BE-100 vs XTC 101B & XTC 20th

[napalmdeath]

G.A.S. is a terrible thing. After working my way all the way up to finally getting a BE-100 & being totally satisfied with it, I stroll into Guitar Center to buy a pedal and heard the most amazing lead tone fluttering away in the background. Behold, I saw a Bogner XTC 101B and 20th Anniversary sitting pretty in the Platinum Room. By the way apparently some monumental goof traded them both in for peanuts to buy a PRS which he STILL had to add money on top of. So back to yesterday, it has been a good while since I played either of those amps but for whatever reason I remembered them as being a shade dark.

I've been on the BE100 high all week so it was totally unexpected to be completely blown away by two amps that I played a lot years ago. In fact it's curious why there has been virtually no discussions on these iconic amps. In memory they were rather dark but you could even tell through all the Guitar Center noise and inside a closed room that the amps cut right through everything. The character is warm but not dark.

This is so crazy because I'm totally satisfied with the BE100. I KNOW how great is it yet still the urge to trade it for a 20th or 101B is there. It's a wonder how these magnificent amplifiers have not been at the forefront for me after all the years gone by. I'm not going to make any moves right now because it would be smart to settle more with the BE and see if the urge passes or dies down but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I should have given them a good play before spending so much. Well as to the discussion at hand it's kind of hard to believe regular references aren't made to the XTC anymore. It's probably because Bogner came out with the Helios and Telos and people are still absorbing it all but still how can these amps have been forgotten? What is your assessment and how do you think they compare to the BE100?

I'd take a 101b over the BE any day. Badass amp!

 

[Whowantsamustache]

How about a round of golf? Anyone?

 

[GOHOINC]

That is not a judgement of tone quality in anyway shape or form, you pick the flavor that suits your taste.

I think you make an excellent point here. I think these three amps (BE-100, 101B, XTC 20th) are certainly among the best amps available today, likely among the best ever made. Features aside, add a good boost or two and they're all as versatile as anyone would likely need. Guess what I'm trying to say here is that I don't think you could go wrong with any of them (or all of them). It all just comes down to what works best for your style, which one speaks to you.

Case in point, one of the things I love about the XTC is that it does sound polished. It does that sound *really* well. When I want to sound raw, it's not the amp I plug into. That works for me, but won't work for everyone. And that's the beauty of it, I think... it would be rather boring if we all loved and played the same amp.

I've got some V30s which to me is a very aggressive speaker so I wonder if there's a speaker that will give me a more aggressive edge without sounding harsh. Have you done any speaker swaps?

My 4x12s were all v30s but my 2x12s are a v30 and an m65 creamback , and a v30 mixed with a heritage 65. I prefer the mix enough that I sold the 4x12s.

 

[ChurchHill]

I've never mixed a V30 and Heritage 65, but I love those 65s, definitely one of my favorites. Smooth, thick, just enough high end... I used to mix them with Greenbacks, but decided I liked them by themselves in that cab better.

 

[PBGas]

I had an XTC a couple of years back and it was a beautiful sounding amp. Mine was a 2001 so pre-2004. That being said, I now have a BE-50 and if you were to ask me which one I would choose again, it would be the 50 hands down. The clean channel on the 50 is stellar and I really love the high gain tones out of it. I find the BE-50 much more aggressive than my XTC was. The loop on the Friedman is also much better.

Either way, such amazing amps. Looking forward to the hearing more of the new Helios as well.

 

[glpg80]

+1 I've heard the Friedman loops are excellent.

 

[MistaGuitah]

I had an XTC a couple of years back and it was a beautiful sounding amp. Mine was a 2001 so pre-2004. That being said, I now have a BE-50 and if you were to ask me which one I would choose again, it would be the 50 hands down. The clean channel on the 50 is stellar and I really love the high gain tones out of it. I find the BE-50 much more aggressive than my XTC was. The loop on the Friedman is also much better.

Either way, such amazing amps. Looking forward to the hearing more of the new Helios as well.

That's what I keep hearing but the BE clean channel seems pretty good. I think it is a little bolder than the clean channel of the 101B.

 

[Rdodson]

I think the XTC is amazing. Flexibility-wise, it is absolutely the best. I only switched to the BE100 because I started doing all my sessions with the XTC loop off, because IMHO that is the weak link of that circuit. It introduces a bit of compression in a design with plenty of compression as it is. I'm a loop junky (running 4CM with my board), and the BE loop is absolutely the best.

If RB did a 30th Anniversary XTC with the Metro/Friedman loop, then I'd go back. The cleans of the 20th XTC 6L6 are amazing.

 

[Crunchity]

It's been awhile since I've played my XTC through G12Hs... think I might try that tonight.

I love my 101B through vintage H30's, can get a really tight and pissed off crunch with that pairing! I'll never part with my XTC. The BE line is great too (had a stock SmallBox). IMO you can't go wrong with either of these amps...just comes down to personal pref and a little gear matching (speakers, guitars, pickups).

 

[CJrocks5150]

I have the g30s in an evh 2x12 and 4 25w greenbacks in a 1960b. Both kill in their own way

 

[scottosan]

The XTC will be infinitely more versatile. If you want mostly moderate to high gain then the BE will do. The XTC will run circles around the BE in the medium to clean tones.

 

[MistaGuitah]

So it sounds like the G12H30 is a great speaker for both the XTC and BE100. I have it in a partially open back 1x12 cab right now. It seems to have a little more low end than the V30, some of the low mids of the CL80, and some of the high end of the G12T75. V30s and G12T75s seem to have a little grit and spikiness that the CL80 and G12H30 doesn't have. If I were to put it into a 2x12 or 4x12 then what do you think of a mix of G12H30 + CL80s, or should I go with V30s instead of CL80s?

 

[ChurchHill]

IDK... might depend on how aggressive you want to get. Just MHO, but I think the V30 is more aggressive because of that spikiness. Either the H30 or CL80 would help to balance it out a bit, where the H30 + CL80 might not be as aggressive. If it was me, I'd probably go with the H30, mostly because it's a more vintage flavor (which I like). I do like the CL80, though, infinitely more so than the T75, but again, that's just me. It's a more modern sound.

 

[MistaGuitah]

IDK... might depend on how aggressive you want to get. Just MHO, but I think the V30 is more aggressive because of that spikiness. Either the H30 or CL80 would help to balance it out a bit, where the H30 + CL80 might not be as aggressive. If it was me, I'd probably go with the H30, mostly because it's a more vintage flavor (which I like). I do like the CL80, though, infinitely more so than the T75, but again, that's just me. It's a more modern sound.

I'm think the BE100 will only get so aggressive so I'm not too concerned about that aspect. I don't want to smooth it out or refine it any more. Instead I'm trying to find a speaker to combine with the G12H30 to kind of fit the tone profile it already has without making it smoother or more aggressive. I just remembered playing a Lynchback not too long ago, and I don't think it's refined but it seemed like a little more controlled V30.

 

[ChurchHill]

Sorry, I must've been dazed or confused there for a minute and forgot that you were wanting something to pair with an H30, not a V30.

Yeah, I think the Lynchback would make a great combo with a H30. I don't have any in my collection, but I've played through them and liked them. Kind of like a modern G12M, or as you said, a controlled V30.

What about a standard G12M + G12H combo? They sound similar, but are different enough to cover for the other's weaknesses. Good lows and highs from the H30 and great mids from the G12M. Greenbacks of any flavor seem to love being pushed by Marshall-type amps.

Actually, I don't think either combo would be terribly different than the other, with the LB + H30 being a little more modern and the G12M + H30 being a little more vintage. I think either would give you what it sounds like you're wanting.