Is the 2 Channel "H" different than what I have?

[dilznik]

Hi,
I can't just go try one out. I can't tell from videos. Maybe you can help me if you happen to know:

I have a chance to get a 2 Channel H head for a decent price. I've never had a PRS amp (although I've had half a dozen PRS guitars) but I've always been interested.
I currently have a Mesa JP2C, Mark V:25, Hiwatt Little Rig, 68 Custom Princeton Reverb, and a 75 Champ. Will the H give me something new and exciting?

I play classic rock, 80s and 90s metal, and surf using 6, 7, and 8 string guitars. Will the H be able to handle any or all of that?

 

[andy474x]

I'm not a total expert on all of your amps, but yes, I think the H would offer you something subtly different from the others.

Would it be able to handle all the genres you listed... yes to classic rock and probably surf if you used a reverb pedal (the onboard verb isn't as "springy" as some), it could technically do 80's/90's metal but might not be my first choice. In the times I've tried one, it doesn't have the top end bite and sizzle on the lead channel that I think of with 80's and on tones.

The clean channel I would put somewhere around being the lovechild of a BF Bassman, Super, and JTM45, the lead channel is hard to put a label on from any list of industry standard amps. Technically lots of gain, but not in a modern, cascaded waterfall of gain kind of way, more in a vintage, a few slammed gain stages way. I have a 2 channel Custom 50, which I think is a little more versatile in the lead channel and can get slightly more aggressive on the top end thanks to the presence control. I've come across a couple "H" amps at decent prices and played them, and they were decent, but they didn't offer me anything I liked more than the Custom, at least not enough to justify buying one.

Don't get me wrong, lots of guys speak highly of them. I think the lead channel would be your deciding factor.

 

[dilznik]

The clean channel I would put somewhere around being the lovechild of a BF Bassman, Super, and JTM45, the lead channel is hard to put a label on from any list of industry standard amps. Technically lots of gain, but not in a modern, cascaded waterfall of gain kind of way, more in a vintage, a few slammed gain stages way. I have a 2 channel Custom 50, which I think is a little more versatile in the lead channel and can get slightly more aggressive on the top end thanks to the presence control. I've come across a couple "H" amps at decent prices and played them, and they were decent, but they didn't offer me anything I liked more than the Custom, at least not enough to justify buying one.

Don't get me wrong, lots of guys speak highly of them. I think the lead channel would be your deciding factor.

That sounds alright. I'm not worried about the reverb since I just got a Surfybear which puts all my other amp reverb and reverb pedals to shame. And I don't really need a soaring lead channel because of the Mesas. If it can do classic rock and have enough clean headroom for surf, then I'll probably give it a try. Hard to go wrong with a US made amp for $800 anyway.

 

[andy474x]

That sounds alright. I'm not worried about the reverb since I just got a Surfybear which puts all my other amp reverb and reverb pedals to shame. And I don't really need a soaring lead channel because of the Mesas. If it can do classic rock and have enough clean headroom for surf, then I'll probably give it a try. Hard to go wrong with a US made amp for $800 anyway.

Yeah, the quality you get for $800 is hard to beat. Those amps were selling for prices like that all the time pre-COVID. Even some of the hand-wired/PTP PRS amps were often going for crazy cheap. I think people wised up on the quality recently, $800 is a steal these days.

 

[Sonic Blue 55]

I paid $500 for mine. It would sound better through a 4x12 cabinet rather than the single 12" speakers i use for blues, surf, and Grateful Dead.

 

[elvis]

I’ve had two 2 channel H amps. They are great, but you’d probably like the Archon more based on your list.

 

[BrianC]

I had one - it is very Mesa like IMHO.

I wanted it to be more Marshally but it was not, too Mesa for me. Mesa but not Recto. It will add something different.

Buy my BE-OD and put that in front of it and you will be done!

 

[dilznik]

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking I should look for a C instead of an H.

 

[dogrocketp]

The secret to the two channel H is to crank the channel master volume, and use the other volume for loudness. That gives you the loudest cleanest tone, at least according to Jeff Bober. He knows more than me about amps.

 

[Rider1260]

You can put EL34s ( with a rebias ) in the H , I got the one Brian C had, I like the amp a bunch.

 

[AP515]

You can put EL34s ( with a rebias ) in the H , I got the one Brian C had, I like the amp a bunch.

Yep, I did it. Nice shift to Marshall but not exactly there. I like where it sits in the range of amp tones.

 

[prs50wattC]

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking I should look for a C instead of an H.

I have a "C" and it's great. It runs el34's.
The "H" I believe is 6l6 with a Heyboyer tranny. Don't quote me on the tranny it was what I heard.
The "C" can get pretty roughed up. I can crank to "C" in my house, something I can't do with my Bandmaster.
I does sound good.

 

[prs50wattC]

The lead channel of the "C" can get very Marshall-ly but more towards a Rivera.
It will do Marshall with and without grind. I read the "C's" were fizzy, not mine!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Hang in. it’s the weekend. Just got off the lake myself. I’ve never played a C, but owned an H and a Custom 50. The peeps who know will post soon.

 

[Em7]

With respect to the 2-Channel "H," it is a solid amp that was stepping stone from the single-channel designs with which Doug Sewell had a made a name. It is definitely "Tweed" in design.

I posted a mod that I created for the amp after Experience 2012. People wanted a footswitch that had LEDs. Doug's LED footswitch was a first-order design, that is, it contained a battery that powered the LEDs. The problem is that the amp uses relays for switching. It is a very pure approach to switching, but the way that the jack is wired lacks the ability to power LEDs because all of the switches do is connect the negative terminal of each relay to V- on the relay supply (the 2-Channel Custom sends V+ and V- out the pedal using a DIN connector). My mod involved using two logic-level power MOSFETs to connect the V- terminal on the relays to V- on the relay power supply electronically, which freed the footswitch TRS jack up for rewiring. I tapped V+ on the relay power supply and connected it to the shield terminal on the TRS jack. V+ was sent out to the pedal. The switches then controlled LEDs that were wired in series between the switches on the footswitch and the gates on the MOSFETS. The beauty of the design is that the relay power supply supplies enough voltage to handle an LED forward drop and still have enough voltage to turn each logic-level MOSFET completely on. The LEDs operate in parallel with respect to the V+ voltage supply, so there is never more than one forward voltage drop between V+ and the gates of the MOSFETs.

 

[dilznik]

I forgot all about this. I ended up getting a nice C with the fancy wood front panel. It's great! I can use either channel as my gain channel and the reverb is outstanding. I'm happy with it.

 

[11top]

I personally prefer the 2 channel Custom over the H or C.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I personally prefer the 2 channel Custom over the H or C.

Agree, the features added to the Custom made it much better for me

 

[dmatthews]

I personally prefer the 2 channel Custom over the H or C.

Agree, the features added to the Custom made it much better for me

Thirdeded

 

[Mark Ray]

Well I have an "H" combo. Snagged it off GC used for a great price. I've had it over a year, but it's never left the music room. When I venture that, I will know how it sits in the band mix. I reserve judgement on amps until that happens. I like what I hear in the house.