Anyone with PRS "30" Amp experience?

[paulshark]

I've had my eye on this amp for a while now. The ability to be Vox-type chime and also have Fender cleans has always been my dream. But I have a few questions before I pull the trigger.

• Does it have any buzzing/hissing issues?
• Can it really do Fender cleans and Vox chimes?
• Would you take it over something like a Sonzera 20?
• Is it quiet enough for slightly above bedroom noise levels?
• Does it have nice clean headroom for pedals?

If someone knowledgeable enough could answer these questions I would appreciate it very much.

 

[paulshark]

I am most worried about it having a high noise floor(I play strats so the issue would be worse)

 

[Boogie]

I demo’ed one at Experience. Bad place to really put an amp thru its paces. But some heavy cats told me it was THE model at the time to get. Personally, I went for a Super Dallas and never looked back, but if I could get a 30, I’d grab it.

 

[paulshark]

I demo’ed one at Experience. Bad place to really put an amp thru its paces. But some heavy cats told me it was THE model at the time to get. Personally, I went for a Super Dallas and never looked back, but if I could get a 30, I’d grab it.

Interesting. What was the tone like if you could remember?

 

[László]

EL84s don't automatically equal Vox. Remember, a Marshall 18W is also an EL84 amp, and it's quite different from a Vox. My own belief is that the chime of a Vox doesn't come from the output tubes, it's from the rest of the circuit, and of course, the alnico speakers that were originally installed in AC30s.

I love the way this amp sounds, but Vox? Nah.

However, the 30 is a terrific amp. I'd buy one.

 

[Boogie]

Interesting. What was the tone like if you could remember?

I walked away unsure. Like I said, a demo in a loud environment, even with headphones and iso cabs, was a tough way to evaluate an amp in 5 minutes. PRS made the issue a little better with iso cabs that year, so you could push the amp but there was some dummy load for the headphones. To me, it sounded like an EL84 amp, ala Badcat. And while those are great amps, I’ve always struggled to get “my” sound out of a Badcat. At the fraction of the cost of a Badcat anything, a PRS 30 is a real deal for a well built amp.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

EL84s don't automatically equal Vox. Remember, a Marshall 18W is also an EL84 amp, and it's quite different from a Vox. My own belief is that the chime of a Vox doesn't come from the output tubes, it's from the rest of the circuit, and of course, the alnico speakers that were originally installed in AC30s.

I love the way this amp sounds, but Vox? Nah.

However, the 30 is a terrific amp. I'd buy one.

Nice share Les.

Of course the chops on that talented dude help a lot!

And Paul dialling in some tones.

 

[Em7]

A large part of what people associate with the VOX sound is due to the EF86 small signal pentode that is used in the preamplifier circuit on the early models. It is a much brighter, more harmonically dense tone. An EF86 also overloads much nicer than a 12AX7. The downside is that it is difficult to find a non-microphonic EF86.

 

[CelticDave]

Would love to hear more about these. I picked up a somewhat rare all-black “stealth” combo with an FX loop while in Germany (U.S. spec/120V) and it showed up in excellent shape but with mismatched tubes. The owner told me he broke a few when they were taken out (rolled off a table?) and so he put in what he had.

Now that we’re back in the U.S. I’ve had some time to play it and I think there’s a tonal goddess lurking in there, but she needs to be summoned via some matched tube sets and maybe even some slight mods.

 

[andy474x]

Great score!

 

[CelticDave]

Great score!

Will post some pics if anyone’s interested.

 

[andy474x]

Will post some pics if anyone’s interested.

Please do!

Is this your first PRS amp?

 

[CelticDave]

Please do!

Is this your first PRS amp?

It is. I’ve owned many amps before, from a Peavey Classic 410 (toured with one for years), JCM800, usual Fenders, to boutiques.

I’m honing in more on the tone in my heart these days. Hoping this one will come alive with some new tubes, etc. It sounds pretty good now, so we’ll see how it turns out. I might start a dedicated thread on here for the journey.

 

[dmatthews]

It is. I’ve owned many amps before, from a Peavey Classic 410 (toured with one for years), JCM800, usual Fenders, to boutiques.

I’m honing in more on the tone in my heart these days. Hoping this one will come alive with some new tubes, etc. It sound pretty good now, so we’ll see how it turns out. I might start a dedicated thread on here for the journey.

That's gotta be fun, congrats!

 

[Boogie]

That looks like a WGS ET65 in that cab. Fantastic speaker, especially for this amp! Don’t be shy…move that master up, gain up, and ride the guitar volume. You’ll have infinite options at your fingertips.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

That looks like a WGS ET65 in that cab. Fantastic speaker, especially for this amp!

I have one and an ET90 and really like both of them!