NAD - sorry, no one *needs* a 100 watt amp anymore!!!

And on the OP's subject of interest, one of my most favoured amps is a 200W (defiantly, definitely not Orange) monster.

The Coliseum MkIIB has a great master, and works very well at most output levels. Saying that this amp sounds strangled or anaemic at low levels would only prove you (yes, you at the back) can't set the damned thing up.
 
Wyzard said:
And on the OP's subject of interest, one of my most favoured amps is a 200W (defiantly, definitely not Orange) monster.

The Coliseum MkIIB has a great master, and works very well at most output levels. Saying that this amp sounds strangled or anaemic at low levels would only prove you (yes, you at the back) can't set the damned thing up.
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Yes but... the cost to re-tube these days is a bit daunting.
 
Wyzard said:
Ha - I have a bag of strong Sylvania 6L6GC pulls that should keep me going until I shuffle off!

And anyhow, it only uses six...... :)
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We joke about it, but for those of us who don't have a stash built up (me, for sure, and certainly not an NOS stash) it has gotten pretty expensive to retube any big amp.
 
No kidding! I have two of my old Mesa 295s plus a big Fender or three to re-tube; so they'll eat a fair chunk of change and/or glass from my stash in the process.......

On a related note, I'm also starting to audition newer power tubes, since I've found some success with TAD 6L6WGCs over the last few years. I've got a set in my home amp - the Akoya - atm, and it's running a close second to what it's capable of with Philips JANs. In my K&M LTD, I even prefer one particular set of recent TAD WGCs to original Sylvania 6L6GCs: they just seem to suit the character of the amp better.


This is no small thing in my books. In addition to these, I also bought some red base EL34s and 6L6s to try out; so they'll get a thorough workout over the next year or so too.
 
It occurred to me the other day that the reason I have my 100 Watt Mesa Lone Star is that, yes, there are times I need the headroom and tighter, crisp bass of a 100 Watt amp.

Even when I don’t play a 100 W amp loud, the big iron sounds different.

Speaking only for myself, a 100 Watt amp is as essential as good-fitting, clean underwear, a full tank of high octane gasoline, a shoe shine, and a fully functioning condom.

“At your age, you mean ‘condominium’ don’t ya?”

“Never presume that age is a controlling limitation. I’m constantly getting attention from young women.”

“They’re called nurses.”
 
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20240302_152028-jpg.931903


My 100 watts four channel amp on my 450 watts cab.
 
I am someone who has his foot firmly planted in the modelling realm having been an Axe FX user for the past 10 or so years.
But, in more recent times, with the advancements in load boxes I started using my tube amps more and more. And working them in conjunction with my axe fx gives me so many sonic possibilities it is insane. Run my amp into load box, into Axe Fx for cab simulation and i am pretty good to go, plus i happen to have another 100 amp models on hand incase i need a different style of tone from the amps i own.
100 watt amps just hit different than 50 or lower. The low end is just different, and me likey!

When people say who needs 100 watt amp anymore, they are only thinking about how loud they are, but add a good load box and suddenly not so loud anymore, but still retain the glorious sonic benefits of 100 watts.
 
Congrats!!! Looks great!

I drove over to Dave’s Guitar in LaCrosse a few weeks back and they had one sitting atop two 4x12’s. Maybe it’s because they don’t have a room that separate from their sales desk. I just hate going in and cranking on an amp when they are answering phones or trying to sell a beginner a guitar. Maybe I’m just getting old.
 
andy474x said:
But does that mean they still buy them?

53538844591_be97f4b6a1_k.jpg


Heck yeah!

I resisted the gravitational pull as long as I could. Seriously, this amp weighs enough to have its own gravity field! Definitely the biggest, beefiest PRS amp I've ever seen. Usually I'm a fan of how compact and light PRS amps are, but I'm glad they gave this one some room to breathe; I think spreading things out helps it to stay nice and quiet - I'm talking noise floor, of course! With a 3 channel, high gain amp, it's just a good idea.

I had intended to wait a while and see if revisions needed to be done to hammer out any noise issues, but I came across this specific head in the shop a handful of times, and it was always quiet as a church mouse. My recent HDRX 20 is very quiet as well - I think PRS has figured out some of the noise issues that plagued their earlier imports.

What really drew me to this was actually the D-style middle channel. I didn't have high expectations for it, as I just never thought that PRS' attempts at Dumble tone came out very smooth. BIG surprise on this amp!!! Really nice gain range and refined tone that I immediately loved when I plugged in. I'll get into that a little more below.

The clean channel has noticeably more chime than the MT15; the lead channel is very much the same sound as the MT15. I'll probably post a more detailed review after a little more time with the amp, since there hasn't been much of that around here yet. Let's just lust over some photos in the meantime.

53537966192_876041666b_k.jpg


Yikes, running out of wall here!
53537966152_bbf6f98816_k.jpg


The deep dive on the middle channel: I have a conspiracy theory, which is that the Sonzera has borrowed the D style channel from two artist signature amps in the PRS line. The original Sonzera came out around the same time as the JMOD amp, which was itself supposed to be a D-style in some ways. I actually heard a lot of similarity between the drive sounds on the two amps, namely that they could get spitty and raspy for a lot of players, myself included in the case of the Sonzera despite several attempts at liking it in the shop. Don't get me wrong, John Mayer made the JMOD sound awesome, and I heard some Strat players get great tone from the Sonzera, but not everyone did in either case.

The new Sonzera 20 came out not too long ago, and certainly within the window where the MT100 overdrive channel was hammered out. I played them side by side when I picked up the MT100, and they sound very similar on the drive channels. Now, please excuse me while I adjust my tinfoil hat.

Back to reality, I'll end with this:
53539266115_edbd00fb56_k.jpg
Click to expand...
Good technique, she is using all of her fingers to bend!!
 
Nope.. nobody NEEDS a 100W amp.. but they are like crack.. you don't NEED crack, but when you do you are hooked..

Play through a 100W version of an amp you love, then see if you can go back onto the forums and say "nah, they sound the same"..

100W amps are like great amps.. but on 11.

I had both the 50W and 100W versions of the Marshall Vintage Modern (JTM 45/100 '10's remake) . Sure, I was limited to basement time with the 100W half stack when everyone was out, neighbors were out etc.. but 30 mins is all it takes to fall in love again and again with the goosebumps that that sound can get you. on 11.

correction 1: my first line is wrong.. not like crack, nobody needs crack.. every guitarist NEEDS to at least play a 100W head at volume, at least once. lol

any and all small amps and modelers are nice, some make great sounds. meh. there is simply nothing like a 100W classic amp at volume. end of story.

correction 2: On second thoughts Nope ..don't play a 100W head.. you will then know what you are missing the rest of the time....lol
 
No...but it's as cathartic as f*ck.
If you have the means, I highly recommend.

In related news... I'm getting ready to send my JMP 2203 off for a re-cap and re-tube to EL34s... This will be the first time I'll be without access for 35 years. I'm scared and excited to hear what I get back.
 
Smaller amps can and do win in a head-to-head: the 50W CRS V1 that I own sounded better than its (admittedly rarer, so sample size = 1) 100W brother, comfortably out-classing everything else in the showroom as well.


But then again, some 200W amps sound better than their 100W siblings - the Boogie MkIIB Coliseum being one notable example.
 
Wyzard said:
Smaller amps can and do win in a head-to-head: the 50W CRS V1 that I own sounded better than its (admittedly rarer, so sample size = 1) 100W brother, comfortably out-classing everything else in the showroom as well.
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Each one does a slightly different thing. I had a 50W CRS v1 as well. The 100 fills a different sonic niche.

Generally, I prefer the tone of a 50W TR under most circumstances, too, but as with everything gear-related, it's all a matter of what the tool is needed for, taste, etc.
 
László said:
Each one does a slightly different thing. I had a 50W CRS v1 as well. The 100 fills a different sonic niche.

Generally, I prefer the tone of a 50W TR under most circumstances, too, but as with everything gear-related, it's all a matter of what the tool is needed for, taste, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume there was a very good reason for getting rid of the Sig V1 :cool:


You've explained clearly about the "tools for the job" thing - it makes perfect sense in your particular context; but didn't a part of you scream "What are you doing?" at this key moment?
 
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