HX/DA INFO (and my NAD 50 W Head(s)) Share your HXDA knowledge with the world!

Well.......no one else wanted it :D
Oh, I wanted it, and I could have driven there to get it easily, but my other deal worked out and... despite my “clues” thread not panning out at all, there will be an NGD thread coming soon. ;)
 
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You got it literally minutes before I signed in to buy it! That’s ok, enjoy!

Edit - PS, just saw you have another - if it’s a spare for you, and you’d consider selling it to me, I’d be all over that. I’ve been searching for a 50 watt head for a bit, and have a matching paisley cab. But, if not, no hard feelings!

Andy,
Ah crap! :(, I didnt think anyone else was interested in here, a few days had gone by and I talked myself into getting the 50 to see the differences between the 30 and 50.
If it doesn't work out for me, you'll be the first one I reach out to.
 
Newest happening on the HXDA front…. Covers!

None of my HXDAs came with covers, and I don’t know if they were ever available. I’m no longer doing the kind of gigging with my tube amps that require hard cases, but I don’t want my gear getting all beat to hell. I’m not a relic guy o_O.

When PRS offered covers, I don't think they had them for the CAD amps, checked a few times to see.

Studio Slips makes great slip covers - and for those who play out, they make a clamshell cover that zips around the entire amp or cab - top, bottom, sides, back, front, and feet. The whole thing. They're really well made. I had a couple for my Two Rocks that I used when I took my amps to other studios, and was pretty darn happy with them.

My Mesas came with covers, but I've often thought I'd get some Studio Slips for my PRS amps. The problem is, I haven't had to go to other studios in a long time, so I probably don't need them at this point!

Doesn't mean I don't want a couple just in case...;)
 
Congrats on an amazing amp. The Duane Allman amp for me… just add a Les Paul, or better yet, DGT! :)
Thank You Rod Welles! I am starting in the Duane Allman settings. I thought it would be interesting to leave what the previous owner settings where to get what his vibe was, DA all around. Gain low and Bass low.

I have a DGT and DG30, just got that rig up and running and played for 30 minutes. I can not wait and look forward to trying the DGT into the HX/DA!

 
Thank You Rod Welles! I am starting in the Duane Allman settings. I thought it would be interesting to leave what the previous owner settings where to get what his vibe was, DA all around. Gain low and Bass low.

I have a DGT and DG30, just got that rig up and running and played for 30 minutes. I can not wait and look forward to trying the DGT into the HX/DA!

Awesome @Maximum Guitarage ………and if you can, crank the volume up:):)…that’s where a lot of the magic is with the old non master volume Marshalls………… when no one’s home or at rehearsal.. Do you gig?
fwiw, I’m going to see David Grissom next month in Austin TX …….He gigs every Tuesday at the Savoy…..
Does your DGT have neck binding? Looks like it….
 
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Awesome @Maximum Guitarage ………and if you can, crank the volume up:):)…that’s where a lot of the magic is with the old non master volume Marshalls………… when no one’s home or at rehearsal.. Do you gig?
fwiw, I’m going to see David Grissom next month in Austin TX …….He gigs every Tuesday at the Savoy…..
Does your DGT have neck binding? Looks like it….
Thanks Rod Welles! I surely do that, I am all for the magic and that sweet spot ! I am in an apartment unfortunately so it will need to be paired with a PS-100 FRYETTE Powerstation Re-Amp for now. I am actually feverishly writing right now and have goals to record at home then start a blues band and play some clubs and festivals. October time frame is when I would like to start gigging with fellow minded musicians. Definitely need to find a rehearsal space where I can let the beast out in this amp!

That is great! I heard from his appearance on 5 watt world that he will be starting to play again at the Saxon club in Texas , yep he said Tuesday nights! Have you seen him before ? I am glad I got my DG30 and HX/DA sorted out and didn't ask him the question in person " Oh Hey David mind if I call you David. Great gig, really inspiring. So umm hey which amp should I get the DG30 or DG50?" :rolleyes:

Here is the link to that video, check it out it is great! David talks about his DGT and gives a lot of insight to his DG30. He also talks about what's essential as a player. There is also a sneak preview to the Semi Hollow DGT and SE DGT's coming out.


I have a 2019 DGT that has the neck binding and painted neck with moon inlays. Was tough to find one without the burst in solid black. Once it came up and I found out it was purchased and sat in a case for a year and half by a collector in a humidified room I had to have it. Plus the unique story behind it is I bought it from the original delear who sold the guitar to a collector that never bonded with the guitar. So it sat then the original owner came in to do a consignment at the original shop he bought it from. Here are actual pictures of it with some studio shots:

 
I still want a 30 watt combo. Failed to pull the trigger on one when it was available, now my foot hurts from kicking myself.

I just picked up a Magnatone Panoramic Stereo which I barely found time to turn on. I’ll get to know it soon though. Princeton 65 Reverb Reissue has to be sold before I can look for an HX/DA. Might sell my PRS Custom 20 to get an HX/DA. The hunt must wait for now.
Happy days… I stopped into Brian’s Guitars twice over the weekend and came home with a HX/DA 30 Combo with the smoked grey flame maple front. The amp produces the best tone I’ve ever heard, and so easy to adjust too. It is a keeper for certain. Many thanks to the posters here for all the good write-ups that convinced me to hunt down this amp. Money well spent.
 
Happy days… I stopped into Brian’s Guitars twice over the weekend and came home with a HX/DA 30 Combo with the smoked grey flame maple front. The amp produces the best tone I’ve ever heard, and so easy to adjust too. It is a keeper for certain. Many thanks to the posters here for all the good write-ups that convinced me to hunt down this amp. Money well spent.
It’s “the gift that keeps on giving” if you like that tone. I thought I might like it for a while then move on but, if anything, I like it more now than I did when I got my first one. It’s a great, flexible sound that just fits in so musically. It’s a classic amp, and a rare case of the inspired bettering (IMO) the inspiration!
 
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Happy days… I stopped into Brian’s Guitars twice over the weekend and came home with a HX/DA 30 Combo with the smoked grey flame maple front. The amp produces the best tone I’ve ever heard, and so easy to adjust too. It is a keeper for certain. Many thanks to the posters here for all the good write-ups that convinced me to hunt down this amp. Money well spent.
It’s “the gift that keeps on giving” if you like that tone. I thought I might like it for a while then move on but, if anything, I like it more now than I did when I got my first one. It’s a great, flexible sound that just fits in so musically. It’s a classic amp, and a rare case of the inspired bettering (IMO) the inspiration!
I've been a bit relentless about the HXDA's greatness for nearly 9 years. I think it's not only the finest amp PRS has made so far (admittedly I love that DA tone), for me it works better than any amp I've owned going back to....uh...oh gosh I'm old...1966...

And I've had a crap ton of amps!!

The DG30 is my all-time close second. I think it's a little less of an 'all things to all players" amp. But it's a wonderful amp.
 
I've been a bit relentless about the HXDA's greatness for nearly 9 years. I think it's not only the finest amp PRS has made so far (admittedly I love that DA tone), for me it works better than any amp I've owned going back to....uh...oh gosh I'm old...1966...

And I've had a crap ton of amps!!

The DG30 is my all-time close second. I think it's a little less of an 'all things to all players" amp. But it's a wonderful amp.
I plan on spending a long time getting to know this amp.

The other amp I have that I’m enamored with is a Magnatone Panoramic Stereo. Clean as clean can be, with a pitch shifting vibrato that sounds so much like a Lesle it gives me chills. It is worth giving it a go if you like clean tone. 12 watts per channel for the Panoramic, or go with the 22 watt per channel stereo Twilighter. I had the Twilighter first, but returned it as it was too loud for my home. Both amps come in combo and head versions. They also make them in mono versions, but where is the fun in that?
 
I plan on spending a long time getting to know this amp.

The other amp I have that I’m enamored with is a Magnatone Panoramic Stereo. Clean as clean can be, with a pitch shifting vibrato that sounds so much like a Lesle it gives me chills. It is worth giving it a go if you like clean tone. 12 watts per channel for the Panoramic, or go with the 22 watt per channel stereo Twilighter. I had the Twilighter first, but returned it as it was too loud for my home. Both amps come in combo and head versions. They also make them in mono versions, but where is the fun in that?
I loved the Magnatone Panoramic I played through, too. I thought it was absolutely killer.

I was able to get it to break up at relatively insane volume levels...but don't try it without earplugs and friendly neighbors. It's a terrific amp. Seriously great.

One of my best friends has a vintage Magnatone - the new ones sound better (to me), though obviously they're quite similar.
 
It’s been over two years since I started this thread, coinciding with my discovery of the HX/DA. I thought I should chime back in and update my impressions and experiences with this amplifier.

First, I’ll cut to the chase and say I still love the HX/DA. Not like it… love it. I don’t know that I can say it’s the best amp I’ve ever owned, because that answer would have to be qualified with “best for what?” If I’m playing a covers gig with a lot of focus on “match the record,” I’ll likely use the Axe Fx or Mesa Road King II combo. But for anything where I’m freer to create or just use a more cohesive range of tones, and especially when those tones are classic “Plexi“ in nature, the HXDA is the weapon of choice. The best amp of its kind. It’s always the first amp I grab at home for vacuum tube-fired fun, and a great grab-and-go companion for jams that has not disappointed, ever. That the other players I jam with express a preference for the HX/DA is testimony to the quality of sounds. It makes the band sound better. How cool is that?

While the HX/DA sounds nice plugged into anything, I love it with Greenbacks. It just sounds natural there. But even connected to an Ox Box and running through IRs, it still punches through with that quality tone. Flexibility, because of the switches and interaction between the HX and DA controls, is much better than on a classic Marshall head.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, I had a chance to trade for a special paisley-covered head, also a 50 watter, and jumped on it. I still have both. That is new for me. I regularly get matching model guitars for gigging, as I always have a backup (or just a switch between) guitar at paying gigs. But I’ve never had two electronically identical amps before. While I consider any PRS CAD amp build to be eminently reliable, as much as any amp can be made to be, I simply thought having more than one HXDA was worth it! That alone was a ringing endorsement, and is particular to this amp only in my guitarsenal.

I’d still like to find a clean 2x12 or 4x12 paisley cab for the HX/DA #2, although it sounds pretty killer with the Marshall 1960A I rebuilt with Celestion GBs for it. Finding mint paisley cabs that you don’t need access to the US Mint to buy is a challenge, but I’m in no rush. I have plenty of cabs to alternate in and out. It’ll happen one of these days.

Summing up where I started: the HX/DA is a true keeper. I mean “like a favorite guitar” kind of keeper. Familiar, friendly, welcoming, empowering. It is a stellar example of amplifier craftsmanship that sounds as good as it looks inside and out. In my guitaring history, many amps and guitars have come and gone without fanfare. A few made an impression and are clearly different from the average great guitar or amp. They are the ones you keep, or the ones you regret having sold. I’m trying to avoid regrets these days, so like I said, the HX/DAs are keepers.

Update complete :cool:
 
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