HDRX20, can it get EVH, early 80s metal sounds?

[DreamTheaterRules]

I Thought All Those 80's Tones Were JC-120's And An SD-1? Solid State Baby! LOL

Only on the records

 

[gush]

Did you try lower voltage and no attenuator? I've never thought through how an attenuator might play into the variac experience, but that doesn't mean that is the problem. What attenuator are you using? Did you go down to 105v, 100v, 95v, etc?

I will try variac without attenuator when wife is gone.

Too loud for her.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I just got an HDRX 20 and if you want evh brown sound I'd say look elsewhere.

80s metal should be within this amps ability but it might take a pedal to arrive there .....maybe.

Another thought on this, and I think I forgot to mention this in our side discussion, but put it here so others with this amp can see.

If you're going for 80s rock OR browned out VH tones, in either case you're going to want to roll down the bass gain and probably the bass knob as well. Remember, when we hear that "Eddie dimed every control on the amp, then lowered volume with the variax" he was using a super lead. When you roll the bass gain up on the HDRX, you're adding in too much bass as well. As a general rule when just pushing it to 80s hard rock tones, I have the treble gain maxed, bass gain no higher than noon, and the bass knob usually at 9:00 or so.

When you start pushing that bass channel into the mix, you get more... well bass or course but more importantly, more of that wooly gain and wooly bottom end quality, which is much more Vintage sounding, rather than the tight bottom end and high mid focused crunch of a pushed JCM800. And then from there, add a bit more gain with the Timmy, and trim bass and add treble with it as well. THEN it can be pushed into pretty authentic sounding 80s hard rock tones.

And I'd suggest the same starting points when trying the variac. Use "mostly" the treble gain channel.

 

[SteveGlitch]

Hey guys, had the HDRX20 with matching 1x12 for a while now and ablsolutely love it, im using the OX as attenuator and for recording. Im not using any OD pedals at the moment, just an ep booster, MXR Carbon Copy delay and EH Oceans 11 reverb, mainly just using the amps overdrive which is great but since it based on plexi I was wondering if anyone has been able to get some EVH, early 80s metal tones out of the amp and how? Thanks!

Use those distortion pedals

The pedals will push the pre-amp tubes so you won't miss out on charging the gain stages on your amp. Your amp will sound glorious!

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Use those distortion pedals

The pedals will push the pre-amp tubes so you won't miss out on charging the gain stages on your amp. Your amp will sound glorious!

I will counter this with: If you have an attenuator which allows you to push the PI stage into overdrive, then all you need is a properly voiced overdrive pedal with the right EQ controls. You won’t need to add a lot of distortion, just to add some, and some treble, and trim some bass. Timmy or Amp 11 are PERFECT for pushing the HDRX into 80s hard rock tones.

Edit: I’m guessing that PRS horse pedal will do the same.