yonder JG breaks... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

John - look here for a good deal on a 2150:

http://www.jcfonline.com/ubbthreads/...&page=0#576316

[jjw]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

my soldano sounds fine through a solidstate poweramp(valvestate 80/80)and a couple of 1912 marshal cabs(i think there the 1912 ones,there closed back extension single 12's)
no reverb or FX so its dry,but i had to mess around with the useless EQ a fair bit.been fine at band practise and doesnt feedback unmusicaly-keep messing around with it mate

[jgcable]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

[ QUOTE ]
my soldano sounds fine through a solidstate poweramp(valvestate 80/80)and a couple of 1912 marshal cabs(i think there the 1912 ones,there closed back extension single 12's)
no reverb or FX so its dry,but i had to mess around with the useless EQ a fair bit.been fine at band practise and doesnt feedback unmusicaly-keep messing around with it mate

[/ QUOTE ]

What tubes do you have in it?
I checked with Bob at Eurotubes and he recommended a full set of ECC83S's. He also told me I could throw 6L6GC's in the T100 but I am going to leave that one alone and use it for my GT6 modeling preamp.
I actually have some extra preamp tubes laying around so maybe I will try some swapping.
I do like the ECC83S's.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Soldano SP-77/Carvin T100 review..

John, the Mesa 50/50 got a thumbs up from Ross, who knows tone and who's opinion I trust 100%.
It would be well worth a look, I think.