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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
 Posted - 05/26/2007 : 07:11:32
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I'm going to look as a Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 head sometime this week. only gunna cost me AU $800, and he's desperate to sell it so he can get a messa/boogie triple rec! It's only about 8 months old, he's just got more money than sense.
So seing as i haven't bought a valve amp before i was wondering if there was anything that i should look out for, problem area's etc.
Thanks in advance guys. |
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ronster
Gold Member
Australia
645 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2007 : 15:45:55
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I'm no expert, but you should play it and listen to it and if it sounds good then it probably is good!
Sometimes you get bad tubes which can casue a 'zing' kind of sounds and if it crackles or pops then that can't be a good thing either.
Hope that helps!  |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2007 : 16:20:52
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Hi Plush Pile
Play it soft --- Listen
Play it really load --- Listen
Turn it up, don't play anything --- Just listen
Let it warm up for a while, valve amps change tone a bit when properly warmed up. --- Listen
Go around the back of the head, & SMELL for anything unusual --- when Cold-warm, & When Hot.
Ask him when he re-valved the output valves?
Get him to show you the receipt.
How many hours of playing - or (ON time) have the current valves had?
What type of playing - loud gig levels or at bedroom level?
Take a good look at it cosmetically, like has it had Beer or Cola spilled on it, & what part of the amp did it run into.
was it rained on? on an outside gig?
Has it been handled roughly or been dropped, or thrown into the back of a Ute or van.
Check out what ohms speakers he is running it into.
Does it have a manual?
Does he have the receipt, & is it still under warranty?
get the warranty papers.
And don't forget to LISTEN.
When you get it home.....
Remember to really have some fun & enjoy your new toy.
Valve amps kick butt.
Post up a pic of it here for us to drool over.
Oh Yeah -- bring it over to my place for bash,
I have a Cerwin Vega 4 by 12 quad box,
that I've never tested out LOUD. 
And you thought a Marshall 4 by 12 was big & heavy.
I think the JCM2000 Super Lead's go for about $2K au.
What does the DSL100 do, compared to the Super Lead.
Don't run it without speakers connected, you may-will damage the output transformer.
And the most important thing you should do
Take some weight lifting classes at the local Gym, valve amps are heavy bitches to lug around.
At least yours is just the head.
Good luck. 
Regards Dr. Bob  |
Edited by - Dr. Bob on 05/27/2007 16:25:56 |
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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2007 : 18:08:30
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Thanks for the tips Dr. Bob.
Anything in particular that i should be listening for? or just appreciating the sound?
If you live in the north or eastern subburbs of melb, or in eastern vic then i might just bring it over for you to have a play.
He's been running it into the matched Marshall cab. don't know if it was running on 4,8 or 16 ohms, or in stereo. Does that make a difference to the amp?
The guy i'm buying it off normally treats his gear better than he treats his mother, so i'm pretty sure it's in good nic, he just played a Tripple Rec last weekend and decided "i want one of those!"
How often should the valves be replaced? as i said in the first post, it's only 8 mths old... so it should be ok.
Oh and a DSL is a super lead: Dual Super Lead
the other model is the TSL (triple super lead)
DSL has two channels, a TSL has three.
Meh, i think i'll manage just fine without it.
Thanks again for the tips mate.
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Edited by - Plush Pile on 05/27/2007 18:13:58 |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2007 : 23:09:36
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Plush pile... congrats on getting the marshall at such a good price...with it being so new you should be ok with the valves,but the quality of valves isn't what it once was bro,but you should get a couple of years out of the output valves and about twice that off the preamp ones,your amp probably has three 12ax7 preamp valves and four el34 output valves,so check them out (they should glow a reddish/orange colour)....my marshall head went down during a gig last week,the speaker lead had popped out of the cab and the amp blew a fuse also i don't know if it was connected but one of the output valves went south as well.....marshall's are very sensitive to ohmage..i.e if your using a 16 ohm cab set the amp the same 16ohms...they don't like mismatch i found this out the hard way...!! and if your using a closed back cab and plan on playing loud install speakon connectors,i was lucky i turned the amp off as soon as it cut out or i could have blown the output tranny,valve amps don't like no load situations(no speakers connected when the amp is on)....anyway i love my marshall and i've heard great things about the dsl models..one of my heroes jeff beck plays the 50 watt verison so enjoy and let us know how it sounds......
p.s....make sure to leave it on standby to let the valves heat up before you play as it prolongs their life...... |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2007 : 23:22:56
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sorry doc...i see you already gave the no load piece of advice...what i've read about those models (dsl and tsl) some people think the dsl has a purer sound due to the fact it has less circuitry inside it,and jeff beck gets some spectactular sounds out of his...the only thing i find is marshalls like to be loud and sound best when they are(mine included) and this somtimes isn't possible...but if it was my choice i'd take the marshall over the triple rec any day,i'm like jack on this subject i'm not into that scooped out sound and it gets lost in the mix anyway clashing with the cymbals and the bass end..marshalls are better as rock amps as they have more middle to their sound and cut through better...just my two cents....as kent brockman would say..... ..... |
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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2007 : 08:18:28
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I think i'm gunna get a Hot Plate when i by a cab, so that i can drive the amp harder without blowing the house up...  |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2007 : 16:21:08
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Hi Plush Pile
what speaker cabinet-s are you going to run the head into?
I didn;t answer all your questions, as Franzoni & Ronster (Hi Guys)
seem to have answered most of your questions.
If we missed some, just ask them again.
I live near Berwick in the South Eastern suburbs,
Not far from the Hallam Pub, the place were all great rock bands have played at least once.
What part of Melb. are you from?
Like Franzoni said, leave your amp in standby, turn it on and let the valves heat up to operating temperatures,
before you turn on the standby switch.
Else you will strip the coating off the cathodes, and severely shorten the life of your valves.
The Standby switch, turns off the high voltage to the Plates of the valves, until the the valves are hot enough, I usually leave it for about 2 to 5 mins.
No Less, the longer the better.
And when you are between sets or go for a bit of a break, turn off the standby switch as well, this helps to extend the life of your valves, while keeping them still hot & ready to rock.
I know some studio guys who warm up their amps for 30 mins or more, before they record with them. 
My mates says that the sweet spot on his Marshall, is at about 8 to 9 on the volume dial, (ear plugs mandatory).
As Franzoni said, Marshall's like to be played LOUD. Hence the sweet spot at about 90% full volume. 
Regards Dr. Bob
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midibuddy
Silver Member
Ecuador
285 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2007 : 17:13:58
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My mates says that the sweet spot on his Marshall, is at about 8 to 9 on the volume dial, (ear plugs mandatory).
As Franzoni said, Marshall's like to be played LOUD. Hence the sweet spot at about 90% full volume.
Do you think that would be louder than a 100W SS head and 2x12 cab? |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2007 : 18:23:51
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quote:
Originally posted by midibuddy
My mates says that the sweet spot on his Marshall, is at about 8 to 9 on the volume dial, (ear plugs mandatory).
As Franzoni said, Marshall's like to be played LOUD. Hence the sweet spot at about 90% full volume.
Do you think that would be louder than a 100W SS head and 2x12 cab?
Hi midibuddy
Because of the way valves handle the dynamics of guitar playing, a valve amp will perceivably always sound louder.
I have played 40 watt Boogie combos, that out gun a Marshall SS head & 4 x 12 cab.
Don't get me wrong though midibuddy, a SS Marshall head is very loud, but doesn't handle the transients & peaks as well as a good valve amp.
Try playing a 5 watt Epiphone Valve Junior, and see what 5 watts can sound like.
I leave my Fender 75 on it's 15 watt low power setting, & I still get told off when I crank it past 3.5 to 4.
And that's even at medium sized venues.
Sorry if it's not the answer that you were looking for, but I'm sure that most of the members here, that have valve amps, will tell you the same story.
Regards Dr. Bob
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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 02:21:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Bob
Hi Plush Pile
what speaker cabinet-s are you going to run the head into?
I'm pretty sure he has a 1960A cab, but he's keeping that. so i'll be in the market for a new cab very soon. |
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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 07:32:13
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oh, and i live about 2 hrs out of melb. to the east, in the latrobe valley.
I was at uni for the last two years at LaTrobe Bundoora, so i still head up that way regularly to say hi to friends. |
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mattoqua
Silver Member
Canada
438 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 08:12:09
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hmm very interesting discussion
When i got my first amp, I was under the impression that the more watts it has, the better and louder it would go. So I went out and bought a 100W amp, but can never put it past 2. If amps get better as they approach their full potential, maybe I should look at something a lot less. I was asking about amps a while ago, and Im saving up for a 200W amp this time. It has an attenuator so I was thinking it would always sound good, even at low levels. Is that true? Or is it a "fake" good sound (kind of like COSM)?
Try playing a 5 watt Epiphone Valve Junior, and see what 5 watts can sound like.
How loud can 5 watts go? Is there anything that it compares to easily? Will you get neighbours knocking at your door on 10?
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Edited by - mattoqua on 05/29/2007 08:13:28 |
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StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 13:37:54
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mattoqua, to answer your antennuator question, it is NOT fake sounding. i asked this question in another forum because i too thought it might be some kind of digital method to lower your volume. apparantly it sounds like a cranked up amp at a low set volume. kind of like setting your amp with a "power amp" setting where its booming even at low volumes
and youre right about amp power. if you have a 100 watt amp with hardly any headroom, and a 15 watt with lots, i would gladly take the 15. |
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Plush Pile
Bronze Member
Australia
93 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 14:32:43
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the only thing you have to keep in mind is how hard you'll be driving the speaker. sometime speakers sound better when driven hard, and some sound better at lower levels.
my understanding of power attenuators is that they're basicly just a big heat sink to tunrn energy into heat... |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 20:04:13
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| but i far as i know the dsl is a master volume amp so do you really need an attenuator...? unless you plan on pushing the power amp section really hard....the plus side of this is you get a bigger fatter sound...the minus is you go through power amp valves faster..... |
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Topic |
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What to look for when buying an amp
