Bogner 20th Ann Ecstasy. Did you keep it/ sell it?

[carlygtr]

I owned three 101b's since the 90's. Always liked the amp although I found it kinda dark. Listening to my old demos, IMO it sounded great.
Thinking of either another 101b or an EL-34 20th Ann.
Is it still dark/ distant sounding? Asking cause I can get either at a great price. Any real world experience welcome.

 

[zewango]

I had both this year. I think you'd be happier with the 20th. Will do what you're looking for.

 

[gibson5413]

I had one for a while and loved it (one of my favorite amps I owned). Mine was the 6L6 version but sounded great and super versatile. I actually really liked the Plexi setting. It is dark but to my ears didn't sound as a dark as the 101b. I had it paired with my Bogner OS 2x12 with V30s and it sounded great. Loved the Blue channel in Plexi mode. I think they are worth a try for sure.

 

[mooncobra]

the 20th is AMAZING, loved it, if I didn't have to sell it, I would have kept it!

 

[RG955TT]

Had 101B for years and years and EL34 20th and 6L6 20th (which I sold to Gibson5413) and I think the 20th would be more your thing. Finally sold the 101b back a few months ago. My EL34 20th is the best all around amp I own, it does many things very very well. Played with tubes and bias (both pre and power) to get it where I like it but I did countless gigs and recordings with it and it really is a fantastic amp IMO and my number one for any project.

 

[gibson5413]

Had 101B for years and years and EL34 20th and 6L6 20th (which I sold to Gibson5413) and I think the 20th would be more your thing. Finally sold the 101b back a few months ago. My EL34 20th is the best all around amp I own, it does many things very very well. Played with tubes and bias (both pre and power) to get it where I like it but I did countless gigs and recordings with it and it really is a fantastic amp IMO and my number one for any project.

Got to agree here. I wouldn't call this amp a "jack of all trades" as I think it does many things extremely well.

 

[Rdodson]

I've had both. I liked the 20th with the 6L6s better than the EL34s, but that is a preference thing. Tubes make a HUGE difference in the amp, even moreso than the 101b. The only thing I didn't care for was the voicing of the RED channel...it seemed more congested than my old 101b. The whole amp has way more mids and with the gain of the RED it was too much for me. That being said, the GREEN channel with the 6L6s was the best clean sound I have ever had, and it wasn't close. Simply beautiful.

Honestly, if you are a lead player who is technical the 101b with really good tubes in it is hard to beat. It does everything well. It sounds like the final product coming straight out of the speakers (more compression, highs controlled).

 

[se7en]

I bought an EL34 20thX and loved it - thought it was a step up from the 101b in terms of dynamics and clarity. Eventually I wanted even less compression and put in KT77's, which were a slight improvement, while being tighter, but if the mids are dialed in higher they returned more of a honky character like 34's with a little more high end detail. Finally I had it converted to 6L6's/new OT.

3 things improved for me: the amp was more responsive and just felt better under the fingers, while the clean gained a really nice high end chime (was looking at used Twin Reverbs, but didn't think about buying one again for awhile after that). Compared to the EL34 20th - more sparkle than piano-like cleans. Lastly, it become more open with a fuller soundstage across the frequencies. There's so many good settings on the amp and for all the bells and whistles it's actually easy to dial in and get a great tone. Plexi mode really kicks ass as well. The boosts lend a lot of versatility and can be used with the Plexi now. The 20th Shiva was really nice, but its sound is more focused and the 101b was really nice, but the 20th was more intuitive to dial in. Anyways, not much I don't like about the 20th. It covers a lot of ground.

 

[halebox]

I really want one of these too. One went for $2300 on ebay recently. The clips sound great

 

[carlygtr]

Thanks for the replies! I'm reading them. The 6L6 loaded version sounds interesting.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Thanks for the replies! I'm reading them. The 6L6 loaded version sounds interesting.

Hey Carl,

If you haven't tried a 20th yet, than try one imo. For better or worse, you'll have a comparative experience to the 101B's you've owned...

 

[roodboy]

Thanks for the replies! I'm reading them. The 6L6 loaded version sounds interesting.

The 20th is definitely more open than a newer 101b.
20th xtc is one of the best amps I've owned. I had an original white 6l6 and got it converted to el34. Then after I sold that I got a stock el34.
I liked EL34 better but you can't go wrong either way.

 

[Atropos_Project]

Bought mine from someone on this very forum a few years back.. no regrets at all. Rig downsizing or being in a living situation where an amp wasn't feasible are the only reasons I'd ever sell it.

 

[halebox]

Ive only had 2 100b's never a 101b or 20th. The 100b blue channel was incredible wish I kept them. From clips Im gonna say the 20th blue is between the 100b and the 101b with better clean and red than both? My bogner fever resurfaces every 5 years and its back.

 

[Jdub]

I owned three 101b's since the 90's. Always liked the amp although I found it kinda dark. Listening to my old demos, IMO it sounded great.
Thinking of either another 101b or an EL-34 20th Ann.
Is it still dark/ distant sounding? Asking cause I can get either at a great price. Any real world experience welcome.

Hey Carl,

Nice to see ya...

I have owned a bunch of Ecstasys too. 100b 101b and 101a. I have played the 20th several times but never owned one.. Having also had several SLO's including the one I bought from you, I would have to say that the Ecstacy is still on the dark side of things and a bit overly compressed to my liking.. I sell em then miss em then buy em only to sell em again... I like the XTC but always end up struggling to get the bark and bite of say an SLO or a good MarshalI. Knowing you with the Hendrix ,Trower, Blackmore, influence etc, I bet you will tire of it yet once again as well.

Get the Helios if you want a Bogner!!! I got one recently and wow! It is phenomenal! My favorite Bogner ever. even over the 100b.. It just sounds right... from bedroom quiet to full on raging high volume. It kills!!! I I love this thing!! So much so that I sold my 71 Superlead and my 81 800 is up for sale too.. If you are going for the open marshall tone but more versatile and with more features but also dig the juicy polished Bogner high gain I would get one of them over any of the Ecstacys hands down... I know where there is one in stock now from an authorized dealer. Pm me if you want..

Cheers,
Jason

 

[supersonic]

Ive only had 2 100b's never a 101b or 20th. The 100b blue channel was incredible wish I kept them. From clips Im gonna say the 20th blue is between the 100b and the 101b with better clean and red than both? My bogner fever resurfaces every 5 years and its back.

The 100B remains my fav. It is more cutting and aggressive than the 20th. Worth grabbing one if it comes up.

 

[halebox]

I owned three 101b's since the 90's. Always liked the amp although I found it kinda dark. Listening to my old demos, IMO it sounded great.
Thinking of either another 101b or an EL-34 20th Ann.
Is it still dark/ distant sounding? Asking cause I can get either at a great price. Any real world experience welcome.

Hey Carl,

Nice to see ya...

I have owned a bunch of Ecstasys too. 100b 101b and 101a. I have played the 20th several times but never owned one.. Having also had several SLO's including the one I bought from you, I would have to say that the Ecstacy is still on the dark side of things and a bit overly compressed to my liking.. I sell em then miss em then buy em only to sell em again... I like the XTC but always end up struggling to get the bark and bite of say an SLO or a good MarshalI. Knowing you with the Hendrix ,Trower, Blackmore, influence etc, I bet you will tire of it yet once again as well.

Get the Helios if you want a Bogner!!! I got one recently and wow! It is phenomenal! My favorite Bogner ever. even over the 100b.. It just sounds right... from bedroom quiet to full on raging high volume. It kills!!! I I love this thing!! So much so that I sold my 71 Superlead and my 81 800 is up for sale too.. If you are going for the open marshall tone but more versatile and with more features but also dig the juicy polished Bogner high gain I would get one of them over any of the Ecstacys hands down... I know where there is one in stock now from an authorized dealer. Pm me if you want..

Cheers,
Jason

I have a SLO and wondering if Helios is similar vibe and does channel 1 crunch out? Can you do fluid leads without pedal? Still digging the 20th clips a hair more than Helios

 

[rokket2005]

I just picked up an ecstasy classic about 2 weeks ago. I like it a lot so far, and it does more of a straight up rock amp than any of my other amps. I've been using it on the old setting mostly, wasnt really digging the new setting when I tried it out, albeit it was briefly before I went to the old side.

 

[Jdub]

I owned three 101b's since the 90's. Always liked the amp although I found it kinda dark. Listening to my old demos, IMO it sounded great.
Thinking of either another 101b or an EL-34 20th Ann.
Is it still dark/ distant sounding? Asking cause I can get either at a great price. Any real world experience welcome.

Hey Carl,

Nice to see ya...

I have owned a bunch of Ecstasys too. 100b 101b and 101a. I have played the 20th several times but never owned one.. Having also had several SLO's including the one I bought from you, I would have to say that the Ecstacy is still on the dark side of things and a bit overly compressed to my liking.. I sell em then miss em then buy em only to sell em again... I like the XTC but always end up struggling to get the bark and bite of say an SLO or a good MarshalI. Knowing you with the Hendrix ,Trower, Blackmore, influence etc, I bet you will tire of it yet once again as well.

Get the Helios if you want a Bogner!!! I got one recently and wow! It is phenomenal! My favorite Bogner ever. even over the 100b.. It just sounds right... from bedroom quiet to full on raging high volume. It kills!!! I I love this thing!! So much so that I sold my 71 Superlead and my 81 800 is up for sale too.. If you are going for the open marshall tone but more versatile and with more features but also dig the juicy polished Bogner high gain I would get one of them over any of the Ecstacys hands down... I know where there is one in stock now from an authorized dealer. Pm me if you want..

Cheers,
Jason

I have a SLO and wondering if Helios is similar vibe and does channel 1 crunch out? Can you do fluid leads without pedal? Still digging the 20th clips a hair more than Helios

The SLO and the Helios are similar in that they both can produce a toothier sound than the XTC but they are quite different overall. The Helios is Marshall all the way and has big robust cleans and really gets that woody knock of a non master Marshall. The SLO can get that too, ( the knock not the big cleans) but it has to be so loud, while the Helios is voiced more in that vein.. The SLO gets more liquidy lead tones, but there is no need for a pedal on the Helios in 80's mode hot input. However , with a pedal coupled with lower gain settings on the Helios, you can go more over the top gain wise and get some different flavors.


Channel one on plexi input is pretty much clean clean all the way up till your ears bleed, with only a very slight amount of grit when pushed hard. Not really crunchy per se. Just a bit of grit.... Clean channel on hot input is a perfect crunch tone and nails that 70's Marshall vibe. There are many ways to skin a cat on the helios and they all sound killer...

Love it love it love it.. I a/b' it with a Shiva 20th and it was no contest..

 

[BackCrack]

*edited*

Mis-read the title...thought it said 20th Shiva.