Clean channel on HX/DA?

[John F]

I’m considering an HX/DA amp. Does it have a clean channel? How about a spring reverb? Effects loop?

 

[RickP]

None of those. Just like the original Plexi, one channel (the two inputs of the original are patched internally and both volumes available).

You might want to take a look at some other PRS options if multiple channels, effects loop, or built in reverb are musts for you. I have an in-depth thread on the HXDA here: https://forums.prsguitars.com/threa...are-your-hxda-knowledge-with-the-world.44624/

 

[Stephen J.]

The 2 Channel Custom 50 is probably the most feature rich amp PRS made. I think they sound great, but they are nothing like the HXDA. What was it about the HXDA that made you consider it?

 

[John F]

I have a 2 Channel Custom 20. I was considering the 30 watt HX/DA and wondered if the features were comparable.

 

[John F]

I think the tone of the HX/DA is awesome. Can’t get that tone with my 5 watt Marshall Slash amp, my Fender 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue, or my PRS Custom 20.

I don’t need the HX/DA to have reverb or effects loop, I was asking because it is out of production and I didn’t find a sale spec sheet.

 

[RickP]

I think the tone of the HX/DA is awesome. Can’t get that tone with my 5 watt Marshall Slash amp, my Fender 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue, or my PRS Custom 20.

I don’t need the HX/DA to have reverb or effects loop, I was asking because it is out of production and I didn’t find a sale spec sheet.

I haven’t heard anything but an old Marshall sound like my 50 watt HXDA head does. It’s such a musical amp. Reverb and a loop would have been cool additions, but I think authenticity to the build and tone of the Hendrix (HX) and Duane Allman (DA) plexi Marshalls was the goal, and they nailed that. For a time you could have a loop added, and I’ve seen one so modified, but they no longer offer that service.

I’ve become quite a fan of the amp. It’s a unique offering in the PRS lineup, and one I think may have just been too expensive to keep building. It’s got a lot of custom and/or very expensive parts in the circuit, and is pretty much a custom-built proper Plexi. It’s as close as I will get to one and, like it is with the 594 or SS, is a great way to get authentic vintage tone without vintage equipment shortcomings. It’s the deal.

 

[John F]

I haven’t heard anything but an old Marshall sound like my 50 watt HXDA head does. It’s such a musical amp. Reverb and a loop would have been cool additions, but I think authenticity to the build and tone of the Hendrix (HX) and Duane Allman (DA) plexi Marshalls was the goal, and they nailed that.

All my amps are low wattage because I only play at home. Will a 30 watt HX/DA have that awesome sound at a lower volume, or do you have to crank it to get the valves to sizzle?

 

[RickP]

All my amps are low wattage because I only play at home. Will a 30 watt HX/DA have that awesome sound at a lower volume, or do you have to crank it to get the valves to sizzle?

They sound great, and easily as good as other master volume style amps, getting drive from the preamp. It’s a good sound. But, like the amps that inspired the HXDA, cranking up the master above noon has a sound all its own. I run my master at 3 o’clock to full on, and set the drive with either or (almost always) both of the input volumes. You can actually adjust a lot of the bass/treble response of the amp with just the volume controls, it is that correct to the original bass/lead amps they based the circuits on.

I already had a UA Ox Amp Top Box, and that’s what I use to control the volume output of all my amps. It also provides an interface for recording, including effects, cabinets, mics, rooms. Probably one of the more expensive of attenuation, load box, interface devices, but absolutely worth it to be able to crank a 100 watt amp through headphones! Even with a 22 watt Deluxe Reverb, it allows you to crank it to where it sounds good while not getting a visit from the local constabulary.

So, yes, you can get great sounds quietly, a lot the same way you can enjoy picking up groceries in a Corvette. But you really experience its “reason for being” when you open the throttle.

 

[László]

You get clean tone out of an HXDA, or increase gain, with the volume control on your guitar, old school. Of course, you can dial both in at the amp, but why would you? Just using the guitar knobs, the clean tone is beautiful, the gain tone is beautiful. There are a million tones hidden in that amp if you use the guitar's volume and tone controls.

I just 'brag-demo'd' mine yesterday for my son's band's guitar player (is in Partybaby, was in Portugal, the Man). He was blown away. He'd never heard one before.

He has some very nice vintage and modern amps, knows his stuff. It made me happy that he dug it.

PS - they were both tested (negative) for COVID before they drove in for the visit, so we felt pretty safe.

 

[RickP]

Les is right, it’s multichannel if your guitar has a volume control. Works great with pedals too, btw.

 

[shinksma]

Les is right, it’s multichannel if your guitar has a volume control. Works great with pedals too, btw.

And just to pile in a bit: I play acoustic or pseudo-acoustic tones about half the time - using sometimes an acoustic guitar, sometimes a piezo-equipped electric like a P24 or Hollowbody, and sometimes I use an electric with clean tones into an acoustic-sim pedal (Boss AC-2, TC Electronic BodyRez). I do all of that as a suitable practice rig using my HXDA. So it cleans up nicely if you dial it in right.

 

[John F]

Thanks for all the details. I want one.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

And just to pile in a bit: I play acoustic or pseudo-acoustic tones about half the time - using sometimes an acoustic guitar, sometimes a piezo-equipped electric like a P24 or Hollowbody, and sometimes I use an electric with clean tones into an acoustic-sim pedal (Boss AC-2, TC Electronic BodyRez). I do all of that as a suitable practice rig using my HXDA. So it cleans up nicely if you dial it in right.

Sidebar on the Body Rez when you get a chance some time, please. Looking for something to add some realism to the acoustic tones from the piezo’s in my JP12.

 

[shinksma]

Sidebar on the Body Rez when you get a chance some time, please. Looking for something to add some realism to the acoustic tones from the piezo’s in my JP12.

Well, whatcha wanna know?

To me, it works with either a piezo-equipped guitar or straight mag pickups. For mag pickup guitars, it provides that body resonance sound (duh) that mag pups in a solid-body electric lack, and give it an EQ curve tweak. A higher setting works best - knob at about 2 or 3 o'clock, perhaps. On a semi-hollow maybe a little less.

For piezo pups, it helps fill out that same acoustic profile sound, but doesn't need as much push, so knob at 11 o'clock or so. Even on a full up acoustic it helps round it out from the raw piezo signal.

However, the best solution, IMHO, for piezo-equipped guitars is a Fishman Aura Spectrum, or even a regular Fishman Aura. Using a 50/50 mix of the "image" vs signal you can get a much more realistic sounding acoustic tone. You have several stock "profiles" to use, and on the Spectrum version you can load in some custom models. I use one of those (I have no idea which one, it has been years since I loaded and decided I was happy).

 

[Deleted member 5962]

However, the best solution, IMHO, for piezo-equipped guitars is a Fishman Aura Spectrum

I had one of those and wasn't overly pleased with the results with the JP12, so I sold it. But, I hadn't tried loading any other models.

 

[shinksma]

I had one of those and wasn't overly pleased with the results with the JP12, so I sold it. But, I hadn't tried loading any other models.

There is a sweet spot in the controls that seems to be best, and when not in that sweet spot it can be frustrating. The mix level, compression, EQ, all play a bigger part than you might think. And yes, you need the right model for the guitar - the "image" is built for and from a specific acoustic guitar to try to generate the pure acoustic sound of that exact guitar from the piezo signal that exact guitar generates, so you need to find a model that happens to work outside of its intended purpose.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Sidebar on the Body Rez when you get a chance some time, please. Looking for something to add some realism to the acoustic tones from the piezo’s in my JP12.

I'm very pleased with the results I get using 3 Sigma Audio acoustic guitar IR's loaded in my Helix (I use the Martin D-45 IR the most). I would think they would work just as well in any IR loader pedal.
I used to use the TC Bodyrez pedal, and while it was an improvement over the straight piezo into the PA, it never quite did it for me.

 

[dsenoj]

I think the tone of the HX/DA is awesome. Can’t get that tone with my 5 watt Marshall Slash amp, my Fender 65 Princeton Reverb Reissue, or my PRS Custom 20.

I don’t need the HX/DA to have reverb or effects loop, I was asking because it is out of production and I didn’t find a sale spec sheet.

Reverb and effects loop were actually options on the HX/DA according to the 2014 and 2015 price lists. But I never saw one with those options. I suspect they never made one like that.

 

[RickP]

Reverb and effects loop were actually options on the HX/DA according to the 2014 and 2015 price lists. But I never saw one with those options. I suspect they never made one like that.

I've only seen one, which is on Reverb now. The apparently popped off the back plate and moved it to the grille, then mounted it in that hole. No idea where they hid the reverb, but I'd venture a guess it was an either/or option. Total guess though.
https://reverb.com/item/36596935-paul-reed-smith-hxda-2013-charcoal

 

[watelessness]

dude, you need an HX/DA. it is the real deal, and wickedly, wickedly versatile. plus, it sounds great at low volumes. wicked, wicked versatile.