KSR Ares vs Bogner Twin Jet vs Driftwood Mini Nightmare

MatrixClaw

MatrixClaw

Well-known member
Hey guys,

Recently picked up a 101b that I love and has got me rethinking my opinions on some of their other amps I've owned over the years. I had a 101b, thought it was insanely bright, had a Rev Blue, thought it was loose AF, had the Twin Jet very briefly and liked it, but the lack of clean channel made me sell it. Now I don't need the clean channel and I recently bought the Synergy Uberschall module and LOVE it, but I've yet to really fall in love with any other modules. I'm thinking of selling it and just buying one more head I know I'll like and will compliment the 101b...

Because I like the Uber module so much and, specifically, it's two gain channels, which the TJ has, that seems like the obvious choice, but I've also always been curious about the Ares and Mini Nightmare and supposedly they sit in kind of a similar modded Recto territory. I like their size a lot better as they'd fit perfectly on my vertical 2x12, too.

Anyone owned two or more of these amps that can do a comparison? I really like the idea of the more Marshally gain channel on the TJ with the super modern chuggy second channel, but am curious if the other two may get similar sounds (for cheaper!).
 
My 2 cents for you.
I’ve owned an Uberschall for about 10 years and I’ve had a KSR Artemis II for about 6 years. The Artemis is the rack based flagship for KSR and has the Ares in it along with everything else KSR.

Both are great amps, can’t really go wrong with either. They are different although you can get close to each other depending on how you dial it in. I feel when I play the KSR it’s more of a smoother SLO, less raw, has a polished soft (in a great way) sound but still heavy. The Uberschall has great bottom end but you can also dial that out and get as fizzy/edgy as you want.

For me personally, I sold the Uberschall a couple months ago but will pass the KSR to my kids when I’m gone, it’s my forever amp. The Uber/Twin has your normal controls (master, depth, presence, volume, bass , mid, treble) and there’s room to dial in some good tones with that, but there are more tonal options in the KSR with the added Crunch, Fat, Bright and Voice switches.
 
I can't make any direct comparisons of the amps you mentioned, but I own a KSR Gemini. Like straightjacket's Artemis, the Gemini is a few steps up from the Ares but contains it's tones and functions. I like to describe the core tone of the Gemini as a cross between Mesa & Soldano with a bit of Bogner sprinkled in. It's a great amp and I think you'd be happy with a KSR

I'd be hesitant about a Mini Nightmare. I was interested in this amp and it's big brother for a while and did a lot of research and listening. On the surface it seemed like a really good choice. Then the more I listened to clips the more I didn't like it. It sounded really dry and sterile to me which isn't my thing. A few reports from guys whom I trust their ears said the same thing after getting/playing one.
 
The KSR would imo be the best of the 3, (most growl of the bunch) but for my taste I honestly think they all sound too generic and lacking a more lively sound. The Driftwood would be my least favorite of the 3. Couldn’t get rid of my purple Nightmare fast enough. I’m very curious about the new Uber Ultra, but all the other revisions got progressively tamer. To me it’s the Neuterschall Twin Jet
 
I have owned three Uberschall's: a Rev Green and two Rev Blues. I am one of the rare people that liked the Blue better. For me, it is one of those unique amps that I always seem to miss at some point when I get rid of them...

I don't find KSR stuff or Driftwoods to be like an Uberschall at all, although of the two, a KSR would get my vote for getting closer. The Driftwood Purple Nightmare I had, I only owned about a month....did not like that amp.

If you are looking used, I have seen plenty of Twin Jets come up at good prices...plus you know you like them. If you have more to spend, you could order the new Uber Ultra!
 
I love KSR stuff. I sold my Ares to my buddy Daniel with the stipulation that he sells it back to me when he gets tired of it. He has owned several of their amps like me and sold them only to regret it later(like me).
 
braintheory said:
The KSR would imo be the best of the 3, (most growl of the bunch) but for my taste I honestly think they all sound too generic and lacking a more lively sound. The Driftwood would be my least favorite of the 3. Couldn’t get rid of my purple Nightmare fast enough. I’m very curious about the new Uber Ultra, but all the other revisions got progressively tamer. To me it’s the Neuterschall Twin Jet
Click to expand...
“Neuterschall..Twin Testicle”
 
Dino 939 said:
“Neuterschall..Twin Testicle”
Click to expand...
Exactly! And the prior version was really the Revision Blue Balls. Why did they keep making each revision more tame and less ballsy? Who knows. Like so many amps, they got it right the first time and went downhill since, but I think this new Uber Ultra seems promising maybe
 
I've owned the KSR Ares, Mini Nightmare and Rev Blue Uber a couple times. The Mini Nightmare was awful and couldn't sell it fast enough. The Ares and all KSR amps to me have that Mesa-SLO thing going on but smoother and less raw and in your face. For a 50 watt amp, the Ares punches pretty hard and can hang with a lot of 100 watt amps imo.
 
Have own the TJ and believe me the TJ has the most crazy depth and lowend ! No idea how diff is the TJ to the rev blue or green... If ya play metal the TJ is godly !!
 
stratjacket said:
My 2 cents for you.
I’ve owned an Uberschall for about 10 years and I’ve had a KSR Artemis II for about 6 years. The Artemis is the rack based flagship for KSR and has the Ares in it along with everything else KSR.

Both are great amps, can’t really go wrong with either. They are different although you can get close to each other depending on how you dial it in. I feel when I play the KSR it’s more of a smoother SLO, less raw, has a polished soft (in a great way) sound but still heavy. The Uberschall has great bottom end but you can also dial that out and get as fizzy/edgy as you want.

For me personally, I sold the Uberschall a couple months ago but will pass the KSR to my kids when I’m gone, it’s my forever amp. The Uber/Twin has your normal controls (master, depth, presence, volume, bass , mid, treble) and there’s room to dial in some good tones with that, but there are more tonal options in the KSR with the added Crunch, Fat, Bright and Voice switches.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I had posted a while back about the Artemis as I was offered one on a trade but not many people seemed to have favorable opinions on KSR and just likened them to sounding like a boosted Recto. It was too late to go with the Artemis before I made up my mind, though I do kind of regret not going for it. Oh well. The Ares has my attention because it's much more simple. My 101b is super versatile and has all the "other" tones I'd want. It gets surprisingly brutal, but it's still kind of on the British side there. I'd like to have something distinctly American voiced that just does metal really well, thus the Ares. Plus, smaller sized amps always intrigue me and I like the idea of being able to fit it perfectly on my 2x12 when it's standing on its side.

That said, I don't know if it's different enough from the 101b for me to want to keep both. The 101b is the first amp in 15+ years I've owned and actually been completely satisfied with from the cleans to the crunch to the high gain. I remember the Uberschall just being totally different voiced. Most people tend to prefer the Rev Blue to the TJ but the Blue was the only amp I've ever owned where I absolutely felt it needed to be boosted to sound good. Otherwise it was just boomy and loose on all my cabs. Boosted, it was awesome, but buying a $2000+ amp just to always have a $100 pedal on in front of it doesn't excite me :ROFLMAO: I remember the TJ being significantly tighter but still had a huge sound to it with the KT88 power section, I just couldn't get over the lack of clean channel at the time and I think a more aggressive Plexi tone on channel 1 would be a nice compliment to the 101b.

But... Opinions here seem to be that the KSR is the better buy and I can't really knock the fact that I could buy the Ares for significantly cheaper than the TJ. If it can get a huge Recto bottom end I'd be down to try it, I'm just afraid it's going to be tighter than I want as I'd prefer this amp to have a big of sag.

The Driftwood definitely looks cool. I've never really heard anyone say anything good about them until recently when I've seen several people rave about them. I don't know if maybe the tuning they're using is a factor? I'm mostly playing in Drop C. I'd like to get back into playing 7s again as well but I just could never find a real amp that didn't flub out and would have to resort to a modeler, where I could find tune the low end better and I really don't want to go back to a modeler.
 
MatrixClaw said:
Interesting. I had posted a while back about the Artemis as I was offered one on a trade but not many people seemed to have favorable opinions on KSR and just likened them to sounding like a boosted Recto. It was too late to go with the Artemis before I made up my mind, though I do kind of regret not going for it. Oh well. The Ares has my attention because it's much more simple. My 101b is super versatile and has all the "other" tones I'd want. It gets surprisingly brutal, but it's still kind of on the British side there. I'd like to have something distinctly American voiced that just does metal really well, thus the Ares. Plus, smaller sized amps always intrigue me and I like the idea of being able to fit it perfectly on my 2x12 when it's standing on its side.

That said, I don't know if it's different enough from the 101b for me to want to keep both. The 101b is the first amp in 15+ years I've owned and actually been completely satisfied with from the cleans to the crunch to the high gain. I remember the Uberschall just being totally different voiced. Most people tend to prefer the Rev Blue to the TJ but the Blue was the only amp I've ever owned where I absolutely felt it needed to be boosted to sound good. Otherwise it was just boomy and loose on all my cabs. Boosted, it was awesome, but buying a $2000+ amp just to always have a $100 pedal on in front of it doesn't excite me :ROFLMAO: I remember the TJ being significantly tighter but still had a huge sound to it with the KT88 power section, I just couldn't get over the lack of clean channel at the time and I think a more aggressive Plexi tone on channel 1 would be a nice compliment to the 101b.

But... Opinions here seem to be that the KSR is the better buy and I can't really knock the fact that I could buy the Ares for significantly cheaper than the TJ. If it can get a huge Recto bottom end I'd be down to try it, I'm just afraid it's going to be tighter than I want as I'd prefer this amp to have a big of sag.

The Driftwood definitely looks cool. I've never really heard anyone say anything good about them until recently when I've seen several people rave about them. I don't know if maybe the tuning they're using is a factor? I'm mostly playing in Drop C. I'd like to get back into playing 7s again as well but I just could never find a real amp that didn't flub out and would have to resort to a modeler, where I could find tune the low end better and I really don't want to go back to a modeler.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go as far to say the KSR will get the recto bottom end you mentioned. Maybe I missed it but why not consider a MW Dual Rec?
 
Apex1Rg7X said:
I wouldn't go as far to say the KSR will get the recto bottom end you mentioned. Maybe I missed it but why not consider a MW Dual Rec?
Click to expand...
I've owned every Recto but the Badlander and they just all leave something to be desired. Not really looking to go back to Mesa as I don't feel like there's really anything left there for me to try - I played Mesa amps for so many years and have owned tons of them. Not necessarily looking for that sound, but I've always thought of the Uberschall as being like a different take on the Recto because of it's huge low end and more aggressive mid range. Just want something a bit different.
 
I had an Orthos mk2 and sold it. I really enjoyed it but I always end up with times where I need cash more that 5 amps. Got the Ares and it's a little bit more aggressive to my ears than the orthos which I really liked. I will likely order another one as soon as I can. It's just a no frills amp that just sounds good to me.
 
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