X’s New MT 15 Amp Day Video & 1st Thoughts!

[X-Mann]

Hey Guys,

I finally received my Mark Tremonti PRS MT 15 amp yesterday at 2pm.

I was only able to play it for a short amount of time, but I documented it all......& here are my 1st thoughts.

I decided to do an unboxing video & usually never do this.

The amp has some weight to it and looks Rock solid. I love being able to see the tubes in it too.

The Blue & Red lights per channel are much cooler & useful than I thought they’d be.

Here’s my initial reaction in real-time as I open this little black box of magic & my 1st thoughts. I do play some licks/chords w/ NO FX & even test out the loop at the end.

X’s first MT 15 unboxing video:

X-Thoughts: The amp is really fantastic & the RED channel is the BEST I’ve EVER had so far. I’ve owned some great amps like the Carvin Legacy-3 & the Mesa TC-50 as well as the Friedman Runt. When I compare this amp to my Friedman Runt 50 I can honestly say that the Red channel is better w/ more gain & almost as loud. The Blue channel doesn’t have the headroom as the Runt 50 as expected, but has its own thing going on. The clean channel breaks up at max volume & for me it works because you lose very little volume rolling back your guitars volume to around 8.

I feel that this is actually a 3-channel amp due to this, but more tests are needed. I also need to set-up my Fractal FX8 & dial the amp in with FX.

I hate playing dry like in the video, but I hope this gives a quick impression of this cool little amp.

Volume: This may be the perfect stage volume for sound guys & small to medium bars & rooms. I think you need to mic this amp & would have no issues taking this little black box out for some gigs. This is also a killer amp head to leave at your practice space too. It’s not a bedroom amp at all, but I haven’t tried it in 1/2 power mode yet either.

Amp Hum: This amp is not silent when idol, but not unlike my other tube amp heads. There’s less hum/noise on the clean channel & more on the drive channel. I think this is fine and acceptable due to it being a High Gain Head. I think some may be chased out by my input/output noise gates & will report back...

So that’s my initial reaction & things will only get better as I go forward.

Peace! X

PRS: I’ll continue to update this thread with more pictures & video as I work this amp head into my full cover band rig. Stay tuned for more FUN & surprises kids!!!!

 

[bodia]

\m/

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Congrats X! So you're saying it sounds like a mini Archon.

 

[X-Mann]

Congrats X! So you're saying it sounds like a mini Archon.

I’m saying it sounds AWESOME!!!!

This is the 1st Heavy Gain channel on an amp that’s had more gain than I needed & doesn’t need a TS808 to get there either!!!

I will live on the RED Channel 90% of the time......but I’m actually really liking the clean channel because of the natural break-up.

X

 

[László]

Your video sounds great, and nice playing, too!

 

[X-Mann]

Your video sounds great, and nice playing, too!

Thx LS, I’m getting better tones now that I’ve had time to mess w/ this little beast more....

Right now I’m testing out the Fractal FX8 in 4CM & seeing if the relay will change the MT15’s amp Channels.

I really need some ambient verb or delay to sound good & I’m a fan of standard FX like Chours, Phaser & Flagler......Plus I’m kinda a Wah Wah Whore too.....but don’t let anyone else know that....

I’ll have 2nd update in the next day or so w/ hopefully better live tones & cleaner playing!

I was SO eXcited to finally get this amp that I went thru it way too fast to make that video.....

Thx again & stay tuned my PRS friends!!!

X

 

[László]

Sounded great to me. X.

 

[X-Mann]

Sounded great to me. X.

Thx!!

It’s just iPhone Audio, but I always try to put the camera’s mic off Center from the V30’s, if ya know what I mean.

I do have an SM57 & may try that on “X’s Round-2: Cover Band Tones w/ the PRS MT 15 & Fractal FX8” Video.....(Note: That Name is a Work in progress)

I know that everybody says this but, “It sounds even BETTER & BIGGER in the room”....& that’s no joke!

X

 

[X-Mann]

Day-2: The Blue Channel

After a long day out & about, going to the cider mill & taking Mrs-X to see the movie “A Star is Born”, I got a little more time in w/ the MT 15 amp.

I dug into the BLUE Channel in 1/2 power mode & played at a very low volume. I also tried the treble “Pull-Boost” & like the extra volume & feel it adds.

I’m running in 4CM w/ the Fractal Audio FX8 in the Amps FX loop. I set-up my standard clean tone w/ Chorus, Delay & Reverb w/ NO drive pedal added here at all.

The FX8’s noise gate removed all noise and slight amp hum on the drive channel too.

The 1/4 “ relay in the FX8 changes the amp channel w/ no issues.

More to follow & I’m really digging the BLUE channel a lot, but the RED channels next.....\m/

Peace! X

Note: I couldn’t pan the video far enough back to get the FX8 & amp Head in the same frame while showing the amp channel switching. #sorry

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Sounds great, X!

 

[bodia]

Soundin' good!

 

[X-Mann]

Soundin' good!

Thx Bodia....

Ok.....My original run-through on day one and video was w/ the Treble Pull Boost set to OFF on the Blue Channel. When this is set to the pushed IN position, there is less volume!

I have it pulled out now & 100% believe that this is a gig worthy amp on BOTH channels. The clean channel”Pull Boost” can add more gain, but it puts the Blue Channel in-line with the Red channel volume wise. I feel it gives more head room.

I know what my gig levels are with a loud drummer & My Friedman Runt 50 amp.....& this little MT15 is right st that level with room to go......FYI only & results may vary.....

I’ve got the Red Channel dialed in now & WOW!!!! #whatabeast \m/

X

 

[shimmilou]

Wow, awesome playing! That amp sounds killer

 

[X-Mann]

Wow, awesome playing! That amp sounds killer

Thx Shimmilou, I appreciate that a lot brother!!!

I had a break-through dialing in the MT15 & FX yesterday. I’ll try to record w/ an SM57 mic next to get a more accurate/bettter sound than just the iPhone camera mic.

Here’s the #1 reason that I think that this amp is seriously “Special” compared to other great amps I’ve owned.

I’m NOT using a “Drive” pedal on my clean rhythm channel preset or on the heavy Modern Rock “Lead” parts either! I usually use a Xotic RC Booster on my cleans & a TS808 on my leads, but this amp just doesn’t need them & that amazes me!!!!

There’s SO MUCH right about this amp for me & what I wanna do with it. I’ll do one last video & it will be more playing (over-all) & showing off the shades/colors of this amp & lots of the RED channel too.

I probably should have waited & took my time video wise, but my eXcitement got the best of me. I also tried it out w/ my other 2 (2x12) cabinets & was just as happy as w/ the 4x12 Sound!!!!!! Aka Still Huge (That’s what she said)

The price of this amp is just perfect & you get way more than the price of admission in my eyes!

Stay tuned & thanks for watching & checking-in, I even learned a few Alter Bridge tunes for the next video too. I’m a huge fan, but usually only lean covers if I’m going to play them out live w/ a band. I need to do this more with band/artists I love.

I’m going to finish off the next video w/ some Foo Fighters, Candlebox, Greta Van Fleet, Collective Soul & some Alter Bridge......& maybe a few more to show the versatility of this kick @ss amp head.....

Give me a few days to get it right & peace!!!! X-Mann

PS - I had no idea that I’d love the Blue Channel just as much as the Red channel & that’s been a real shocker to me considering just how good the Red channel is. Mark Tremonti is a very talented player, writer, singer, lyricist & tube amp conissuer & he co-dialed in a real work of art here!

 

[X-Mann]

I can’t wait to get on stage with this colorful new rig......\m/

 

[bodia]

I can’t wait to get on stage with this colorful new rig......\m/

Nice!

 

[andy474x]

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed your review. I agree with everything you’ve said - I’ve rehearsed and gigged with mine and haven’t found any faults.

Welcome to the club!

 

[X-Mann]

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed your review. I agree with everything you’ve said - I’ve rehearsed and gigged with mine and haven’t found any faults.

Welcome to the club!

Thx Andy & I’m glad that your rehearsals & gigs went well w/ the MT 15 amp.

Where are you volume wise? & or how does it compare to your previous amps wattage?

My only concern from my initial (quick) test and review before adding FX, was the clean channel. I thought it had to be set much higher volume wise then the Red channel. This was due to not having the Treble Pull-Boost OUT & active. This balances everything & gives it so much mores (& equal) volume.

I’m getting truly great tones on both channels with no compromise!

Are you liking the clean channel & or using the pull-Boost feature?

I did an a/b with my 50-Watt amp & really liked what I heard. Getting the MT15 cooking & up volume wise only makes it sound bigger & better.

I like how interactive the tone controls are & that there is room on both sides of the sweet spot & that extreme settings arn’t needed.

Let me know how it goes & if you learn anything that I need to know bro!

Peace! X

PS - I luv being part of the PRS/Tremonti Club too! \m/

 

[Deleted member 5962]

You know you need a core Tremonti SC to go with that amp!

 

[dmatthews]

That sounds awesome!
Gig the cr@p out of it!